For the Heartland Huskies it has been a battle when they face the Nebraska Christian football team and the Eagles came into Friday night’s matchup hoping to deliver the same caliber of football game that have been seen in recent years.

Up against a solid opponent, the Eagles did not disappoint in their home opener as they were able to come away with their second win of the season in dramatic fashion. It was one for the ages as the Eagles were able to keep the Huskies out of the endzone on the final drive of the game and hold on to a 21-20 victory. Senior Drew Perdew was able to break up the final play of the game giving it his all as did many on a warm night full of cramping.

“I saw my teammates out there battling and I knew they were leaving it all out for me so I had to leave it all out there for them,” says an exhausted Drew Perdew following the game in a Triumph Sports Network interview. “We beat these guys three straight years. Freshman, sophomore and junior years and I knew we needed to get four so that’s what motivated us tonight.”

Both teams started out slow in this one as the first quarter came to an end with no score in what proved to be a defensive battle early on. That changed in the second quarter as the Eagles were able to build a 14-6 lead heading into the halftime break. In the third quarter both teams continued to battle with Nebraska Christian keeping the edge 21-12. In the fourth quarter Heartland scored to make it 21-20 and with possession of the ball inside the final minute they made things interesting, but the Eagles defense stood tall with a late sack and pass deflection to seal the victory.

In a long and grinding night it was a complete team victory for Nebraska Christian with the little things making the difference and a pair of players named Micah leading the charge. Three successful PATs made all the difference for Micah Perdew while a 32-yard Micah Davis interception return for a touchdown was a key component for success.

Oliver Herman completed six of his twelve pass attempts for 58 yards, but a strong defensive performance from Heartland kept the Eagles passing attack in check for much of the game. On the ground it was again a big night for Will Twogood who carried the ball 16 times for 81 yards and a touchdown. Brodey Flynn also found the endzone with a touchdown run while Drew Perdew was also a workhorse gaining 88 yards on 13 carries. Owen Morris picked up 44 yards on seven carries while Herman added 32 yards on seven carries.

On the defensive side of the ball big interceptions from Davis and Drew Perdew helped lead the way as did Perdew’s four pass deflections and four tackles. Davis played outstanding as he also recorded a team high 12 tackles while senior Gabe Langemeier recorded seven. Twogood added four tackles in the game as did Owen Morris. Terry Sebek and Brodey Flynn each came up big with three tackles while Herman, Gavin Falk and Malichi Wheeler also got in on the action.

The win was a big one for the Eagles who remain perfect on the season after the first two weeks of play. As the season rolls on, last week’s win could be one that goes a long way in the wildcard standing and the race for the playoffs. Now the Eagles will shift their focus to a road matchup with Wisner-Pilger.

The Gators come into this Friday’s matchup 1-1 on the season following a tough loss to Laurel-Concord-Coleridge and they will be looking to get their season back on track. Wisner-Pilger is a program that knows a lot about winning and after making a run at the playoffs last year they look to do so once again while returning much of their core group. The team is led by August Scholting who impresses on the football field and on the track. The senior is a playmaker and the Eagles will have to shut him down if they come away with the victory.

Mix senior leadership with a tough opponent and a heart-stopping battle until the end and you have a winning combination for an instant classic game. That is just what Nebraska Christian found in a 21-20 victory over Heartland this past Friday when a pair of senior leaders helped lead them to a 2-0 start. Senior Drew Perdew (7) played outstanding on both sides of the ball while senior Will Twogood (44) also delivered.