April 26, 2024

Eighth-ranked Hawks fall to No. 3 Pirates in Class A quarterfinals

By Jocelyn Sheets

Lynnville-Sully senior defensive back Carson Dunsbergen tackles Hudson junior running back Christian Seres (29) during Friday's Class A quarterfinal football game at Hudson. Seres rushed for 168 yards and one touchdown to lead Hudson over Lynnville-Sully, 30-0. Lynnville-Sully ended its season at 9-1. (Jocelyn Sheets)

HUDSON — Lynnville-Sully’s Hawks were unable to be themselves on the football field Friday night. Third-ranked Hudson’s Pirates stuffed the Hawks’ running game and used four big plays offensively to push No. 8 Lynnville-Sully out of the 2017 Class A playoffs.

The Pirates scored on a 42-yard pass play and a 33-yard pass play in the first quarter to set themselves up for a 30-0 win over the visiting Hawks. Hudson quarterback Jacob Murray hooked up with Alec Staebell and Alex Hageman on the TD plays.

Running out of the wildcat formation — a direct snap to the running back — Staebell broke off a 57-yard run to the Hawk 1-yard line. He capped it with a 1-yard TD run with 3:41 left in the second quarter.

Christian Seres, who finished with 168 yards rushing on 27 carries, got 64 yards of it on a TD run at the 2:13 mark of the second period. Wes Geisler, an offensive and defensive lineman, kicked a 37-yard field goal on the final play of the first half after hitting three of four PAT attempts.

Lynnville-Sully was down 30-0 at halftime.

“The second half was our better half of football tonight. We just couldn’t get our offense lined out the way we wanted and Hudson is a very good defensive team,” Hawk head coach Mike Parkinson said. “Our kids never gave up and battled right to the end. We didn’t let them score in the second half.

“But tonight, the better team won.”

Lynnville-Sully’s bread-and-butter offensively has been its running game with a dose of passing to keep defenses honest. Friday night the Pirates held the Hawks to 2 yards on the ground. Senior Sage Zylstra had 14 yards on 10 carries as the top rusher for the Hawks.

Senior quarterback Elijah Collins went 8-of-22 for 67 yards. Senior wide receiver and defensive back Brevin Hansen made three catches for 34 yards and intercepted Hudson’s Murray.

Junior lineman Rylan James punted nine times for Lynnville-Sully for 350 yards, which was a 39-yard average for the game.

Lynnville-Sully finished the season a 9-1. Hudson (11-0) advances to the Class A semifinals next Friday against Saint Ansgar (11-0) at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls.

Saint Ansgar defeated two-time defending Class A champion Gladbrook-Reinbeck 35-7 on Friday. St. Albert beat Gehlen Catholic 31-10 and West Sioux defeated West Hancock 54-12 in the other quarterfinals Friday.