The Huskies travelled to Saint Thomas Aquinas for their seventh game of the season, Oct. 15. The Saints started the game with the lead, scoring two touchdowns within the first quarter. 

Senior quarterback Mikey Pauley said he knew they needed to help his teammates out on the field in order to take back the lead.

“We just got ahead of ourselves and tried to take it all on ourselves without helping each other out,” Pauley said.

Minutes after the Saints’ second touchdown, Pauley completed a touchdown pass to senior Steven Whitter, shortening the Saints’ lead to 14-6. Junior Grant Stubblefield scored on a 67 yard run, tying the game 14-14 with 11:08 remaining in the second quarter. 

On an errant snap from the Saints, the Huskies got a safety, bringing the score to 16-14 with 9:16 left in the second quarter.

The Saints once again took the lead with a touchdown during the second quarter to make the score to 22-16 and proceeded to finish the first half with this score.

The Saints scored their fourth touchdown with 7:50 left in the third quarter, and the Huskies remained behind with the score 28-16.

With only 2:19 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Saints scored their fifth and final touchdown. With just 2:08 in the fourth quarter, Pauley threw an interception, leading to the end score of 35-16, Saints.

Head coach Clint Rider said the team’s attitude in practice in the week leading up, led to the final score of the game and their first loss of the season.

“We didn’t practice well, we didn’t prepare well, we weren’t intense and we weren’t focused,” Rider said. “We weren’t ready to play tonight.”

Senior defensive back Zach Yates said that Aquinas simply outplayed the Huskies on both sides of the ball.

“Overall, they outwitted us. They had a ten minute drive there and their offense was scoring in the second half,” Yates said. “We can’t win doing that.”

As the team nears the playoffs, Rider said they know what they need to work on.

“At the same time our goals are still in front of us, and it’s all about how we respond from here,” Rider said.

Yates said he believes the loss will be a crucial point in the season, as the way the team responds will determine their success in the playoffs. 

“This game can teach us one of two things. Either we fold and this whole season goes to crap or we use this as a learning moment and bounce back from this because we still have a long way to go,” Yates said. 

The Huskies will take on Blue Valley West for their senior night game, Oct. 22.