Alex Burr

HIGHLAND — Hanover Central needed a spark.

After starting their season 0-2, the Wildcats traded blows in a scoreless first half with Northwest Crossroads Conference foe Highland. The two teams combined for 116 yards of total offense before the break.

Enter Lukas Valiska.

Valiska, a junior safety, told one of his teammates that he was going to nab an interception on Highland’s opening drive of the third quarter.

He didn’t wait long, snagging Highland quarterback Jake Slaven’s first pass attempt out of the air and returning the ball inside the red zone.

A few plays later, running back Isaiah Buikema found the end zone on a 6-yard run to give Hanover Central a 7-0 lead, one it would not relinquish on the way to a 28-0 Hanover Central (1-2, 1-0 NCC) victory.

Buikema had 89 rus

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