Collinsville (Oklahoma) uncommitted 2024 WR/FS Hudson Henslick had a special all-around night in Cardinals' win
COLLINSVILLE, Oklahoma - It took the final eight seconds of the first quarter for Collinsville’s Hudson Henslick to switch momentum in Friday’s game.
After the Cardinals fell behind Bartlesville, 7-0, on a touchdown with eight seconds left in the opening quarter, Henslick provided the counter-punch.
He returned the ensuing kickoff 94 yards to get Collinsville on the board. Henslick then added a pair of second-quarter TD receptions as the Cardinals built a 20-7 lead en route to a 27-14 win at Sallee Field, moving the Cards to 3-0.
“I just came out hot and I knew I had to play good to beat them; they’re a solid team, even though they were 0-2, they played two tough teams,” Henslick said. “So we knew we had to come out hot and I feel like we did.”
A 5-foot-9 155-pound senior wide receiver/free safety, Henslick ended up catching seven passes for 108 yards. He also capped his outstanding first half by intercepting a pass in the end zone to thwart a potential Bruins’ scoring drive.
‘GO MAKE A PLAY’
Henslick is arguably the go-to player on the Cardinals, who moved to 3-0 with Friday’s win.
He proved that with his three-TD performance, which started with running the kickoff back after Bartlesville scored to go in front.
“They just scored and we were down 7-0, and I told myself that, ‘I’ve got to do something, I’ve got to go make a play right here,’” Henslick said. “And so I did it.”
Henslick fielded the kick inside his own 10-yard line, then followed his blockers to find open space. He finished things off by going down the sideline, as the Bruins weren’t able to lay a finger on him the entire return.
“We’ve been working on kickoff return all week, and really the gap opened up, the guys in front of me started blocking,” Henslick said. “The gap opened up and I just hit it and ran.”
Though the PAT conversion failed which kept Bartlesville in front, Collinsville held the upper hand. Henslick then put the Cardinals in front to stay by catching a 10-yard pass on fourth down in the back corner of the end zone.
Later in the second quarter, he got past a pair of defenders to haul in a 57-yard pass from quarterback Skyler Moorman.
“(The first receiving TD) was on the goal line, one-on-one in man coverage and my mindset every single time is, ‘This guy’s not going to be able to guard me,’” Henslick said. “I just went out there and tried to give (the defender) a move inside and break out.
“Then the second time, on the long one, I ran it back; I went back inside and bit on (the defenders).”
Henslick added he has liked the development of Moorman, a sophomore, who threw for 102 yards in Friday’s win.
“He’s really been improving and I think he’s been placing those balls on the money and if we can keep playing like that, we’re going to be really tough to beat I feel like,” Henslick said.
The Cardinals sealed the win with more than two minutes left on a 42-yard TD run from another sophomore, Scott Rigby.
Collinsville senior Hudson Henslick (right) is interviewed by a local TV crew after his 3-TD performance in a 27-14 win against Bartlesville on Sept. 15, 2023.
A ‘SPECIAL’ NIGHT
Henslick made an impact in all three phases with his interception right before halftime.
“I dropped one right before that long touchdown and I was kind of mad at myself, but I was sitting back there, waiting for them to throw it up and I went up (and grabbed it),” he said.
Henslick added after the game it was his best all-around performance in terms of impacting all three phases, noting it was literally “special” for another reason.
“I’ve never had a special teams touchdown; I’ve been close, like (against) Pryor last year, but I think I definitely stepped it up (Friday) and felt that’s what I had to do for the team,” he said.
SWITCHING SIDES
Henslick is a three-year starter, having played on the Cardinals’ 2021 Class 5A state championship team, albeit at cornerback.
Prior to his junior season, he was shifted to free safety. Then, he became the team’s primary go-to receiver, replacing the graduated Oscar Hammond, who now plays tight end at Central Oklahoma.
Henslick ended up grabbing 63 passes for 1,047 yards and 14 TDs last season.
Though Henslick wouldn’t go as far as saying he literally replaced Hammond in that go-to receiver role.
“I don’t know if I would say that; we’re both completely different I think I feel like,” Henslick said. “(Hammond is) tall, he’s lanky and he’s quick, too, but yes, I feel like I had to take that role after he left and I had to step up and be that guy, so I feel like I did that pretty well last year.”
Henslick also got ready for his increased role during summer workouts prior to his junior season.
“We had summer workouts called ‘Summer Pride,’” he said. “We would come up here all the time, throw, catch, run routes. … I feel like that really helped me improve with my route running and my confidence overall at receiver.”
Although Henslick admitted he prefers playing offense to defense, there’s a few assets he brings in his role in the secondary.
“I feel like definitely my coverage is probably my number one strength,” he said. “I feel like I can fit downhill well at times, I’m not perfect at that, but I feel like if I can get my hands on (the ball carrier), I feel like I can tackle pretty much everybody if I get wrapped up.”
SEEING SIMILARITIES
Henslick is one of the few Cardinal starters back from that 2021 championship squad. Later his sophomore year, he got another state title, winning the 5A 126-pound weight class in wrestling.
But back to football. Henslick sees similar traits to the undefeated Cardinals to that of that 2021 title team.
“Yes, I think it does,” he said. “I’ve had a lot of people on that team, since we’re all still friends; they’re like family to all of us, and they tell us, ‘You guys remind us a lot of us.’
“So I feel like that’s really cool and really special to have a team like this.”
KEEPING THE FAITH
Though Henslick is one of the premier players in the Tulsa area, it hasn’t translated to getting plenty of looks from various colleges.
Henslick noted he has yet to receive any college offers, but he is more than determined to change the narrative by season’s end.
“I feel like if I can keep playing like I do, they’re going to come, there’s no doubt. … I’ll just keep trusting in the Lord,” he said. “That’s really what I’m hoping for; I feel like if I can keep working hard and keep doing everything right, I feel like it will come.”
Shortly after saying that, Henslick was cornered on the field by a coach from Northeastern Oklahoma A&M in Miami, and the two ended up chatting for several minutes.
