YORKVILLE — For another year, the V.A.L.E.S. Trophy will reside within the walls of Harrison Central High School.

A 14-0 lead in the first quarter that stretched to 20-0 before Buckeye Local was able to get on the board was all that the young Huskies needed to notch their eighth straight win over the Panthers by 39-6 at War Memorial Stadium Friday night.

With the win, Coach Anthony Hayes’ Huskies finished the season at 4-6, but the Huskies did rebound to win four of their final seven after an 0-3 start

“That was a big win for our program, a rivalry game, a big win for our seniors,” an elated Hayes said after the win. “They have been the heart and soul of our team. With the start we had, they could have folded, but they didn’t. A great group of kids with character. I don’t know if I’ve ever loved a group of kids this much.”

In the other locker room, Coach Roger Herbert was also bidding a good group of seniors farewell and reminding his juniors that they have now elevated to the role of seniors. The Panthers’ senior group had to endure three straight winless season and were part of a 43-game losing streak that ended in week two with a win over Union Local. Buckeye closed out at 2-8.

“I just told our seniors that without those 12 seniors there may not have been a Buckeye Local football program,” a proud Herbert said. “I couldn’t be happier even with two wins. We hadn’t won in four years. We were competitive in almost all of our contests.”

“Harrison played very well. My hat goes off to them,” the Panther boss added. “There were lots of big plays, but I’m proud of the effort that our kids gave us. I’m ready to start the next season now.”

In a fast moving first quarter, neither team was successful on their first possessions, but the Huskies regained control at the 7:12 mark promptly put together a 33-yard scoring drive. While the drive included a brilliant defensive play in the secondary by Buckeye’s Geno Barber, it as the running of James Brooks, Cale McAfee and Kobe Mitchell that covered 33 yards and picked up the score. With 3:48 on the board, McAfee score his first of four touchdowns and a one-yard plunge and Jace Madzia added the PAT.

Just 1:01 later, Brooks picked off a Buckeye pass and scrambled 32 yards to the end zone. With 2:47 on the board, Madzia’s PAT extended the lead to 14-0.

In the second quarter, Harrison stretched the lead to 20-0 on a drive that was highlighted by a 34-yard pass from Mitchell to Trevor Carmen and capped off by a 29-yarder from MItchell to Jonathan Vermillion with 6:57 left in the half.

Buckeye was able to bounce back with its only score of the game as Seth Richardson connected with Hayden Taylor and the shifty runner covered 59 yards for the score with 6:37 on the clock.

“Our kids have just great resolve,” Hayes pointed out. “It doesn’t matter what happens, they battled back. I’ve seen them battle back from injuries, scrapping up everything they have. All of them stayed together because of the glue I call the senior class. I so glad for these kids. No one deserves this more than they do.”

After the Panther score, the Huskies were able to muster one more scoring opportunity before the half. Starting from its own 29, Harrison was relentless, erasing more than six minutes off the clock before capping the drive with 4-yard toss from Mitchell to McAfee with 30 ticks left in the first half. Brooks sparked the drive with a 13-yard run and a 12-yard toss from Mitchell to McAfee and a 24-yarder to Vermillion set the stage for the score.

Defensively, the Huskies bottled up the Panthers’ offense most of the night. Brooks picked off two Panther passes, McAfee grabbed another and the swarming defensive led by senior Mark Smith caused problems all night.

In the third frame, the Huskies added another score after Brooks’ second pass theft on a spectacular 96-yard gallop for the score by McAfee with 7:36 on the board.

In the fourth quarter, it was McAfee, who closed with over 150 yards rushing, who added the final points on the board with a 54-yard run at the 9:57 mark. Madzia added the PAT.