Hills-Beaver Creek defeated Granada-Huntley-East Chain-Truman 56–0 on Saturday afternoon in the season opener in Hills.
Heavy rain and poor field conditions on Thursday pushed the game to Saturday afternoon, which presented perfect playing conditions — sunny skies, temperatures in the 70s and a well-groomed Patriots home field.
H-BC players, coming off a Section 3 nine-man championship in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, didn’t miss a beat when they opened the 2021 season Saturday.
The Pates scored early and often in the lopsided win, despite losing nine seniors to graduation from last year’s successful team.
After an opening game three and out for the visitors, senior Patriot Cole Baker capped a four-play, 34-yard drive with a 6-yard touchdown run.
Fellow senior Ty Bundesen tacked on the two-point conversion for a quick 8-0 lead in the first quarter.
After another three and out by the Patriot defensive unit, quarterback Oliver Deelstra threw a touchdown pass to a wide-open Casey Kueter for the first passing touchdown of the season.
The same passing combination resulted in a successful 2-point conversion for a 16-0 lead with 6:21 left in the first quarter.
On the very next Jaguar offensive possession, senior Drew Leenderts scooped up a fumble and took it 37 yards to the end zone for the first Patriot defensive touchdown of the young season. Cole Baker plunged into the end zone to widen the Patriot lead to 24-0 with 5:25 left in the first quarter.
The second quarter was more of the same as the Patriots scored another 24 points.
The first score came on a Deelstra 21-yard pass to Bundesen. The next touchdown was a 20-yard run by Cole Baker, and the final score of the quarter was an 11-yard pass from freshman Sawyer Bosch to senior Andrew Harris.
Harris momentarily juggled the ball, and eventually outmuscled a Jaguar defender to score the touchdown for the Patriots.
All three second quarter conversions were good. A run by Deelstra, a run by Bosch and a successful run by sophomore Justin Roelfs made the score 48-0 in favor of the Patriot squad.
With a 48-point lead at halftime, the game clock only stopped for scores during the second half. During the third quarter, the stout Patriot defense allowed the Jaguars only three plays and two yards.
Meanwhile the home team was able to score when junior Brock Harnack was credited with a one-yard score after a nine-play, 55-yard drive.
Sawyer Bosch finished the game’s scoring with a successful conversion run that made it 56-0 in favor of the Patriots.
The fourth quarter saw no scoring but was highlighted by an H-BC quarterback sack by freshman Beau Bakken and a fumble recovery by freshman Talon Steensma.
Coach Rex Metzger said he was pleased with his team’s season-opening performance.
“To be able to get playing time for our inexperienced players is important, and to start the year off with a win is what we wanted,” he said. “The entire team played well in all three phases of the game — offense, defense and special teams.”
The 1-0 Patriots travel on Sept. 10 to take on the 0-1 Madelia Blackhawks. Game time is 7 p.m.
Final statistics show all Patriots with playing time and most players in the stat book.
Team statistics
HBC: 250 rushing yards, 115 passing yards, 365 total yards, 18 first downs, six penalties for 58 yards, zero turnovers.
GHEC/T: 42 rushing yards, 28 passing yards, 6 first downs, six penalties for 25 yards, two turnovers.
Individual statistics
Rushing: S. Bosch 7-72, O. Deelstra 4-62, C. Baker 3-43, B. Harnack 3-22, L. Fuerstenberg 4-20,
T. Bundesen 2-12, J. Roelfs 1-12, C. Allen 3-7, J. VandenBosch 2-3, J. Klosterbuer 1-Minus 3. Passing: O. Deelstra 5-5 for 67 yards, S. Bosch 3-3 for 48 yards.
Receiving: T. Bundesen 2-27, C. Baker 2-20, Alex Harris 1-23, C. Kueter 1-20, B. Leenderts 1-14, Andrew Harris 1-11.
Defense: S. Bosch six tackles, B. Bakken five tackles and QB sack, C. Kueter 4 tackles, C. Baker four tackles and QB sack, M. Scholten four tackles and QB sack, Drew Leenderts three tackles and fumble recovery, C. Moser two tackles for loss, Andrew Harris two tackles and QB sack,
B. Metzger two tackles and two tackles for loss, T. Steensma fumble recovery.