They had to wait an extra six weeks for an uncertain high school football season to start, but, once they got going Friday night, the Colorado transplants made a quick impression.

Quarterback Nicco Marchiol passed for a touchdown and ran for another, running back Noah Schmidt had two long, dazzling runs, including a 54-yard score, and safety Jack Howell thanked the defensive front for an easy night for him with a dominant display against the biggest line it will see.

They helped put Peoria Centennial into a running clock with about nine minutes left in the third quarter, as second-ranked and host Chandler Hamilton rolled to a 42-0 victory.

COVID-19 has been the story line since March in Arizona with sports put on hold.

But this was a wait that Marchiol, Schmidt and Howell felt would be worthwhile since moving in from Colorado, which has to wait two weeks longer than Arizona did to start its high school football season.

When all three were brought to a bevy of reporters in the end zone after the game, their teammates razzed them in the background, shouting, “Hey, Colorado.”

“I’m at a loss for words right now, because this is what we’ve been looking forward to all summer,” Marchiol said. “Even before that, in March, and building this relationship with our guys.”

In Hamilton’s first drive, Marchiol, on fourth-and-six, found Christian Anaya, who turned the corner along the sideline for a 36-yard score.

A little later, Schmidt broke loosed from a swarm of defenders for 55 yards to the 7, from which he ran it in on the next play.

“I think that first one kind of showed my nerves a little bit,” Schmidt said. “But once you get out there and get hit a couple of times, it’s nothing different. It’s great to be out here with that great O-line. You saw the score, 42 to zero. We’re capable of doing that.”

It starts with defense, and with more size and speed than last year’s team that reached the Open Division semifinals, this Hamilton defense limited Centennial to no yards in its first three series.

The entire second quarter was spent in Centennial territory, as the Huskies had five rushing touchdowns, two by sophomore Deshawn Buchanan, who, along with Zach Lewis, rotated in at tailback with Schmidt.

“This is a good win to get out of the way,” Buchanan said.

As Buchanan was speaking to a reporter, an assistant coach told Buchanan to talk about the defense.

Howell, a safety committed to Colorado State, who returned the second-half kickoff 45 yards, put it best.

“I told the D-line tonight, ‘If I’m not busy, we’re doing something right,’ ” Howell said. “So props to them, and props to the linebackers. It was a great team win.”

Hamilton coach Mike Zdebski was impressed by his defense in the season debut.

“They’re a bunch of fast dudes,” he said. “They know where to get. We still got to get a lot better. But it’s a good start.

“We hate going against (our defense) in practice.”

To suggest human-interest story ideas and other news, reach Obert at [email protected] or 602-316-8827. Follow him on Twitter @azc_obert.

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