By Brandon Walker EBS EDITORIAL ASSISTANT
ABSAROKEE – On Oct. 4, the Absarokee Huskies defeated Lone Peak in the cold, rain-soaked battle, 40-6. The Big Horns were playing without their senior quarterback Frankie Starz, who was held out due to injury.
Dressing only 11 players on the evening, senior Austin Samuels, who is usually on the receiving end of passes, filled in at quarterback for Lone Peak. Referring to his team’s lack of depth on the night, Lone Peak Head Coach Adam Farr said, “a lot of these players (were) new to their position. Younger players being put in the game, starting for their first time or one of their first times, became much more comfortable throughout the first half, leading into the second.”
On their first possession of the game, Absarokee was able to convert on a crucial fourth-down play and go on to score. Immediately following the touchdown, the Huskies went for an onside kick, recovered the ball, and drove down the field to find the endzone once again. At halftime, Absarokee led 34-0.
Lone Peak was able to command the ball much better in the last two quarters, even trading touchdowns with Absarokee in the second half. “At halftime it was 34-0 and then in the second half we tied, with each team scoring six. That’s particularly encouraging because they left most of their starters in the entire game,” Farr said. “Our passing game started to click. The weather cleared up a little bit and we were able to drive the ball. We only scored once, but our time of possession was much higher in the second half, which reduced the scoring opportunities for Absarokee and that was a big factor.”
Freshman fullback Pierce Farr scored the lone touchdown for LPHS in the third quarter when he found some room to run on the sideline and rushed into the endzone from about 15 yards out.
“The game started in the 40s, raining sideways, and that proceeded for most of the game. [It] went away for a little while and came back for the fourth quarter. We’re a pass-heavy team, even with a backup quarterback, and that did not play itself well to our offense,” said Farr.
The Big Horns (1-4) will play their next game at home on Oct. 12 against the Ennis Mustangs at 4 p.m.
