BANNING — Styrone Hairston, along with his Banning High School teammates, seemed like thoroughbreds at the start of a race waiting for the gate to open.
When it did, the Broncos’ speed and quickness on a 24-player squad easily overwhelmed bigger but slower Hemet, 46-0, in what could have seemed like a surprising outcome after a 2-8 season in 2011.
“We weren’t surprised at all,” said Hairston, who spends time at the positions of quarterback, safety and punt returner. He came up with touchdown runs of 53 and 24 yards, plus he took a 58-yard interception in for a touchdown. He would have had another touchdown — a 50-yard punt return — but it was called back for an illegal block.
“We expected this,” said Hairston, who racked up 170 yards on 16 attempts and completed 4-of-5 passes for 19 yards, including a six-yard touchdown pass to Anthony Ellison.
Banning, who lost last year’s quarterback, James Madison, to Los Angeles, not to mention head coach Scott McRitchie, added a trio of linebackers, said Hairston. “This year,” said Hairston, “we’re better because we’re faster.”
“We conditioned quite a bit,” said Hairston, “because we’re such a small team. I’ll say right now, we’re shooting for the whole thing, to go all the way (to a CIF championship).”
Hemet had no answers for the quick-hitting Broncos (1-0), who racked up 359 total yards.
Linebackers Darrion McCall, Marcos Saenz and Baybra Edwards gave visiting Hemet (0-1) no breathing room. Hemet finished with 57 total yards, made no pass completions and committed five turnovers.
Hemet came up with the game’s first big play on the opening kickoff, an onsides kick recovered by the Bulldogs. Five plays later, Banning’s Miguel Aispuro came up with an interception, the first of four turnovers in the opening quarter alone.
Banning quickly seized on those opportunities, scoring on Hairston’s 53-yard run, a 24-yard run and a five-yard run from Ellison. Hairston’s touchdown pass to Ellison made it 25-0 and, on Hemet’s next possession, Hairston came up with the 58-yard interception return.
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