It was a super challenge for No. 5-ranked Class 7A Hersey when the Huskies hosted No. 7-ranked Class 8A Warren to open the 2025 football season Friday night.

The contest turned out to be an offensive shootout from start to finish as Hersey took a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter before taking a 22-14 lead into halftime.

But Warren senior running back Aaron Stewart was the X factor as he rushed for 438 yards on 43 carries to help carry the Blue Devils to an exciting 43-36 nonconference victory over the Huskies.

Trailing 22-8 late in the first half, Stewart scored on TD runs of 40, 25, and 6 yards as Warren (1-0) scored 21 consecutive points to take a 29-22 lead with 2:53 left in the third quarter.

Hersey junior quarterback Jake Nawrot (22-for-31, 345 yards passing) had a huge game, and he hit Ryne Sather with a 46-yard TD pass to cut the lead to 29-28 with 3:59 to play. But a bad snap on the extra point prevented Hersey from tying the game at 29-29.

One play later, Stewart (6 touchdowns) scored on a 79-yard TD run before the extra point by Adam Benske made the score 36-28 with 3:38 remaining. Then Stewart scored on a 4-yard TD run before Benske’s extra point made the score 43-28 with 1:30 left.

“He (Stewart) is a great player,“ Hersey coach Tom Nelson. ”But we knew that coming in, and I give a lot of credit to that kid, he’s just a physical kid and he’s got a great burst. “I think when you score 36 points against Warren you’re always going to be in the game, but obviously we couldn’t stop them.”

Nawrot connected with a wide-open Sather again for a 38-yard TD before Nawrot ran in the 2-point conversion to cut the gap to 43-36. But Warren’s Simon Castillo fielded the ensuing onside kick with 1:11 to go to seal the Warren win.

“They (Hersey) always come out tough, but everybody stuck it out and all 11 guys on the field did what they needed to do to get the win,” said Stewart. “Without the offensive line I can’t do what I do so shout out to all of those guys and we want to keep this momentum going.”

Hersey running back Brandon Jenkins (84 yards on 17 carries) scored on a 17-yard TD run before Nawrot’s 1-yard TD run made the score 14-0. Stewart had an early 6-yard TD run followed by a 2-point conversion run by Castillo. Jenkins added a 20-yard TD run and a 2-point conversion catch for the 22-8 lead. Hersey lost a crucial fumble on a third-and-goal from the 1 early in the fourth quarter.

“He (Stewart) ran for 464 yards or something like that last year, and like the elite person he is he responded and had a great day for us,” said Warren coach Bryan McNulty. “They play really well at home and they’re a well-coached team. We knew we were going to exchange blows on offense and we knew we were going to have to stay in the fight.”

Warren quarterback Reed Dangel (6-for-11, 59 yards) had a 2-point conversion pass to Corvell Hodges to tie the game a 22-22 early in the second half. Hersey’s Jack Mau kicked two extra points.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20250829/prep-football/stewart-rushes-for-438-yards-leads-warrens-comeback-win-over-hersey/