FRIENDLY FIRE: Hun School running back Josh Henderson looks for an opening last Friday against Friendship Collegiate Academy (D.C.). Junior star Henderson rushed for 224 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries and made a key fourth quarter interception to help Hun prevail 20-8. The win improved the Raiders to 4-0 and extended their winning streak to 26. Hun starts Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) play with a game at the Blair Academy on October 7. (Photo by Frank Wojciechowski)

By Bill Alden

Josh Henderson knew that he would have to shoulder a heavier load than usual when the Hun School football team hosted Friendship Collegiate Academy (D.C.) last Friday afternoon.

With starting quarterback Patrick Holly sidelined with an ankle injury, junior star running back Henderson figured to get more carries. In addition, with the Hun defense missing a defensive back and a lineman, Henderson moved to linebacker from his usual safety spot.

The 6’0, 200-pound Henderson proved up to the task, rushing for 224 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries and making a key fourth quarter interception in the end zone as Hun prevailed 20-8, improving to 4-0 and extending its winning streak to 26 stretching back to 2016.

“I think this game really made us a true family,” said Henderson. “We were a family all throughout the season but this one is special. This was a good game.”

The good play of junior Jackson Barletta filling in for Holly at quarterback exemplified the team’s family feeling.

“It is a big change for us, it is just adversity,” said Henderson.

“I think it is good for our team to have experienced that, it allows us to trust each other more. Jackson did a great job stepping in at quarterback for us. He played a great game and the offensive line stepped up. It is just proves that it is everybody.”

After Hun built up a 14-0 lead at halftime, things turned dicey for the Raiders as Friendship scored a touchdown and made a two-point conversion to narrow the gap to 14-8 later in the third quarter.

“You never lose faith. The key thing is that we did our best,” said Henderson.

“We were playing smash mouth from the first quarter to the last quarter. It is just proved to us that this is anybody’s game. We just have to step up quick and fast.”

Midway through the fourth quarter, Henderson stepped up with several big runs, including an eight-yard TD run to culminate a 68-yard drive as Hun extended its lead to 20-8.

“It is just a cutback lane, the O-line set it up,” said Henderson, reflecting on his touchdown run which saw him bull through the Friendship defense, bouncing off tacklers at the five-yard line on the way to the end zone.

“My O-line is great, I just follow them everywhere. I think we were kind of breaking them. We were showing them that we could run the same play and still get four or five yards a play.”

Minutes later, Henderson made a huge play on defense, grabbing an interception in the end zone to snuff out a Friendship drive.

“Grant Hansen was the corner on that side; he did a great job,” said Henderson.

“I saw one-on-one coverage, it was just straight up man. Grant swatted it and made a great play. The ball just happened to land on me. I never played linebacker like that, it was a real thing that we had to step up.”

Hun head coach Todd Smith was proud of how his players stepped up on Friday.

“We talked about how you have to respond to adversity that is in life, not just football,” said Smith.

“The kids came out and they rallied together. Today was a true team win. They played so well together, especially on the defensive side of the ball.”

Smith was impressed with how Barletta performed as he ran the offense.

“Jackson was fantastic. You are always nervous with the first start and he came out and managed the game for us,” said Smith of Barletta, who completed 6-of-7 passes for 51 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 51 yards.

“He was calm, he was collected. He can make plays with his feet. He made a great pass to Joshua [Szott] in the end zone on fourth down. He is a great kid.”

Seeing Henderson churn through the Friendship defense on Hun’s fourth-quarter scoring march was a great feeling for Smith.

“I thought the line took over, they looked a little tired,” said Smith. “Josh is an elite back, he just can take over games.”

With Hun starting Mid-Atlantic Prep League (MAPL) play with a game at the Blair Academy on October 7, Smith believes his squad can take things to a higher level as it looks to keep rolling.

“The biggest thing we are happy about is that no one got hurt today; this is our first game where we are injury free; that is a huge piece of it for us,” said Smith.

“The streak is the streak, we are going week to week. We are trying to make sure we have 11 guys on the field. I think this is going to be a real positive for us in the locker room.”

Henderson, for his part, believes that staying in the present is the key to remaining undefeated.

“We just take it a game at a time,” said Henderson. “We just keep winning and if you keep winning, the streak is going to come. We just want to keep that streak along for as long as we can.”