A gang of North Mahaska defenders team up to tackle Lynville-Sully running back Ethan Wyma
Sometimes all it takes for a great contest to unfold is for pride to be on the line. That sentiment rings true for the third-best game I covered in 2019.
Entering week eight of the regular season, rivals North Mahaska and Lynville-Sully came into their annual rivalry tilt searching for that elusive first win of the season.
Neither team came into this contest having performed at their best, both teams had suffered a handful of blowout losses through the first seven weeks of the regular season.
But, to these two teams none of that mattered, both wanted to emerge victoriously, not only to salvage something out of their difficult season, but to earn the ultimate bragging rights for the next year.
North Mahaska had a major dose of motivation heading into this game, the last time they defeated Lynville-Sully was in 2007. The two teams didn’t play in 2008 and 2009, but since then they had lost to their rivals on an annual basis.
North Mahaska was desperate to ring their victory bell and end their long-standing losing streak to their rivals from Lynville-Sully. Unfortunately for the Warhawks, it wasn't meant to be.
The Warhawks came out determined, taking a 7-0 lead on a six-yard touchdown pass from sophomore quarterback Sam Terpstra to junior Blake Readshaw with 51 seconds left in the first quarter. It marked their first lead of the season and the Warhawk faithful reacted as such with a boisterous applause.
After a defensive-oriented second quarter, that saw both teams cause multiple turnovers, the Warhawks went into halftime clinging to their seven-point lead.
Midway through the third quarter, the Warhawks were on the verge of extending their lead when the pendulum of momentum swung in the cruelest of fashions.
With Lynville-Sully backed up to their own three-yard line, Terpstra looked to connect with Readshaw once again. Only this time Lynville-Sully senior Kinnick McFarland stepped in front of the pass at the one-yard line and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown.
Lynville-Sully with momentum fully in their corner, scored once more in the third quarter before extending the lead to 19-7 early in the fourth.
#1 Blake Readshaw celebrates a touchdown with teammate #13 Chase Grandia, the touchdown marked the Warhawk's first lead of the season.
The Warhawks, not willing to let this game slip away without a fight, brought the score to 19-14 with a 56-yard halfback pass from junior Dylan Klinker to Blake Readshaw.
Two possessions later, Klinker, the Warhawk's most dynamic athlete this season, was one man away from giving North Mahaska the lead when he returned the Lynville-Sully punt to the Hawks 19-yard line. However, the Warhawks were unable to take advantage of the great field position turning the ball over on downs.
A three and out possession by Lynnville-Sully gave North Mahaska one last chance to pull victory from the jaws of defeat, but they would have to go almost the full length of the field as the Lynnville-Sully punt rolled to the Warhawks five-yard line.
After three passes fell incomplete North Mahaska used their final timeout. First-year assistant coach Trey Bennett pulled out the dry erase board and huddled with the team, contemplating what their final play would be.
In a last-ditch effort, the Warhawks attempt at a hook and ladder fell incomplete as Blake Readshaw was hit by a Lynville-Sully defender before he could successfully make the pitch to Dylan Klinker. Had the pitch been completed, Klinker had a clear path to take it 95 yards for the score.
Game ball for Lynville-Sully goes to Kinnick McFarland whose interception turned this game around for the Hawks and ultimately spring boarded them to victory.
Game ball for North Mahaska goes to Dylan Klinker, who was a jack-of-all-trades in this contest. He had a 56-yard touchdown pass, 35 rushing yards, 30 receiving yards, 50 punt return yards, and eight tackles. Not a bad way to head into your final season of high school football.
North Mahaska's Dylan Klinker had an all-world performance during this tightly contested rivalry tilt.
Up next on the top five games I covered in 2019 is an inter-conference showdown between a pair of Bulldogs.
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