Homecoming wasn’t so pleasant for the Harvard Cardinals football team this past week as the visiting Giltner Hornets stung the Cardinals 73-6 to drop Harvard to 2-4 on the season.
The night did, however, start on a good note against the Hornets, as Sebastian Rodriguez-Jauregui put the Cardinals on the scoreboard first just three minutes into the game to give Harvard the early 6-0 lead, but Giltner took over from there and scored on a pair of touchdown pass plays to claim a 14-6 lead at the end of the opening quarter.
Giltner then scorched the Cardinals in the second quarter, scoring 39 total points to claim a 53-6 halftime lead, as the Hornets scored on 14 and 37-yard touchdown runs, following by touchdown pass plays covering 20, 37, and 35 yards to gain the 47-point lead at the halftime break.
Giltner went on to score on 21 and 27-yard touchdown runs in the third quarter and added a 10-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the 73-6 victory.
The Cardinals churned up 148 yards of total offense, mainly led by the running game, as Harvard finished the game with 140 rushing yards and just eight yards through the air.
Rodriguez-Jauregui led the running game with 77 yards on 17 carries. Kaden Esquitin ran for 40 yards on 10 carries, while Jett Zeckser posted 15 yards on three carries.
The running game was rounded out by Carson Esquitin with six yards and Anthony Hernadez-Zendejas with two yards.
Carson Esquitin led the passing game, completing five of 13 passes for three yards. Zeckser was 2-6 for five yards, while Rodriguez- Jauregui and Kaden Esquitin were both 0-1 in the loss.
Kaden Esquitin hauled in three passes for 36 yards, while Luis Aguilar gained two yards on one catch, and Rodriguez-Jauregui had three catches for one yard.
Kaden Esquitin led the tackle charts with six stops, Zeckser made four tackles, and Rodriguez-Jauregui had two tackles.
Score by Quarters
Harvard..................................6 0 0 0 -6 Giltner....................................14 39 14 6 -73
THISWEEK
Harvard will close out the 2026 season with their final home game of the year this Friday night against Grand Island Lutheran, before heading north to take on High Plains Community Friday, Oct. 23.
