Baird, Hughes, Hatem are tops
By Ray Stein
Dispatch Sports Reporter
When college recruiters are told that Hilliard High School quarterback, Steve Baird has rushed for 1,244 yards in his senior season, most make a similarly wrong assumption.
“I’ve had a lot of people say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know you guys run the option,’” Hilliard coach John Sines said. “And I’d say, ‘We don’t, not once all year.’
“They find it very difficult to believe that we don’t run an option when Steve has the kind of numbers he has.”
Baird has gotten his yards simply by taking off- quarterback draws, sprint-outs and the occasional scramble- and has helped Hilliard take off in the process.
Behind Baird, who has added 1,125 yards passing and has run or passed for 27 touchdowns, the Wildcats (10-1) qualified for the Division I state playoffs for the first time. They play Mount Vernon (9-2) tonight in a regional final.
For his efforts, Baird has been chosen back of the year on the 1993 Dispatch/Agonis Club all-star football team.
Upper Arlington tight end Jason Hughes, who also saw time as a defensive end, was named lineman of the year for the team, comprised of players at schools in Franklin County and its six surrounding counties.
Jack Hatem, who led Fisher Catholic to its first 10-0 record and playoff berth, was selected coach of the year.
Baird, a 6-footd-3, 195-pounder who is being recruited as a quarterback and as a defensive back, was equally effective running or passing, though he did more of the former earlier in the season.
“We didn’t have much experience coming back at running back, and figured that Steve understood that concept more,” Sines said. “Later in the year, we’ve spread it out more and become a little more wide open. He’s stepped up and done what we’ve needed.”
Baird said, “Coach Sines has told me my only real job is to put more points on the board than the opponent. I like what we’re doing now, mixing it up.”
Hughes might be considered an unusual choice for lineman of the year, considering he caught only 13 passes for 179 yards as a tight end. But the 6-6, 250-pound senior did his best work as a blocker.
“He’s the best I’ve ever coached,” UA coach Jeff Jones said. “Best lineman, best player.”
Hughes, a 3.92 student who is being recruited by Boston College, Duke, Northwestern, Ohio State, Stanford and others, had no problems with his low reception totals.
“I did get to catch a touchdown pass, which was a goal of mine,” he said. “Really, I like the blocking aspect quite a bit. I was involved in almost every offensive play.”
Hatem found plenty of good in his second season as coach at his alma mater. “Fisher went 15-45 the six seasons before Hatem arrived, then improved to 4-6 in his first season before going 10-0 and winning its first Mid-State League Cardinal Division championship.
“We thought we’d be good, but I don’t know if you can ever expect to go 10-0,” Hatem said. “Things just kind of took off and snowballed.”
A 21-6 loss to Newark Catholic in the first round of the Division V playoffs hasn’t tempered the enthusiasm, Hatem said.
“The community is satisfied, but I’m not sure I am or the kids are,” he said. “We’d like to do this again.”
Dispatch Sports Reporter
When college recruiters are told that Hilliard High School quarterback, Steve Baird has rushed for 1,244 yards in his senior season, most make a similarly wrong assumption.
“I’ve had a lot of people say, ‘Oh, I didn’t know you guys run the option,’” Hilliard coach John Sines said. “And I’d say, ‘We don’t, not once all year.’
“They find it very difficult to believe that we don’t run an option when Steve has the kind of numbers he has.”
Baird has gotten his yards simply by taking off- quarterback draws, sprint-outs and the occasional scramble- and has helped Hilliard take off in the process.
Behind Baird, who has added 1,125 yards passing and has run or passed for 27 touchdowns, the Wildcats (10-1) qualified for the Division I state playoffs for the first time. They play Mount Vernon (9-2) tonight in a regional final.
For his efforts, Baird has been chosen back of the year on the 1993 Dispatch/Agonis Club all-star football team.
Upper Arlington tight end Jason Hughes, who also saw time as a defensive end, was named lineman of the year for the team, comprised of players at schools in Franklin County and its six surrounding counties.
Jack Hatem, who led Fisher Catholic to its first 10-0 record and playoff berth, was selected coach of the year.
Baird, a 6-footd-3, 195-pounder who is being recruited as a quarterback and as a defensive back, was equally effective running or passing, though he did more of the former earlier in the season.
“We didn’t have much experience coming back at running back, and figured that Steve understood that concept more,” Sines said. “Later in the year, we’ve spread it out more and become a little more wide open. He’s stepped up and done what we’ve needed.”
Baird said, “Coach Sines has told me my only real job is to put more points on the board than the opponent. I like what we’re doing now, mixing it up.”
Hughes might be considered an unusual choice for lineman of the year, considering he caught only 13 passes for 179 yards as a tight end. But the 6-6, 250-pound senior did his best work as a blocker.
“He’s the best I’ve ever coached,” UA coach Jeff Jones said. “Best lineman, best player.”
Hughes, a 3.92 student who is being recruited by Boston College, Duke, Northwestern, Ohio State, Stanford and others, had no problems with his low reception totals.
“I did get to catch a touchdown pass, which was a goal of mine,” he said. “Really, I like the blocking aspect quite a bit. I was involved in almost every offensive play.”
Hatem found plenty of good in his second season as coach at his alma mater. “Fisher went 15-45 the six seasons before Hatem arrived, then improved to 4-6 in his first season before going 10-0 and winning its first Mid-State League Cardinal Division championship.
“We thought we’d be good, but I don’t know if you can ever expect to go 10-0,” Hatem said. “Things just kind of took off and snowballed.”
A 21-6 loss to Newark Catholic in the first round of the Division V playoffs hasn’t tempered the enthusiasm, Hatem said.
“The community is satisfied, but I’m not sure I am or the kids are,” he said. “We’d like to do this again.”