Husky kickoff

As students returned to school last month, emotions were a little mixed.  But one thing we all can look forward to is Friday night lights! Although Husky Kickoff isn’t technically considered a part of Friday night lights, it is a great way to get a preview of what’s to come this year.

From the Edmond North Band debuting their field show theme to the introduction of North’s many clubs and sports teams walking the track, it’s obvious that our school has a lot to look forward to. Husky Kickoff activities culminated with our Husky football teams scrimmaging against one another. The crowd was able to see the new skills brought to North by the freshman class, as well as the improvements JV and Varsity made over last year’s off-season and summer camps. 

After the Husky Kick-Off, our varsity team made its way to Farmington, Arkansas to take on the Farmington Cardinals.

First Friday night lights in Farmington, Arkansas

On August 29, the varsity football team spent the day traveling to Farmington, Arkansas.  

Even with over 200 miles between Edmond and Farmington, the visitor side stands brought the energy. In addition to parents and families, a number of students showed up in support of their Huskies as well.

New year, new team

Senior players, Jack Luster, Tegan Roberts and Andres Martinez, plus two sophomores, Jake Herndon and Wyatt Knol, revealed how explosive the offensive line is this year. These players have shown how they have improved individually over summer, but also how they have improved together. They work together to form an almost impenetrable wall between the opposing teams and their quarterback.

Junior quarterback Chauncey Cravens threw for several touchdowns throughout the game in Farmington, Arkansas. 

When asked about the strength of our football team, Martinez reiterated, “The team’s strength is definitely the offense.”

Junior Reece Fisher, number seven and varsity wide receiver, agreed with Martinez.

“I think we’re really strong on offense. We learned that we can hold our own with anybody. Even though we came up short (against Farmington), we competed great against a team with championship experience.”

The offensive line can only do so much in the game without the protection of the defense. The Husky defense has grown even stronger than ever. Not only does the explosive offense work to score, but as reflected in both the Farmington game, our disruptive defense protects their end zone with a passion. 

Our defense was able to prevent several touchdowns from happening for the Cardinals through the first three quarters; however, the fourth quarter was when the Cardinals were able to catch up. Nevertheless, our defense held strong throughout the entire game by helping maintain a higher score for the Huskies. 

With the fourth quarter starting with a very close score, the Huskies played harder than ever. However, the Cardinals still scored one last time with the winning touchdown. 

Although the final score was 44-43, with the Cardinals taking the win, our Huskies made everyone watching proud by playing hard and playing well. 

Junior Freddie Nash is optimistic about the season.

“Both sides of the ball are highly talented; where we strive is on the sidelines. The team’s energy is incredible and contagious!” 

With several new coaches joining the Husky family this season, inevitably, there would be some positive changes occurring within the team. 

Sophomore Peyson Roberts, number 27 and a varsity defensive back, said, “I learned that our team this year is very disciplined but also very well coached. Our coaches and my teammates have each other’s backs and we all work together like a family to win on the field, but also off the field.”

Last Friday, the team gained a massive win over Santa Fe with the Huskies scoring 30 points and the Wolves scoring seven. The players believe their hard work has paid off; however, they have more work to do. 

Fisher states, “We just need to keep improving every week, honestly. 6A-1 football is a fight every week and if you don’t continue to get better, you fall behind everyone else.”

Tonight is the second Edlam game. The Huskies are ready for a rematch against Edmond Memorial. Everyone is excited to see how the team will match up against their Edmond rival, the Memorial Bulldogs.

Nash believes this is the best team North has had in years. 

“…trust me, we’re gonna go far.”