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Hanover alumni embracing undefeated football team


It's late October, and Hanover High School has an undefeated football team.

No, this isn't a dream. The Nighthawks are in the midst of a perfect season, featuring a team that hasn't trailed all year. Locals have taken notice, filling Sheppard & Myers Stadium to near-capacity for most of the season.

Fans had to cram a little closer Friday night when alumni returned for the homecoming game against York County Tech. The Nighthawks pulled away in the second half to earn a 53-16 victory.

For most alumni, this is the best Hanover football team they've ever seen.

Tyler Hample falls into that group. The 2010 Hanover graduate said he's come to Nighthawks homecoming games previously, but that was just to reconnect with old friends.

"I've always been around but I've never really gone to games unless I knew a friend was going," he said. "This year it's like, 'Oh wow, these guys are undefeated, I want to pay attention a little more.'"

Hample describes himself as a "sporadic" follower of football. He likes to know the final results, but doesn't always pay attention beyond that, he said.

"There wasn't really a point. We almost were always going to lose," he said.

Slideshow: Hanover 53, York County Tech 16

It wasn't always about the wins and losses, said Zack Miller, a 2013 graduate.

"Everybody came out to support their friends, and when your friends are out there on the field pouring their hearts out, even when the end result might be that loss, we were always excited and supportive of them because they were doing stuff that they love," he said.

Miller, who attends Hood College in Frederick, Maryland, first learned of Hanover's hot start after Week 2, he said. For a program that won a combined four games in the past four seasons, Hanover drew Miller's attention when more of the players were talking about their hot start on Twitter, he said.

"After 2-0, I was like, 'OK, something's different,'" he said. "Obviously, this is kind of a whole different culture. To see them out on the field, everybody seems more energized."

Of course, no homecoming game would be complete without the comment of the reigning homecoming queen. Lindsey King, who graduated in 2015, was making her first appearance back at a game since graduating, she said.

King was there to crown the 2015-16 homecoming queen. She also got to see the cheerleaders fire up a crowd with true enthusiasm and passion, something that might not have always been there, she said.

"It was definitely tough, but we just did it for the fun. Like when they would score a touchdown, we got really crazy and threw footballs, it didn't matter if they won or not," King said.

Miller said he's going to continue following Hanover's historic season. If the Nighthawks continue to win, Miller would like to get a shot at local rival, he said.

"Now that they're doing well, it'll encourage kids to come out," he said. "Hopefully maybe one time they become more successful and they might be able to play (South Western)."