No. 1 WMU set for Round of 16

WINFIELD — The Class 8-Player playoffs return to Winfield-Mount Union High School as the Wolves host Moravia for a Round of 16 clash on Friday night.

The Wolves come into the game 9-0. Moravia is 8-2, with losses to both No. 3 Bedford and BGM.

WMU is no stranger to Moravia. The Wolves and Mohawks went at it in each of the last two years, and the WMU offense was absolutely on fire in both games.

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On Aug. 27, 2021, WMU trounced Moravia 84-34 at home. On Aug. 26, 2022, the Wolves pulled out a 64-50 road win.

WMU started the playoffs out last week at home with a dominant 64-8 win over Belle Plaine. Moravia comes off a 45-33 home defeat of Lone Tree.

Per usual, the WMU offense is paced by Cam Buffington. The Wolves’ senior leader has 1,130 rushing yards and 17 touchdowns, and he has caught 18 passes for 557 yards and 11 scores.

Cole Milks has been a huge spark to the Wolves’ running game. Milks has rushed for 454 yards and 13 touchdowns this season, second-most on the team.

Junior quarterback Jake Edwards has completed 55 passes for 1,175 yards and 21 touchdowns, while only getting picked off two times. Besides Buffngton, Edwards’ top targets have been Carter Loyd (12 catches, 260 yards, 5 TDs) and Abram Edwards (13 catches, 204 yards, 3 TDs).

Buffington leads the defense in tackles, tallying 83 on the year, including 63 solo tackles. Cooper Buffington has 7.5 sacks.

The Wolves have 18 takeaways on the year, including three last week by junior Lane Genkinger. He recovered two fumbles on the night and picked off one pass.

In all, WMU has 11 fumble recoveries, led by Genkinger and Kael Johnson, who each have 3. Milks has three of the Wolves’ seven interceptions.

Like WMU, Moravia can get it done through the air and on the ground, and a lot of that yardage comes at the hands of senior quarterback Shane Helmick.

Helmick has completed 94 passes for 1,668 yards this season, as well as 31 touchdowns, while only getting picked off eight times. Helmick also leads the team in rushing yards, going for 807 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Senior running back Jackson McDanel is second on the team with 513 yards rushing and six touchdowns. He is also second in receiving, catching 27 passes for 504 yards and nine scores.

Moravia senior Wyatt Throckmoron leads the pass catchers with 34 receptions for 627 yards and 13 touchdowns.

Defensively, Moravia’s McDanel has 80 tackles on the year. Helmick is second on the team with 72 tackles.

The Moravia defense has 22 takeaways this year, 11 picks and 11 fumble recoveries. McDanel and Helmick have nine interceptions between the two of them.

Friday night’s game begins at 7 p.m. The winner will face either No. 8 Don Bosco or No. 10 WACO next week in the Class 8-Player quarterfinals.