Passing game at Eastern Green thrives under Hawk's watchful eye

For Eastern Greene quarterback Jonas Hawk, every snap is about choices.

Head coach Travis Wray has handed him the reigns to the offense, with a run-pass option on every play pre-snap then another read once the play is under way. It's all based on what Hawk sees from the defense, where it's most vulnerable.

Figure that for the T-Birds' opponents, they're going to lean heavily on stopping 1,000-yard running back James Lewis, who is darn hard to catch once he gets to the second level.

That's why Hawk and his receivers, Ty McKnight, Lane Stephens and Kasen Cullison and tight end Peyton Lewis must put the 'spread' in spread offense for OC Danny Tieken.

"Our whole receiving corps, Ty is the guys scoring touchdowns, but we've got four playmakers on the perimeter," Wray said. "That's allowed coach Tieken to get them in different formations and stretch the defense horizontally and vertically."

Stretch a defense long enough and it'll snap, and that's exactly what the T-Birds (5-4) are hoping to do Friday at home in their Class 1A Sectional 48 opener against No. 4 Providence (9-0) at 7:30 p.m.

Learning to fly

Stephens, a senior, was the top receiver last year but the untimely death of Jedd Cummings and graduation of a senior left several holes to fill. The T-Birds had one player back at receiver with more than five catches in 2022.

So Eastern turned to a pair of players who came out for the first time, but had already proven themselves in other sports.

Cullison, a junior, played baseball as did McKnight, who also plays basketball, were talked into giving another sport a try by a pair of former T-Bird standouts and now assistant coaches, Jeff Graham and Mike Love.

"Kasen and Ty and both quiet, funny kids," Wray said. "Kasen I've known for a while. They've changed the dynamics of our offense."

First practice, McKnight caught a long pass and got a chest bump from an Eastern assistant and was hooked, Wray said. He's become Eastern's big-play guy, as seen most recently by the bubble screen he took 77 yards for a score at Bridgeport (Ill.) Red Hill or the 36-yard TD he scored against Linton.

They are also important pieces to the secondary and on special teams.

In Peyton Lewis, Eastern has a 255-pound tight end (and back up QB) it can also let loose in the secondary.

"There's almost not enough footballs to go around," Wray said.

Balancing act

The ability to throw the ball goes back to the play of the offensive line and it's ability to run and pass block. Get James Lewis going and it brings the safeties up to help, which opens up passing lanes. Get the passing game open and suddenly, the box isn't quite so full anymore.

"The growth of our offensive line, that's the reason we have the confidence to throw the ball," Wray said. "Coach (Justin) Scheller has done a good job developing their confidence."

And as long as Hawk is making the right choices, the offense will keep moving and scoring.

"You've got to have that during the tournament," Wray said. "Our defense built to win tight ball games, but it doesn't have to be 6-3. I can trust we're going score 20 points or more."

Providence problems

Eastern's defense will have to go old-school this week.

"This will be my first time playing against a Wing-T offense since playing Center Grove when I was at North," Wray said. "I haven't had to deal with it since. They've got some speed and some size in the backfield and they're fundamentally sound."

Wray asked him team earlier this week if they're tired of just about every positive moment this season having 'the first time since 2018' phrase attached to it. Every hand went up. But when he asked if they were ready to win their first sectional game since 2018, well, that they were ready to read.

Providence is undefeated and that means something since so few teams ever achieve that. But the Pioneers have faced four teams who finished 1-8 or 0-9 and their last game was halted after a half due to too many injuries on its foe.

More: Perfect ending sends No. 1 Bloomington North football into bye week

So Eastern is ready to strike fast with an offense that can run, and pass, to a quick score.

"Nobody's really put them into a fight," Wray said. "We can jump on teams and if we can punch them in the mouth early, who knows?"

Contact Jim Gordillo at jgordillo@heraldt.com and follow on X (Twitter) @JimGordillo.

This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Passing game at Eastern Greene thrives under sharp-eyed Hawk