Our second RPAC Rundown Featured Matchup was Friday evening, another six-man battle as it was Paxton on the road to play Wauneta-Palisade. The Tigers were able to nab a victory on the road in a hard-fought game, winning 40-20.
Paxton started the game with a strong drive. It was a nice return for the Tigers as they started on the plus side of the field on the Wauneta-Palisade 25. It took just four plays to score and Gunnar Foster punched it in four yards out with 9:11 to go in the first quarter. The two-point conversion kick was good and they led 8-0.
Wauneta-Palisade was dealt a couple of short fields in the first quarter and capitalized late in the first quarter as Kreyton Wiese scored from one yard away with 2:14 to go in the first. The two-point conversion was good and it was tied 8-8.
We went to the second quarter with that score.
In the second period, the Broncos took the lead at the 6:43 mark. Draven Miner found Aden Acton on a 25-yard pass to push their lead to 14-8.
The Tigers answered a few minutes later as Noah Coppersmith ran it in from five yards away, with three minutes to go, and the two-point conversion was good, 16-14 Paxton led. The Tigers forced the Broncos to punt on their next possession and Paxton had a couple of minutes to work with before halftime.
The Tigers did not waste the opportunity as Foster scored again for Paxton, this time from 11 yards away with 18 seconds to go before halftime. The two-point conversion was good and Paxton led 24-14 going into the intermission.
Out of the half, both teams made adjustments.
Wauneta-Palisade scored at the 6:51 mark in the third on a 10-yard run by Trey McCrumb. They did not convert the two-point conversion and trailed 24-20.
The teams traded empty possessions for the majority of the rest of the third quarter and the majority of the fourth. Paxton though, scored with 4:33 to go in the game on a nine-yard run from Foster again and the lead was now 32-20 in favor of the Tigers.
The Broncos kept it interesting. They drove the field on 10 plays and put themselves in position to score late in the game on 4th and six at the Paxton 15-yard line. Miner's pass was picked off by Maddex McConnell at the two-yard line.
The win looked secured with 33 seconds to go, but to ensure it, Foster took the next handoff and went 78 yards and the two-point conversion was good; Paxton closed the game at 40-20.
Head Coach of the Paxton Tigers, Scott Jorgensen said his team showed great character in getting this victory.
Paxton looked solid on offense with 334 yards of offense, 252 rushing and 82 passing. Gunnar Foster had 232 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Kobe Florom had 49 yards receiving. Tanner Hebblethwaite was 6-13 with 82 yards passing. Noah Coppersmith had eight tackles and a pick.
Wauneta-Palisade played a great game, but couldn't capitalize on a few chances. Draven Miner was 16-29 with 137 yards, a touchdown, and threw an interception. Kreyton Wiese had 50 yards rushing and a touchdown. Aden Acton had 97 yards receiving and a touchdown. Trey McCrumb had 15 tackles and Grayden Sutherland had 13.
Paxton is now 4-3, and could use a win against Southwest on Thursday, on the road, to solidify their playoff chances as they are in the balance still.
Wauneta-Palisade is 1-6 and will face Brady on Friday in their final game of the season.