Ainsworth unfortunately couldn't capitalize on their home-field advantage in their season opener. They lost 49-26 to the Hartington-Newcastle Wildcats on Friday. The Bulldogs were not able to make up for their loss to the Wildcats from their previous meeting back in August of 2024.
Despite the defeat, Ainsworth had strong showings from Chris Fernandez, who rushed for 90 yards and one touchdown, and Jacob Ortner, who gained 129 total yards and a touchdown.
Jason Heimes was a one-man wrecking crew For Hartington-Newcastle. as he rushed for 229 yards and four TDs while picking up 9.2 yards per carry, and also picked up 69 receiving yards and one score. Those 229 rushing yards gave Heimes a new career-high. Austin Sudbeck was another key player, rushing for 77 yards and a pair of touchdowns.
Looking ahead, Ainsworth will hit the road for the first time this season to face off against Sandhills/Thedford at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday. As for Hartington-Newcastle, they will be playing in front of their home fans against Wakefield at 7:00 p.m. on Friday.
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