The anticipation and excitement filled the atmosphere at Rick Prizant Stadium, as the multi-time champion Birmingham Patriots took their home field for their season opener in an early season showdown with the Hart Hawks from the Southern Section. With another year under the guidance of longtime Birmingham head coach Jim Rose, senior quarterback Kevin Hawkins entered this season as the Patriots’ full-time starter after splitting time last season. Avenging their 35-9 defeat against the Hawks a season earlier, Birmingham’s offense struggled to get into gear as they faced a 14-3 deficit heading into the locker room. Hawkins used his legs to get the Patriots back into the contest along with senior wideout Jimmy Renteria,who made key plays in all three facets of the game down the stretch to seal the 24-14 comeback victory.  

Both teams displayed signs of nerves as each team came up empty on their opening drives with the Patriots turning the ball over on downs. The Hawks struck first on the first play of their second drive when senior quarterback Jacob Paisano tossed a 49-yard touchdown pass to senior wideout and playmaker Matix Frithsmith to take an early 7-0 with 4:31 left in the first quarter. The contest remained a defensive battle throughout the first half with each team unable to get off the schneid on the offensive end. 

With over two minutes left in the half, Frithsmith hauled in a 47-yard pass to put Hart into goalline  territory. Paisano gave the Hawks a 14-0 advantage by putting the ball into the end zone himself with a 5-yard touchdown run on a QB keeper on 3rd & Goal. With 1:27 left on the clock, Birmingham finally got their offense going through their ground game with a 25-yard run from junior running back Braylen Morgan. Hawkins broke off a 17-yard run of his own while leaving two seconds on the game clock, leaving enough time for a field goal from sophomore kicker Eddy Vigueras to put the Patriots on the board with a 14-3 score at the half. Rose credited the field goal postgame to providing his team with a spark as he cited “a big difference” between the halftime score and facing a potential 14-0 deficit. 

Birmingham retrieved possession of the football to begin the second half, where on the fourth play of the drive, Hawkins used his legs once again to break out a momentum shifting 59-yard touchdown score to make it a one-score game at 14-10. Rose, in his postgame interview, highlighted Hawkins’ ability to use his physical gifts to propel his team in key moments, “That’s what he’s supposed to do. I mean he is 6’5, 260 (pounds), so he’s capable of taking over a game the way he did.” On the defensive end, the Patriots defense smothered the Hawks in the second half, forcing a three and out on the first second half drive from Hart. 

With all the momentum on their side, the Patriots found new life offensively through the mobility of Hawkins as he ripped off an explosive 27-yard run on their subsequent drive. Having regained their offensive rhythm through their ground game, Birmingham finally made a big play through the air. Renteria brought the crowd to its feet with an electric 49-yard touchdown reception where he dodged multiple defenders in traffic while changing directions to put Birmingham ahead 17-14 for their first lead of the night. He attributed their second half game plan of running the football as the precursor for his touchdown in the postgame interview, “We knew [if] just we keep pounding the ball, pounding the ball…..they’ll bite on the run.” 

Midway through the third quarter, the Hawks were unable to move the ball against the stout Birmingham defense as they turned the ball over on downs on their following possession. A penalty-ridden Birmingham drive took the game into the fourth quarter, where the Hart defense caught a huge break when Birmingham Sophomore running back Jameer Wilder fumbled the ball which was recovered by the Hawks with 9:48 left in the game. Having earned their first takeaway of the contest, Hart could not capitalize on their opportunity to re-gain the lead as three back-breaking offensive holding penalties stunted their subsequent drive. 

After a punt from the Hawks, Birmingham methodically took time off the clock as they moved the ball towards midfield. On third down and six to go, Wilder was stopped at the line for no gain. Rose decided to get tricky on fourth down as the Patriots executed a fake punt snap to Renteria which was taken to the house for a 48-yard touchdown score to extend the Birmingham lead to 24-14. 

With 2:22 left in the contest, the Patriots defense had an opportunity to preserve the second half shutout. On the second play of the drive, Renteria capped off their stellar performance by recovering a fumble from Frithsmith as he anticipated the hit. “It could’ve been a touchdown, but I went there. He got scared and fumbled the ball. I got it. Game over.”, he declared following the victory. 

The 2025 Patriots team will have to rely on many of their underclassmen who gained valuable experience from Friday night’s 24-14 victory. “In the first half, it [the game] was going fast. We had guys throwing up. They had nerves, first varsity games and stuff.”, said Rose. As one of the team leaders,  Renteria emphasized the importance of the team’s togetherness in reaching their goals this season, “We all need each other.”

All photos by VST Senior Photographer Benjamin Becher