Hurons upset Cards in Onaway
Rogers City snapped a four-game losing streak in a big way Friday with a 21-7 win over the Onaway Cardinals. The Cards started the season 5-0 and ranked in the top 10, but have fallen on hard times after losses to Joberg last week and the Hurons at home Friday.
The Hurons (3-4) are back after beginning the season with convincing wins over Hillman and Posen on the road, followed by four straight home losses. Key turnovers killed the Hurons’ chances last week against Rudyard but saved the day against the Cardinals. The Cards drove the field on their opening drive, only to be stopped at the Hurons eight yard-line when Austin Fairbanks recovered a fumble.
Onaway drove the field again, using 12 plays to get to the Huron nine. Then a missed field goal with 1:22 left in the first quarter ended that scoring chance. The Hurons used that opportunity to mount their first scoring drive, capped by senior halfback Dylan Centala’s cutback TD run.
ON the next Cardinal possession, dangerous halfback Lonnie Splan, who had been held in check during the first quarter, broke off a 31-yard run to the Huron 15. Then on third and goal from the five, Fairbanks made a diving interception in the end zone to save a score.
The half ended with the Hurons up 7-0.
Centala had a great game, picking up two first down runs on the drive he ended with a two-yard TD run. Cody Wenzel’s kick made it 14-0 in favor of the Hurons with 9:41 left in the third quarter.
Andrew LaLonde’s one-yard plunge
The final Huron score came after a back-breaking pair of penalties on the Cardinals. A Fairbanks to Justin Wilbert pass was apparently intercepted and returned deep in to the Huron’s end. But an interferance penalty, combined with a personal foul at the end of the play against Onaway, turned out to be a 50-yard difference. Instead of being Onaway’s ball inside the Huron 30, the Hurons had the ball at the Cardinal 35.
Rogers City would capitalize on the break, with Fairbanks lofting a TD pass to Wenze, who beat his man to the left corner.
The Cardinals face tough Indian River next week, still needing one win to make the MHSAA playoffs. The Hurons travel to Newberry next week.