Can the Hamilton boys soccer team still carry some hunger after a state championship in 2008 and a return to the state semifinals a year later? An emphatic answer could be found in Tuesday’s season opener, where the Emerald Knights took apart rival Morrisville-Eaton and reached double digits on the scoreboard in an 11-0 decision. After going 18-4-1 a season ago, Hamilton saw eight seniors graduate, including Keith Upton, Dan Meeks, Blaine Holcomb and Jack Sullivan. Yet it didn’t look like anything was lost in the way the Emerald Knights worked against the Warriors. Hamilton had a 7-0 lead by halftime, and by game’s end nine different players had scored. Sam Owens had the three-goal hat trick, adding an assist as Sam Reilly and Dan Kraynak each finished with one goal and two assists. Close behind them, Sam Hale and Devin Askew had matching totals of one goal and one assist, while Josh Hodge, Joe Taranto, Drew Thompson and Phil Douchinsky also took turns scoring. Lucas Rhyde added an assist. Meanwhile, the Hamilton girls soccer team, 13-5 last year (it lost to Poland in the Section III Class D quarterfinals), opened with a split of its games in the Sherburne-Earlville Tournament on Labor Day weekend. The Emerald Knights lost to the host Marauders 4-0 in the first round, but beat Sidney 6-1. In the latter contest, Stephanie Salmon found the net three times, with Lauren Weeks scoring twice. Katherine Keever got a single goal as Katie Weeks and Clara Jones each picked up a pair of assists. Hayleigh Hanson and Carrie VonMuence got assists, too. Hamilton then played Canastota to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday night. Nolan Hayden scored off a feed from Sabrina Rebuck to give the Emerald Knights a 1-0 edge, but Samantha McCarthy countered for the Raiders in the second half as Jennifer Getty earned the assist. Much bigger news could be found with Canastota’s boys team, which beat Waterville 3-1 last Tuesday for just its second win in the last 36 games. Canastota had lost 34 in a row before winning its 2009 regular-season finale, and those good feelings carried over to this year’s opener as Jared Gibson-Farber, Corey Arner and Adrian Nichols put home the goals. During the weekend, both of Hamilton’s soccer teams are hosting the annual Optimist Tournament.