HS Football: Lynx Scratch Pirates 39-21 In Opener

by Kevin Yoder

Friday night lights returned to football fields across the state of Iowa last week, and the Hudson Pirate football team opened their 2026 schedule on the road just outside of Troy Mills. The highly ranked North Linn Lynx were the opponent, and the Pirates were prepared for a fight.

Hudson took the opening kickoff and began to put a drive together. However, following a couple first downs the drive stalled and the visitors were forced to punt. A good kick drove the Lynx returner inside the 20-yard line. He reversed field and broke outside contain before streaking 82 yards down the sideline and into the end zone. Just like that Hudson found themselves in 7-0 hole.

But returning junior starting quarterback Tade Roberts and a veteran, senior-laden offense went back to work. On the ensuing drive, he found Payton Bishop on a 40-yard seam route, and following a Jackson Nesteby extra point the Pirates evened the score at 7.

The game would continue to go back and forth, and the Pirate defense would be challenged. They struggled to get off the field, and North Linn scored on their next two possession.

But the Pirates were resilient. They went back to work and drove the length of the field through a mix of run and pass. With the ball on the five yard line, Owen Bell lined up in the backfield, took a handoff, sprinted to the pylon and across the goal line. Another successful PAT made the score 20-14 Lynx, but the Pirates were back in the ball game.

As the fourth quarter began the deficit remained six. But in what was the Pirates’ Achilles heel on the night, North Linn converted multiple fourth downs and plunged in from the 1 yard line.

In a matter of five minutes the home team added two more scores following a Pirate turnover and another punt. Hudson was able to cap the scoring, as Roberts connected on a short curl route to Bell, that he turned into a 69-yard touchdown.

The Pirates fell 39-21 at North Linn, and now turn their focus to bouncing back with another road trip, this time east to Cascade. Cascade was an overtime winner in week one. The JV will play a curtain-raiser game at 5 pm Friday, with the varsity game to follow.