Hurons face Oscoda in homecoming game

Quarterback Quintin Kelly rolls out on a bootleg behind blocking protection in last week's game with Whittemore-Prescott. The Hurons host Oscoda in the homecoming match Friday.

by Richard Lamb—Advance Editor

A big and powerful Whittemore-Prescott Cardinal (7-0) football squad tagged a 48-12 loss on Rogers City last week. The Hurons (3-4) had their playoffs hopes dimmed heading into Friday’s homecoming contest with Oscoda. The Owls (3-4), also on the playoff bubble, need wins over the Hurons and AuGres in the final two weeks to have a chance to make the post season at 5-4.

Oscoda’s wins this season have come over Otisville (1-6), winless Hale and Alcona (4-2). Rogers City lost in Oscoda last season.

Atlanta, the Hurons’ final opponent in the regular season, has only one win this season, a 38-0 win over undermanned Hale in week four. In the first meeting in many years, the Huskies defeated Rogers City in the final game of the 2013 season.

LAST FRIDAY at Gilpin Field, Whittemore-Prescott took away the powerful Huron running game and was unstoppable with its own running attack. That forced Hurons’ coach Tim Nagy to rely on a passing attack.

“They are well-coached. They are big, strong and fast. It is hard for us to keep up with them. We had a good first half and then we came out and I don’t know what happened in the second half, but we couldn’t get them pumped up,” Nagy said.

Junior quarterback Quintin Kelly responded by connecting on 9-of-21 passes for 148 yards and two touchdowns. But a fumble and two interceptions set up scores for the Cardinals.

“I figured if we came out and threw a lot it would open up the running game, but they had a couple of monster kids in there,” Nagy said. “The kids are not giving up. We have two games left, and they are both winnable, so we will see what happens.”

The Hurons got on the scoreboard first, thanks to a fumble recovery by Cameron Urban on a muffed punt-return by the Cardinals deep in their own end. Taking over on the Cardinal 16, Kelly connected with Urban on an 11-yard pass to go up 6-0 at the five-minute mark of the first quarter.

Whittemore went up 7-6 after a 13-play running drive ate up more than five minutes of game clock. Then a blocked punt set up the next Whittemore score at the 8:32 mark of the second quarter giving the visitors a 13-6 lead.

A LONG DRIVE came up empty for the Hurons as Kelly, facing a heavy rush, fumbled around the Whittemore 20 and a lineman returned the fumble all the way to the Hurons’ 44. Two plays later Whittemore led 19-6, which was the final score of the first half.

Whittemore did not complete a pass in the game, as they were content to bull the ball up the middle behind a powerful line. They used a gaping hole to notch a 70-yard run to make it 27-6 with 9:52 left in the third quarter.

The Hurons’ last touchdown came on a tip-drill pass from Kelly to Alex Hincka, good for 66 yards. The pass hit a Whittemore defender, and Hincka, with Hincka concentrating on the tipped ball and racing to the end zone with 8:11 left in the game.

Whittemore answered by scoring running touchdowns at the 6:04 mark of the third period,

the 11:55 mark of the fourth period and with 47 seconds left after an interception at the Hurons’ 30.

FRIDAY NIGHT’S game will be broadcast on 99.9 The Wave with Karl Grambau, Karl Momrik and Andy Grambau calling the action.

Statistics:

Rushing: Jacob Malocha 19 carries, 66 yards; Urban 2/25; Kelly 3/1.

Passing: Kelly 9-of-21, 148 yards, 2 touchdowns, 2 interceptions. Urban 0-for-1. 

Receiving: Hincka 4 receptions, 93 yards, 1 touchdown; Urban 1/11/1; Cole Henry 2/27/0; Josh Belusar 1/9/0.

No defensive stats were available.