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The excitement was palpable as the team ran onto the field. Photos by Liam Fagan.

On Friday, October 9, The Portage Northern High School students were greeted with a long-awaited sight: The open gates of Huskie Stadium. For the first time in 2020, students were allowed to attend a high school football game. The results didn’t disappoint. Not only was this the first game with student fans in the audience for the Huskies, but it was the annual PN-PC rivalry game. Students were treated to a thorough beatdown at the hands of the Huskies, with the final score of 28-0 giving the fans a lot to cheer for.

While the score is lopsided, it doesn’t reflect the lopsided nature of the game. The Huskies were up 21-0 by midway through the second quarter, and from there just had to manage the game. PC’s defense showed flashes, but just flat-out couldn’t contain the Huskie offense. On defense, the Huskies played a strong game, allowing little yardage and no points. According to maxpreps.com, the Huskies allowed only 202 yards on defense, while posting 419 yards on offense, with 348 coming from Portage Northern’s dominant run game. The offense, led by quarterback T.J. Coon and running back Anthony Tyus III, was extremely efficient, only giving up 1 fumble throughout the entire game while picking the Portage Central defense apart.

Without a doubt, the dominant force in this victory was Anthony Tyus III, who posted 280 yards and all 4 Portage Northern touchdowns on 17 carries, according to maxpreps.com. 

The first game with student fans was an incredible success, and the Huskies look forward to more success. Following the game, mlive.com ranks PN the 31st team in the state overall, and as of October 6, PN ranks as the 8th best team in Division 2 football.