Huntley’s ‘thriller at Three Oaks’ win big for FVC hopes
HUNTLEY — A kind of hush dominated the feeling at Cary-Grove’s Al Bohrer Field off Cary’s Three Oaks Road as much as a morning dose of fall weather had earlier.
Officials gathered near a pylon of the Cary-Grove end zone. The scoreboard read host Trojans 28, Huntley 27. Would the Red Raiders’ Jacob Witt’s second catch in as many seconds, for a two-point conversion from quarterback Braylon Bower hold up? Then the referee held up both hands, and Huntley had prevailed, 29-28 on a memorable Oct. 7.
Huntley recovered from being down but not quite out with a 28-14 second half deficit on touchdowns from Haiden Janke rushing, Witt’s receiving and Bower’s throws. Janke rushed 32 times for 170 yards and three touchdowns.
Heroes on offense also included Bower’s 23-of-36 passing for 176 yards as the Red Raiders topped 400 yards in total offense. Janke’s most important run was a 32-yard gain while down by 14 points. Senior Omare Segarra had a big game with 11 catches for 112 yards.
“It felt like it was in slow motion,” Witt, a senior, said of the game-deciding catch. “I knew I was in but I did not know the call they would make.”
“We decided with three minutes to go to go for a two-point conversion,” Bower said.
“The theme this week was consistently doing the little things and our assignments well,” Huntley head coach Mike Naymola said. “It wasn’t always pretty, but we were resilient. I can’t think of a comeback from 14 points down in the fourth quarter recently.”
The victory was the third straight in FVC away games at the Trojans’ field. HHS won 21-14 in 2019 and 17-14 last season. “To win on the last play two years in a row is special,” Naymola said.
Naymola spoke of how the defense eventually stopped Cary-Grove’s rushing attack, which accounted for all of its yardage. An early second half turnover, a fumble recovery by sophomore Ryan Wabel, helped slow the Trojans.
“Cary-Grove only had six possessions in the game and us getting the turnover to start the second half was a big deal because we were able to tie it back up at 14-14 and gain a little confidence back,” Naymola said. “On their sixth possession we were finally able to capitalize on a C-G first down penalty and then got the sack on second down to put them in a bad spot. It was the only punt we forced but it could not have come at a better time. Sophomore Ben Wean and junior Carter Pope combined for the sack. I was proud of the defense for never quitting, even when it looked bleak. They fought in the end and in the end it mattered.”
Still, the Red Raiders had a long ways to go and not much time to get there, 80 yards and just over two minutes. Huntley steadily moved the ball downfield with Janke and Bower runs and a key pass to Witt to bring the ball inside the 10. Then the Red Raiders finished the job.
The victory moved Huntley into sole possession of second place and in the ranks of the IHSA Class 8A playoff picture at 6-1, 6-1 Fox Valley Conference. The two teams had come into the contest, C-G’s homecoming, tied for second place behind unbeaten Prairie Ridge (7-0, 7-0).
It sets up another big game for the two dozen seniors who will end their HHS careers when the season concludes. Dundee-Crown (1-6, 1-6) visits Red Raider Stadium for a Senior Night game Oct. 13. The Chargers, while having only one win, are led by quarterback Zach Randl and played Hampshire to overtime Oct. 6.
“It’ll be a big one, our last guaranteed home game,” senior Adam Tramuta said.
