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N.D. (NewsDakota.com) The Hi-Liner football team suffered their first loss of the 2014 season to Grafton Friday night 20-14 at Grafton High School.
The loss drops the Hi-Liners to 2-1 on the season while the win advances the Spoilers to the same record.
On the opening night of east region play, the Hi-Liners opened up the game with 70 yard drive that was topped off with a Eli Allen 5 yard touchdown run. However, the Spoilers were quick to answer when Zak Hernandez forced his way into the end zone on a two yard run. Neither side would score on their two point conversions.
At this point it seemed like Hi-Liner fans and Spoiler fans alike were in for an offensive show down. It was anything but. Both teams struggled to score the rest of the half as each side turned over the ball three times, and both teams had touchdown passes called back on penalties, in Grafton’s case twice.
The Hi-Liners finally broke the six all tie when Nate Rodriguez powered in for the game leading score late in the second quarter. Cody Halverson would cap the drive off by pulling in a Jared Lentz pass for the two point conversion.
In the second half luck once again eluded both sides. Grafton would fumble the opening kick off. Then Valley would come up half a yard short on a 4th down attempt giving Grafton back the ball. The Spoilers would take advantage of the next drive punching the ball in on a two yard run by Hernandez. They would fail to convert on the two point conversion.
The Hi-Liners lost their advantage with just over seven minutes to play in the first. Spoilers quarterback Hunter Baldwin found Henandez on a 12 yard pass lifting the home team to a six point lead.
On the ensuing drive the Hi-liners would come up short of the end zone allowing Grafton to run out the clock to take the win.
Valley City returns home next weekend when they host #3 Wahpeton. That game can be heard on 1490 KOVC starting at 6:30pm
VCHS 6 8 0 0 14
GHS 6 0 6 8 20
1st quarter:
VCHS: Allen 5 yard run
Conversion: Failed
GHS: Hernandez 2 yard run
Conversion: Failed
2nd Quarter:
VCHS: Rodriguez 12 yard run
Conversion: Lentz pass to Halverson
3rd Quarter:
GHS: Hernandez 2 yard run
Conversion: Failed
4th Quarter:
GHS: Bladwin 12 yard pass to Hernandez
Conversion: Baldwin run