Comets host Wildcats in opener

ELDON - While plenty of Union area coverage teams will be playing in scrimmages tonight, two of the local teams will face off in regular season matchups. Cardinal play hosts to Columbus in a Week 0 matcup, a rematch of the season opener between the two last season.

In the 2019 season opener, Cardinal went into Columbus and beat the Wildcats 38-0. Quarterback Maddux Jones, who will be entering his junior year, threw for 188 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Classmate Griffin Greiner caught four passes for 99 yards and a score.

The Columbus offense was stifled for the most part in the 219 opener, but running back Will Schwab, who is entering his senior year, ran for 92 yards on the Comet defense.

Cardinal went on to finish the year with a 4-5 record, winning their first four games of the year before dropping their last five. Jones ended the year with 1,440 yards and 12 touchdowns passing, to go along with just under 200 yards and two scores on the ground. Greiner finished with 535 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

Columbus ended the year 1-9 last season, picking up a 20-12 win over Green Mountain-Garmin in their third game.

The Wildcats return quarterback Bawi UK, who threw for 509 yards and three touchdowns last season. Schwab finished the 2019 campaign with 110 yards on the ground and two touchdowns.

The Wilcats will also need a big game out of senior wide receiver Tucker Bright. He led the team with 219 yards and three touchdowns through the air last year.

The game will be a chance for both defenses to wipe away a rough performance in their final games of 2019. Cardinal ended last season with a 42-0 loss against BGM Brooklyn, and Columbus fell 62-0 against Wapello.

Tonght's game at Cardinal High School will begin at 7 p.m.