ONTARIO, Ohio — First-year Ontario coach Chris Hawkins is better armed for his latest assignment.
Before taking over at Ontario in February, Hawkins was the head coach at Galion from 2007 to 2015. He inherited a Tigers’ program that was a combined 3-47 in the five seasons prior to his arrival — including back-to-back winless campaigns in 2003 and 2004.
In his first season at Galion, the Tigers were 1-9 overall and 0-7 in the Northern Ohio League. Galion surrendered 35 or more points in eight of 10 games in 2007 and was held to eight or fewer points five times.
“We were bringing knives to a gunfight,” said Hawkins, who would lead the Tigers to five playoff appearances between 2009 and 2015.
The situation at Ontario isn’t nearly as dire as the one he encountered at Galion a decade ago.
“If I was in a gunfight now,” Hawkins said during Ontario’s media day at Copeland Field earlier this week, “at least I’d have a gun, too.”
One of the reasons for Hawkins’ optimism is the man triggering the offense. Senior Trey Jordan, who was one of the area’s leading receivers last fall, will take over for the graduated Alex Vredenburgh at quarterback. Jordan, who had 30 receptions for 405 yards and five touchdowns last fall, has looked sharp in the preseason.
“People think he’s back there to run the ball and they can go ahead and think that,” Hawkins said. “He had three touchdown passes in our first scrimmage and two more in our second scrimmage. If teams want to fill up the box, we have athletes to go over the top.
“We’re going to continue to do what we do best. But we’re going into this thinking if (opponents) are going to put a ton of guys in the box, we’ll throw the ball 30 times a game. I have no problem doing that.”
Hawkins’ coaching résumé speaks for itself. In 20 seasons at Wynford (1994 to 1998), Willard (1999 to 2004) and Galion, he is a combined 143-69 with nine playoff appearances and six conference championships.
“He has won everywhere he has been,” Ontario athletic director Chris Miller said at the time of Hawkins’ hiring. “He’s a local guy and he’s won a bunch of football games. It made a lot of sense.”
Ontario was 2-8 last fall, but four losses were by 10 points or less. The Warriors were 2-4 in the NOL.
“I think we have the athletic potential to contend, Hawkins said. “Potential doesn’t guarantee an NOL championship, we all know that. I’m not saying we’re going to be NOL champs. I’m saying we have the potential to contend.”
The NOL will disband following the 2016-17 school year. Ontario is headed to the Mid-Ohio Athletic Conference next year.
“Winning the final NOL title would be huge,” Hawkins said. “Is it a very lofty goal? Absolutely.
“But is it an attainable goal? Absolutely.”
