HLV 14-point lead disappears by halftime

VICTOR -- It was another disheartening loss for the HLV football team Friday night as New London came to Victor and left with a 36-28 victory.

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The Warriors enjoyed the way things were going early as Bryer Jack and Carter Scholtus hooked up for a 52-yard touchdown pass and Cael Weisskopf scored on a 58-yard run with one two-point conversion, putting HLV ahead 14-0.

Not for long. The Tigers closed the gap to 14-8 at the end of one quarter, and scored again in the second period to go up by two points at halftime, 16-14.

Another New London touchdown in the third quarter made it 22-14, and the Tigers found the end zone twice more to begin the fourth quarter, capping a run of 36 straight points.

New London’s final touchdown, a 25-yard return of an HLV fumble, crippled the Warriors, yet they didn’t surrender.

Weisskopf scored his second touchdown of the night on a 15-yard pass from Jack, and Tyler Ballard’s two-point conversion made it a 36-22 game.

Ballard then caught an 18-yard halfback pass from Weisskopf for a TD, drawing HLV to within eight, but there simply wasn’t enough time left for the Warriors to get any closer.

“I give our kids a lot of credit for fighting to the end,” said HLV coach Kevin Smith. “They didn’t give up.”

Statisically, the game was nearly even. New London had 13 first downs and 290 yards of total offense – 202 rushing and 88 passing – and HLV 15 first downs and 265 yards - 111 passing and 154 rushing.

Both teams were penalized five times, and the Warriors had the only turnover in the game – a fumble. But it was a big one; the Tigers scored six points off of it.

Individually, Jack was 8-for-14 passing for 93 yards and two TDs. Weisskopf rushed 19 times for 138 yards and one score, while also leading the team in tackles with 17, including two tackles for losses.

Ballard was in on 13 tackles.

HLV remained winless, falling to 0-6 overall and 0-3 in the district. New London improved to 1-4, 1-3.

Next up for the Warriors is a trip this Friday night to Bussey to face the 1-5 Twin Cedar Sabers. HLV is back home Oct. 6 against Iowa Valley and ends the season Oct. 13 at Winfield-Mount Union.