Hononegah overcomes rivalry with Boylan

Hononegah varsity football remains undefeated after winning an unforgettable fight, 24-21, against the Boylan Titans on Friday, September 29. Students, friends, and families flooded Titan Field to show their support in this historic rivalry

matchup. Many considered this game to be the must-see game of the season, and our Indians did not disappoint.

After a consistent back-and-forth during the first quarter, junior Kurt Smith (#27) scored a field goal that put three points on the board for Hononegah. The Titans then completed a passing touchdown, and we returned with the same play—taking the score to 10-7. Boylan managed a rushing touchdown in the final minutes of second quarter; however, senior Luke Poppe (#5) brought our lead back with a rushing touchdown of his own. A few minutes into the fourth quarter, both teams completed passing touchdowns—bringing the score up to 24-21 in favor of Hononegah. Shortly thereafter, senior Isaiah Houi (#7), had a long kickoff return and took the ball to Boylan’s 43-yard line. The scoreboard did not change for the remainder of the game.

Hononegah has a 6-0 record for the 2023-24 season. We dominate the #1 spot in the Northern Illinois Conference and are ranked third in the Rockford area. Cole Warren continues to hold the 19th spot for passing yards in Illinois, as well as first in the NIC-10 for passing/total yards and second for punt average. Houi recently earned a place on the board at 17th in Illinois for average kickoff return yards. Smith is ranked first in Northern Illinois for PAT kicking, total kicking points, and kickoff yards.

The Indian’s next game is Friday, October 6, at home against Belvidere North. The student section theme is pink-out to support breast cancer awareness, so remember to dress up and show your football spirit!