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Looking for yardage

Huntington North High School running back Austin Shoemaker follows blockers for yardage during the Vikings sectional football game against host Fort Wayne North Side on Friday, Oct. 23.
Huntington North High School running back Austin Shoemaker follows blockers for yardage during the Vikings sectional football game against host Fort Wayne North Side on Friday, Oct. 23. Photo by Matt Murphy.

A late-game comeback raised hopes for the Huntington North High School football team at the sectional on Friday, Oct. 23, but host Fort Wayne North Side was able to hang on to defeat the Vikings 20-17.

Standout junior Austin Shoemaker scored two touchdowns and rushed for 166 yards in 29 attempt for the Vikings. Senior quarterback Mitch Vezeau threw for 168 yards and also had a field goal.

North Side dominated the first half, scoring a touchdown in each of the first two quarters to bring the halftime score to 14-0.

Just as in the regular season, however, Huntington North bounced back in the third quarter, first with Vezeau's 25-yard field goal with 8:59 left in the quarter, and then with Shoemaker's first TD, from three yards out, with 2:14 left in the third after a seven-play, 74-yard drive in 2:39 by the Vikes.

North Side had its last scoring in the third quarter, notching a touchdown between the two Huntington scoring events, and held its biggest lead of the contest at 20-3 until Shoemaker hit paydirt for the first time.

The Vikings pushed closer in the fourth quarter when Shoemaker scored his second touchdown, a 5-yarder, at the 5:43 mark after a six-play, 71-yard drive in 1:46.

North did not score in the fourth quarter but was able to hang on for the win.

Huntington North led North Side in total offense, with 362 yards to 259 yards, rushing for 194 yards compared to just 72 for North Side.

Senior Nick LaFollette led Huntington in receiving yards, with 69 in three catches. Austin Clark, another senior, brought up the defense with six tackles.

Huntington North finished with a 6-4-0 overall record and 5-2-0 in the North Central Conference. The Vikings scored a total of 307 points and allowed only 178 points by opponents.

Shoemaker finished the season with 1,230 total rushing yards in 183 attempts. Senior David George rushed for 545 yards in 97 attempts.

The scoring was also led by Shoemaker, who had 72 points. Vezeau was right behind with 60 points.

Senior Austin Drummond led the team in receiving yards this season with 549 in 43 catches, and five touchdown receptions. Vezeau passed for 1,205 yardson 84 completions.

Senior Nick Miller led the defense with 59 tackles and recoveried two fumbles. Junior Matt Kramer had four interceptions, resulting in 180 yards and three TDs.