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North Huskies vs Vincennes Lincoln Alices - at George E. Inman Stadium Oct 4, 2024

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Offense

Team Stats

Defensive Stats

Game Recap

RUCKER EXPLOSION BLOWS UP ALICES IN 28-12 VICTORY

Senior running back Jason Rucker exploded for two touchdowns less than four minutes apart to blow open a tight game in North’s 28-12 victory over Vincennes Lincoln.  In a contest marred by 22 penalties between the two clubs, the Huskies’ defense again came through with a shutdown performance after the Alices took an early lead.

GAME OF FIELD POSITION EARLY

A tackle by senior linebacker Ethan Bowden stopped Lincoln short of a first down near midfield on their first possession, but a muffed punt resulted in North having the ball at their three-yard line.  Unable to gain a yard, the Alices took over at the Husky 31.  Once again, the defense stymied the Lincoln offense as junior linebacker Ricky White dropped a runner for loss and senior Grant Happe defended a third down pass.  The resulting punt had the Huskies starting from in front of their goal post for the second time in three minutes.  Another three-and-out gave the Alices great field position and this time they capitalized.  A 28-yard touchdown pass gave Lincoln a lead at 6-0 as the first quarter ended.  Bowden stopped a two-point conversion attempt at the line of scrimmage.

THE OFFENSE COMES TO LIFE

A squibbed kickoff by Vincennes gave the Huskies the ball at the 32 and the offense responded to the improved field position.  Three consecutive completions by senior quarterback Zack Tenbarge to junior Cole McBride moved the ball into Lincoln territory.  With a first down at 43-yard line, the Huskies ran an outside zone play and senior Aiden Wargel crushed the end with a block that also took out the linebacker.  Tenbarge read the block and handed the ball to Jason Rucker who sprinted around left end.  Picking up an excellent downfield block by senior receiver Hunter Skelton, Rucker picked up 20 yards. 

On second-and-six, Happe lined up in the slot and ran a quick, turn-in rout.  Tenbarge hit him with the ball four yards past the line of scrimmage and two defenders immediately converged on the receiver—to no avail.  The senior receiver shook off both tacklers, turned up field, and ran over a third tackler at the 10-yard line.  It took two more defenders to bring him down at the four-yard line.  Moments later, Tenbarge faked a handoff, rolled to his right and zipped a pass to senior Luke Grayson at the goal line.  Following an extra point kick by sophomore Derek Kirsch the Huskies had a lead that they would not relinquish in the game.

DEFENSE STOPS THEM ONE MORE TIME

A pair of Husky penalties enabled a Vincennes drive to come perilously close to scoring late in the first half.  With first down at North’s 29, junior T.J. Michel deflected a pass away from a receiver at the seven that would have been a touchdown.  On second down, seniors James Beck and Zethan Colon combined to sack the quarterback for a huge thirteen-yard loss.  The Beck flushed the hapless quarterback from the pocket on third-and-long and sophomore Carson Conley tackled him after just a two-yard gain.  North successfully ran out the clock after receiving the ensuing punt inside the one-yard line and the Huskies went into halftime up 7-6.

SECOND HALF

The Husky passing game hit its stride to start the third quarter.  Facing third-and ten at the Husky 35, junior Evan Garnett caught a short pass on the left side and spun to avoid first one and then a second defender.  He darted to the 50-yard line before being forced out of bounds.  Following a first down at the Vincennes 38, Tenbarge then delivered a deep out pass to McBride who took the ball all the way to the 15-yard line.  The drive would stall there and North’s field goal opportunity from the 20 would miss wide to the left.

RUCKER EXPLODES

It wasn’t until less than four minutes remained in the quarter before Rucker would touch the ball for the first time in the half.  In total, the talented senior running back would only be called upon three time after the break, but he would gain 65 yards on those three touches and score a pair of touchdowns that broke the game open.

The Huskies had the ball at the forty-yard line of Lincoln and Rucker lined up to the left of Tenbarge.  On the snap sophomore center Lane Hewig pulled to his left with senior tackle Alex Wheeler following him.  Rucker took the handoff and followed those two blockers.  Hewig plowed over the defensive end and Wheeler combined with fellow senior Cooper Minton to devastate the remaining left side of the defensive line.  Rucker turned up field and Wargel knocked the linebacker over.  The agile senior runner shifted gears and did a juke-step on a defender at the thirty-yard line that left him with a clear sprint to the goal line.

No one catches Rucker in a sprint.

Kirsch’s extra-point kick gave North a 14-6 lead.

ONE MORE TIME

As the game entered the fourth quarter, Grant Happe picked off an Alice pass and returned it to the Vincennes 41.  The Huskies wasted no time handing the ball to Rucker.  Lining up to the right of Tenbarge, he took the handoff and surged into the center of the line—where Wargel and Hewig had demolished the middle of the Lincoln defense.  Wheeler smacked the linebacker and ‘Ruck’ cut to his left off the block.  18 yards later the Huskies had a first down at the 23.  A holding penalty on the next play threatened to stall the drive, but Tenbarge again connected with McBride for a first down at the eight-yard line.

On first-and-goal, Rucker got the call and when Wargel and Hewig walled off the interior and senior ‘Big’ Ben Brasher pulled and pancaked the defensive end. The nimble running back cut-on-a-dime toward the end zone and, although he is not big in stature, he met a defender head on at the five and bowled him over.  Diving into the end zone, he gave North a 21-6 advantage with 10:47 to play.

OFFENSE CLOSES THE SHOW

After the Alices capitalized on another short field and made the game 21-12 with 4:38 left, the defense made a stand on Lincoln’s next possession.  Junior Darian Walker defended a third down pass and junior Mike Epps sacked the quarterback for a ten-yard loss on fourth down.  The Huskies took over at the Vincennes 24 and a steady dose of handoffs to senior Avier Mitchell produced the final margin of victory.  Mitchell scored on a one-yard plunge with a minute to play and the Huskies won 28-12.

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