Showdown in Wynot with the Wildcats coming to town
WYNOT - Hartington-Newcastle travels to Wynot for a District game between local rivals that have not played football against each other for years.
The Wildcats are looking for the first District win since moving down to Class D2, while the Blue Devils look to get back on track after a loss to Randolph.
HNS and Wynot share losses with Randolph, as the Cardinals played spoiler to both schools homecoming.
Both schools are looking toward this week though to get back on track in District standings
“We need to have a good week of practice and learn from our mistakes last week,” said Wynot coach Steve Wieseler. “We need to focus on Hartington-Newcastle and what is ahead of us.”
The Wildcats are looking to sharpen up after two consecutive losses.
“We have to continue to improve on schemes and assignments,” said HNS coach Corey Uldrich. “We need to trust each other and allow everyone to do their job.”
Hartington-Newcastle found success in three wins to start the season with a balanced offense that saw success through the air and on the ground. The Wildcats now face a team of similar balance.
HNS has scored eight touchdowns through the air and 12 on the ground. However, the Wildcats have only dropped back 53 times compared to rushing the ball 177 times on the season so far.
Wynot has a similar track record this season. The Blue Devils have scored nine times through the air and 11 times on the ground. The team shows balance through play calling as well, with 137 passes and 195 rushes.
Hartington-Newcastle is led by Shaye Morten and Turner Korth at quarterback. Korth is also the Wildcats leading receiver with seven receptions for 206 yards. He is closely followed by Lincoln McPhillips 13 receptions for 191 yards. Both Korth and McPhillips have four receiving touchdowns. On the ground, HNS is led by Ethan Koch’s 68 carries for 472 yards and six touchdowns.
For Wynot, the team is led by a trio of Wieseler's. Landon Wieseler leads the team through the air and is second on the ground. The quarterback has nearly 873 yards in the air and 368 yards on the ground. He has thrown all nine scores and has rushed for six more. Nate Wieseler leads the Blue Devils on the ground with 423 yards and five touchdowns. Nate also is the leading receiver with 40 receptions for 363 yards and four touchdowns. Following Nate is Jake Wieseler with 12 receptions, 196 yards, and five touchdowns. Anthony Haberman joins the Wieseler trio, contributing 12 receptions for 214 yards and a score.
With Wynot and Hartington-Newcastle’s close proximity the game is bound to have a familiar feeling after all these same athletes compete for the rest of the year in other sports. The Wildcats travel to Blue Devil territory to face off on Friday night.