Then Sams paused.
“She’s a game changer,” he added.
It didn’t take Sawyer long to change things in 15th-seeded Hamilton’s 2-0 win over No. 23 Kings in a Division I sectional opener at Virgil Schwarm Stadium.
Sawyer took the pass off the opening kickoff from Erica Barney, went charging down the right sideline and rifled a shot into the back of the net for a 1-0 lead with just 26 ticks off the clock.
“She’s a goal scorer,” Sams said. “She gives you that threat all the time.”
Host Hamilton (9-6-2) took just two shots on goal, but scored on both of them as Barney collected the rebound off a long direct kick from Kaylei Blevins with 28:21 remaining in the opening half.
Kings (5-12) controlled a lot of the flow of play in the opening half and outshot HHS 3-2, but its best opportunity came on a penalty shot with 8:32 left.
The shot sailed high and the Knights never threatened again, going the final 48 minutes of the contest without a shot on goal.
“I was super proud of the way the girls continued to compete,” Kings coach Katelyn Newton said. “We knew it’d be a physical game, but we prepared for them the way we prepare for everyone.”
Hamilton had taken a 2-0 win over Kings on Aug. 22 in the second game of the year for both teams.
“We knew they would be ready to play,” Sams said. “They were ready to play that tournament style and keep grinding it on.”
Big Blue outshot Kings 3-0 in the second half and 5-3 overall.
Hamilton had two golden opportunities to push the lead even larger in the second half, but missed opportunities on an open goal with 23:53 remaining and a breakaway with 16:34 left.
“I don’t think our first half was our best,” Sams said. “But it gave us a chance to make some adjustment, and I thought we were able to make better runs in the second half.”
After more than three decades without a tournament win, Hamilton advances to the second round for the third consecutive fall.
Big Blue will travel to ninth-seeded Mount Notre Dame (6-6-4) on Thursday night.
“The first year it was a celebration that we did it, and the second year it was a celebration, but we didn’t play well in Round 2,” Sams said. “This is our third year, and we feel we are capable of making a run.
“If we get a couple of breaks and play our best, I think we are as good as any team we have played.”
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