PHEBA — Landon Hill has chameleon-like tendencies.
If it is football season, the Hebron Christian senior can transform himself into a dual-threat performer who is just as capable of beating you running or catching the football as he is as stopping you from scoring.
When football season ends, Hill makes a quick change and becomes a versatile threat on the basketball court.
As accomplished as Hill is in both sports, he said he would go with football if he was forced to pick one.
It’s a smart choice because a performance like the one Hill delivered this season is bound to attract the attention of college coaches.
The 6-foot-4, 185-pounder was a leader on both sides of the football for Hebron Christian, which lost to Tallulah Academy (La.) in the semifinals of the Eight-Man playoffs to finish the season 8-4. Hill played a major role in helping the Eagles, who had only 12 players, have one of their best seasons in recent memory. On offense, Hill had 2,698 yards, five rushing conversions, five conversion receptions, and 260 points. He also was an anchor on defense with 120 tackles.
For his accomplishments, Hill is The Dispatch’s Small Schools Offensive Player of the Year.
“Last year as a junior, I had a pretty good season,” Hill said. “This year, I knew it was the last chance I had to get any coach’s eye. I just tried to go out with everything I had every game.”
Hebron Christian coach David Foster praised the effort of Hill and all of his players in a 54-46 victory against No. 1 seed Marvell Academy (Ark.) in the first round of the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools Eight-Man playoffs. The victory avenged a 46-16 loss to Marvell Academy on Oct. 9 in the regular season.
Hill said he and his teammates took special pride in the victory against Marvell Academy because they overheard a comment by one of the opposing coaches that led them to think they were being overlooked. In fact, Hill said he and his teammates wanted to go out and prove that Hebron Christian wasn’t a “basketball school” and that it had student-athletes who could play football, too.
“It felt good going into the second round of the playoffs and beating the No. 1 team in the state that was undefeated through the whole year,” Hill said. ‘That was probably my favorite moment of the whole year.”
Foster said Hill, who had an interception to seal the victory, and all of the Eagles were “worn out” from playing both sides of the football. He said Hill was running the ball, catching passes, and covering both sides of the field on defense.
Foster also mentioned Hill’s performance against Delta Academy, in which Hill had nine touchdowns, and his effort against Kemper Academy were ones that stood out in a fabulous season. Hill had nine of Hebron Christian’s 13 touchdowns in a 92-74 victory against Delta Academy on Sept. 4.
“That accomplishment, I didn’t realize he had done it,” Foster said of Hill’s nine-touchdown game that earned him Prep Player of the Week honors from The Dispatch. “We go through a road block on the highway when we leave the school (in Marks) and one of the officers who stopped us said some kids came through a while ago and said there was someone who scored nine touchdowns. I thought, I didn’t even know that kid from Delta Academy scored nine touchdowns. There is no way he scored nine touchdowns. I didn’t even think about Landon. I knew Landon had scored a lot, but still I didn’t think he had scored nine touchdowns.”
That game was just one of Hill’s memorable moments in a season in which he had 125 carries for 1,404 yards and 24 touchdowns. He also had 36 catches for 1,063 yards and 14 touchdowns. He returned two punts for touchdowns and threw one touchdown pass.
To top it off, Hill added six interceptions, and two fumble recoveries. His efforts earned him District 2 Offensive MVP honors and a spot in the MAIS Senior All-Star game. He had three catches for 74 yards in that game and was named his team’s offensive MVP. He also was earned a spot as a wide receiver on the All-MAIS Eight-Man, A-AA All-Star team.
The loss to Tallulah Academy marked the end of the prep football careers for Hill and nine of his classmates. Foster said the seniors worked so well together because they realized it didn’t matter who scored the touchdowns because it was going to be a team effort.
“It was a great time,” Foster said. “I hope I get another group like them.”
Hill said
Hill agreed it was a “special” season to finish a career in one sport with so many good friends, especially someone like quarterback Channing Tapley. He said he hopes he gets to continue his football career in college. He said he has received some interest from schools, but he said he is going to take his time to make a decision.
“I have always wanted to play some type of college sport at the next level,” said Hill, who said he talked to coaches from Belhaven University and Trinity International (Ill.) University. “It is pretty special moment (talking to the coaches). It was strange knowing it was happening at that moment.”
Follow Dispatch sports editor Adam Minichino on Twitter @ctsportseditor
Adam Minichino is the former Sports Editor for The Commercial Dispatch.
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