WAYLAND – Is there a color for frustration? The Montezuma Braves wore it Thursday night.
What about elation? The WACO Warriors wore that.
Unbeaten WACO (12-0) absorbed an early shock by Montezuma, then pulled away with 28 unanswered points in just 3:34 of playing time in the first half.
The final was 52-7 for the Warriors, who forced a continuous clock by halftime.
WACO has been rated as high in second in Class 8 polls, and the Warriors showed why in all facets of the game.
The Braves played hard, and finished a 9-3 season as one of the winning-est teams in Montezuma history.
They came out winging it, and a 47-yard Owen Cook pass to Garrett Watts, then a 16-yard scoring pass to Watts staked the Braves to a 7-0 lead just two plays into the game.
But after the second time the Braves drove deep but were denied, things went south for them in a hurry.
Simeon Reichenbach, a wiry, 6-3, 193-pound running back, had already begun a super-productive night. He finished with 260 yards on and four touchdowns on 13 carries, returned a punt 40 yards for a score and kicked a field goal.
His first score, a 32-yard hitch-and-go touchdown run, helped WACO to a 14-7 lead halfway through the first quarter.
Cook passes to Masin Shearer powered a drive to the Warriors’ three-yard line.
Fullback Brett Plants took it to the one, but Plants was stopped for no gain on second down. The Braves went with a jet sweep right, but WACO penetrated to being him down at the four.
Cook then tried to pass for the score, but had receivers fall down trying to cut, and had to eat the ball.
WACO’s downfield coverage, which got better as the game progressed, started making itself felt now. And, a 17-20 mile an hour cross wind out of the south may well have impacted some of Cook’s longer downfield throws.
Still, the Montezuma quarterback was 23-for-42 on the night, for 217 yards and the touchdown to Watts.
Montezuma’s second halted march carried to the WACO nine before two incompletions and a coverage sack put the ball on the 17. Cook was then wide left with a 35-yard field goal attempt.
The WACO explosion was about to begin.
Reichenbach ran over the middle, cut left, and hit the afterburners on a 58-yard scoring run to make it 21-7.
Soon after he jitterbugged 31 yards with a returned punt to put the ball on the Braves’ 9. The touchdown came on a four-yard pass play.
The Braves were forced to punt again, and Reinchenbach made a change-of-speeds 40 yard return for a score to make it 34-7.
Quarterback/defensive back Isaac Oswald quickly added a pick-six of 35 yards, and WACO’s four-touchdown run in 3:34 was complete.
WACO led 42-7 at halftime and added 10 points in the third quarter.
Watts caught eight passes for 129 yards for Montezuma and Shearer grabbed 11 for 70 yards.
Linebacker Colton Leichty was a menace to the Braves’ offense with his range and penetration.
The Braves had enough trouble trying to penetrate the Warrior’s defensive line.
Montezuma netted just four yards on 18 rushing attempts. Cook actually gained 51 when he spotted gaps in WACO’s coverage and took off running, but lost the yards back on coverage sacks by the defense.
The Braves made a late-game drive, but Cook’s attempt at a field goal from 32 yards out hit the left upright and bounced away.
There will be another game, but for the Braves, it won’t be until next season.
WACO moves on the semi-finals on Wednesday in the UNI-Dome.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
Montezuma 7 0 0 0 – 7
WACO 14 28 10 0 – 52
Braves passing – Owen Cook was 23-42 for 217 yards, one toudhdown, one interception. Garrett Watts was 0-1 with one interception.
Rushing – Owen Cook 10-8, Brett Plants 7-0, Broox Stockman 1-(-4).
Receiving – Garrett Watts 8-129, one touchdown; Masin Shearer 11-70, Cruz De Jong 1-7, Brett Plants 2-7, Broox Stockman 1-4.
Tackles – Brady Ogan 8.0 with 1.0 for loss; Brett Plants 3.5, Kennen Roadcap 3.5 (0.5); Tod Geiger 3.0, Brady Boulton 3.0, Carter Michalek 2.5 (0.5); David Rose 1.6, Landon Morrison 1.0, Luke Erselius 1.0, Lars Taylor 1.0 (1.0); Briar Simpson 0.5.
Kickoff return – Brady Boulton 1-8.
Kicking – Owen Cook 2 kickoffs, 2 touchbacks, 100 yards. Field goals: Cook 0-2. PATs – Cook 1-1.
Punts – Owen Cook 6-188, (31.3 avg.)
WACO leaders
Passing – Isaac Oswald 3-7, 37 yards, one touchdown.
Rushing – Simeon Reichenbach, 13-264, 4 touchdowns.
Receiving – Ty Egli, 2-33.
Tackles – Colton Leichty, 8.5, with 4.0 tackles for loss and 3.0 sacks.
