Huskies fall short in season opener against Union Local

The Union Local Jets extinguished any early-season excitement for Harrison Central, handing the Huskies a tough loss in Tuesday night’s season opener in Morristown. The Jets’ Jacob Stroud set the tone early, scoring eight of his game-high 23 points in the first quarter as Union Local held off a second-half Huskies push to secure the win.

Harrison Central trailed 21-11 after one, and if not for senior Cooper Thompson, the deficit could have been worse. Thompson hit two 3-pointers in the opening frame—his only points of the night—but his long-range accuracy kept the Huskies within striking distance entering the second.

If Thompson carried the early offense, fellow senior Bryson Kamarec took over in the second quarter. Kamarec, who averaged 11.7 points per game last season, scored 10 of his team-high 17 before halftime. Freshman Colson Crothers provided the only other Harrison points in the period with a 3-pointer, helping the Huskies stay competitive despite limited production elsewhere. Union Local entered the break leading 32-24.

The Huskies continued to build momentum in the third as senior Jacob Quito heated up from beyond the arc. Quito’s 3-pointer, along with baskets from Kamarec and senior Brady Hyre, allowed Harrison Central to outscore the Jets in the quarter and trim the deficit to 44-37. The game tightened considerably late in the third, with the Huskies trailing just 39-36 and holding possession as the clock neared the 2:30 mark.

Early in the fourth, Harrison Central remained within reach. With 5:47 left, the Huskies were down 47-43—but points became hard to come by on both ends. Union Local won the battle of cold shooting down the stretch, closing the final six minutes on a 7-2 run. It wasn’t flashy, but it was enough.

Hyre (7 points), sophomore Lance Smith (5), and Crothers (5) joined Kamarec and Thompson among the scoring leaders. Quito added 3 points, while Austin Dulkoski chipped in 2.