Omar Hernandez rushed for three touchdowns and also threw for a score to help lead the Hilltop Lancers to a come-from-behind 33-10 non-league victory over the visiting University City Centurions in the season opener for both teams.
The victory was the first for new Hilltop head coach Cody Roelof.
Hernandez rushed 14 times for 130 yards and completed seven of 11 passing attempts for 113 yards to etch his name on the game.
Trey Ventura and Mark McGuire each scored touchdowns while Christian Luna made three of six point-after touchdown conversion attempts.
The Lancers rushed for a total of 204 yards on 42 attempts. Ruben Maldonado also had a memorable game by rushing 10 times for 66 yards, catching two passes for 13 yards and completing one pass for 37 yards (to Paul Greene). Ventura rushed four times for 14 yards.
McGuire led Hilltop’s receivers with three catches for 86 yards, including a longest effort that went for 43 yards. Andrew Rodriguez had two catches for 14 yards.
Defensively, the Lancers limited the Centurions to 209 total offensive yards, including 120 rushing yards. Alejo Cabral keyed Hilltop with seven tackles while teammates Eduardo Servin and Keondre Alejandre each made six tackles and Gregory Williams and Alex Serpa each had five tackles.
Green had one interception.
Hilltop scored first to lead 7-0 and looked to double the score in the first quarter before miscues stymied the Lancers after driving nearly to the goal line. The Centurions racked up 10 unanswered points in the second quarter to lead 10-7 at halftime. The second half was all Lancers with 26 unanswered points to erase a 10-7 UC lead.
