WACO falls in 8-man football opener

VICTOR ? The WACO football team had a good showing defensively in Victor in the season opener on Thursday night, but a couple of late HLV scores were enough to run away from WACO in the fourth by the score of 28-13.

WACO?s offense had trouble putting the ball in the end zone in the first half, but a strong defensive effort kept HLV to 12 points, on two rushing touchdowns by running back Wyatt Kaplan.

The Warriors got onto the board in the third quarter when starting quarterback Jackson Roth found Colton Horak on a 32-yard touchdown pass. Horak made the extra point and it was 12-7.

The score remained 12-7 into the fourth quarter. HLV?s Mitch Thys knocked in a 27-yard field goal to make the score 15-7, but WACO drove down field and had the chance to tie it.

Wyatt Harbison was called on to throw the ball in WACO?s potential tying drive and he found Horak on a 30-yard touchdown pass to cut the HLV lead to 15-13. The two-point conversion run was stopped, however, and WACO still trailed by two.

Later in the fourth quarter, HLV stretched the lead back to eight points at 21-13 on a 3-yard run by Kaplan.

Then, after WACO was unable to score, Kaplan put the nail in the coffin with a 45-yard touchdown run. HLV made the extra point and the scoring stopped at 28-13.

Horak finished with six catches for 125 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed the ball 17 times for 49 yards. Tim Ackles caught one pass for 39 yards. Gabe Black had nine carries for 58 yards in the loss to lead the team in rushing.

WACO (0-1) will open their home schedule on Friday, Aug. 26, against Twin Cedars. The Warriors will then hit the road for their last non-district game, at Tri-County on Friday, Sept. 2.