The Hancock football team hosted one of their home games at Big Cat Stadium Sept. 18 when they welcomed Hillcrest Lutheran Academy to Morris. Hancock gave the defending nine-player runner up all they could handle, forcing two overtimes,but the Comets were able to come away with a 28-22 win over the Owls to drop Hancock to 0-3 to start the year.
After forcing a turnover on downs on the first possession of the game, Hancock got the ball, went right down the field and Bennett Nesvig completed a four-yard pass Cole Evink juggled and caught in the front right corner of the end zone and after Jett Nuest caught the two-point conversion, Hancock led 8-0. HLA was able to come back, scoring a touchdown early in the second quarter cut the gap down to 8-6. Neither team was able to score any points for the final 10 minutes and the Owls took a two-point lead into the halftime locker room.
Hancock struck first in the second half when Osiel Villela Velez caught a short screen pass and broke it 71 yards for a touchdown and Nesvig punched in the two-point conversion to give Hancock a 16-6 lead. The Comets stayed in the game with a four-yard scramble touchdown right before the end of the third to make it 16-14. HLA took their first lead of the game with a one-yard passing touchdown with just under eight minutes left in the fourth.
Hancock turned the ball over on downs at midfield down six with just five minutes on the clock. The Owl defense came up big. HLA threw an incomplete pass, had two penalties and Emmett Charles recorded a sack to force a fourth at 41 yards to go for the Comets. HLA snapped the ball over the punter’s head, into the end zone, the punter picked up the ball and threw it into the waiting arms of Nesvig, who dove into the end zone to tie the game at 22-22 with just over three minutes on the clock. Neither team seriously threatened over the final three minutes and the game went into overtime.
Hancock was on defense first and got a big stop on the first possession, but their offense couldn’t cash in either. In the second overtime, the Owls offense went four plays and out, and the Comets made them pay, scoring the game winning touchdown on a third and one from the one yard line to make the winning score 28-22.
Through the air, Bennett Nesvig finished the game 13 for 27 for 174 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Osiel Villela led the team in receiving with five catches for 90 yards and a touchdown. Cole Evink also caught seven passes for 75 yards and a touchdown. On the ground, Villela led the team with 56 yards on 14 carries.
The Owls will look to earn their first win of the season on the road against Ortonville Friday, Sept. 25.
Hancock 8 0 8 6 0 0 – 22
HLA 0 6 8 8 0 6 – 28
Scoring Plays
1st Quarter
3:15 HAN – Bennett Nesvig 4-yard passing TD To Cole Evink – 8-0
2nd Quarter
10:25 HLA – 1-yard rushing TD – 8-6
3rd Quarter
9:23 HAN – Bennett Nesvig 71-yard TD pass to Osiel Villela Velez- 16-6
0:58 HLA – 4-yard rushing TD – 16-14
4th Quarter
7:37 HLA – 1-yard rushing TD – 22-16
3:06 HAN – Bennett Nesvig 1-yard interception return TD – 22-22
2OT
HLA – 1-yard Rushing TD – 28-22
Hancock individual stats
Passing – Bennett Nesvig 13-27, 174 yards, 2 TD, INT
Rushing – Osiel Villela 14-56; Barrett Charles 5-11; Cole Evink 1-(-5)
Receiving – Osiel Villela 5-90, TD; Cole Evink 7-75, TD; Beau Haugen 1-9
