It seemed like a different home team as Alva opened district play against Hennessey under the Friday night lights. The Alva defense immediately took charge and surprised the Eagles with two swift touchdowns followed by a third in the second quarter.

But then Hennessey's defense held off the Goldbugs, and the Eagles kept pushing until they came within a point of Alva 28-27 in the fourth. The Goldbugs rallied their forces and held the Eagles to that score while they racked up 21 more points for the final Alva win of 49-27.

It was a sweet victory for the Goldbugs who had not won a game against Hennessey in eight straight meetings. Alva Head Coach Tyler Schwerdtfeger had been warning his team that the Eagles were strong and hard to stop. He told the Goldbugs to keep their composure and keep "doing what we do."

Alva Dominates First Quarter

Alva took possession of the ball first, advancing into the wind. After making a first down, the next drive was forward and back until a fourth and nine yards situation forced a punt.

However, Hennessey's possession wasn't any better. They couldn't gain enough yards and had to punt it back to Alva.

The next series by Alva was given a boost by a Hennessey 5 yard penalty for encroachment. Then Goldbug quarterback Mitchell Meyer unleased a 43 yard pass play to a wide open T.W. Beiswanger for the first TD of the game. Junior Cameron Gordon kicked the extra point, and Alva led 7-0.

The kick off was into the wind. When it hit the ground, the Eagles just stood there as Alva's Jacob Faulkner swooped in to pick it up and run straight to the end zone for a 35 yard rushing touchdown. Gordon's kick was good, and Alva was ahead 14-0.

A roughing the kicker penalty was called on Hennessey when Gordon tried to kick off. His next try went out of bounds at the 35 yard line, and Hennessey took over with just over seven minutes left in the quarter.

The penalty monster plagued Hennessey all evening. On their second down of the drive, the Eagles were flagged for illegal motion and set back five yards. Despite being pressed hard by the Alva defense, Hennessey kept slogging away until they reached the nine yard line. Eagles quarterback Zane Hugaboom's favorite hand off recipient was Dillion Joyce and he alternated among three pass recipients.

On the third down, Hugaboom threw to Adrian Guadarrama in the end zone, but a flag for offensive pass interference set the ball back to the 20 yard line. The next play went nowhere. With the quarter nearly over, the Eagles faced a fourth down and 20 yards situation. They decided to go for it, but Hugaboom's pass to Alfredo Ortega was incomplete. Ortega just couldn't get away from pressure by Alva.

The Goldbugs took control at their own 20. Meyer handed off to Dalton Hess who rushed 71 yards to the nine yard line as the quarter ended.

Trading TDs

Alva started the second quarter with a 14-0 lead and within striking distance of Hennessey's goal line. With a first and goal at the nine yard line, Meyer handed off to Davion Murrow who drove through to the end zone for Alva's third TD. Gordon again made the extra point, and Alva was up 21-0.

Hennessey advanced from the 20 yard line through a couple of first downs until they stalled out at fourth and six yards to go. They were 44 yards away from the goal so it seemed logical they would punt. However, Hugaboom faked a punt then snapped the ball to sophomore Cole Joyce who ran the 44 yards straight up the middle. Keven Suarez's extra point kick was no good, but Hennessey was finally on the scoreboard at 21-6.

Then it was Alva's turn to draw the flags. A holding call on the first play moved the ball back to the 27 yard line, putting Alva at second and 13. Hennessey took the next flag for offsides earning Alva a first down.

Meyer handed off to Reece Martin at the 35 yard line, but there was another flag on Alva. Now the Goldbugs had to make 18 yards in four plays. Alva lost another three yards when Meyer was tackled behind the line. Two pass attempts were incomplete, and Meyer had to punt.

Hennessey took over on Alva's 45. After three first down drives, the Eagles were again within scoring distance at the six yard line. D. Joyce carried the ball halfway. The Eagles were flagged on the next play and moved back to the eight yard line with receiver Ortega's TD called back.

Hugaboom ran the eight yards in to score, but Suarez again couldn't get his kick through the goal posts. Alva led 21-12.

On the kick-off, a penalty was called against Murrow for calling a fair catch and then advancing. That put the ball at Alva's ten yard line. In the ensuing plays, Alva lost four yards, and Meyer punted just before the half expired.

Crunch Time

Alva led 21-12 at half time, but it was still anybody's game. Hennessey took the kick off and started from their 20 yard line. They relentlessly advanced up the field, mostly on runs from D. Joyce who had been out for two games with an injury. The Goldbugs were assessed another penalty in the first set of plays.

Soon Hennessey was at Alva's 23 with a first and ten. D. Joyce made three yards rushing. A pass from Hugaboom to Guadarrama moved them to the five yard line. From there Hugaboom handed off to D. Joyce who rushed in for the touchdown. Suarez finally managed to kick an extra point, and Alva led by only two at 21-19.

On Alva's first possession, Meyer ran the ball to the 43 for a first down. The muscular Hess ploughed through the Hennessey defense and gained six yards in two plays. Then Meyer faked a handoff and ran for an 11 yard gain. As Meyer was getting up, the flags were going down. Both Hennessey and Alva were tagged for personal fouls.

The Goldbugs were now at Hennessey's 37 yard line. Meyer threw another straight and true pass to Beiswanger for a 37 yard TD. Gordon's accurate kick added another point, and Alva upped their lead to 28-19 with 4:57 left in the third period.

Hennessey started their next drive on their own 24. Arturo Cisneros tackled the Eagles quarterback behind the line of scrimmage for a loss of three. On the next play Hugaboom tried to throw but Jacob Faulkner was covering Guadarrama closely. Then Guadarrama went down, and a flag was thrown. Alva was given a penalty for pass interference, and Guadarrama was helped off the field.

Hennessey just couldn't make headway on the next series and punted.

On Alva's set of plays, Meyer attempted a pass to Murrow but it was a little behind him. Ortega picked it off for the Eagles, and Hennessey took over. In four plays, the Eagles moved the football to the 21 before the quarter ran out.

Nail-Biter Fourth

Going into the fourth quarter, Alva had still not improved their lead from the previous quarter. A nine point margin 28-19 was no assurance of victory. Hennessey was still in possession at Alva's 21 yard line.

In one rushing play, D. Joyce moved the ball right up to Alva's door at the three yard mark. Hugaboom handed off to D. Joyce again who ran for pay dirt. This time Hennessey went for two and made good. That put them within one point of Alva's lead at 28-27.

A determined Alva team worked their way down the field to score in six plays on a pass from Meyer to Beiswanger, to make his third TD of the night. Gordon's kick sailed through the uprights, and Alva led 35-27.

Hennessey took over but Beiswanger picked off a pass after a Goldbug player tipped it. With the interception, it was Alva's turn once again.

In two hand offs from Meyer to Hess, Alva made their first down. Hess carried again up the middle putting Alva within one yard of the goal. Meyer faked to Hess then drove in for the TD himself. Gordon aced the extra point kick again, and Alva widened their lead to 42-27.

The Eagles had two incomplete passes. Hugaboom tried to run but the ball was knocked away by Daniel Toone, and an Alva player scooped it up for a turnover.

Alva took over on their 43. The Goldbugs made the first down in two plays. On the next one, Meyer handed the ball to Murrow whose face mask was grabbed by a Hennessey player. That earned the Eagles another penalty.

On the next play, the Eagles were whistled for yet another penalty. Alva was now at the Hennessey 20 yard line. Another Hennessey offside penalty put Alva at the 14. Meyer handed off to Murrow who ran it the 14 yards for the TD. Gordon kept his extra point record perfect, and Alva was up 49-27.

Hennessey got the ball back with a 22 point deficit. The Eagles worked their way from the 36 to about the 25, racking up two more penalties on the way. In a fourth and four to go situation, D. Joyce was swarmed by Goldbugs, and Alva gained possession with 1:15 left in the game. Meyer took a knee to end the play.

Stats

Alva made 40 plays for 394 yards and six touchdowns in the game. Rushing accounted for 227 yards in 26 carries and three touchdowns. In passing Alva had seven completions for 173 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. One TD was a specialty team play.

Hennessey ran 70 plays for 364 yards and four touchdowns. They had 197 yards rushing and 167 passing with one interception by Beiswanger.

For the Goldbugs, Meyer completed seven of 14 pass attempts for 173 yards, three TDs and one interception. Beiswanger caught four passes for 127 yards and three TDs. Martin caught one pass for 30 yards, and Murrow caught two for 16 yards. In rushing, Hess carried the ball ten times for 111 yards. Murrow gained 49 yards on seven carries, and Meyer carried ten times for 67 yards.

Coach Comments

After the game, Coach Schwerdtfeger said, "I am extremely proud of these men and our staff. Their preparation both mentally and physically paid off, and we were able to execute our game plans in all three phases at a high rate of efficiency. This was a huge win for the program and community of Alva. We have a tough road ahead, but we will be ready and playing at a high level."

In other 2A District 1 games, Chisholm shut out Newkirk 41-0 and Tonkawa topped Perry 58-38. Pawhuska had a bye week.

The Goldbugs have a week off before they face a tough away game with Chisholm on Oct. 6. Alva now stands at 5-0 overall with 1-0 in district play.

Lynn L. Martin

Alva quarterback Mitchell Meyer (10) springs through an opening in the line in front of Hennessey's Dalton Joyce (75) and Alva's Max Parson's (50). On the right is Hennessey's Christian Perez (50) and Alva's Kellen Claflin (71).