The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The Official Newspaper for Foster County
Keaton Keller's acrobatic catch in the corner of the end zone with 45 seconds remaining in the game helped lift the Harvey-Wells County Hornets to a 21-18 victory over the Thompson Tommies at L.C. Loerch Field in Harvey on Friday, September 1.
The Hornets and Tommies struggled at the start of this late afternoon matchup, as each team had turnovers early in the game. The Tommies got the low-scoring first half started late in the first quarter when quarterback Drew Overby found Brody Gibson wide open across the middle for a 43-yard scoring strike. The ever- important PAT failed for Thompson, but the Tommies led, 6-0, after one quarter.
The Hornets put together a drive to open the second quarter that was highlighted by a 31- yard pass from Tallen Thorson to Carson Heilman. The Hornets moved the ball to the 11-yard line, but a sack by Carter Peterson helped the Tommies force a turnover on downs deep in Thompson territory. The HWC defense did its job, holding Thompson to just three plays and forcing a punt into the wind that netted just 22 yards and setting up a HWC drive that started from the 31- yard line.
A nice nine-yard scamper from Kayl Sieg opened the next drive, and Thorson finished the drive off on their third play, sprinting in from 17 yards out for the score. The Hornets may have found a cure for their PAT woes, as sophomore Carter Laber successfully made the PAT kick for a 7-6 HWC lead, a score that held to halftime.
Sieg highlighted the next scoring drive for HWC early in the third, as the junior ran through numerous tackles around the left side for 47 yards, moving the Hornets to the Thompson seven. On fourth and goal, Thorson once again finished the drive off with a two- yard burst, and with the Laber PAT kick, the lead was 14-6.
Thompson responded immediately, and with a 49 yard burst up the middle by Josh Juve, the Tommies were at the Hornet three- yard line. Gibson eventually scored from two yards out, but the PAT was once again snuffed out by the HWC defense and the lead for the home team was 14-12 after three quarters.
The fourth quarter was one for the books, as the game went down to the wire. The Tommies started the fourth quarter with a 14-play drive covering 89 yards. Gibson ran the ball four times for 26 yards, and Overby was 5-for-7 passing for 69 yards and found Gibson on a 23- yard scoring pass with 6:21 left in the game. The ever important PAT was once again stopped by an improving HWC defense, but the lead changed hands to a 18-14 lead for the visitors.
HWC responded nicely as Thorson found Jaxon Feist for a 41-yard pass moving the ball to the opponent's 35. On a fourth and 4, Thompson's Juve picked off an HWC pass at the 10-yard line. The Tommies started with a holding penalty and a Juve 12-yard run. On third and eight, Thompson secured the first down on a 15 yard pass to Juve but a huge holding call against the Tommies nullified the first down and forced a punt on 4th and 18. The Hornets started in excellent field position as Heilman returned the punt to the 36. A 12 yard pass to Christian Mertz set up the game winner for HWC as Keaton Keller made an outstanding catch in the corner of the endzone for the score. The PAT kick was good from Laber and HWC led 21-18 with 45 seconds on the clock.
Give the Tommies credit! With just 44.7 seconds remaining, Overby completed three passes for 43 yards setting up Thompson for one play from the HWC 27- yard line with 4.2 seconds remaining. The pass from Overby was complete once again, but this time to the wrong team as Thorson hauled in the interception and sealed the three-point win for HWC, helping move their record to 2-1 on the season.
Statistical leaders for HWC included Sieg, who led the team in rushing with 11 carries for 82 yards and also in tackles with 11, including two for losses. Keller grabbed eight catches on the night for 88 yards and a score, and also had nine tackles. Thorson tallied 183 yards through the air and another 22 on the ground, and had two touchdown runs and a touchdown pass.
Class 11B Region 2 Football
HWC 21, Thompson 18
Thom. 6 0 6 6 - 18
HWC 0 7 7 7 - 21
First Quarter
Thompson: Brody Gibson 43 yard pass from Drew Overby (PAT failed)
Second Quarter
HWC: Tallen Thorson 17 yard run (Carter Laber kick)
Third Quarter
HWC: Thorson 2 yard run (Laber kick)
Thompson: Gibson 2 yard run (PAT failed)
Fourth Quarter
Thompson: Gibson 23 yard pass from Overby (PAT failed)
HWC: Keaton Keller 23 yard pass from Thorson (Laber kick)
HWC Statistics
Offense
Passing: Thorson 16-23-184 yards-TD-INT
Rushing: Kayl Sieg 11-82; Thorson 4-22-2 TD; Christian Mertz 6-15; Carson Heilman 1-4
Receiving: Keller 8-88-TD; Heilman 2-43; Jaxon Feist 3-41; Mertz 1-10; Sieg 2-2
Defense
Tackles (assisted/unassisted): Sieg (4-7); Keller (5-4); Mertz (3-3); Heilman (3-3); Jadyn Vollmer (2-3); Thorson (1-3); Kiefer Finley (3-0); Izaak Richter (1-1); Grant Anderson (1-1); Nixon Buchmiller (1-1); Andrew Williams (2-0); Alex Smith (0-1); Dominik Hoffart (1-0); Gavyn Schuh (1-0); Collin Meckle (1-0); Jon Bender (1-0); Luke Meranda (0-1)
Sack: Finley
Interceptions: Thorson, Vollmer
Tackles for Loss: Sieg 2, Buchmiller, Finley, Keller, Mertz
