March 28, 2024

Hawks play better in loss to Huskies

SULLY — Lynnville-Sully head coach Mike Parkinson saw his Hawks play better football Friday night in a 39-12 loss to visiting Highland.

“Offensively, we found some good things and made some big plays. We moved the ball early then kind of ran out of gas in the second half,” Parkinson said. “Defensively, we played a lot better than we have all year.

“We had positive things but Highland has a good team with athletes all over the place. It doesn’t get any easier as we keep playing teams which are pretty talented.”

The Hawks dropped to 0-4 for the season. The Hawks play at Colfax-Mingo Friday in a non-district Jasper County showdown. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Colfax.

A 1-yard TD run by Ethan Wyma with 3:35 left in the first quarter made it 8-6 but the Hawks got no closer. The Huskies had two big scoring runs of 48 and 58 yards by Owen Donovan and Cole Adamson to lead 24-6.

Kinnick McFarland capped a Hawk drive with a TD from 1-yard out with 2:47 left in the second quarter. It was 24-12 at halftime and the Huskies shut out the Hawks in the second half.

“We’re searching for the right mix of players on defense and we’re making headway. Offensively, we are looking for the guys who will make a play and not have a turnover or a penalty,” Parkinson said what he and his coaching staff is working with the players to find.

Highland had one touchdown each in the third and fourth quarters. The Huskies rolled up 357 yards on the ground led by Adamson rushing for 206 yards on 23 carries and three TDs. Adamson had a 21-yard run in the first quarter and a 16-yard run in the fourth quarter.

Donovan caught a 21-yard TD pass from Connor Grinstead in the third quarter. He had four 2-point conversion runs and kicked the final extra point for the Huskies. He had 70 yards on 12 rushes.

Grinstead was 4-of-7 for 64 yards passing. Mason McFarland had three catches for 43 yards.

The Hawks’ Kinnick McFarland rushed for 52 yards on 11 carries and was 1-of-8 passing for 17 yards. He was intercepted twice. McFarland has stepped in at quarterback after senior Bray Noun Harder suffered a season-ending leg injury.

Wyma had 47 yards on 12 carries and Slater Young had 20 yards on nine carries. Zane Fraker had the reception for the Hawks.

Fraker had nine tackles for the Lynnville-Sully defense and Slater Young had eight tackles and a quarterback sack. Isaac Johnson and Wyma made five tackles each. Johnson and Gage Elscott each recovered a fumble.

Lynnville-Sully committed 10 penalties for 90 yards. Kinnick McFarland punted five times for 239 yards — a 47.8 average.

Contact Jocelyn Sheets at
641-792-3121 ext. 6535
or jsheets@newtondailynews.com