Not much has got in the way of the WACO Warrior football team this fall and the good times continued to roll on Friday when they welcomed Lone Tree for a KCII area showdown and came away with a 55-22 district win.
A stout Lone Tree defense had a hard time slowing down the Warriors in the first half with five possessions ending in points and WACO holding a 31-6 advantage at the break. A Simeon Reichenbach field goal and touchdown run initiated the continuous clock out of the break where the Warriors cruised to victory. WACO put up 345 total yards offensively with Reichenbach toting the rock 13 times for 168 yards and two touchdowns. The junior was also two for two in field goals by connecting on a 39 and 22 yarder. Isaac Oswald completed three of eight passes for 83 yards and a score to Drew Diers from 61 yards out. Oswald, Jon Rice, John McLaughlin, and Jonah Clark each added rushing scores. WACO won the turnover battle 3-0 with Taylor Sutton and Rice recovering a fumble while Mason Miller picked off a pass. Colton Leichty paced the defense with nine tackles.
WACO Head Coach Chad Edeker tells KCII Sports there wasn’t much to complain about. “We didn’t punt all night which shows how good of a job our offense did moving the ball. There is a lot to like. Defensively we only gave up one score in the first half on a really good catch by their receiver. We haven’t seen a team that wants to sit back and throw the ball in the pocket like Lone Tree. I thought our secondary did a great job of tackling and being in position to make a play on the ball.”
The Lions manufactured 309 yards with Cade Shield completing 16 of 26 throws for 184 yards and one touchdown to Cade Patterson. The senior Patterson hauled in 11 receptions for 108 yards. Tyce Alt brought in a touchdown pass from Ethan Bockelman and Caden Smith found pay dirt from two yards out.
WACO improves to 7-0 and clinches at least a share of the 8-player district 6 crown. They close the regular season Friday at Winfield-Mt. Union (4-1). Lone Tree is now 3-3 and they host New London (2-3) this week.