With their long winless streak over, Hamilton Christian hopes that winning is contagious.

The Warriors host Welsh at 7 p.m. Thursday at Cougar Stadium, looking to win back-to-back games for the first time since finishing the 2021 regular season with a six-game win streak.

Hamilton beat Highland Baptist 26-6 on the road last week to end a 12-game losing streak.

“We came and watched film Saturday, big attendance as always,” Hamilton Christian head coach Dexter Washington said. “We came back Sunday afternoon for our film study.

“Everyone was more attentive. Winning makes you feel good. (Monday’s) practice was really spirited.”

Washington said two keys helped spur the Warriors’ win: a budding run game and a more physical defense. Freshman quarterback Javon Vital and senior running back Kylan Alexander combined for 296 rushing yards and three touchdowns last week, and the defense gave up its fewest points since a 14-0 win over Merryville on Nov. 19, 2020.

“We ran the ball wall,” Washington said. “That was surprising. We got a good push up front and ran the ball well, whether it was down the pipe or to the perimeter. We may have thrown it six times max.

“It doesn’t look like we are one-dimensional as a team. Most people would expect Hamilton’s offense to be an air raid (offense). We are multiple and balance it out.

“We just came to practice and started practicing being physical. A lot of times, we overran the ball carrier or our reaction time wasn’t very good. We are trying to teach them to be coaches on the film, and the only way we can do that is in the film room. We don’t start practice till 5:15 p.m. When we get out of school, we go to tutoring. Our record will not indicate how much we have grown as a team, spiritually, mentally and physically.”

Welsh has been bitten by the injury bug lately and is looking to avoid its first 0-3 start since 2020. The Greyhounds are on their fourth running back, freshman Azarius Bennett.

First-year Welsh head coach Ronnie Courville said tight end/defensive lineman Latroy Pattum should be back this week, plus three in the defensive secondary in senior Kendal Touchet, Ethan Beard and Darien Pugh. Running back Hayden VanNess (277 yards, TD) went down last week against Westlake as did linebacker Carter Phelps.

“It is not an excuse, but we have been injury plagued since the jamboree,” Courville said. “We are down to our fourth-string running back.

“That has hurt us on both sides,” he said of the injuries. “We have had a guard injured. Something that I think we have done well is these young guys are getting experience and getting confidence. We didn’t have a lot of experience to begin with, especially on defense. We get three guys back in the secondary this week. We are just trying to get healthy.”

The Greyhounds won last year’s meeting 65-0, but Courville said he expects a stronger Warriors squad.

“They have a really athletic quarterback,” Courville said of Vital. “He is a really good athlete. He can throw the ball and run. He was tough to bring down in the (Grand Lake) game. He made plays with his legs and through the air. The key to victory is keeping him contained.

“Defensively they are aggressive, play tight coverage and light up the box. It is going to be tough.”