Hard knock season makes Hurons hope for better tomorrow
Life on the road has been no easy street for the Hurons. Starting the season with a convincing win over Hillman, the Huron football team has lost five games in a row away from home. Tomorrow (Friday) the teams host Onaway in the homecoming game with a possible playoff berth on the line for the Cardinals.
“Number one: we want to get in the win column,” said Huron coach Mike Kosiara. “I hope that the rivalry and homecoming lead to a large, supportive crowd. It sure will be nice to get home.”
LAST FRIDAY in Rudyard, the five-game Huron road trip ended as it began, with a disappointing loss. The Hurons came back from 21 points down to loose to Rudyard 29-28 in overtime. Playing in a steady mist-like rain for much of the game, turnovers played a key part in the outcome of the game. The Hurons’ first drive ended with a lost fumble by running back Tyler Schuiteman and the second drive ended on an interception of quarterback Austin Fairbanks. The Rudyard touchdown 70-yard return of the interception was called back to the Huron 29 by a penalty, but Rudyard managed to score on a five-yard pass two plays later to lead 6-0.
The Hurons failed on a fourth and two from the Rudyard 36 to set up the next Bulldog drive. Rudyard needed five plays, scoring on a 52-yard pass play on a go route down the left sideline. Rudyard rushed for the two-point conversion to make the score 14-0 with 10 seconds left in the first quarter.
RUDYARD — USED an onside kick on the last play of the first quarter to get the ball back and set up the next score. A halfback option pass worked for a 24 yard score and a PAT kick made it 21-0 with 9:57 left in the half. To make matters worse for the Hurons, a warm night had now become a drizzly night, making handling the football difficult. “I tried to attack more straight ahead,” Kosiara said of his approach to handling the slick playing conditions. “The footing was difficult for stretching the field horizontally.”
The Hurons relied on the big play to get back. After halfback Dylan Centala picked up eight yards off left tackle, Fairbanks found flanker Cody Wenzel on a slant pattern up the middle for a 46-yard TD. Wenzel’s kick made the score 21-7 with 4:36 left in the half. The Bulldogs went three and out on their next possession and the Hurons took over at their own 37 with 2:39 left in the half.
THIS TIME Wenzel scored via a long run, taking an inside hand-off, cutting up the middle, then racing down the left side for a 36 yard TD run. He kicked the PAT and suddenly the Hurons were back in the game. “Cody scored his running touchdown on a counter play we had not used yet this season,” Kosiara said. An onside kick almost backfired when the Rudyard lineman returned the bouncer back to the Huron 21 with 16 seconds left in the half. But a heavy rush on the quarterback and tight coverage by Centala in the end zone led to an incompletion as time expired in the first half.
Joe Kuchinski’s fumble recovery set up the drive, which tied the game. Taking over at the Rudyard 33 with 4:11 left in the third quarter, the Hurons used six plays, keyed by tight end Mark Grulke’s great catch of a Fairbanks pass at the two. Schuiteman’s run up the middle on the next play and Wenzel’s PAT kick tied the score with 1:14 left in the third quarter.
WHEN THE Rudyard punter fumbled the snap, the Hurons had a big break, taking over at the Huron 47. A long pass up the middle to Wenzel brought the ball to the Rudyard 11. But the opportunity went sour when a fourth and nine pass from the Rudyard 10 was intercepted in the end zone. The Hurons had another chance when Jeff Cornett recovered a Rudyard fumble on their first play of the next drive at the Bulldog 23. A penalty and two sacks put the Hurons at the 40 facing third and very long and forced to punt.
Rudyard took over inside their own 10 and were content to run out the clock, forcing overtime. Rogers City won the coin flip and took the ball. The Hurons made good on their possession of OT. Centala ran the first eight on first down, and then Schuiteman punched it over from the two. Holder Chris Santini put down the ball and Wenzel booted through the Hurons 28th point.
NOW THE home team had the chance to answer. They scored in two plays, then ran in the conversion to win 29-28, han
On the day, Rudyard had 205 rushing and 121 passing yards for 326 yards of total offense. The Hurons countered with 160 rushing and 163 passing yards for 323 total yards. Fairbanks had eight completions in 17 attempts for 163 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. Wenzel caught three passes for 100 yards and a TD. Grulke had two receptions for 23 yards while Justin Wilbert had two for 31 and Santini added one for nine yards.
Schuiteman led the ground game with 12 carries for 55 yards. Centala had 14 carries for 49 yards, Wenzel had two carries for 35 yards, Trent Holmes had three carries for 11 yards, and Fairbanks had six carries for 10 yards. Defensive leaders included Jeff Cornett with six tackles and two assists, Greg Peacock with five tackles and three assists. Wenzel and Centala each had five tackles. The Hurons host Newberry October 15 and finish the season with Cheboygan October 22.