​Expectations are sky-high for Hatton football as they head into another season under head coach Nikita Stover. Last year marked Stover’s inaugural campaign, a year in which the Hornets finished 7-4 in the regular season and went 6-2 in region play before their playoff run ended in a narrow 20-19 defeat to Madison Academy in the opening round. Now, with Hatton entering Year 2 under Stover, the optimism is that the team can elevate their performance even further.
Stover notes that the buy-in among players has intensified compared to last year, and the results are evident in the weight room. “We’ve been in the weight room. You see how the guys look. They’re getting bigger, stronger, a lot faster,” he said. The staff has also been experimenting with how to maximize depth by moving players around to multiple positions this season, a strategy Stover believes will pay dividends once the season unfolds. “We’ve got guys that we’re moving around, doing a lot of different things this year. It’ll help our depth, and we need that,” he explained.
Summer workouts have centered on installing a new defensive approach while continuing to refine the small details that can make a difference on game nights. Stover envisions a defensive scheme that will resemble the foundation from the last four games of last season, but with a fresh twist. “They’re fast guys on defense that can play anywhere — guys that have been there. We only replaced two corners from last year; we’ve got mostly everybody else back,” he noted.
Hatton returns one of the region’s premier running backs, Savarius Evans, who emerged as a standout with 1,719 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns last season as a rising senior. “He’s our feature guy as far as offense goes,” Stover said. “Everybody knows he’s our bell cow. He’s one of the best backs in the state.” Alongside Evans, impact players such as wide receiver Quenderius Bolding and defensive back Daniel Taylor Jr. are set to reprise their senior seasons and provide veteran leadership to the Hornets’ offense and defense.
Stover emphasized a philosophy that prioritizes fast, aggressive play, even if mistakes occur early in the process. “I told the guys, ‘As long as you’re playing fast and aggressive, if you make mistakes, that’s fine.’ We’re going to keep guys out there that want to play hard,” he stated.
The quarterback position presents an intriguing three-way battle, with Taegen Burleson, Tristan Bolden, and East Limestone transfer Cade Parham competing for the starting role. The departure of four-year starter Tasean Love, who tossed for 1,557 yards and 26 touchdowns last season, has opened the door for a flexible approach. Stover wants to capitalize on each signal-caller’s strengths, describing the competition as “iron sharpens iron.” He suggested a rotation or a mix of options to leverage different skill sets throughout the year.
Hatton has also welcomed a pair of transfers to bolster the roster. Keyshawn Bowling arrives from Lauderdale County, and Daniel Aycock, who previously played at Russellville, has moved back to Hatton and made an immediate impact on the field. “Aycock is another guy that came back. He’s from Hatton, went to Russellville, and he moved back. He’s been big time as far as the things he does on the field,” Stover commented.
With realignment moving Hatton to Class 3A and placing them in Region 5, the Hornets will face a challenging slate that includes East Lawrence, Curry, Danville, Fayette County, Haleyville, Oakman, and Winfield. Despite the stiff competition, Stover remains focused on continual improvement. “Our goal is to be better than we were the day before,” he affirmed. “We think we have a talented team that can do great things.”