The Highland Huskies won’t have to look far for motivation when they take the field Saturday in the Section 9 Class C football finals. Their opponent, the O’Neill Raiders, are the same team they defeated just two weeks ago, and the championship is on the line.

The top-seeded Huskies (7-2) earned a first-round bye and will face second-seeded O’Neill at noon Saturday at Monroe-Woodbury High School. The Raiders advanced with a 22-8 victory over Dover last Friday, setting up a rematch of Highland’s 31-15 victory over O’Neill on Oct. 24.

Highland enters the game riding a three-game winning streak and has won four of its last five road games. The Huskies have also shown an ability to put points on the board while tightening up defensively, surrendering an average of just 12.6 points over their last five road contests.

Their most recent victory was an entertaining 36-29 decision over Spackenkill on Oct. 30, powered by a big performance from quarterback Maison Bragg and receiver Christian Christie.

Bragg completed a productive day through the air, throwing for 297 yards and five touchdowns on just 17 attempts. Christie was his favorite target, accounting for 143 total yards and four touchdowns, while Jayden Vazquez added 102 receiving yards and a score.

The Bragg-Christie connection has become a major part of the Highland offense. Bragg leads the Huskies with 20 total touchdowns, including 11 passing scores, while Christie has 11 touchdowns, seven of them receiving. Christie averages 41.6 receiving yards per game, with Vazquez averaging 30.6.

Running back Aubrey AJ Nugent provides another dimension to the attack. He leads Highland with nine rushing touchdowns and has scored 10 times overall. In the first meeting with O’Neill, Nugent rushed for 132 yards and two touchdowns on just 12 carries.
Highland’s defense also made its presence felt in that October matchup, putting pressure on Raiders quarterback AJ Mackey throughout the afternoon. The Huskies recorded five sacks, with Nugent and Matthew Terranova combining for two.

The Raiders will be looking to reverse that result after earning their way into the semifinal with last week’s win over Dover.

O’Neill will need to find answers for an offense that has scored 67 points in Highland’s last two victories, while also dealing with a defense that has been particularly effective away from home.

For the Huskies, the formula will be familiar: Bragg connecting with Christie and Vazquez, Nugent providing a ground threat, and a defense capable of making life difficult for opposing quarterbacks.

But the stakes are considerably higher this time. Highland has already beaten O’Neill once. A second victory would send the top-seeded Huskies into the Class C state tournament.