The top 10 countdown of the best sports stories from the 2021-22 academic year continues today with number three on our list for area schools that includes Columbus Community, Highland, Lone Tree, Winfield-Mt. Union, WACO, Sigourney, and Keota. The third best story for this countdown takes us the gridiron with the WACO football team leaving their mark in 2021. 

The Warriors finished the 2020 campaign with a 3-5 record and flew under the radar in 8-player district 6 heading into last fall. It didn’t take long to see how great of an offseason transformation many of the Warriors had and it showed on the gridiron, as they rolled through their schedule. An efficient offense that averaged 41.5 points a night and a stingy defense that gave up just 16 a game allowed them to win the district, go 8-0 in the regular season, and eventually finish the fall 10-1 overall. A 7-0 defensive slugfest victory over New London on September 24th set the table for the district title and quality playoff victories over Edgewood-Colesburg 39-36 and Martensdale-St. Marys 50-8 punched the Warriors’ ticket to the state quarterfinals. A back and forth thriller against Audobon in that round went the Wheelers’ way by a final count of 34-30. This was the first double-digit win season for WACO since 2010 and 10 players were named all district. Jonah Clark was dubbed defensive MVP of the league with the 6’2’’ 200 pound end finishing with 43 tackles and five touchdowns on the other side of the ball. Simeon Reichenbach was the headliner offensively with the junior running back tallying 1,413 rushing yards and 23 scores. Other first team selections included Tyler Sutton, Drew Diers, Mason Miller, Jon Rice, Tim Willits, and Taylor Sutton. The Warriors look to pick up right where they left off this fall with all offensive skill position players returning and five starters back on the defensive side. 

Check back in tomorrow for number two on our list when take a look at a Sigourney golfer.