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August 30, 2022

Huntley head football coach Mike Naymola holds the game ball after the Red Raiders beat Crystal Lake Central 37-20 Aug. 26 in the season opener. HHS's home opener is Sept, 2 against McHenry.
Steve Peterson
Huntley head football coach Mike Naymola holds the game ball after the Red Raiders beat Crystal Lake Central 37-20 Aug. 26 in the season opener. HHS’s home opener is Sept, 2 against McHenry.

Sports • August 30, 2022

A solid start propels Red Raiders to victory

By

HUNTLEY – Huntley head football coach Mike Naymola,held up a football at about the 20-yard-line Friday at Crystal Lake Central.

Naymola had good reason to show off the game ball presented by his players, as the Red Raiders celebrated a 37-20 season-opening win over the Tigers,

“The team, the community, everyone was eager to get the season started,” Naymola said.

All facets contributed to the victory – offense, defense, the kicking game and a capacity crowd at the visitors’ side of Owen  Metcalf Field. Haiden Janke led the ground game as he finished with 29 carries and 168 yards and one touchdown,. Senior quarterback Sam Deligio guided the offense, ran for two touchdowns. Joey Arvidson recovered two fumbles inside the CLC 10-yard line, scoring a touchdown after one and setting up another.

Mason Wojtas’ 17-yard field goal which was the difference in a 17-14 HHS halftime lead. He also had a  booming punt came at just the right time. Senior linebacker Arvidson recovered a Tiger fumble in the end zone for a touchdown.That sent the Red Raiders to take over the second half momentum.

“I love it, I’ve decided to be a kicker early on,” Wojtas said. “My teammates put me in the field goal.”

Wojtas said he works with John Alberts, a 2016 HHS alum as his kicking coach.

“Wojtas was an outstanding kicker last season,” Naymola said. “I told the team that defensive touchdown was because of the punt. He has aspirations to kick in college.”

The two teams were locked in a close first half struggle, but a few things turned the tide to the red-and-white. Deligio ran it in from five yards out for an early 7-0 lead. CLC answered to tie the score on the next possession and scored again at the quarter’s close for a 14-7 lead.

Naymola was pleased with the adjustments the Red Raiders made for the comeback.

“We were able to win the battle of the trenches and put them on their heels a little bit,” Naymola said. “Deligio did a great job and he was able to get some redemption for last year. Central was a little one-dimensional after the loss of their quarterback, Jason Penza, to injury.”

After Arvidson’s fumble recovery happened  three minutes into the second half, for a touchdown, Jahnke pushed it across the goal line. Deligio later capped a long drive with a 33-yard touchdown run.

The Red Raiders are preparing for their home opener Sept. 2 against McHenry. The Warriors are 0-1 FVC after they lost their season opener, 36-28, to Prairie Ridge. Also in FVC games for Week 1, Cary-Grove downed Dundee-Crown, 41-21 and Jacobs turned back Crystal Lake South, 41-31.