MOUNT PROSPECT, Ill. — It took until the fourth quarter, but for the first time all night, the Prospect fan section fell silent.
Football fans who had spent the evening clapping and cheering were suddenly seated, their hands tucked back into their coat pockets, adrenaline fading away as the chilling October air sets in.
Hersey’s Jackson Travis took over.
With Prospect cutting Hersey’s lead to 41-28 and 9:02 remaining in the fourth, the Knights had a chance to make things interesting. But Travis powered through three consecutive carries of 19, 14, 11.
With each rush he'd bring multiple Knights down with him. Each time he popped back up to his feet before anyone else in the pile.
The next play he finished the drive with another 11-yard touchdown rush that pushed the Huskies’ lead back to three scores.
Travis’ third touchdown of the night helped Hersey hold off Prospect, 48-35, in a battle of previously undefeated Mid-Suburban (East) conference rivals. The Huskies finished the regular season 9-0, while Prospect suffered its first loss, falling to 8-1.
The win crowns Hersey as Conference Champions. Winning the honors in back-to-back seasons.
Travis finished with 310 rushing yards, while senior quarterback and Kentucky commit Jake Nawrot finished 21/25 for 343 yards and three touchdowns and rushing one in for another.
Together, the two gave Prospect problems both through the air and on the ground.
Travis welcomed the physicality that came with carrying the ball in a high-stakes game.
“If I can get contact, I’ll take it,” Travis said. “I like hitting.”
The junior also made sure to credit his offensive line for creating the opportunities that allowed him to break off big gains throughout the night.
Hersey’s Offense Delivers
The Huskies took the ball first and established their passing attack early, striking first and putting pressure on Prospect from the jump.
“That set the tone. We showed we were ready to go all four quarters.” Nawrot said.
Nawrot connected with Josh Riggs on a fifty-four yard touchdown pass on a corner route that beat his one-on-one matchup.
Nawrot was eyeing him down the entire play not even worrying about his second read.“I liked the matchup, I trusted [riggs] there and he made a play.”
Nawrot was spreading the ball around as Hersey built its advantage. Riggs finished with six catches for 107 yards, while Dom Wentink added a 49-yard touchdown reception.
Prospect, meanwhile, refused to go quietly.
Quarterback Jackson Cacini went 25/39 for 272 yards and four touchdowns, keeping the Knights within striking distance.
After trailing 20-7 at halftime, Prospect cut the deficit to 20-14 early, just 38 seconds into the third quarter.
Hersey responded before fans could even order a hot chocolate between drives, Jackson Travis ran away on a fifty-nine-yard touchdown run just a minute and fifty-eight seconds later.
Hersey went on the score two more times making it twenty one consecutive points, stretching its lead to 41-14.
Hersey’s ability to attack defenses in multiple ways has been central to its success. Coach Tom Nelson said the Huskies are comfortable adjusting their approach depending on how opponents defend them.
“Our offense in general is a balanced attack,” Nelson said. “They want to play the pass, we’re gonna run the ball. We'll do either. We don’t care.”
That balance was on display Friday. Nawrot’s passing production forced Prospect to respect the Huskies’ receivers, playing back not trying to let up the "home run ball," while Travis made the Knights pay when Hersey turned to the run.
Prospect went to their seniors in an attempt to come back. Running back, Matthew Donnelly and wideout Gordon Kemo helped fuel the Knights’ response, with Donnelly scoring on a three-yard run, while Kemo hauled in a 15-yard touchdown reception.
The rally brought Prospect within striking distance, cutting Hersey’s lead to 41-28 with 9:02 remaining. But Travis’ fourth-quarter touchdown restored the Huskies’ three-score advantage. Prospect scored once more to make it 48-35, but Hersey recovered the ensuing onside kick and ran out the remaining time to secure the win.
A Statement Before the Playoffs
For both teams, this was an early test before heading into the postseason, facing an undefeated opponent in an environment of total bedlam, in football weather.
For Hersey, the victory offered a chance to execute under pressure against a strong opponent on the road. The Huskies had to withstand Prospect’s second-half push while continuing to trust the offense that had carried them through an undefeated regular season.
Nelson said he was pleased to see his players execute in that environment.
“It’s just great for our kids to execute in these situations on the road, for some really good football teams,” Nelson said.
Nawrot said the Huskies understood they could not allow Prospect to build on its momentum once the Knights began to rally.
“When you have that momentum, you have that lead, you cannot give anything back,” Nawrot said. “You got to just keep your foot on the gas, all game.”
Both teams now wait to see where they will be seeded heading into the postseason.
When all games conclude on Saturday, IHSA will release all seedings and match ups starting at 9pm.
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