Playing for the second time in 15 hours, didn’t seem to faze the Hawks varsity squad, as they erased the heart breaking loss to Madison HS, with a convincing defeat of their National District nemesis; the Raiders of Jeb Stuart HS. Although the score would suggest otherwise, most of this game was not as close as you would think. The Raiders did mount a furious comeback, but were unable to get closer than 6 points, with less than 4 minutes remaining in the 4^th quarter. Unlike vs. Madison, the Hawks had the answer; 10-12 from the stripe down the stretch. Hayfield improved to 10-6, eclipsing the 10 win mark for the second time, in as many years with Coach Poindexter at the helm. This marked their 6^th win in the last 8 games. The Hawks will play their 3^rd game in 4 days, when they lace them up vs. the Highlanders from McLean HS on Monday, 1/27/14.

The Hawks used a decisive 2^nd quarter, holding the Raiders to 1 point, to break open the game. They took an 18 point lead into the half, but then the Raiders got going with 19 points in the third, as the Hawks let down their guard. Stuart followed with a 20 point barrage in the 4^th, but their lack of scoring in the 2^nd proved to be part of their undoing, as the lead was too great to surmount.

The other parts were a quartet of Hawks. SF Amir Atkins (19pts, 7rebs) led the preservation of their revenge game vs. the Raiders, scoring 8 in the 4^th, including 4-4 from the line. SG Phil Guydon (9pts, 2rebs, 4asts) sank two clutch free throws of his own, while PG Tyler Thornton (3pts: 3-4 from the line, 2asts) calmed the Hawks down, just when the Raiders seemed poised to erase the Hawks big lead. C Eliet Donley (5pts, 6rebs, 2asts) made the final statement, when he flushed a two handed slam off the break.

Other key contributors included: SG Faris Gebril (5pts, 1reb, 1stl) led the balanced attack in the decisive 2^nd quarter. SG Tyler Hodge (3pts, 1reb, 2stls) started his 5^th straight game, while SF Muharrim Haque (4pts, 1ast, 1stl) played an excellent game, especially in the 2^nd quarter when the Hawks defense stymied the Raiders. SF Kelsey McCrimmon (3pts, 1reb, 1ast, 1stl) hit a key 3, and PF Dalon Thomas (4pts, 2rebs, 4asts) made several excellent interior passes to open low block recipients. PF Montez Wilson (6pts, 2rebs, 5stls) was the receiver of many of those passes, as well as playing excellent defense. PG Daquan Poindexter (3asts, 1stl) spelled Thornton in the 2^nd quarter, helping the Hawks open an 18 point lead.