CHARLOTTE — When Hough coach Bobby Collins approached injured kicker Nathan Deering about the prospects of attempting a game-winning field goal with six seconds remaining against West Charlotte last Thursday, the answer he received was simple: “Yes sir.”
Deering, who has been hindered this season by a stress fracture in his vertebra, wasn’t even dressed to play. But after a scramble to gear up as the Huskies marched down the field with time winding down, the senior was on the field and ready to attempt a 25-yard kick to break the 21-21 tie.
And it paid off as Deering split the uprights as time expired to hand Hough its first win over the Lions, 24-21.
“I went up to him to see if he thought he’d be able to kick, and you could just tell he wanted it,” said Collins.
The win boosted the Huskies’ I-Meck record to 3-1 (4-4 overall), which places them in a tie for second with Mooresville. The Huskies host the Blue Devils Friday.
Against West Charlotte, the Huskies were led by a 177-yard rushing performance from Jackson Campbell. Campbell got the Huskies on the board in the first quarter with a 32-yard touchdown run.
Back-to-back Brandon Dixon 1-yard runs put West Charlotte on top 14-7 before a 5-yard Josh Stilley pass to Sanders Poff allowed Hough to enter halftime even.
The Husky defense turned it up in the second half, forcing a turnover on downs on the Lions’ first possession, and cornerback Tylan Murrell returned an interception 43 yards to give Hough a 21-14 lead late in the third quarter.
However, the deadlock was restored three minutes into the fourth when Lion quarterback T.J. Mixson scrambled for a 52-yard score. The teams traded possessions, with neither gaining much ground, for the remainder of the period, setting the stage for Deering’s game-winning kick.
Doing it with defense
Murrell’s interception return was the highlight of the Huskies’ defensive performance, but it was just part of the story as Hough set the tone by dominating the field position battle for the majority of the game.
The Huskies forced three turnover on downs, none bigger than a fourth-and-1 stop on their own 38 in the second quarter with Hough trailing 14-7. Instead of falling behind by two scores, the Huskies tied it up on the ensuing possession with just 1:34 remaining in the half.
Changing roles
The late win for the Huskies brought back familiar memories as just two weeks prior, Hopewell stole the game from the Huskies on a last-second field goal to win 24-23. But this time the roles were reversed as Hough discovered the feelings the Titans felt with a win of that nature.
“It feels great,” Collins said. “I kept telling everybody we have got to get on the other end of the stick and see how it feels.”
Big matchup looming
After the win over West Charlotte, their fourth of the season, the Huskies are playoff eligible for the first time. But Collins will have bigger aspirations for his team as Hough hosts Mooresville Friday. With both teams boasting 3-1 I-Meck records, Friday’s outcome will see one ascend into sole possession of second place, while the other falls a game behind with just two remaining.
PATs
Prior to Deering’s game-winning kick, junior James Jackson handled the kicking duties. Jackson connected on all three extra points and missed field goals from 38 and 42 yards. ... The Huskies posted two sacks, with Spencer Call and Michael Humes teaming up for the first and Blake Dueitt collecting the second. ... Seth Pope blocked a punt in the fourth quarter. ... Receiver Brandon Mobley traded his role as offensive playmaker to come up big for the Huskies on defense with a deflection of a crucial pass on fourth down for the Lions. The turnover on downs led to the game-winning kick on the next possession.
