The WACO Warriors reminded everyone why they’ve been one of the best 8-man football teams in the state the last few years, as WACO started the 2023 postseason by rolling past Baxter 55-20 Friday night at Roth Field in Wayland.

Despite falling behind 6-0, WACO scored on their opening drive on a 47-yard touchdown rush by Reece Oswald, and another TD run by the senior would give the Warriors a 14-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

After Baxter got within two, WACO seized control of the game thanks to junior Clayton Miller. The quarterback ran for a score and threw touchdowns to fellow juniors Gage Samo and Louden Huisenga in the second quarter, extending the Warriors’ lead to 34-12 at halftime. A 52-yard kickoff return for a TD by Oswald started the second half and all but sealed the deal.

Oswald scored four times in total and touched the ball 11 times on offense for 106 total yards. Huisenga had a team-high 124 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns, while junior Joel Meyer had eight tackles and Miller and senior Hunter Hughes had two interceptions each to bash a Baxter team that came in averaging 38 points a game.

With a fifth straight win, WACO is now 7-1 and winners of a first-round playoff game for a third straight year. The tenth-ranked team in the state will be on the road in the second round when the Warriors travel to Gilbertsville to face number-seven Don Bosco this coming Friday.