Any team opening the season against one with enough talent & experience to have a realistic chance to finish the season in victory formation is up against it. For Horace that was their situation for their first varsity game ever and the game played out how you may expect.
Peder Haugo made the first big run of the game during the second possession and Peter Welk finished the drive hitting Carson Hannestad. Three juniors leading the way is exactly where their opponents hope to be sooner than later.
Horace's second chance with the ball was no more success than the first, ending in a quick punt.
North was even quicker with their next chance, Welk hit Jeremiah Sem from 44 out on the first play. Sem hung on, after adding some juggles, to make it 13 - 0 plus the PAT. When they got the ball back Haugo broke off another long play on first down but was wiped out by a penalty. That opened the door for John Williams to have his first highlight play of the season, turning a 2 & 19 into a red zone opportunity. He kept them down to the goal-line after the next hand off and Haugo finished the drive as it started, on the blue turf.
Horace then found a few of the answers to the Spartan defense, highlighted by a long pass from Axel Anderson to freshman Ty Geray to get the Hawks into the red zone for the first time. A few plays later Dylan Johnson etched his name into the book with a four yard plunge.
The score may have also served as a wake-up call for North to keep the pressure on. Peder Haugo & John Williams did just with long runs, the second of which gave Williams his first score of the season.
An interception on fourth down ended Horace's next chance. Jeremiah Sem finished the ensuing short drive with an end-around. He added another highlight on North's next possession, sticking his mit out to reel in a pass with one hand & then running to the 14. A pair of runs by Jim Miller preceded another Haugo score to make it 41 - 7.
North got one more possession before the break and punctuated it with a five yard run for six by Haugo. After the intermission John Williams took the first play 66 yards for the final touchdown of the game as North finished the game getting their second string players some snaps.
North 56, Horace 7
Jeremiah Sem made a case for himself to be the player of the game but with three scores and even more big plays as racked up yards the choice was clear
Peder Haugo
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