​Sep. 29—HATTON — It’s late at Bill Washington Stadium, and the crowd is bearing down on running back Savarius Evans as he’s lined up in the backfield on Madison Academy’s own 2-yard line.Down 20-19, this 2-point conversion run could hand Hatton its first playoff win in 23 years. But diving toward the end zone, he was called short. An interception on the next Hatton drive sealed the game, and once again Evans went home without a playoff win.”I don’t want to feel like that ever again,” Evans said.So he went home and worked to get better, fueled by the postseason loss.”This summer has been about getting in shape,” Evans said. “I’ve been in shape before these past few years but just not this type of shape I’m in right now.”After missing the first game, that form has shown as he’s helped lead Hatton to a perfect record.The Division 1 recruit is averaging 13 yards per carry with 786 yards and 13 touchdowns. Over the last two games alone, he’s put together 510 rushing yards and nine touchdowns.”It’s crazy because in the last two weeks, he’s had four touchdowns called back,” Hatton coach Nikita Stover said.Stover said Evans has always been a forceful running back, but this year he’s seen a different kind of aggression from the senior.”He kind of reminds me of Marshawn Lynch now and then when he runs. He’s got that type of style,” Stover said. “ But he’s been more aggressive with the ball this year. It’s like he doesn’t see anything but the end zone.”Stover originally met Evans as his youth football coach in Decatur when Evans was 8 years old. The two were together at Decatur Heritage before moving to Hatton last season.”Going into his seventh grade year, we kind of started seeing it a little bit,” Stover said. “Then in his eighth grade year we really knew he could be special.”In his freshman and sophomore seasons at Decatur Heritage, the Eagles went a combined 16-5. At Hatton last year, they went 7-4.But despite all of that regular-season success, neither Stover nor Evans has seen the second round.”It’s put a fire in me,” Evans said. “I can’t lose a first-round game again. I already told myself, ‘I’m not going to let this team lose. I’ll  put the whole load on my back if I have to.'”Off to a 5-0 start this season, this looks like the Hornets’ best shot in years.”A lot of people on the team, we’ve all talked about this,” Evans said. “We all know that we have the ability and the talent to go to state.”This Friday, Evans and the Hornets will face their top region opponent and county rival East Lawrence (4-1, 3-0) in a game with playoff implications. Both are unbeaten in Class 3A, Region 5 and sit atop the region standings.”Regardless of who wins this game, the other team will still have a shot at hosting a playoff game, but anybody can slip up any week,” Stover said.The past three meetings have been close regardless of the record. In 2023, Hatton won 34-30. Then the next season the Hornets won 22-20. Last year, East Lawrence staged a late rally afte