Warriors snap losing streak in New London

NEW LONDON ? The transition from quarterback to running back has so far been a smooth one for Van Buren junior Aaron Clemens.

Clemens, who only made the position switch last week, rushed for 127 yards and two touchdowns Friday as the Warriors topped New London 34-6.

Curtis Thomas added another 103 yards and pair of touchdowns on 21 carries to help the Warriors to their first win in more than a year. The Warriors? last victory was Aug. 26, 2011, when they beat Winfield-Mount Union 18-14.

?Getting the first win of the season is nice,? said Rich Wiegand, Van Buren head football coach. ?I was happy with our offensive line play and the way our defense played. We still have a long way to go, but there were many positives Friday.?

The Warriors carried a 12-0 lead into halftime but quickly put the game out of reach in the second half.

A 70-yard pick-six by Brandon Plecker gave the Warriors momentum in the third quarter, and the running game only got better as the game continued. The Warriors outscored their district opponent 22-6 in the final half.

?Our most productive quarter was the fourth quarter,? said Wiegand. ?I felt our offensive line took over, and the backs did a great job hitting their holes.?

Also for the Warriors, Vaughn Helling rushed for 27 yards on three carries and Garrett Saunders was 1-for-6 passing for 32 yards. Casey Jones had a breakthrough night at defensive end with 11 tackles, including two sacks and four tackles for loss, and Thomas made a team-high 12 tackles. Corbin Kisling had six tackles and a sack, Jesse Fuller picked off a pass and Noah Whitten recovered a fumble.

The Warriors (1-4) will look to add onto their first win of the season when they host Highland on Friday.