By Kenny Varner

LEWISTOWN – There have been many exciting moments at Legendary Mitchell Field through its lengthy run.

Friday night this year’s MIfflin County football team added another when Huskies defender Reese Christine caught a game sealing interception late, killing a Waynesboro drive with 22-seconds left in the game to kill a potential game winning drive by the Indians.

But the Huskies held onto take the contest, 20-14 to add to the day’s list of highlights.

All eyes were on Mitchell Field for Homecoming and for the Mifflin County Huskies to win its second in-a-row as they hosted the Waynesboro Indians.

After defeating Palmyra last week 20-0, the Huskies were looking to give the homecoming fans something to remember in the last Homecoming event at Legendary Mitchell Field.

They did just that!

With the home side filled with fans and fellow alumnus, the Huskies put on a second half show that would see them flick the switch and dominate things on both sides of the ball for all but one play.

“We used our receivers. We got some talented kids. We just let them loose,” said Mifflin County coach Shane Breon when asked about the adjustments he made at halftime. “We were able to stretch the field a little bit which helped our run game a little bit too I think. But they made plays. The kids made plays. We really didn’t do much adjustment on offense. Defense we made some adjustments with our empty sets. It worked out well in the second half. Defense played lights out after making the adjustments at half.”

Quarterback Chase Hartung finished his day going 8-19 for 167 yards. Two long passes were called back by penalties. In the first, Hartung hooked up with Landon Haigh for what looked to be a 58-yard TD pass. However, a penalty brought it back.

In the second half, Deja Vue happened as Hartung found a wide open Dupree Reed for a long catch but it was also called back.

Waynesboro scored on its first possession of the second half. On first down from their own 22, the Indians handed the ball off to Nate Nolan. Nolan found a hole and made it into the secondary and then into the end zone on a 78-yard touchdown run.

From there, the second half belonged to the Huskies defense, its secondary and its reemerging  running game spearheaded by a gutsy running performance by Josh Maldonado who finished the game 85 yards on 24 carries.

Minutes after the Nolan touchdown, the Huskies answered back in a big way.

Starting on its own 36, the Huskies moved down the field in a hurry on a Chase Hartung to Cyrell Green hook-up for 54 yards. A roughing the passer penalty by Waynesboro put the ball at the Indians own 10.

On third and goal, the ball looked to be turned over as Hartung was forced to put the ball up and it would be intercepted by the Indians.

However, another penalty by the Indians gave the Huskies new life and the ball back with a first down on the two. Again, Maldonado muscled it through the line and into the end zone. With the successful Noerr kick, the game was tied once again this time at 14.

The Huskies next score would come in an unpredictable way.

Facing third and long deep in their own side of the field, Waynesboro quarterback Rashawn Frazier-Hewitt was forced out of the pocket and the ball bounced out of his hands on to the field. Mifflin County player Harrison Bulick picked up the ball at the 20 and ran in for the touchdown, giving the Huskies the lead for the first time and last.

Despite the extra point being blocked, the Huskies still forced the Indians into panic mode as the clock wound down in the third and eventually the fourth.

With the Indians having one last chance to tie the game or go for the win, the Huskies defensive back field stuck to their receivers like glue.

With the Christine interception, the celebration started to begin.

Mifflin County ended the game in the victory formation with 22 seconds left, clinching the win for them and their fans.

The game headed into the second half tied at seven.

Early on, the Indians took the first possession of the game, driving down the field on an 13-play 79-yard drive.

Waynesboro worked the ball downfield to the Huskies one.

Running back Tank Benedict muscled his way in on a 1-yard run. With the Alex Torbica kick, the Indians led 7-0 with 6:30 left in the opening period.

Mifflin County’s defense settled in as they were able to keep Waynesboro in check while its offense started to warm up.

Running back Josh Maldonado sparked the MIfflin County running attack as the game went into the second quarter.

The Huskies got the ball on their own 41 on an interception by Dupree Reed.

Posting a 15-play play drive, Maldonado was called on eight time as the team moved down to the one.

Maldonado was rewarded for his strong runs in the drive, blazing his way in from one yard out. Kicker Brendon Noerr tied the game 6:30.

Note: Mifflin County awarded the Homecoming King and Queen were

Ben Snyder and Amaris Fultz.

Runner up King and Queen were Sam Arnold and Leah Alexander.

 

MIfflin County 20, Waynesboro 14

Waynesboro            7 0. 7 0 – 14

Mifflin County         0 7 13 0 -20

First Quarter

W – Tank Benedict 1-yard run (Alex Torbica kick), 6:30. Second Quarter

MC – Josh Maldonado 1-yard run(Brendon Noerr kick), 6:30.

Third Quarter

W – Nate Nolan 78-yards TD run (Torbica kick), 8:52.

MC – Maldonado 2-yards TD run (Noerr Kick), 6:13

MC – Harrison Bulick 20-yard fumble recovery (kick blocked), 2:00.

Fourth Quarter

None

TEAM STATISTICS   W        MC

First downs               13        19

Total Yards               238    258

Rushes-yards.         118       91

Yards passing          127    157

Passing (comp.-att.-int.)18-23-2 9-18-1

Fumbles-lost           4-1.     3-1

Penalties-yards      8-67  8-78

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: W –  Nate Nolan 11-93, Rayshawn Frazier – Hewitt 6-(-3), Ethan Aldridge 1-6, Tank Benedict 1-1, Steven Howard 1-1.

MC – Brice Rishel 7-12, Chase Hartung 3-(-4), Josh Maldonado 24-85, Cyrell Green 2-0.

PASSING: W  –  Frazier-Hewett 18-23 127.

MC – Hartung 8-9 167

RECEIVING :  W – Nate Nolan 4-10, Hayden Nolan 4-74, Calvin Myers 1-9, Ethan Aldridge 1-27, Howard 1-3, Keyan Mobley 1-2, Cody Morgan 1-2.

MC  –  Green 4-98, Avery Aurand 1-15, Dupree Reed 1-10, Landon Haigh 2-44.