Swingel intercepts late Tiger pass on first-and-goal
Homecoming Victory 20 to 14

Hall senior Michael Swingel is renowned for quarterbacking Hall’s offense.
He filled that role effectively Friday. He guided Hall’s offense to three touchdowns against Princeton. But Hall’s offense came off the field with 3 minutes, 23 seconds remaining, and Swingel’s play on Hall’s special teams and defense proved decisive.

Swingel kept Princeton’s final drive out of the end zone, and Hall preserved a six-point win. Hall won 20-14 at Nesti Stadium on Friday.

Beating Princeton gave Hall a Homecoming win and a key win for Hall’s playoff hopes.
“We didn’t quit and everyone stuck together,” Swingel said of Friday’s win. “It’s huge. Now we just got to win at least two more games to get into the playoffs, and that’s our goal.” Hall improved to 3-3 overall and 2-1 in the NCIC Lincoln Division with Friday’s win. Swingel did his part the last 3:23 to ensure the win.

Hall faced fourth-and-6 with 3:23 remaining, and Swingel pinned Princeton deep with a 31-yard punt. Princeton had to start at its own 9-yard line. Princeton nearly overcame the long field. The Tigers drove 87 yards down to the 4-yard line, but the drive stalled just 12 feet from tying the game.

Offsides against Princeton wide receiver Brock Schmidt moved the Tigers to first-and-goal from the 9-yard line. Princeton senior quarterback Brik Wedekind dropped back to pass on first-and-goal from the 9-yard line. Swingel slyly moved from his linebacker position into the passing lane. “I just knew they were going to go for the end zone,” Swingel said. “They really didn’t have much time left. When the ball came up, it was just coming right to me. I jumped up and made sure I caught it.”

Swingel came down in the end zone with the interception. The few fans that endured the rain let out a roar of excitement when Swingel’s knee hit the grass. Swingel did not know what to do. He ran around and jumped into the arms of some teammates. Then as the rest of Hall’s defense headed off the field, Swingel stood in the middle of the field, looked up, and threw his shoulders and arms back while letting out a sigh of relief.

Swingel’s interception with 19.7 seconds remaining clinched victory.
“It’s unbelievable,” Swingel said of the interception. Swingel returned to his quarterback position. He knealt once, and the game was over.

Princeton’s loss drops the Tigers to 4-2 overall and 2-1 in the NCIC Lincoln.
“I told the kids in the huddle that we should have won the football game. There’s no doubt in my mind,” said Princeton head football coach Dave Moore. “You’re first-and-goal on the (4-yard line). … Then we get that offsides and everything kind of spiraled.”
Wedekind thought the Tigers were going to win as the closing drive progressed.
“I kept whispering to (running back) Tyler (Tyne), ‘Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, this is it right here,’” Wedekind said of the final drive. “I was trying to stay as calm as I could and tell the guys to run their routes hard that they’d be open and I’d make plays.”
Wedekind made plays the whole march down the field.

He had two 11-yard runs for first downs, and he had 42 passing yards completing 3-of-5 on the final drive before Swingel’s interception. Swingel ruined the great ending Wedekind foresaw. “That’s the worst way I would have wanted the game to end,” Wedekind said. “I saw Drew (Compton) wide open in the back of end zone, and I under threw it.” Wedekind finished the game 9-for-20 with 126 passing yards and two passing touchdowns. Wedekind twice found Compton for 24-yard touchdown passes in the first half. Compton caught the first touchdown pass with 3:42 left in the first quarter, which completed an opening drive that lasted 8:15. Compton’s first touchdown put Princeton ahead 6-0.
Compton caught the second 24-yard touchdown pass with 4:14 left in the second quarter. Princeton junior Dylan Olson ran in a two-point conversion, and Princeton tied the game at 14-14. “Drew Compton played a whale of a ballgame,” Moore said. “He made some big hits and some nice runs.”

Compton finished with 80 receiving yards and 91 rushing yards for 171 total yards Friday.
Hall scored twice in the second quarter between Compton’s two touchdowns. Hall got a 5-yard touchdown run from senior Cody Whightsil with 11:18 left in the second quarter. Hall senior fullback Nathan Tucker added a 38-yard touchdown run with 10:15 left in the second quarter, which completed a three-play drive after Hall’s successful onside kick.
The teams were tied at halftime 14-14.

Hall’s second possession of the second half produced the game-winning touchdown. Hall junior Bryce Quinn ran 4 yards for the touchdown with 4:10 left in the third quarter.
Quinn’s touchdown completed a four-minute, 80-yard drive.

“I thought Bryce did pretty good, and Cody played hard,” Swingel said.
Quinn finished with 63 yards on 12 carries. Whightsil had 62 yards on 17 carries.
Swingel led the team in rushing with 83 yards on six carries.

“Our line did good — Frankie (Alfano), Jon (Stuckert) and Mitch (Brannon) all did good,” Swingel said. “(Offensive linemen Tyler) Barboza and Austin Urbanski did good.”
Hall returns to action Friday at Rock Falls.

Princeton starts its murderous stretch of games by going to Chillicothe on Friday. The Tigers’ final three opponents (Chillicothe IVC, Mendota and Orion) are a combined 17-1 after Friday’s games. “I feel good going into (the last three games),” Wedekind said. “Our guys are a lot tougher this year. We got in the weight room. I think we can play with them.”