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Hersey’s late heroics top Prospect in playoff-like atmosphere

By Dick Quagliano - Daily Herald Media Group
Hersey's Ryan Stearns runs a kickoff back for a touchdown in the first quarter in a football game against Prospect in Mount Prospect on Friday, September 23, 2022.

Hersey's Ryan Stearns runs a kickoff back for a touchdown in the first quarter in a football game against Prospect in Mount Prospect on Friday, September 23, 2022. (John Starks, Daily Herald)

MOUNT PROSPECT — Hersey lit a fire to stun Prospect 41-34 in overtime before an overflow crowd of 4,000 Friday.

Hersey turned a bad snap on a field-goal attempt in overtime into a touchdown pass. The Huskies then held off Prospect’s scoring opportunity, knocking down a pass at the line of scrimmage at the 6-yard line to preserve the victory between a pair of teams that entered the game unbeaten.

“It felt like a playoff game,” Hersey coach Tom Nelson said. “It was competitive football with two good teams executing at a high level. And you have to take advantage of opportunities when they come.”

With the score tied at 34 in overtime, Hersey was on offense first. After three running plays and the ball at the six, the Huskies lined up for a field goal.

The snap bounced on the ground and holder Logan Riley picked up the ball like a shortstop. He rolled to his right and threw the ball to sophomore Logan Farrell.

The 6-foot-6 Farrell caught the ball in traffic and as he was pulled to the ground by three Prospect defenders, stretched the ball over the goal line for a touchdown.

“The snap went and I hear ‘fire,’” explained Farrell. “I turn around and the ball is right there. I go up and get it and then I reach out.”

Riley was just as shocked that Farrell scored.

“I’ve never have thrown a touchdown pass,” said Riley, who is senior. “I think I have the worst arm on the team. I heard ‘fire.’ I get up, roll out, see no one, so I figured I might as well throw it.”

To make matters worse for Prospect, they were assessed a penalty on the play. They began their overtime drive on the 25-yard line. And with just four plays to score, the Knights came up just short.

“We didn’t play well enough to win tonight,” Prospect coach Dan DeBeouf said. “It could have gone either way, but we made way too many mistakes.”

Hersey (5-0,1-0) was able to exploit Prospect’s mistakes.

The Huskies returned a pair of kickoffs for touchdowns with Ryan Stearns scoring on a 96-yard return and Carson Grove returning another for a 98-yard touchdown.

Grove was also special on defense. The senior had two of the three interceptions. Both were in the red zone, including one in the end zone.

“We had to finish it off strong,” Grove said. “I knew I had to get out there and get it done.”

Prospect (4-1, 0-1) scored on the game’s opening kickoff on a 78-yard return by Jack Berman. The Knights’ Brad Vierneisel (7 carries, 109 yards) also scored on a 69-yard touchdown run, a 1-yard sneak and on a 9-yard touchdown catch from Frank Covey. Vierneisel (24-of-35, 247 yards) also threw an 80-yard touchdown pass to Covey (13 catches, 178 yards).

Hersey countered with a 4-yard touchdown run by Brett Kersemeier (25 carries, 167 yards), a 7-yard touchdown pass to Farrell from Colton Gumino, and a 5-yard touchdown run by Charles Meister.