New Coach Picks Up First Win at Hillcrest
Hillcrest sophomore Nasir Reynolds led Hillcrest with 319 rushing yards and four touchdowns during a win over Conrad on Friday. (Photo: Rob Graham)
By Michael Finnegan / Special Contributor
Nasir Reynolds rushed for 319 yards and four touchdowns to lead Hillcrest to a 32-12 win over Conrad on Friday at Franklin Stadium, giving Panthers head coach Jacob Ramon his first career victory.
Reynolds, a sophomore who moved to Dallas from Virginia earlier this year, scored four unanswered touchdowns on runs of 60, 20, 12 and 74 yards as the Panthers built a 25-6 lead late in the third quarter.
Reynolds also had a 99-yard scamper called back early in the third quarter that would have set a Hillcrest record for longest rushing play from scrimmage.
“I have to give credit to the offensive line,” Reynolds said. “They opened huge holes all night and I just tried to execute and do what my team needed me to do.”
The Panthers (1-2) increased their lead to 32-6 when junior quarterback Gabriel Granados took a bootleg around the left tackle into the end zone.
Granados, playing in rainy conditions following a one-hour lightning delay, completed two passes for 48 yards and rushed for another 30.
“The conditions were sloppy,” he said. “But Nasir was our workhorse and he dominated tonight.”
Reynolds had to exit the game twice due to cramping in the second half, but after stretching and hydrating, he stayed on the field and carried the Panthers during a milestone night for Ramon.
“It’s a very emotional night for me,” said Ramon, who came to Hillcrest from Plano East, where he was an assistant. “I’ve been preparing for this moment my whole life and I feel blessed to notch my first win as the head coach here at Hillcrest.”
Conrad took an early 6-0 lead after an 18-yard run by Dereme Griffin with just over three minutes left in the first quarter. The Chargers (0-3) didn’t score again until Isaiah Ferguson’s 2-yard run up the middle late in the fourth quarter.
“I’m so thankful to be a part of this program,” Ramon said. “It’s been a journey but it’s not about me. It’s about these players and I look forward to a successful future for our team.”
