Red Raiders set to turn page

HUNTLEY — After facing one of the Fox Valley Conference’s toughest teams, Huntley hits the road at neighbor Hampshire Sept. 27.

As an estimated 4,000 fans looked on at homecoming night at Red Raider Stadium Sept. 20, Prairie Ridge, the defending Fox Valley Conference champions downed Huntley, 35-13. Huntley was 2-2, overall, 2-2 FVC after the loss and is preparing for a FVC clash at Hampshire 1-3, 1-3, Sept. 27.

“We welcomed the challenge of facing Prairie Ridge at homecoming,” Huntley coach Mike Naymola said. “But we did things you can’t do against good, or bad teams, we did not execute. I congratulated PR head coach Mike Frericks for keeping a program going at such a high level that Chris Strumpf had it at.”

Naymola did like the finish of the game, as Huntley had two scoring drives capped off by two short passes for touchdowns from quarterback Braylon Bower to Zach Rysavy and Wyatt Fleck. The Red Raiders finished with 299 yards of offense, as Bower was 18-for-30 with 158 yards.

Defensive leaders for Huntley included three players who totaled six solo tackles. Ben Cohen had six tackles and one tackle for loss; Charlie Condon contributed six tackles and one assist; Jonas Owens had six tackles and two assists. Ryan Wabel and Colin Mason had three tackles each.

The Red Raiders vow to be ready for the Whip-Purs. Their 1-3 record is part of a FVC group including Dundee-Crown, McHenry and Crystal Lake South and Crystal Lake Central.

“We treat each game like it’s our last to be played. Our guys who are with us are all in and giving everything they have each week. I’m proud of the way our guys have competed even though the last two weeks we did not end up on the right side of the score. This week is a new chapter and I know our guys are excited to get another chance to compete,” Naymola said.

About the Whip-Purs, he commented, “Hampshire is headed in the right direction with their new coach (Shane Haak). He has guys bought and ready to go each week.”