The Winfield-Mt. Union football team will step under the Friday night lights for the first time this week when they host the Springville Orioles for a week zero contest. WMU is coming off of a 1-8 season a year ago. The Wolves posted their lone win on August 31st in a 72-0 thrashing of Tri-County behind 219 yards and four touchdowns on just 11 carries for Juanito Piper. The Wolves ended the season on a six game losing streak.
Offensively a season ago,The Wolves finished with 1,803 total yards and 26 touchdowns, and they return the majority of their weapons. Quarterback Daunte Oepping is back for his senior season. A year ago he accounted for 1.090 total yards and 13 touchdowns. He was 64 for 147 through the air for 727 yards, eight touchdowns and nine interceptions. On the ground he accounted for 363 yards on 110 carries and eight scores. The Wolves leading ground gainer last season was Piper who is back for his senior season also. Last year he put up 395 yards on 75 carries and five touchdowns. WMU returns their top two receivers from last year in Jacob Ford and Christian Gerot who combined for 554 yards on 50 catches and six touchdowns. Defensively, Winfield-Mt. Union’s top six tacklers return, led by Piper and his 86 stops last year including six tackles for loss and three fumble recoveries. Oepping led the Wolves secondary with five picks.
Springville was 5-5 a year ago. The Orioles posted 3,211 total yards including 1,780 through the air, 1,431 on the ground and 51 total touchdowns. Springville returns their starting quarterback from a year ago Kyle Koppes who finished 101 of 203 through the air for 1,769 yards, 30 touchdowns and 12 INTs. He will be without his top target from last season with Zach March and his 857 yards and 14 touchdowns graduating. Caleb Weber, the number two receiver from last year will look to step into his place after a 21 catch, 454 yard and nine touchdown season last year. The Springville ground game returns their top rusher in Spencer DeMean for his junior year after last season’s 512 yards on 76 carries and eight touchdowns. Defensively, the Orioles return their top seven tacklers, led by Weber with 66.5 stops last year, 12 of those for loss. Jack Hoogland led the Springville defense with four fumble recoveries, Koppes had the team lead a year ago with three interceptions. This week, Winfield-Mt. Union head coach Scott McCarty broke down the matchup with Springville. “We’re pretty excited about having a week 0 game. They lost their big play receiver from a year ago, he was a nice player. They should be small but athletic.”
These two teams met last year in week one with the Orioles taking a 52-28 win in Springville. Koppes was 10 of 22 through the air for 200 yards, three touchdowns and three picks. DeMean had two touchdowns on seven carries and 50 total yards. Oepping was two of 10 through the air for WMU for 47 yards and a touchdown. On the ground Piper had 78 yards on 19 carries. Oepping led the Wolves defense with three interceptions.
Action begins at 7p.m. at Winfield-Mt. Union High School.