Central's former leading receiver is just a piece of puzzle with 7-0 Indians

Homecoming in Hayti had added meaning Friday night for George Hamilton III.

"Are you going to the homecoming dance?" he was asked after the Indians' victory against Scott City.

"Yes, sir," he said with a nod.

Hayti football coach David Gilmore, standing nearby, chimed in, "He has three dates."

Hamilton laughed. "Who told you that?"

George Hamilton III could be the man ... someday.

Hamilton spent most of his youth in Hayti. He attended school there from kindergarten through eighth grade. Then, he lived in Cape Girardeau and attended Central for two years.

He was the phenom of the freshman football team in 2005. He returned kickoffs for touchdowns -- including a 95-yarder in a tie with Perryville. He scored two TDs, threw for one and had an interception in a win against North County. He played in the varsity finale and carried twice for 13 yards.

The mention of those days brings a smile to his face.

Last year, as a sophomore, Hamilton led the Central varsity team in receiving with 566 yards on 32 catches. He scored four touchdowns receiving and added two more on returns. The Tigers finished 4-7 but reached the Class 4 state sectional round.

"At Central, everyone knew it would be me or Hykeem [Hammonds] getting the ball," Hamilton said. "When I was in Cape, everyone was doubling down on me and triple-teaming on me. When I came to Hayti, people didn't know about me. I think it's a positive."

It's also a dilemma that will require some management from Gilmore and his staff.

His Indians look to be pretty loaded this season at 7-0 and No. 3 in the state among Class 1 schools. They average 306 yards rushing per game. They have five different players with more than 250 yards rushing. They also don't mind throwing the ball with three receivers at more than 100 yards receiving.

Hayti has no shortage of players who can be the man ... on any given play.

Among the skill position players, quarterback Shaun Jones and running back Jerome Covington are prime candidates for the Carr Trophy as the top player in Southeast Missouri.

If it were a basketball team, naysayers would say there aren't enough balls to go around.

"As coaches, we don't know who's going to score every night," Gilmore said. "We give a lot of reps to a lot of different people."

Hamilton has yet to make a play on offense.

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Hamilton moved to Florida with his mother following the 2006-07 school year, but he harbored a desire to return to Missouri.

He decided to return to Hayti, to live with his father, George Hamilton Sr.

"I moved in with my dad because he needed some help," said the younger Hamilton, who also has three cousins on the football team.

Being with family made the difference in his return to Hayti instead of Central.

"I thought about it," Hamilton said of Cape Girardeau. "I just didn't have no relatives there. And I wouldn't have been eligible."

When Hamilton turned 18 on Sept. 13, he began attending Hayti and going to practice.

At that point the Indians were 2-0.

Hayti received word from the Missouri State High School Activities Association that Hamilton was eligible to play prior to the Oct. 7 game against Mountain View Liberty.

The Indians threw the ball his way a couple times in that game but without success.

They also missed connections with him during Friday's game against Scott City.

Hamilton said he's familiar with the offense more than the defense, but he did look out of sync at times in the no-huddle spread attack. An ankle injury is slowing him some, he said. He expressed some frustration early in the second period as Hayti's offense was slow to get rolling.

"To George's credit, he's only practiced a few times with the first team," Gilmore said. "We had him work out with the scout team until MSHSAA gave him the OK to play.

"The kids who are having success for us, this is their second full year in the system, this is their 17th game. With the first team, George has got about 7 or 8 days of practice.

"He's getting the system down. It's just going to take some time."

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With less than a minute to go in the second period of Friday's game, Scott City quarterback Caleb Estes floats a pass to the right side near midfield. In swoops Hamilton, who plucks it out of the air and returns it more than 20 yards into Scott City territory. A late hit moves the ball even closer to Scott City's goal line.

Hamilton beams as he lines up on the next possession having made an impact play.

At cornerback, Hamilton has seven tackles in two games. He may make a bigger impact here as the season goes on by using his speed to blanket opposing receivers.

Scott City, which has had success moving the ball through the air on a 50-percent passing rate and has a good receiving corps, completed just one pass for zero yards Friday. In addition to Hamilton's interception, safety Jones had his seventh -- and he ran it back 40 yards for a score.

And Estes faced a lot of heat from Hayti sack leaders Cody Chandler, William Cooper and William Norris.

"Some of the defensive stuff I still don't know yet," Hamilton said. "I just go freehand most of the time. That's why I play close to the coaches, so they can tell me what I need to do."

Those coaches are stressing patience.

"We told him tonight, just let the game come to you," Gilmore said.

He had said three weeks ago that he was hopeful Hamilton would become eligible, but he also wanted to make sure not to shake up a good thing.

With the seventh win in the bag, the Hayti locker room was filled with harmony. This is, after all, home for Hamilton.

"I'm cool with everybody because I grew up with everybody," Hamilton said.

Going from lead dog to one of the pack? "It's not hard as long as [we] keep winning," Hamilton said. "As long as we keep winning, I'm OK."

And the Indians believe the addition of Hamilton will be handy in their bid for a state championship. The Indians haven't been that far in the playoffs since a state runner-up finish in 2002, which came one year after a quarterfinal showing.

"We just have to find the right time to work at getting the ball to him, because there is going to be some major ones down the road," Jones said, noting the games yet to come.

Gilmore said Hamilton brought "instant leadership."

"We were very pleased when he came back," Gilmore said. "The kids know him. This junior class is the one he started school with in Hayti.

"His time is going to come. Like they said, there's going to come a time when he's going to make a play."

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Hamilton knows very well that Central is at almost the opposite end of the spectrum right now, struggling through a 1-6 season under Lawrence Brookins.

"I talk to Chase Johnson all the time," Hamilton said. "Cantrell [Andrews], Tyler McNabb, coach Brookins.

"When I talk to Chase, I always tell him to just let it go and move on to the next game. I remember from playing with him in ninth grade, if he'd throw an interception, I would always have to tell him to just let it go.

"I wish everyone the best anytime I talk with them. They'll always be my friends, no matter what."