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Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Columbus, WACO fall in first round
Wildcats, Warriors seasons come to an end after playoff defeats
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A pair of Union area teams saw their seasons end Friday night. Columbus and WACO both faced daunting tasks in their respective first round playoff games Friday, and both teams came up just short.
After a fourth place finish in Class A District 5, Columbus traveled to face No. 10 North Lynn in the first round of the playoffs. The Lynx beat the Wildcats 54-7 during the regular season, and the postseason matchup ended in similar fashion, with a 59-14 win for the hosts.
Columbus scored all 14 points in the fourth quarter. Seniors Tyson Kaalberg and Trevor Phillips each found the end zone on the ground. Kaalberg had a strong day on offense despite the loss. He averaged 9.1 yards per carry and finished with 13 carries for 118 yards. He also had 53 return yards.
A few other Wildcats seniors made plays in the final game of their Columbus carriers. Elliot Wessley led the team with 4.5 tackles. Kason Dopler and Rey Resendez-Rodriguez each had interceptions.
WACO had a similarly difficult playoff test against a ranked foe. The Warriors traveled to face undefeated No. 6 Edgewood-Colesburg and fell 58-7 after being outscored 38-0 in the first half.
Hayden Shelman recorded the lone score for WACO with a 44-yard touchdown run. He also had rushes of 17 and 23 yards and completed a 33-yard pass to Raefe Davison.
The Warriors finished the season with a 3-6 record. Despite a disappointing back stretch, Shelman remains a bright spot for the future, having wrapped up his junior campaign with over 1,000 yards and 18 touchdowns on the ground.
