HWC's upset bid fails, 43-42

Harvey-Wells County and Langdon Area/Munich (LA/M) used every bit of their 48 minutes of regulation to determine a winner in a 43-42 victory for the Cardinals in Harvey on Friday, September 6, at L.C. Loerch Field.

The Hornets came into the game with hopes of ending a several years-long slump against the Cardinals, and started with the game's first score on their initial drive. HWC moved the ball 65 yards in eight plays, highlighted by a 37-yard run from quarterback Tallen Thorson. Kayl Sieg carried the ball five times for 21 yards, including the 2-yard burst for a 6-0 HWC lead.

It was obvious from the first two drives that HWC would pound the ball down the field on the ground, and LA/M would move the ball through the air. The Cardinals' initial drive moved the ball 76 yards in nine plays, and included passing plays of 9, 6, 13 and the eventual scoring pass of 41 yards from Jax Johnson to Cody Amble. Johnson added the PAT kick for a LA/M 7-6 lead with just over 4 minutes remaining in the opening quarter.

The Hornets and Cardinals traded touchdowns late in the first quarter, as Sieg scored on a 24-yard run and Johnson scored on a 12-yard run with just 18 seconds left in the first to give LA/M a 14-12 lead after one quarter. Sieg carried the ball three times for 65 yards in HWC's three-play scoring drive.

The second quarter saw the Hornet defense come to life, as Jaxon Feist had an interception and HWC saw two Cardinal fourth down attempts thwarted by the hometown defense, giving their offense free reign in the quarter. Sieg and the Hornet line continued their dominance on the ground, as HWC scored twice in the second with Sieg getting both scores on runs of 10 yards each. Sieg's first score came on a 4th-and-3 and the second run completed a four-play, 24-yard drive mostly as a result of the Hornet defense, who made a fourth down stop at the Hornet 24-yard line. The two HWC scores gave the Hornets a 26-14 halftime lead.

A very quiet third quarter saw just one score, with LA/M using 13 plays covering 60 yards, and getting a four-yard run from Johnson to cut the HWC lead to 26-20. HWC only had two possessions in the third quarter, but the second one resulted in the first score of the fourth quarter. Carter Laber's fumble recovery at the Cardinal 34-yard line turned into a seven-play, 34-yard drive culminating in an 11-yard burst from Christian Mertz. Sieg added the PAT, and the Hornet lead grew to 34-20.

One had the feeling that the HWC lead would be tough for the Hornets to hold on to, as the Cardinals, when they went to the air, seemed to move the ball steadily. LA/M's next scoring drive covered 69 yards and included four pass completions for 72 yards, ending in a 15-yard scoring completion to Jayden Lee. The PAT pass from Johnson to Eastyn Schaefer cut the HWC lead to 34-28.

After a five-play HWC drive, LA/M again took to the air and ground. Johnson completed a 19-yard pass to Lee, and then rambled off a 38-yard scamper to the HWC 12-yard line. On fourth and eight, Johnson found Schaefer for a 12-yard score and with the PAT kick from Johnson, LA/M regained the lead, 35-34.

With just 1:57 remaining in the game, the kickoff went to Jaxon Feist, who used every bit of speed and agility he had to return the ball to the 50-yard line. After an incomplete pass, Thorson rushed the ball for 12 yards and then found Nixon Buchmiller alone in the corner of the end zone for the 38-yard scoring strike.The all-important PAT was successful from Sieg, and HWC went ahead, 42-35, with 1:23 remaining.

LA/M's drive started at their own 40-yard line and quickly moved to the HWC 42 on an 18-yard pass to Amble. After a run with no gain and two incompletions, the Cardinals picked up a defensive pass interference call, moving the ball to the 19. Another 4th-and-1 resulted in a 3-yard run from Johnson, setting up a seven yard scoring pass to Tanner McDonald. The Cardinals made the bold move to go for two and were successful on the pass to Schaefer, giving LAM a 43-42 lead with 18.9 seconds remaining.

The ensuing kick was out of bounds, not allowing HWC a return attempt. Two incompletions were followed by an exciting last play which saw a pass completed to Feist and after several laterals, the Hornets were touched down with no time remaining.

Statistically, it was a great game for both teams. HWC's Sieg accumulated 176 yards on the ground, scoring four touchdowns and adding two PAT runs. Thorson also surpassed the century mark on the ground with 108 yards.

Langdon's Johnson accounted for six touchdowns with four passing and two running, including over 320 yards through the air. Johnson also was good on three PAT kicks and two PAT passes. All four Johnson TD passes went to different receivers.

The Hornet defense was led for the third game in a row by Sieg, who had 12 tackles. Feist and Thorson had interceptions, while Laber had a fumble recovery and Tyler Swang added a sack.

With the win, LA/M moves to 2-1 on the season, while HWC drops to 0-3 overall.

Class A - Region 2 Football

Langdon Area/Munich 43, HWC 42

LA/M 14 0 6 23 43

HWC 12 14 0 16 42

First Quarter

HWC: Kayl Sieg 2 yard run (kick failed)

LA/M: Cody Amble 41 yard pass from Jax Johnson (Johnson kick)

HWC: Sieg 24 yard run (run failed)

LA/M: Johnson 12 yard run (Johnson kick)

Second Quarter

HWC: Sieg 10 yard run (pass failed)

HWC: Sieg 10 yard run (Tallen Thorson run)

Third Quarter

LA/M: Johnson 4 yard run (kick failed)

Fourth Quarter

HWC: Christian Mertz 11 yard run (Sieg run)

LA/M: Jayden Lee 15 yard pass from Johnson (Eastyn Schaefer pass from Johnson)

LA/M: Schaefer 12 yard pass from Johnson (Johnson kick)

HWC: Nixon Buchmiller 38 yard pass from Thorson (Sieg run)

LA/M: Tanner McDonald 7 yard pass from Johnson (Schaefer pass from Johnson)

HWC Statistics

Offense

Passing: Thorson 4-12-82 yards-TD

Rushing: Sieg 30-176-4 TD; Thorson 8-108; Mertz 5-20-TD; Jaxon Feist 2-1

Receiving: Feist 2-38; Buchmiller 1-38-TD; Tyler Swang 1-6

Defense

Tackles (assisted/unassisted): Sieg (7-5); Dominick Hoffart (6-3); Easton Schuh (6-2); Thorson (0-7); Mertz (3-2); Feist (1-4); Buchmiller (4-1); Swang (1-3); Kiefer Finley (2-1); Carter Laber (0-3); Rylend Whetzel (2-0); Wyatt Lies (0-1)

Interceptions: Feist, Thorson

Fumble Recovery: Laber

Sack: Swang

Tackles for Loss: Finley, Mertz