On a beautiful Saturday evening under the lights at the HFL Varsity Football Field, the Wayne Eagles came to town to try to steal a victory from the Cougars in their own house … which isn’t easy to do. You would think it was, given that it took the Eagles only 4 plays to go 60 yards for a touchdown and then tack on an extra point to go up 7 to 0. It sure seemed like it was going to be a long night for the HFL Cougar B-Team. The first offensive possession for HFL only netted 4 yards from scrimmage before the ball had to be relinquished to the hungry Wayne Offense that had just man-handled the Cougar Defense with ease. There was no way that was happening again as the young Cougar squad stepped up and stopped the Wayne offense after only allowing one first down. Again, the Offense couldn’t find a rhythm and only mustered up 3 total yards from scrimmage this time … maybe it was going to be a long night after-all … enter the HFL Defense once again.  This time it was looking like the Eagles were going to force their will on the Cougars and score again when Ben Carson made a 4th and 1 tackle that stopped the Wayne drive dead in its tracks at the HFL 30 yard line. With a renewed purpose, the Cougar Offense went to work at their own 30 and managed a first down and nearly a second but were stopped just short of mid-field. The Wayne Eagles then took over on the HFL 47 yard line and were in the end-zone 3 plays later to take a 14-0 lead into half-time.

The Cougars would receive the second half kick-off to give their Offense a chance to get on the board and get back into the game. Chance Bears caught the kick on the fly and weaved in and out of Eagle defenders for 20 yards to the Wayne 45 yard line. With a good drive start and in need of a spark, HFL’s James Killenbeck took the next hand-off 37 yards to the Wayne 8 yard line and then Zac Meacham pushed it to the 3 before the Wayne Defense stiffened and took over on downs at their own 5. On the very next play, Brody Young stripped the Wayne runner of the ball and Killenbeck fell on it at the 16 yard-line to breathe life into the Cougars hopes of a come-back. Following a holding penalty and a short run up the middle by Meacham, Young wasted no time going to the air and finding Nolan Smith for a 13 yard gain to the 11 to set up 3rd and 5. Going right back to the air, Young hit Smith again with a short screen pass and Smith dragged Eagles defenders into the end-zone for the Cougars first score of the game! Not done yet, the Cougars went to the air for a third straight time and Young found a wide open Jack Vandenbush in the right corner of the end-zone for the extra point conversion … HFL 7, Wayne 14. The ensuing kickoff by Carson Joint would work in the Cougars favor by pinning the Eagles on their own 27 yard line, giving the Defense an opportunity to make a big stop. The Eagles managed to move the ball deep into Cougar territory to end the 3rd quarter. On the very first play of the 4th quarter, the entire HFL Defensive unit came up big by stopping the Eagles on a 4th and 1 at the Cougar 15 yard line to take over on downs and end the Eagles bid for a two score lead. The HFL Offense then churned away eating up valuable clock, but only advancing the ball 20 yards before handing it back to the Wayne Offense. A valiant defensive stand and a great 4th and 6 tackle from behind by Troy Mooney gave the Cougars one last offensive opportunity with a little over a minute left in the game. The stingy Wayne Defense was not about to allow that one big play the Cougars needed to tie the ball-game and the HFL Youth Cougar B-Team lost a tough fought battle to the Wayne Eagles 14 to 7. The Cougars hit the road next Sunday to take on an extremely tough Pal-Mac team who has not lost a game yet this season.