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Hughesville picks up initial win on the season by shutting out Northwest

 
Tagged under: District 4, Gameday Hub, News

| September 26, 2026

Key goal line stand in first half by Spartans and outsatnding line play pins first loss on the season for the Rangers.

SHICKSHINNY- Former ABC broadcaster Keith Jackson, had habit saying when two evenly-matched teams met on the gridiron that it would come down to which team could control the line of scrimmage. Friday night at Lewis and Miller stadium the Hughesville Spartans controlled much of the line of scrimmage to earn their first win of the season by blanking the Northwest Area Rangers 21-0 before a moderate crowd.

The game was scoreless at halftime, but Northwest seemed to have the better field position in the first two quarters by driving three times into Spartan territory only to come up empty. With about four minutes to go in the second quarter, Northwest quarterback Cole Cavuto connected with Wyatt Orlowski for 33 yards to the Hughesville five, but could not take advantage and were stopped on a fourth-and-goal.

Hughesville got the second half kickoff, Chase Shrawder returned it 44 yards into Ranger territory, the first time in the game that Spartans crossed midfield. The drive stalled but a terrific punt by kicker Connor Arnstadt pinned Northwest back inside their own five, where the Rangers were forced to punt.

Again the Spartans could not take advantage, but another punt by Arnstadt was down inside the Northwest fifteen, a holding penalty on Northwest put the ball back to the six, where a missed hand-off resulted in Hughesville recovery at the Northwest three. The next play quarterback Nicholas Stubb’s pushed the ball across the goal line and with the point-after made it 7-0 lead for the visitors with 5:11 to play in the third quarter.

After Hughesville turned the ball over on a fumble, The Rangers could not take advantage as a 45 yard field goal attempt by Orlowski came up well short at the 7:48 mark of the fourth quarter.

An 80 yard seven play drive ensued for the Spartans capped off pay a 35 yard touchdown pass from Stubbs to Arnstadt after Stubbs collided with his back in the pocket before finding Arnstadt in single coverage in the front left corner of the end zone increasing the lead to 14-0 with 4:50 left in regulation

Defensive End Alphonzo Smith tipped a Cavuto pass to himself for an interception on the Rangers next drive at the Northwest 30 yard line. Shrawder carried three straight times, the last touch covered nine yards and put the game out of reach at 21-0 with 2:07 left in the contest.

“We played so much better defense in the second half, they put it together tonight against a really good team. The kids did a heck of a job with film work this week. We knew where they were going to just about every play” Hughesville head coach Howard Rainey stated after the game.

Northwest dropped to 4-1 with the loss and will be on the road next week to face Milton (1-4). The Black Panthers were shut out by Montoursville Friday night by a score of 36-0. The Hughesville Sparatns (1-4) will be back home to face Midd-West (1-4). The Mustangs lost to Bloomsburg Friday 25-8.

 
 
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