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HARTINGTON — Hartington-Newcastle dropped its home opening game on the gridiron on Sept. 1 with a loss to Plainview, 42-6, to fall to 0-2 on the 2023 season.
“Plainview is a very solid top-10 team,” Wildcats coach Rusty Fuller said. “We had trouble moving their defensive line and establishing a running game — we were forced to go through the air.”
The Wildcats did find a little success throwing the ball, but while they found their sea legs to get the ball moving, the Pirates were busy running and passing the ball on the way to 147 yards on the ground and 166 through the air as they bolted out to
a halftime lead of 28-6 on the way to the 42-6 final score.
“We will have to do a better job stopping the run game on defense,” Fuller said. “That has to happen if we are going to be successful this year.
Hartington-Newcastle does have some players getting to the football.
Riley Sudbeck had a dozen tackles against the Pirates, Kale Korth had 10, Will Feilmeier had nine and Dayton Sudbeck had seven stops.
Jason Heimes and Ayden Rosener each recovered a fumble.
Riley and Dayton Sudbeck found some success in the passing game as Riley hit Dayton five times for 111 yards, including a second-quarter touchdown.
“We had some nice drives during the game,” Fuller said. “We just couldn’t capitalize on them in the red zone.” The remainder of the Wildcats’ schedule is against some quality competition, which they have already seen as the two opponents who have beaten the Wildcats are now 4-0.
Next in line is 1-1 Elkhorn Valley on the road in Tilden on Sept. 8 before a date with currently unbeaten Crofton, also on the road.
"We are definitely going to
be battle-tested all year,” Fuller said. “We hope to keep improving each week, and in return, good things will happen with our football program.”
PHS (2-0) 14 14 14 0 - 42 HNS (0-2) 0 6 0 0 - 6 HNS passing: Riley Sudbeck 12-26 1TD 146; Austin Sudbeck 1-1 1. HNS receiving: Cole Heimes 4-18; Dayton Sudbeck 5-111 1TD; Kale Korth 2-14; Carter Kelly 1-3; Jason Heimes 1-1. HNS rushing: Austin Sudbeck 4-18 Ty Opfer 1-(-1); Will Feilmeier 2-6; Kale Korth 3-7; Jason Heimes 1-7. HNS tackles: R. Sudbeck 12; C. Heimes 6; Feilmeier 9; D. Sudbeck 7; Korth 10; Kelly 1; Brayden Lammers 2; Tyler Hutchinson 5; J. Heimes 1 1FR; Gabe Reyes 1; Logan Opfer 2; Ayden Rosener 4 1FR; Christopher Kneifl 1; Lincoln Grutsch 1.
