From playing as a running back, to slinging passes as a quarterback, or even sliding in as the holder for the kicker on special teams, Hart’s Matix Frithsmith is all over the football field.
No matter where Frithsmith is lined up when the ball is snapped, the senior powered his Hawks to victory under the lights at Canyon High School, 35-8, over Golden Valley behind his four-touchdown performance.
“This was a weird week having to play quarterback but it’s nothing we can’t handle,” Frithsmith said afterward. “We have to be the best football team at the end of the day. We had a great gameplan by coach [Goossen-Brown] and had to get it done with our guys up front.”
Frithsmith, who’s been a three-year varsity starter for Hart, said after the game that he doesn’t care about personal stats or where he plays.
Instead, he just cares about snagging wins with his team and making the most of his senior season with big goals.
“Today was a Thursday game so not many heads here but still a great win,” he said. “We’re just going to keep moving forward here in league and got some big weeks coming up and we’re coming for that league championship.”
Frithsmith ended the day rushing for 148 yards on the ground off 21 attempts.
For Jake Goossen-Brown, the third-year head coach is grateful for Frithsmith and willingness to play all over the field.
Although Goossen-Brown had Hart’s primary quarterback junior Camren Ketner suited up, he still went with Frithsmith under center with the quick turnaround between games.
Last week, Ketner was sidelined in Hart’s win over Saugus and Frithsmith took over as quarterback.
“If I was going to go with anybody with two days to prepare, I’m going with guys that know the offense,” Goossen-Brown said. “He’s been a three-year varsity starter in this offense, so if anyone else knowns it as much as me, it’s him.”
As for the rest of Hart’s rushing attack, Joshua Rogozik punched the ball in for a touchdown of his own late in the first half.
Rogozik ended the day with 105 rushing yards off seven attempts.
With the win, the Hawks have started the Foothill League season 2-0 and are winners of their last three games.
With the three-game winning streak, and two-game unbeaten start to Foothill League play, Goossen-Brown is still looking to clean a few things up and approach the second half of the season as prepared as possible.
“We play our standard of football,” Goossen-Brown said. “It doesn’t matter who we line up against. We’re going to play football. The goal every week is to go 1-0 and the goal is to go out, play your game and it doesn’t matter what your opponent does.”
The Hawks return home to College of the Canyons’ Cougar Stadium Oct. 9 in a matchup against the West Ranch Wildcats at 7 p.m.
As the Grizzlies had their homecoming night spoiled, offensively the team wasn’t able to get anything going.
Senior running back Aaron McCormick carried the workload of Golden Valley’s offense in Thursday’s matchup.
McCormick ran for 55 yards with sophomore Cornell Glass joining the senior running back with 86 yards of his own.
In total, Golden Valley’s offense was held to 145 yards of total offense and sophomore quarterback Jaxon Ray, who was sidelined with an injury, completed one for two pass attempts for 2 yards.
The loss dropped the Grizzlies to below .500 on the season. And in Foothill League play, the Grizzlies fell to a 1-2 record.
The Grizzlies will look to bounce back Oct. 9 on the road at Valencia High School in a matchup against the Castaic Coyotes at 7 p.m.
For more on Frithsmith’s and Rogozik’s perfomance, watch their postgame interview here: https://youtu.be/W94GvYBCQ-s.
