September 4, 2024

By COSMO COSSEY Sports Connection Team Harrisburg (0-1) traveled to Cross County (1-0) for their season opener Friday night. The only thing that was tougher than both teams was the weather which caused a halt in play with 6:28 left in the game and the Thunderbirds leading 22-0. The weather did not let up and the game was called final around 9:23 p.m...

Hornet Hayden Anderson runs past two Cross County defenders on his way to a nice gain during senior high non-conference action this past Friday at Thunderbird Stadium. (Photo by Cosmo Cossey)
Hornet Hayden Anderson runs past two Cross County defenders on his way to a nice gain during senior high non-conference action this past Friday at Thunderbird Stadium. (Photo by Cosmo Cossey)

By COSMO COSSEY

Sports Connection Team

Harrisburg (0-1) traveled to Cross County (1-0) for their season opener Friday night. The only thing that was tougher than both teams was the weather which caused a halt in play with 6:28 left in the game and the Thunderbirds leading 22-0. The weather did not let up and the game was called final around 9:23 p.m.

Harrisburg’s Grayson Harkey steps in front of a pass for an interception during the Hornets season opener this past Friday in Cherry Valley.
Harrisburg’s Grayson Harkey steps in front of a pass for an interception during the Hornets season opener this past Friday in Cherry Valley.

Cross County got the ball first and after a short drive they were forced to punt the ball away with the Hornets taking over at their own 15-yard line with 6:05 left. Harrisburg gave the ball back just over two minutes later with a punt downed at midfield. The Hornets defense stiffened and forced Cross County to punt with 4:40 left.

After a fair catch at their own 35, Harrisburg gained a first down only to have to punt with 2:58 left. A bad snap on the punt forced Max Tracy to fall on the ball, with the T-birds taking over on the Harrisburg 35-yard line. Cross County put together a short drive which ended with a touchdown run with 52 seconds left to make it 6-0. The two-point conversion was good making it 8-0 Cross County.

The ensuing kick-off went out of bounds giving Harrisburg the ball on their own 35-yard line.

The Hornets moved the ball to midfield before Andrew England broke loose for a 37-yard run to the Cross County 13-yard line. The Hornets turned the ball over a couple plays later when the Thunderbirds defense intercepted a pass at their own five-yard line with 9:07 left. Cross County put together a 95 yard drive that was capped with a touchdown run and successful two-point attempt to make it 16-0 Thunderbirds with 3:49 left. The Hornets started their next drive on their own 35-yard line. Harrisburg moved the ball to their own 49-yard line before throwing an interception on fourth and 10. The T-birds would take over at their own 37-yard line with 1:24 left. Cross County struck quick connecting on a 63-yard touchdown pass on the first play to push their lead to 22-0. The two-point try failed, keeping the score 22-0 with 1:01 left in the half. Remington Rapert gave Harrisburg good field position with his kick-off return to the Cross County 40-yard line with 55 seconds left. The Hornets moved the ball to the T-birds 28-yard line before the Thunderbird intercepted a Tracy pass,taking over at their own seven-yard line. Cross County took a knee to end the first half leading 22-0.

Harrisburg got the ball to start the second half and Hayden Anderson’s 14-yard run moved the ball to the Cross County 42 yard-line where a facemask moved it an extra five yards. The Hornets moved the ball down to the T-Birds 30-yard line, before turning the ball over on downs. Cross County moved the ball to the Harrisburg 35-yard line before a turnover on downs gave the ball back to the Hornets with 5:54 left. Harrisburg moved the ball into T-bird territory only to give the ball back as Cross County picked off another pass and returned it to the Hornets’ 12-yard line with 3:53 left. The Hornets defense came up big again as Garyson Harkey intercepted a Cross County pass and returned it 91 yards to the T-birds four-yard line with 2:57 left. Cross County then came up with a goal-line stand to deny Harrisburg a score and take over at their own five-yard line. The Thunderbirds moved the ball to their 29-yard line before the quarter ended.

Cross County moved the ball to the Hornets’ 30-yard line before fumbling as Bryar Jones recovered the ball there with 9:56 left.

Harrisburg moved the ball to the Cross County 18-yard line before the T-birds intercepted another pass and returned it to their own 30-yard line. A lightning strike caused a stoppage of play before the rain started a few minutes later. The stadium cleared as the game was called final at 9:33 p.m.

“Overall I was pleased with the way our defense played. I thought our offensive line played well at times,” Harrisburg head coach Austin Jarrett said. “Our playmakers have to make plays on offense and we have to find ways to finish drives,” Jarrett added.

England led Harrisburg’s ground game with 63 yards on 13 carries, while Anderson added 58 yards on 11 carries. Tracy completed 5-26 passes for 85 yards, with five interceptions. Jayvin Thompson finished with four catches for 39 yards, Rapert had two catches for 29 yards and Evan Henley grabbed two passes for 17 yards. Trenton Fitzgerald led the defense with eight tackles and a forced fumble, while Harkey had an interception and Jones recovered a fumble for the Hornets.

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