Hill gets his chance to be Hubbard’s No. 1 back

August 27, 2015 at 12:10a.m.

George Hill now has his chance to be No. 1 back

Although he feels his first three years at Hubbard High School have flown by, senior running back George Hill can’t wait for Friday’s opener against Norwayne.

“Definitely went fast,” said Hill of his high school career. “I’ve been working out so hard.

“So for [my final year] to get here that fast, I’m kind of happy, excited,” said Hill, who has given an early commitment to Ohio State. “Finally, I can show what I can do on the field.”

As if he hasn’t already. The past two seasons, Hill shared the Hubbard backfield with L.J. Scott, who’s now at Michigan State. As a sophomore, Hill gained 1,175 yards on 100 carries and scored 15 touchdowns. Last fall, he gained 1,027 yards on 88 carries and scored 13 times as Hubbard posted a 12-1 season.

“It was great having two skilled players like them in the backfield,” junior guard Sal Pesce said. “If we could hold our blocks for the required time, they could find a seam and hit it up.

“With their great vision, that’s something they’re always able to do — break big plays out of stuff that seems broken up.”

Sixteen Eagles graduated in June. Hill said the lesson they most taught him was that he needed to grow up to be ready for his final varsity season.

“[Scott] was a leader and he was mature,” Hill said of The Vindicator’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2014. “The senior class was mature — that taught me a lot.”

Asked what the biggest difference for him has been, Hill smiles.

“I think I did way more lifting than I ever did in my life,” Hill said.

Pesce said Hill’s speed is what kills and nothing is better for a lineman than watching a teammate race downfield.

“We just feel like we did our job,” Pesce said of the Eagles’ potent offense. “Once he gets to the outside, there’s really no local team that can catch him.

“Seeing him run up the sidelines is always a good feeling for a lineman.”

Last fall, Hubbard won the All-American Conference White Tier with an undefeated regular season. While another league crown, unbeaten season and playoff berth are goals, they won’t be automatic. Pesce, who rotated at guard last fall, said there are five new starters on the line.

“The great line we had last year, we have a a lot to live up to,” Pesce said. “But we have a cohesive unit — [I think] we can do some big things running the ball this year.”

Hill’s dreams include playing beyond Columbus. He’s proud that the Buckeyes have been voted No. 1 in the Associated Press poll.

“There’s going to be competition there, but the competition is only going to make me better, trying to make my way, hopefully, to the NFL,” Hill said. “So it’s good there will be competition against guys who eventually might even play in the NFL, might even be on the way to the draft.

“It will be good to get a few plays in with them.”

Before that, the 2015 season awaits. Last fall, the Eagles were in Ohio’s Division III and they lost for a second straight year to Akron SVSM in the regional final.

This fall, Hubbard is in Division IV and Akron’s Irish are no longer in the way of a trip to Columbus.

However, Youngstown‘s Irish (Ursuline) and Cardinal Mooney are. If Hubbard and one of them meet after Week 10, Hill said it will be like old times.

“Grew up with a lot of those Mooney guys, a lot of those Ursuline guys, so it would just be like a Little League game,” Hill said. “Going against them would make me feel great because we all grew up in the same area — Youngstown. It would be good to be on the field with them again.”

Until then, he’ll settle for the AAC schedule especially, East, Howland and Poland.

Especially Poland.

“They always used to beat Hubbard, then we finally beat them the last two years,” Hill said. “That was excitement. Everybody doesn’t likes them because they always win.”