Above: Warriors running back Draven Keeler shakes off a defender trying to turn him down the field during Friday night’s non-district football game at North Union High School.
ARMSTRONG, Iowa – The North Union Warriors faced the Sibley Ocheidan Generals in a non-district football game Friday night, ultimately ending their season with a 51-7 loss.
“It’s a really tough way to end a year,” North Union football head coach Matt Arnster said. “I was really happy with the way we played the last two weeks. I give (Sibley Ocheidan) a lot of credit, they played really well tonight. They’re a good team. This year it’s just that. I think it’s been one of those weird years. We’ve had a little bit of an injury bug at times. We’ve had some ups and downs and found our groove. I’m just trying.
“One thing about this team is there was no division. There was no lack of effort, no lack of work. They showed up every day and were always trying to find a way to make things better. I’m always grateful for that. I try to stay as tense as possible and solve the problems I had.”
Once the first quarter began, the Generals established their run game and were able to play effectively against the Warriors’ defense, whether it was the quarterback or the running backs. Quarterback Cain Julius broke free on a 28-yard run and Dominick Marko added a run to take the lead with 6:27 left in the first quarter. The Warriors went on offense and were able to find the end zone for their first and only score of the night thanks to a 21-yard rush by Draven Keeler, tying the score at 7-7 to end the quarter.
Two minutes into the second quarter, the Generals’ Dawson Crakes made a 45-yard catch for a touchdown. The Warriors tried to take advantage of the game, but quarterback Grayson Colegrove was picked off by Julius, giving the ball back to the Generals. This marked Marco’s touchdown reception, making the score 21-14.
The Generals continued to score with Crakes’ third touchdown, followed by Marco’s rushing touchdown to make the score 35-7. The fourth quarter was much the same, this time they took the lead with a 35-yard field goal. On the next drive, the Generals had an interception, the Warriors went back on defense, and Marco broke away with a 90-yard reception for Hunter Kaufman’s 5-yard rushing touchdown. With 3:21 left, the Generals recovered an onside kick and connected with Kaufman again to secure the victory for the final score of the night.
