Early turnovers on downs set tone in Hall-PC’s loss to Kewanee

SPRING VALLEY – The red and white faithful packed the Richard Nesti Stadium bleachers and all walkways for Hall’s homecoming football game Friday against Kewanee.

The Hall-Putnam County squad excited the crowd by scoring in the second half, but it came after the Kewanee rushing game had already left its imprint as the Red Devils fell to their Three Rivers Conference Mississippi Division foe, 42-17.

“We still had a positive outlook at halftime. We were two yards away from the score being 21-14 at halftime. Our second drive of the game was a 21-play drive,” first-year Hall-PC coach Logan Larson said. “If we’re struggling defensively, obviously that’s what we have to do to keep their big horse (Alejandro Duarte) off of the field so we don’t have to tackle him.

“We put it together and were gaining three or four yards every play. We just came up one-yard short. Maybe the game is different if we get the yard. It’s tough to play that physical against a team that’s more physical and stronger than us.

“We had some good plays at the end and scored some points, so that was good.”

Not only did the second drive of the homecoming contest fall a yard short, so did the first offensive possession of the game after an eight-play drive by the Red Devils. Both turnovers on downs were called after the chain gain was implemented.

Hall's Aiden Redcliff runs with the ball against Kewanee on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024 at Richard Nesti Stadium. (Scott Anderson)

While Hall-PC (1-4, 1-2 TRC East) had two turnovers on downs and a punt during the first half, Kewanee (2-3, 1-2 TRC East) scored three touchdowns to end its first three possessions of the game before the Red Devils stopped the Boilermakers during a drive at the end of the second quarter.

Kewanee had a 14-0 lead after the first frame, a 21-0 advantage at halftime and scored two touchdowns in the third quarter for a 35-0 lead. Duarte, the Boilermakers’ senior running back who is listed at 6-foot-2, 230 pounds, ran in three touchdowns of 3, 69 and 56 yards during the game to help him finish with 228 yards on 10 carries.

“Playing hard, not giving up and playing physical football from the beginning of the game until the end is the mentality we’re going to preach,” Larson said. “That’s what wins. When it comes to November, playing physical football when it’s cold and super windy, we did get a little of the wind (Friday), you have to play physical and you have to run the ball to win.

“It’s our culture. It’s our philosophy. We’re going to run the ball hard and play just as hard on the other side of the ball.”

With 4:31 on the third quarter clock, Red Devils’ junior quarterback Dylan Glynn found junior Braden Curran for a 61-yard TD strike for Hall-PC’s first points of the game. After an extra point from senior Ilan Bardot, the deficit was 35-7.

Kewanee scored one more touchdown for a 42-7 lead with 4:17 left in the third quarter.

However, the Red Devils put the last points on the board and visited the end zone last as Bardot made a 26-yard field goal with 9:49 left in the fourth and junior Jack Curran ran in a 17-yard touchdown with 5:41 remaining to make the final 42-17.

“We thought it would be a good positive note to go for the field goal,” Larson said. “It was fourth-and-6 and I didn’t feel comfortable going for it. I felt comfortable with him kicking. He is super talented. I felt we had to practice at some point, so we kicked it and he made it.”

Hall junior Aiden Redcliff recovered two Kewanee fumbles, the Boilermakers only turnovers of the game (the Red Devils also lost two fumbles), while rushing for 128 yards on 27 attempts.

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Hall's Braden Curran is taken down by Kewanee's Benjamin Taylor on Friday, Sept. 27, 2024 at Richard Nesti Stadium. (Scott Anderson)