Beaver Fans Soak Up Sun and Victories While Covering Houston-to-Iowa Trek Each Week
Huebners mark the miles (20,000-plus) and memories in supporting their son.
Christopher and Kandace Huebner, and their son Cameron Huebner, left Houston, Tex., on a Thursday for a flight to Iowa.
On Saturday, Oct. 30, the trio watched their son and brother, Keaton Huebner, help usher the Buena Vista University football team to a last-minute victory over Wartburg College, 24-20, on Peterson Field, a day awash in blue skies and temperatures in the 60s.
That night, they headed south, boarded a plane in Des Moines on Sunday for the flight to Atlanta for Game 5 of the World Series. The trio watched their home team, the Houston Astros, come from behind to defeat the Atlanta Braves, 9-5.
The family arrived home in Fulshear, Tex., on Monday evening. By Thursday, they were gearing up to trek north once again as Keaton and the Beavers battle Coe College in Cedar Rapids on Saturday, Nov. 6, the ninth of BVU’s 10-game regular-season schedule.
“Being here today and seeing the guys leave it all on the field while their teammates on the bench and the students and fans in the crowd got into the game so much, the energy is contagious.”
Christopher Huebner
“We plan to make all 10 games,” Christopher Huebner said following the victory over Wartburg. “This is a chance to see one of our sons play college football for a school and a program he loves being a part of. Why wouldn’t we be there in person?”
Keaton Huebner, a sophomore business major, leads the Beavers in rushing with 525 yards. His eight rushing touchdowns is tied for second all-time on the BVU single-season chart. His rushing touchdowns mark also ties him for third in the American Rivers Conference. Keaton, who sustained a shoulder injury in the victory over Wartburg, was all smiles following the program’s first win over the Knights in 12 years.
“This was the biggest win I’ve been part of during my college career,” he said. “It feels like it uplifted the whole school.”
“We’re just as happy for the other players as we are for Keaton,” Christopher Huebner said. “This is a team in every sense of the word. Armani Johnson, who scored the winning touchdown, is Keaton’s roommate. Even though Keaton was on the sideline because of his injury, that doesn’t keep us from cheering on Armani and the rest of the team.”
Johnson, a senior from Irving, Texas, scored his first career touchdown in the second quarter. His second TD came with 27 seconds left and touched off a raucous celebration.
The Huebners even spent the game with a friend from “home,” as Kayla Hoth, a native of Sumner who served as Vice Principal at Huggins Elementary School in Fulshear, the school Cameron and Keaton attended, made her way to Storm Lake. Hoth, who began her teaching career in Texas and is now a Principal for the Sumner-Fredericksburg Community School District, came to watch Keaton as well as Wartburg wide receiver Brett Meyer, son of one of Hoth’s cousins.
“Brett Meyer is familiar with BVU,” she said with a smile. “His dad, Jeff Meyer, wrestled for the Beavers when he was a student here. I couldn’t pass up the chance to watch Brett play against one of my former students.”
Jeff Meyer was a Scholar All-American for the BVU wrestling team in 1998, the year he graduated.
The Huebners, who have driven twice to Iowa for games this fall (1,011 miles one way) and flown the other times, admit they’ve dipped into vacation time to make this Houston-to-Iowa season—and its 20,000 miles—a reality. They’ve also made memories with the Beavers that will last a lifetime.
“I’m kind of surprised they’ve made it to every game, but grateful they’re a part of it,” said Keaton Huebner.
“It’s been so neat to see the difference in how this team has grown from one week to the next,” Christopher Huebner says. “Being here today and seeing the guys leave it all on the field while their teammates on the bench and the students and fans in the crowd got into the game so much, the energy is contagious. Even our band got a warning for playing too much. It was great to see so much school spirit!”