Hudson football gets first win on new home turf vs. Brecksville

Hudson football had enjoyed its travels prior Homecoming contest Sept. 29 with visiting Brecksville-Broadview Heights.

Through six games this year the Explorers were a perfect 4-0 on the road and 0-2 on their newly installed field turf at Memorial Stadium. McCullough Field 2.0 saw its first victory for the home team as Hudson knocked off the Bees 17-6.

Brecksville’s hopes for the Suburban League National Conference crown took a hit as they fell to 4-3 overall and 2-2 in league play. Hudson (5-2, 3-1) remains one game back of Wadsworth (4-0).

“We talked about how we hadn’t won on this turf yet, beautiful turf… it’s time. We want to come out and get a win against a solid program. Brecksville is ten times better this year and that’s a credit to their coaching and their culture,” Hudson coach Jeff Gough said.

“The new turf and being able to get a win in front of our home stands is really awesome,” senior Tommy Ricard said, who was named Homecoming King Sept. 29. “We really wanted those other two. Not getting too down on ourselves about that and realizing it’s a long season and fighting back.”

Ricard blocked an extra-point with 2:31 remaining in the game. It came after senior quarterback Colin Seibert hit Kyle Keener in the back of the end-zone from two yards out to cut the evening’s deficit to 17-6.

Ricard then capped off “his pretty much normal” night with his second blocked kick in as many weeks.

“Credit to Jake Clapper (junior Hudson lineman), he hits the guard and I get to sneak through. I get all the glory (with the blocked kicks) but he did all the work,” Ricard said.

The contest didn’t start out like previous years where Hudson dominated from the opening kickoff. The game’s first two possessions set the tone for the night.

Brecksville put together a long drive of on the game’s first touch. Four first downs and 68 yards later the drive stalled out at the Hudson seven-yard line. Fritz Trautmann had two pass break-ups in the end-zone including a fourth and goal pass from Seibert. Sophomore Nathan Judy also had a big open field tackle on third down.

The Explorers answered the Bees’ drive with one of their own.

The hosts marched 79 yards in 17 plays. Teagan O’Guinn totaled 21 yards on the ground in the possessions first three snaps. O’Guinn ended the night with 59 yards rushing on 14 carries.

On the 12th play of the drive Gough went for it on fourth and three from his own 46. Senior Ian Ludewig followed his blocking around left end for 12 yards and the first down. The march ended at the Bees’ 19 when sophomore kicker Ian Katz got the call. Katz boot from 36 yards out was true giving Hudson the lead at 3-0 with 2:45 left in the first quarter.

The Explorers defense cracked down after Brecksville’s initial drive. The Bees managed just three first downs over their next five touches.

Hudson upped its lead to 10-0 late in the first half. Before the touchdown drive sophomore Brennan Funyak nearly got a huge sack of the Brecksville punter after a high snap. Lucas Reasor avoided the loss getting off a short (29-yard punt). The Explorers took over at the Bees 48 with 5:01 left in the first half.

Despite two penalties the locals put together the game’s first touchdown march. The 13-play trek came with two critical fourth down pick-ups. Ludewig ran for three yards up the middle on the first conversion (fourth and two) to the visitor’s 19-yard line. Four plays later, on fourth and three, quarterback Peyton Neher (9-15, 79 yards and a TD) hit senior Owen Hall for a five-yard pick-up to the seven-yard line.

Ludewig got the ball from there. On the second play the senior back took a pitch over left tackle the final three yards. Ludewig ended with 148 yards rushing on 32 carries. The school record holder in many rushing categories had his 18th 100-yard game and 39th rushing score; both tops in the record books. Katz booted the extra point for a 10-0 lead with 32 seconds to play in the first half.

The Explorers got the ball after the break and went back to work.

O’Guinn took a short pooch kickoff 28 yards into Brecksville territory. The Explorers began the drive at the visitors 48. A 14-yard pass from Neher to Nolan Tanner was the highlight early as Ludewig added four carries for 21 yards.

On second and six from the 13-yard line Neher lofted a perfect ball to the back right corner of the end zone and a wide open Louie Castellarin.

“Peyton made a fantastic read, Louie ran a great route and he (Neher) put it on the money. That’s huge for Peyton, huge for our offense and for Louie to get into the end-zone; that’s another sophomore,” Gough praised.

Brecksville threatened to make it a game with a drive that began late in the third period.

After picking up three first downs the Bees were in business at the Hudson 28-yard line. On first down the 6-4 Seibert (18-27, 162 yards) had a pass tipped at the line by a blitzing O’Guinn. In the secondary Funyak dove for the lame duck and got the interception at the hosts’ 19.

“I saw the tip at the line and was just at the right place at the right time. I just dove for it,” Funyak said. “Defensively we did really good and were physical. We played really well in the secondary, we pressured the quarterback a lot and that really helped us out.”

Still trailing 17-0 Brecksville finally made good on its final possession. The Bees marched 70-yards in 11 plays. Seibert was 7-9 through the air for 65 yards on the drive.

After their first score against Hudson in 147 minutes of game clock (going back to 2020) the Bees subsequent onside kick was covered easily by Hall.

Ludewig ran out the clock picking up 37 yards and two first downs on runs up the gut.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Hudson football shuts down to Brecksvile to win on homecoming