Varsity Cardinals football beat Touchet

On Friday, September 25, the Waitsburg varsity football team beat Touchet 54-14 in a non-conference game.

Coach Gabe Kiefel said the game was a mix of outstanding performances and sophomoric mistakes. The wind also played a significant role, with gusts up to 50 miles per hour that hampered the passing game and what the team could do. Penalties affected the outcome of the game, as the Cardinals had at least three touchdowns called back for various reasons

Waitsburg started slowly, and before they knew it, the game was tied 8-8. JJ Gleason put the Cardinals on the board with an 18-yard touchdown and a 2-point conversion with 1:45 seconds left in the first quarter. The Cardinals quickly added two more touchdowns before the quarter ended: a 10-yard run by Bryer Paul and a 98-yard kickoff return by Uriah York.

The team picked it up in the second quarter, keeping Touchet out of the end zone on defense, and adding a seven-yard punt return touchdown by Landen Henry.

Kiefel said the Cardinals shined in the third quarter. Gleason hit Henry for a seven-yard touchdown followed by a three-yard conversion run by Bryer Paul. Gleason passed to Liam Kiefel in the end zone with a short one-yard pass, followed by a running conversion by Gleason. 

In the fourth quarter, Henry intercepted the ball on defense, ran it back for an 85-yard pick-six touchdown, and York found the end zone once again on a 55-yard punt return, sealing the score at 54-14 and speeding up the game with a running clock.

Offensively, Gleason finished with 256 yards rushing and 66 yards passing for 322 yards total, four touchdowns, and two conversions. York added 119 kickoff return yards and 81 punt return yards for 224 yards and two touchdowns.

Defensively, Camdyn Vories tallied four solo tackles, 10 assisted tackles, a quarterback sack, three tackles for loss, and two hurries on Touchet’s quarterback. Gleason had six solo tackles, four assisted tackles, caused a fumble, had an interception, and two tackles behind the scrimmage line.

“We have a lot of things to tighten down for our homecoming game against Pomeroy next week. Pomeroy is always tough, and we won’t get away with some of the silly mistakes we have allowed to happen on the field. If we can play up to our potential, we will give Pomeroy a run for their money,” said Kiefel.