Benny Westcott
Sweet Home opened its 2021 high school football season Friday evening against Marist Catholic, a team that some rank as high as third in the state at the 4A level.
Despite a never-quit effort by the Huskies, the visitors coasted to a 49-12 victory over the home team at Husky Field.
Marist wasted no time making a statement, as senior running back Lucas Tuski received the opening kickoff from the Huskies and ran it all the way to the end zone. Then, with 8:03 left in the first quarter, senior quarterback Carter Greene connected with Conner Chase to give the Spartans a 14-0 lead.
On their next possession, Tuski ran the ball in again. Shortly after, Greene again found Chase in the end zone to give the Spartans an emphatic 28-0 lead at the close of the first quarter.
As Marist’s defense continued to keep the Husky offense in check, the Spartans found the end zone again in the second quarter when Greene threw to junior AJ Sargent to extend their lead to 35-0.
On the ensuing possession, Greene threw for another touchdown, connecting with Chase in the end zone for a third time. Later in the quarter, Greene tossed his fifth and final TD pass of the game to senior Ryan Cary to secure a commanding 49-0 lead for the Spartans going into halftime.
Sweet Home gave up two of three onside kicks in the second quarter, which contributed to Marist’s running up the score.
In the second half, after Marist pulled many of its starters, Sweet Home was able to get rolling and put points on the scoreboard.
Junior quarterback Heath Nichol passed to junior Brady Nichols, cutting the visitors’ lead to 49-6, despite a failed two-point conversion attempt.
Later in the half, the Huskies scored again, this time on an 18-yard touchdown run by junior Jeremy Zook.
The Huskies again failed to score on a two-point conversion try, leaving the score at 49-12, which would be the final tally.
“Team-wise, we showed great heart. Everyone had an uplifting attitude, and we didn’t trash talk the other team,” Nichols said.
He said that there were “no heads falling” among the Huskies after the game, and that going forward, a key to their success will be “the want to have a great season.”
Nichol said his team “knew it was going to be tough,” against Marist.
“We had to get some nerves out at first,” he said. “Things started to come back together for us in the second half.”
He said that looking forward, “We can really improve on our run game and passing routes.”
Head Coach Ryan Adams noted that there were a lot of rookies on the field Friday.
“It was definitely the first time at the varsity level for a lot of our guys – the majority of our starters. You could kind of tell.”
“Marist is a very good football team,” he continued. “I looked at this game going in as a measuring stick. I was happy with how our guys competed and didn’t quit, and worked to get better every single play.”
“Before the game, I just stressed enjoying the moment. We got to play a game today. And that’s a good thing,” he said.
Despite the lopsided score, Adams said the Huskies’ mentality throughout the game was “super positive.”
“When it all unraveled in the first half, nobody was complaining or pointing fingers, even when we were down 49-0.”
The game, he said, “wasn’t the end-all, be-all — it’s not going to dictate our whole season.”
Next week, the Huskies travel to North Marion, which lost 55-0 on the road at Seaside Friday.
“It’s a game that I’m looking forward to,” Adams said. “I think it’s one that we can go get. North Marion is learning a lot about who they are, just like us.”