By Jim Hagerty
Reporter

MACHESNEY PARK – The Hononegah Indians capitalized on two fourth-quarter penalties and a costly mistake to squeak past Harlem 33-30 in NIC-10 Conference football here Friday. 

The Indians struck first early in the opening quarter on a 16-yard touchdown run by Christian Gomez. Lucas Hale scored the two-point conversion to give Hononegah the 8-0 lead.

A 13-yard pass from James Cooper Jr. to Brandt Hixson was Harlem’s answer. The two-point conversion made it 8-8 until late in the third quarter. That’s when Gomez ripped off a 59-yard touchdown run and sophomore Bryce Goodwine’s PAT put the Indians up 15-8.

The Huskies fumbled the ball on their ensuing possession, and Hononegah took over at the Harlem 28-yard line. Two plays later, senior quarterback Payton Mather connected with Braden Sayles to give Hononegah a 22-8 lead and the crowd a hint of a second-half rout.

But Harlem quelled the Hononegah momentum and cut the lead to 22-16 after Cooper found Hixson on a 17-yard touchdown pass and Omarion McFadden added the conversion.

The Indians then fumbled the ball away, setting up a 50-yard pass to Hixson. Cooper ran it in from the Hononegah 7-yard line on the next play to tie the game. Eric Serrano’s kick made it 23-22.

Things got even better for the Huskies in the last seconds of the third quarter when Cooper hit Hixson again, this time on a 35-yard scoring pass that pushed their lead to 30-22 after Serrano’s PAT.

The Indians and Huskies traded scoreless possessions for the most the fourth quarter, and No. 10 Harlem appeared to be in good shape to manage the clock and beat the defending NIC-10 champs.

Then came a series of events that will likely haunt the Huskies for the rest of the season.

During a Hononegah drive that started on its own 23, a Gomez run was capped by two unsportsmanlike conduct penalties that moved the ball to the Harlem 36. The next series set up a first-and-goal from the 1-yard line.

A Mather-to-Dylan Collins touchdown and a two-point conversion knotted the score at 30 with 2:29 left in regulation, plenty of time for the Huskies to set up a winning drive.

But after converting a first down at midfield,  Harlem went three and out, sending Cooper back to punt with 16 seconds to go. The snap sailed over his head and Hononegah took over with six seconds remaining. Goodwine then hit his first career field goal, a 31-yarder, to win the game.

“I’ve never been part of a game that was that tight and crazy at the end,” Hononegah coach Brian Zimmerman said. “It just shows the tenacity of our players.”

Mather finished the night 7-for-18 with 119 yards and two interceptions in his first varsity start. It was Hononegah’s 20th straight conference win.

Cooper threw for a school-record 376 yards for Harlem. Hixson’s 17 catches for 249 yards is a new NIC-10 record.

Hononegah hosts Guilford next week. Harlem visits Jefferson.

Week 1 Scoreboard

NIC-10
Hononegah 33, Harlem 30
Belvidere North 50, East 14
Auburn 45, Guilford 6
Boylan 35, Jefferson 6
Freeport 47, Belvidere 7

Big Northern
Byron 50, Winnebago 3
Stillman Valley 37, Dixon 12
Lutheran 43, Oregon 15
Genoa-Kingston 40, Rock Falls 0
North Boone 19, Mendota 7

NUIC
Forreston 30, Dakota 12
Durand/Pecatonica 58, Amboy-LaMoille 7
East Dubuque 26, A-FC 0
West Carroll 22, Galena 20
Lena-Winslow 50, E/PC 6
Stockton 26, Milledgeville 8

NAC
Rockford Christian 13, Ridgeview 36

Interstate 8
Rochelle 35, Pekin 21
Sycamore 24, Washington 0

8-Man
Polo 54, Schlarman 14