ARCADIA — The Maconaquah-Hamilton Heights football series had been lopsided since it began in 2000. The Huskies held an almost 400-point differential in nine blowouts, but Friday night was a sign the Braves are closing the gap little by little.
Thanks to two late touchdowns and an onside-kick recover, the Braves had a chance to make things interesting in the fourth quarter for the first time in this series, but they still fell short 35-21.
“When we look at Hamilton Heights, we see a team that we want to be,” said Maconaquah coach Mark Hartman. “We know they are bigger and stronger, but they have been doing the things in the weight room since the eighth grade that we just started this summer. We’re working our way there and it was good to be within a couple touchdowns [Friday], but that attitude only last so long.”
The night was almost cause for celebration as the Braves (1-2, 0-1 MIC) led a game in the series for the first time since a 16-second long, 8-7 lead in the inaugural game back in 2000. Heights drove the ball well on its first offensive possession, but Phillip Newbill broke on a corner route perfectly for Maconaquah. He easily picked the ball off and ran 90 yards untouched for a touchdown. Jimmy Ulerick’s extra point gave the Braves a 7-0 lead a little more than five minutes into the game.
“Phillip just broke on that ball perfectly for us,” said Hartman. “If you’re going to have a chance against a team like Heights, you need to make plays like that.”
The Braves held the lead for nearly four minutes until Zach Copas capped an eight-play, 68-yard drive with a six-yard run. The extra point made it 7-7 after one period.
The Huskies added a pair of scores in the second quarter thanks to its quick-strike offense. Tyler McPherson had a five-yard TD run and Logan Cunningham had a 35-yard TD reception from Tanner Stis to make it 21-7 Huskies at the half.
Heights (2-1, 1-0) appeared to be on its way to another blowout with two more third-quarter TDs to make it 35-7, but Maconaquah showed resiliency in the final quarter. Brenner Stage capped a 12-play, 89-yard drive with a one-yard run with 8:38 to play. Heights then fumbled the ensuing kickoff and Maconaquah recovered at the Husky 21-yard line.
Stage came through again one play later, scoring from 21 yards to make it 35-21. Maconaquah then successfully recovered the onside kick and had the ball at midfield with just over eight minutes to play. The Huskies returned their first-string defense to the field, however, and ended Mac’s threat.
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