Cyclones host Panthers for regular season finale

The #13 ranked HCHS Cyclones football team is cruising following another must-win 41-16 victory over the Atlantic Trojans, but now turns their attention to the Knoxville Panthers at Merrill Field Friday night.

“It’s always good to play at Merrill Field,” said Cyclone Head Coach Todd Bladt. “It’s a special place for the community, for the kids, and for the coaches for sure. A lot of the coaches were able to play on Merrill Field, so it’s always a neat experience to play there.”

The Panthers are 4-4 with their most recent game, a 35-6 road win against the Perry Bluejays. Offensively, Senior Brenden Woolsey has 1,113 passing yards and 227 rushing yards, and Senior Koby Higginbotham has 438 receiving yards. Defensively, Sophomore Jackson Clarke has 41.5 tackles.

“Offensively, they throw it all over the yard,” Bladt said. “They’re not afraid to hike it deep, they’ll hit you with some QB power and they’re pretty versatile. They’re a much improved football team, no doubt about that. Defensively, they like to run a few different defenses, but they like to mix it up inside. They’ve got some guys that can get after it.”

The Cyclones are 5-3 with three consecutive wins, the most recent against Atlantic 41-16. Offensively, Junior Gabe Arkfeld has 1,298 passing yards, Senior Lukas Francis 721 rushing yards, and Senior Jozef Reisz has 739 receiving yards. Defensively, Senior Bryce Van Baale has 66 tackles.

“Harlan is a very well coached team that doesn’t make a lot of mistakes or get behind the sticks often,” said Panther Head Coach Matt Dunkin. “They play fast and physical on both sides of the ball, especially when it comes to running the ball. [Jozef] Reisz has a really good size and speed on film. We will need to keep eyes on him all night. [Gabe] Arkfeld has a nice arm and can run the ball. [Lukas] Francis is a downhill runner who can catch if needed.”

Last season, the Cyclones played the Panthers on the road Oct. 20 and dominated them winning 42-26. The Panthers finished their season with a 2-7 record. Dunkin spoke on the improvements the program has made.

“We feel like our guys have done a nice job of continuing to come to practice each day ready to work hard and get better,” he said. “They’ve done well with seeing the bigger picture of our program and how we are trying to turn things around from what has been the norm here. We’re also happy to see a lot of new faces step into starting roles this season and improve each week.”