Trailing by nine points with 2:12 remaining in the fourth quarter, the defense was searching for a stop in order to keep the game within reach. Senior linebacker Jack Hungerford did the Huskies one better though, as he stripped the Timberwolves quarterback and returned his own forced fumble for a touchdown putting BVNW down two. In the ensuing drive for BVSW, the Huskies were unable to stop the Timberwolves, giving up a rushing touchdown, restoring Southwest’s nine point lead and putting the game out of reach.

For the second straight game, Hungerford returned a fumble for a touchdown. After being unable to hold the Timberwolves late in the game, Hungerford said the inability for each side of the ball to execute when needed was a major fault for the Huskies.

“In the first half, our offense didn’t execute,” Hungerford said. “In the second half, the defense didn’t execute and the offense did. We just got to have both sides of the ball executing.”

Adding to the non-offensive scoring effort, senior Luke Vega returned the first kickoff received in the game by BVNW for 98 yards with 7:52 remaining in the first quarter. Hungerford said despite the rough defensive effort at times, the defensive and special team units did a good job at provide the offense with opportunities to put points on the board.

With a tough night on the ground for the Huskies, junior Edward Thomas ran for 19 yards on 10 attempts, but was able to capitalize when receiving the ball, totaling 48 yards and the longest reception of the day of 52 yards.

In a first half that saw 21 yards throwing coupled with the inability to rush the ball, head coach Clint Rider said the offense’s inability to string plays together lead to defense being on the field for large amounts of the half.

“I think we ran three plays in the first quarter so that didn’t help,” Rider said. “When the defense got off the field, offensively we didn’t do a good job of giving them more opportunities to get a breather by not moving the ball.”

After sitting out of last week’s game against St. Thomas Aquinas with a concussion, senior quarterback Sam Sliefert produced both of the touchdowns for the offense, on a two yard run and a five yard pass to junior receiver Jake Dolesh. With a slow start to the game, Sliefert said the offensive line and the receivers deserve credit for helping to trigger the better execution by the offense in the second half.  

“Tonight we blocked super well,” Sliefert said. “Our receivers in the second half started catching balls. It was just a tough game.”

Both Sliefert and Rider agreed that the Huskies gave it their all in Friday nights game, with Rider adding that he’d wished the outcome could have been different.

“I thought our kids played hard and they played to the final whistle,” Rider said. “I’m proud of our kids. It’s tough when [you’re] playing and you’re in close situations and you have got to find a way to finish.

Following the loss to Blue Valley Southwest, the varsity football team will take on Blue Valley in the homecoming game on Friday Sept. 28 at 7:00 p.m at the DAC.