The scoreboard clock was inoperable during the first half of last night's game between Shaler and Hempfield.

No one, though, needs to be reminded what time it truly is at Shaler -- within just two weeks, coach Neil Gordon's time has arrived.

He has grasped full control of the program and implemented his signature battering, smashing, run-the-ball-first style.

And with it, the Titans (2-0) are unbeaten, bullying and physically dominating visiting Hempfield, 41-10, in a WPIAL Class AAAA non-conference clash last night in which the Titans reeled off 302 yards rushing.

Gordon was fired in March after 21 seasons as Penn Hills' coach. Soon thereafter, he accepted a job as Shaler's offensive coordinator, but when coach Jacque DeMatteo left Shaler for the head coaching job at Hampton, Gordon was hired to guide the Titans.

When asked after last night's win against the Spartans (1-1) if the Shaler community and the football program has fully taken to him, Gordon thought for a second, then replied: "I hope they are taking to me, because I am really taking to them. This place is fantastic. They have welcomed myself and my staff with open arms. It couldn't be going any better."

Few would argue that it could have gone any better for the Titans last night -- or any worse for Hempfield in the early stages.

Shaler sprung to a substantial lead just a few minutes into the second quarter, thanks in large part to junior running back Jesse DellaValle, who had a 25-yard scoring run in the first quarter complemented by a 1-yard scoring run on the second play of the second quarter.

"We came out and [Hempfield] was all fired up, they were screaming on our field [in pregame warm-ups]," said DellaValle, who finished with 69 yards on 11 carries. "So we came back in the locker room and said, 'We are not going to have them come onto our home field and take over.' So we took it right to them."

Shaler took it to Hempfield, and that lead was upped to 21-0 when linebacker Doug Rodgers dropped into coverage, intercepted a middle screen and returned it 20 yards for a score.

But Hempfield rallied late in the half, slicing their disadvantage to 21-10 with a second-quarter 23-yard touchdown catch by R.J. Thomas and a 31-yard field goal by Josh Cavalier.

The Titans effectively put the game away without a snap in the second half, when Dan Swiderski raced 95 yards for a touchdown on the half's opening kickoff to make it 27-10.

"That second half kickoff was big," Hempfield coach Greg Meisner said. "We thought we had some momentum going into halftime and then we come out and, boom, we shot ourselves in the foot right there."

It was the second kickoff return for a touchdown this season for the Titans, as Dan McGinley jump-started the Gordon tenure last week with an 86-yard opening kickoff return for a score in a win against Baldwin.

Swiderski's kickoff return deflated Hempfield -- which was also done in by seven penalties for 55 yards -- and allowed Shaler senior running back Anthony Waskiewicz to turn the second half into his showcase. He gained 162 yards on 14 carries, had two 1-yard scoring runs in the third and provided the Titans all the necessary insurance.

"I think every day helps a little bit, but, really, we are nowhere near where we need to be as a football team," Gordon said. "There are so many things that we still have to do."

That might be the case.

But through two weeks at Shaler, Gordon has the winning part down pat.