March 28, 2024

Hunter Huss Stuns #1 Kings Mountain

This game was billed to be a highly contested matchup. It definitely lived up to it. The Mountaineers of Kings Mountain were favored in this game. But that did not faze the Hunter Huss Huskies as they came away with a 21-16 team over the previously unbeaten Mountaineers.

The tone was set early in the game when the Huskies drove down the field on their opening drive and scored on a four-yard touchdown run by Zo Wallace. The Mountaineers would drive deep into Husky territory, but would come away empty with a fumble at the Husky 30 yard line. Wallace would help the Huskies extend the lead to 13-0 with a 26-yard touchdown pass to Malik Corry. The extra point was mishandled and the run would be stopped.

Kings Mountain would finally get something going offensively in the second quarter. Ricaylen Mack’s two-yard touchdown (PAT good) cut the Huskies’ lead to 13-7. After stopping the Huskies on the ensuing drive, the Mountaineers’ offense went right back to work. Ethan Reid’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Orlando Odums tied the game and Austin Browning’s extra point kick gave the Mountaineers the one-point lead.

Before half-time, the ball would bounce the Huskies’ way, literally. From the Mountaineer’s 35-yard line, Zo Wallace would connect with Malik Corry but he would fumble and a couple of his teammates tried to gain possession of the ball. But Vontray Ratliff would end up falling on it in the end-zone for another Huss touchdown. Lamagea McDowell’s run for the two-point conversion made the score 21-14 at the half.

The second half would see a drought in scoring. The Mountaineers would drive deep inside the Hunter Huss 10-yard line but would come up empty as they went for it on 4th-and-4 and were stopped. But the Huskies would commit a mental error on the punt. Kings Mountain got the safety when the punter downed the ball in the end zone. The lead would be cut to 21-16.

This would be a game of turnovers in the fourth quarter. Husky defender Jacob Brackett would intercept a half-back pass from Quinton Davidson in the end zone. A mishandled snap by the Huskies a few plays later would result in a fumble recovery by Kings Mountain at the Husky seven-yard line. But the defense of Hunter Huss would hold and not allow the Mountaineers to get it in the end-zone. Brackett would seal the deal late in the fourth quarter by intercepting an Ethan Reid pass. Dontavius Nash got the Huskies’ first interception in the first half. That would be four turnovers for Kings Mountain on the night and only one by Hunter Huss for the game.

“Kings Mountain is a great team. Coach Lloyd had his guys pumped up and ready to play. We were just ready to play and we came out victorious tonight.” said Hunter Huss head coach Jamar McKoy “We came out and did a wonderful job scoring the ball and getting the lead that we had. I’m proud of the guys in the way they handled the situation and the adversity. It could have easily turned at the end but we had two big goal-line stops to keep them out of the end zone and get the ball back to save our lead. I feel like we will see them down in the playoffs so we got to prepare for it and continue to play at a high level because I’m sure Kings Mountain will.”

“Our defense is a physical bunch. That’s what we hang our hats on, playing fast and physical.” McKoy said about the defense “Our defense does it all the time. At practice, we have to dial it back at times because they are so physical with one another. I’m proud of the bunch that we have on defense. They’re young and talented and they grew up big tonight. Tradition never graduates.”

Hunter Huss (5-1)(2-0) will travel to Crest next week. Crest (6-2)(3-0) also remains undefeated in conference play with a 42-14 over Ashbrook (0-6)(0-2). Kings Mountain (6-1)(2-1) hosts Ashbrook next week.

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