After heading into halftime with a 14-7 lead, the Indians came out of the break a completely different team, scoring 20 unanswered points. Fresh off a Blake Davis interception and the Landyn Wommer touchdown that followed, Hughesville’s momentum appeared to have run out.

But in the spectacle that is high school football, one spark is often all it takes to pull off a miracle.

Facing a 27-14 deficit with under six minutes to go, Hughesville running back Jeb Abernatha would take the ensuing kickoff 74 yards down the right sideline to set the Spartans up in Muncy’s red zone. From there, the tone shifted, as Hughesville rattled off 14 straight points to defeat the Indians, 28-27, on rivalry Friday.

“I think it did,” said Hughesville running back Luke Stutzman when asked if that return provided the spark the team needed. “They were driving the field slowing and it was getting us down, getting me down. That kick return brought life back into us.”

It was a huge win for Stutzman and the senior class, who not only hadn’t experienced a win over its rival up to that point but had also endured a heartbreaking loss in their prior matchup, where Muncy pulled off a similar rally. The victory put an end to its five-game losing streak in the matchup and lightened the shortcomings and anguish that came with it.

“This is my senior year. Football is my favorite sport. I’ve been playing it my whole life, and this is the game I’ve wanted most since I was a freshman,” said Stutzman, who rushed for a career-high 80 yards in the outing. “I’m so happy. I’ve wanted this so badly.”

“I’m just proud of our guys. I give all the credit to them,” said senior quarterback Blake Davis on the win. “Now, we’ve got to enjoy this for a night and move on to playoffs.”

With the game on the line, those seniors would step up when it mattered the most.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Blake Davis (1) makes a big gain setting up the winning touchdown in the final minute of the game.

Following Abernatha’s return, Davis would shake off his previous interception, connecting with Stutzman on a screen to the left, with Stutzman breaking away and putting in an extra effort to find pay dirt on the 15-yard score.

“I’ve thrown enough of them this year that I’ve just kind of moved on,” laughed Davis when discussing his mindset after the interception. “You just learn to forgive and forget. Move on.”

That drive shaved just six seconds off the clock, giving the Spartans time to continue the rally if they could get the ball back.

Though Muncy picked up multiple first downs on the next drive, a tackle for loss from Connor Anstadt and two incompletions would force Muncy to punt, setting the stage for Hughesville to complete the comeback with just under two minutes to go.

The Spartans would immediately be faced with a fourth-and-short. But after going through his progressions, Davis (7 rushes, 64 yards) chose to trust his legs, finding an opening on the outer edge of his left tackle and taking off. He’d pass the marker and then some, scampering down the left sideline for a 49-yard run.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's quarterback Blake Davis tries to pass the ball under pressure from Muncy's Austin Johnson in the final minutes of the game.

“I just took off and it opened up,” said Davis on the play. “That’s what a lot of teams don’t account for against us because I usually just sit in the pocket, throw the ball. But if it’s there, I have to take it.”

Two plays later, he’d roll out to the right and skate a dime over the outstretched hands of a Muncy defensive back and Conor Knight (4 receptions, 70 yards) would make his third spectacular catch of the night to secure the 20-yard touchdown.

Senior kicker Keagan Smith would follow that up by drilling his fourth PAT of the night to give the team the lead with 39 seconds left. And though Muncy gave itself a chance, getting past midfield, Jerry Barton would secure his second sack of the night to seal the deal.

“We knew we had the ability. We’ve been telling them that all year. I just didn’t like the way we waited till the last five minutes to do everything great,” laughed Hughesville head coach Howard Rainey on the effort. “(When we were down), we said to our seniors, ‘We’re not done.’ This is everything for our guys.”

Though the first 18 minutes of the second half were rough, with Muncy’s Austin Johnson (23 rushes, 127 yards) and Landyn Wommer (14 touches, 136 yards) combining for 162 yards and three touchdowns within that period, Hughesville proved it could hang with the Indians and pull off the improbable when it mattered most.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Conor Knight runs the ball against Muncy in the final minutes of the game.

Stutzman had the first half of his life, totaling 78 yards and taking the Spartans the distance on their first scoring drive, where he turned three carries into 48 yards and a 12-yard score. Later in the first half, Smith pinned Muncy at its own 1 and Hughesville capitalized, with Bryson Swisher forcing a fumble and Brenden Miller securing it in the endzone.

“Our defense played great and we’re finally getting our offense to do what we said they could do all year,” said Rainey on the team. “They’re played hard and now, they think they can beat anybody. Now, we know we can come back and win.”

For Muncy (8-2), the loss is a tough one to endure, but head coach Sean Tetreault was still proud of his team for battling back from a tough first half and never giving up. It maintains its No. 1 seed heading into the District 4 Class A semifinals, where it’ll look to bounce back against Canton.

“We never let one game define us. We knew it was going to be a heck of a ball game and we’re just proud of our kids for fighting till the very end,” said Tetreault. “We didn’t quit and that’s a great thing to see going into the playoffs.”

For Hughesville (6-4), it looks to carry the momentum its garnered throughout this three-game win streak, where it’s defeated two tough squads in the Indians and Warrior Run (6-4). It’ll look to make it four against Southern Columbia next Friday.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Stiles Eyer (17) intercepts a pass in front of Hughesville's Connor Anstadt in the third quarter.

“Ever since that Bloomsburg game where we had a horrible loss, we’ve been a family,” said Davis. “We’ve just gotten better and better, and that’s what we need to do to keep it going through the playoffs.”

“If we’re gonna go far into the postseason, we’re gonna have to continue to play as a team,” said Stutzman. “I think we’ve gotten so much stronger in the past three games. I’m really excited.”

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Landyn Wommner (12) is hit by Hughesville's Conor Knight (11) as he tries make a pass reception in the end zone in the fourth quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Carons Stackhouse (9) breaks up a pass intended for Muncy's Paxton Derr in the fourth quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Austin Johnson (2) is dragged down by Hughesville's Chase Fowler in the third quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Austin Johnson (2) stiff arms Hughesville's Chase Fowler (23) on a sweep in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Brenden Fisher (33) and team mates celebrate a fumble in the end zone for a touchdown in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Connor Knight (11) makes a reception over Muncy's Carter Feigles (9) in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Austin Johnson (2) is tripped up on a run against Hughesville in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Jerry Barton (58) chases down Muncy quarterback Stiles Eyer for a sack on the final play of the game for a Hughesville win over Muncy.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Stiles Eyer (17) is swamped by Hughesville's Bryson Swisher (76) and another Hughesville defender in the first quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Luke Stutzman (30) runs the ball against Muncy in the first quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Hughesville's Connor Knight (11) makes a reception over Muncy's Carter Feigles (9) in the second quarter.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Correspondent Muncy's Stiles Eyer (17) is swamped by Hughesville's Bryson Swisher (76) and another Hughesville defender in the first quarter.