Hart battled North Muskegon well into the fourth quarter in Friday's key West Michigan Conference Rivers battle, holding three different leads during the game, but the Norsemen answered every time and punched in a clinching touchdown with just under six minutes to play, sending Hart to a 29-18 defeat.
Two Hart drives deep into North Muskegon territory came away with no points, proving to be instrumental in the final outcome.
The Pirates (2-3, 1-2 WMC Rivers) opened the scoring with an 18-yard touchdown pass from Kolton Rockwell to Logan Jorissen. Kole Thomas set Hart up for the scoring drive by picking off a pass from Bryce Colbert.
However, the Norsemen struck back on their next possession with the first of two touchdown runs by Hunter Wilder.
Hart came back with a very impressive 14-play 89-yard touchdown drive, highlighted by a 38-yard pass from Rockwell to Chase Lorenz. The Pirates capped the drive with a short scoring run from Kyle Greiner early in the second quarter, but Wilder scored again barely two minutes later, and when the Norsemen turned back a 12-play Hart drive with a clutch interception, the Norsemen were ahead 14-12 at halftime.
Hart again grabbed the lead in the third quarter with its second passing touchdown of the game; this time Keaghan Monroe found Rockwell for 21 yards. However, the Norsemen again came back with a quick drive of just over two minutes, capped with a 14-yard scoring toss to Beckett Hoppa.
The Pirates went on a 14-play drive in response, getting into the red zone and giving themselves a chance to once again seize the lead. However, North Muskegon came up with a clutch fourth-down stop at the 18-yard line. Cullen Bartos had two big runs on the ensuing possession, including the 37-yard score that was the last of the game.
