Two teams that can put up major points ended in just one squad continuing that trend on Friday when the No. 2 WACO football team marched their way past Iowa Valley 54-26 in Marengo. 

Averaging 63 points a game and having a quarterback that led the entire state with 30 touchdowns in Evan Kearney, the Tiger offense met their match in the WACO defense by being shutout for the first 24 minutes of play. The Warriors relied on the strong leg of Simeon Reichenbach to nail field goals from 33, 34, 34, and a school record 49 yards out to help take a 33-0 lead early in the third. The all state running back also cashed in on a couple rushing touchdowns while Isaac Oswald found Oleh Shtefanchuk from 27 yards out for a score to build the big lead. Kearney reached the end zone for the first time late in the third and the senior finished with three scores with two of those coming from the wide receiver spot to compile 111 receiving yards. Shtefanchuk paced the stingy Warrior defense with nine tackles and Colton Leichty recorded three for a loss. The blue and white forced four turnovers including Mason Miller being a ball hawk with three interceptions. The balanced WACO offense finished with 373 total yards with Oswald completing 12 of 20 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns to Shtefanchuk and Cody Graber. Reichenbach reached pay dirt four times to go along with his four field goals and he compiled 180 rushing yards on 15 yards per carry. 

Head Coach Chad Edeker tells KCII Sports it all started with his defense. “Everything we saw on film was them wanting to go deep and beat you on the big play. We worked really hard on that. Our linebackers do a great job of communicating and getting everyone in the right spots. At no point Friday was any of their receivers running down the field by themselves. We didn’t allow the big play.”

WACO improves to 5-0 and they return home Friday against New London (3-2) for homecoming.