The Hawks are currently getting a crash course though.

For the second straight week, fifth-ranked (Class 1A) South Hamilton got off to what head coach Corey Klemp perceived to be a slow start on Friday, but it was short lived.

East Marshall led 7-0 after one quarter, but South Hamilton unleashed a four-touchdown second quarter — call it the Brock Galetich quarter — en route to a 52-7 romp in District 3 play.

“It just took us a little bit to adjust to what they were doing offensively, but once we woke up a little bit, then it was off to the races,” Klemp said. “We’ve just got to realize that we’re going to get everybody’s best shot from here on out. Apparently the learning curve isn’t over on that.”

Trevor Thompson absorbs a hit during South Hamilton’s 52-7 win over East Marshall Friday night in LeGrand. Thompson rushed for 190 yards and three touchdowns in the win. DFJ photo/Angela Hewitt

The Hawks (6-0, 4-0) wrapped up their first district championship in 27 years with the rout. They can claim the outright district title — a first in program history since they shared it in 1993 — with a win over Aplington-Parkersburg in the final week of the regular season.

And Klemp says there won’t be any celebrating until that becomes a reality.

“(Clinching the district title) doesn’t mean a thing right now,” he said. “Going 6-0, but then going into the playoffs after having lost a game is not how you want to set things up. So this next game is our most important game, that’s what would really set things up.”

Galetich scored all four second-quarter touchdowns against East Marshall (2-4, 0-4). He put South Hamilton in front to stay with an 8-yard score, followed by a two-point conversion run just 33 seconds into the period and he was only getting started. He followed with TD runs of 8 and 10 yards, and capped the monstrous quarter with a 39-yard TD reception off a throw from quarterback Freddie Lewis.

South Hamilton’s halfback duo of Galetich and Trevor Thompson simply overwhelmed the Mustangs. Thompson’s bruising style led to 190 yards rushing, while Galetich’s speed and elusiveness translated into 108 yards. Both running backs ran in three scores.

DFJ photo/Angela Hewitt

“Offensively we really opened things up and had pretty smooth sailing,” Klemp said. “Our backs ran hard and, after watching film, I think we played better up front than I had originally thought.”

After watching fullback Lane Swenson torch Hudson a week earlier, East Marshall filled the box to take away the runs between the tackles. But all that did was open things on the outside, and Thompson and Galetich took advantage.

“It’s different week to week,” Klemp said. “Hudson really loaded up to stop Trevor and Brock, and it opened things for Lane. This week they were more set up to stop inside with Lane, and that left Brock and Trevor to go to work.

“Trevor is that more powerful runner and Brock is the make you miss type of guy, and both styles worked really well Friday night. Having those three weapons, it keeps you from focusing on just one guy.”

Leading 32-7 entering the second half, South Hamilton continued to score at will. Thompson scored on a 17-yard run in the third quarter, and then added TDs of 1 and 10 yards in the fourth quarter.

The Hawks finished with 389 yards of offense, 345 on the ground. Throwing Lewis into the equation, South Hamilton’s four ball carriers averaged 7.8 yards per tote.

Lewis also completed 2 of 4 passes, both to Galetich, for 44 yards.

East Marshall’s early momentum — keyed by a 6-yard TD pass from Logan Bowie to Dane Thompson — was stemmed over the final three quarters. The Mustangs were able to rush for 155 yards; Samuel Bandstra led the way with 50 yards.

“They ran some option early, which we hadn’t seen a lot of,” Klemp said. “It was a credit to them, but it was also about us having a flat start and not owning the line of scrimmage like we normally do.”

Thompson (91⁄2) and Austin Busch (81⁄2) combined for 18 tackles. Kyler Hodnefield collected six, and Tycin Barkema made 21⁄2 stops and intercepted Bowie once.

The win likely locked up a first-round postseason bye for South Hamilton. But neither that, nor the district crown, move the needle for Klemp. Not yet anyway.

“If the kids can be focused enough to beat a quality program like Aplington-Parkersburg, then I think it will mean a great deal,” he said.

South Hamilton will host the Falcons for Homecoming on Friday at 7 p.m.

South Hamilton 52, East Marshall 7

Friday at LeGrand

S. Ham 0 32 6 14 — 52

E. Mar 7 0 0 0 — 7

First Quarter

EM — Dane Thompson 6 pass from Logan Bowie (Samuel Bandstra kick), 3:00.

Second Quarter

SH — Brock Galetich 8 run (Galetich run), 11:27.

SH — Galetich 8 run (Trevor Thompson run), 5:53.

SH — Galetich 10 run (Thompson run), 3:40.

SH — Galetich 39 pass from Freddie Lewis (Thompson run), 0:22.

Third Quarter

SH — Thompson 17 run (run failed), 9:07

Fourth Quarter

SH — Thompson 10 run (Lane Swenson run), 10:47.

SH — Thompson 1 run (kick failed), 3:20.

Individual Statistics

Rushing — SH: Trevor Thompson 21-190, Brock Galetich 15-108, Lane Swenson 6-39, Freddie Lewis 2-8. EM: Samuel Bandstra 16-50, Garrett Kerber 10-42, Logan Bowie 14-33, Bo Lee 6-30.

Passing — SH: Lewis 2-3-0 44. EM: Bowie 2-4-1 24.

Receiving — SH: Galetich 2-44. EM: Lee 1-18, Dane Thompson 1-6.

Tackles — SH: Thompson 91⁄2, Austin Busch 81⁄2, Kyler Hodnefield 6, Swenson 51⁄2, Dominic Summers 41⁄2, Colton Willis 31⁄2, Landen Skartvedt 3, Elijah Balderas 3, Carter Balvanz 3, Tycin Barkema 21⁄2, Carter Hewitt 2, Nic Flaugh 2, Lewis 11⁄2, Galetich 1, Evan Winkler 1⁄2, Preston Stoecker 1⁄2, Blake Harris 1⁄2.

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