HUNTINGTON – Huntington High’s football team made sure the only suspense on Friday night was who would win Homecoming Queen.
Once the Homecoming announcement was made, the top memory of the night quickly followed.
Elli Barry was announced as Homecoming Queen, but quickly called over fellow senior attendant Isabella Bellomy to place the crown on her head and give her the sash.
As Barry crowned Bellomy, an autistic student, the loudest cheer of the evening rang through the crowd at Bob Sang Stadium.
Bellomy responded by hoisting her bouquet of flowers in the air, signifying the best victory of the night for Huntington High School, who also defeated Woodrow Wilson, 63-0, on the field for Homecoming 2021.
Huntington High football coach Billy Seals – now an administrator at Huntington High – was as proud of that moment as any with his team on Friday night.
“That’s why Huntington High is a great place,” Seals said. “We take care of our own. It’s a school that’s a family. There’s always a lot of respect among all of our students and it’s a place where if you want the real-world experience, Huntington High is the place. It’s the melting pot of ethnicity, socioeconomic status and the whole nine yards.
“It’s just a great school, a great administration, great teaching staff and great, great students. I’m very proud of that moment there. That’s what Huntington High is all about.”
Prior to the exchange between Barry and Bellomy, Huntington made quick work of Woodrow Wilson on a night in which the weather looked ominous, but held off throughout the evening.
Huntington High (7-0) played nearly all the first half in the Woodrow Wilson end of the field. All but five of the plays in the first two quarters were on the Flying Eagles’ side.
Led by quarterback Gavin Lochow and two-way freshman talent Zah Zah Jackson, the Highlanders racked up all 63 points before halftime, which was a program record.
Lochow accounted for five touchdowns – three passing and two rushing – while Jackson added three touchdowns: one rushing, one receiving and one defensive.
After Lochow’s 12-yard run opened the scoring just over three minutes into the game, Jackson made the play that broke Woodrow Wilson’s spirit, stepping in front of a pass from Woodrow Wilson quarterback Maddox McMillen, spinning away from a tackle and racing 36 yards to the end zone to make it 14-0 early.
It was the first of many errors for Woodrow Wilson, who committed four first-half turnovers, including two pick-sixes in the first quarter – the second by Huntington High’s Noah Waynick just before the end of the period.
“We just shot ourselves in the foot – turnover, turnover, turnover,” Woodrow Wilson coach Street Sarrett said.
“We just had some guys not show up. Huntington is a good ballclub, man. They’re top-notch. That’s where we need to be.”
On the first play of the second quarter, Lochow and Jackson connected for a 19-yard touchdown that started a 35-point frame in which Lochow added a short scoring run and a 31-yard touchdown pass to Amari Felder before Jackson ripped off a 42-yard scoring run on a pitch to the right side.
D’Edrick Graves ended the scoring with his second score of the day – a 3-yard scoring run with 21 seconds left before halftime.
Due to the lopsided score, the teams agreed to play eight minute quarters in the second half with the fourth quarter being a running clock.
Lochow finished the game 8 of 13 for 98 yards and three touchdowns while rushing six times for 74 yards and two scores.
Ben McElroy was also named Homecoming King on Friday night.
WOODROW WILSON 0 0 0 0 – 0
HUNTINGTON 28 35 0 0 – 63
H – Gavin Lochow 12 run (Johnny Aya-Ya kick)
H – Zah Zah Jackson 36 interception return (Aya-Ya kick)
H – D’Edrick Graves 1 pass from Lochow (Aya-Ya kick)
H – Noah Waynick 28 interception return (Aya-Ya kick)
H – Jackson 19 pass from Lochow (Aya-Ya kick)
H – Lochow 1 run (Aya-Ya kick)
H – Amari Felder 31 pass from Lochow (Aya-Ya kick)
H – Jackson 42 run (Aya-Ya kick)
H – Graves 3 run (Aya-Ya kick)
Team stats
WW H
Total yards 42-95 38-327
First downs 6 11
Rushes-Yards 27-48 20-229
Comp-Att-Int 8-15-2 9-18-0
Passing Yards 47 101
Fumbles-Lost 2-2 1-0
Penalties-Yards 4-21 4-30
Individual stats
RUSHING: Woodrow Wilson – Moore 9-20; Dvorak 2-16; Jones 4-8; Ford 2-4; Smith 1-3; Reeves 2-3; Staples 2-(minus-4); McMillen 4-(minus-9). Huntington – Lochow 6-74, 2 TDs; Jackson 2-50, TD; Graves 3-50, TD; Felder 5-40; Crawford 1-6; Adkins 2-5; Meadors 1-4.
PASSING: Woodrow Wilson – Maddox McMillen 8 of 14, 47 yards, 2 INTs; Konnor Ray 0 of 1, 0 yards. Huntington – Gavin Lochow 8 of 13, 98 yards, 3 TDs; Avonte Crawford 1 of 5, 3 yards.
RECEIVING: Woodrow Wilson – Cook 4-36; Redfern 2-10; Lawson 1-3; Stewart 1-3; Miller 1-(minus-2). Huntington – Waynick 3-37; Felder 2-30, TD; Jackson 1-19, TD; Meadors 1-3; Graves 1-1, TD.
