O’NEILL – A district game in years past, saw week two action between the Wayne High and O’Neill football squads.
From O’Neill, the Eagles played host to WHS where the Blue Devils found themselves up 10-0 in the opening half before giving up a touchdown and two-point conversion right before half. Wayne outscored O’Neill 24-6 in the second half to win 34-14 and improve to 1-1 on the season as the Eagles fell to 0-2.
In the opening quarter Wayne took the ball down the field near the goal line, but fumbled twice. It was the Blue Devil defense first to put points on the board following a safety with 4:25 left in the opening quarter.
In the second quarter the offense followed suit as junior running back Casey Koenig ran in from five yards out with under 10 minutes to play in the half. Junior running back Blake Bartos ran in the two-point conversion to put WHS out front 10-0.
O’Neill wouldn’t give up and put together a near four-minute drive capped off by a touchdown through the air and two-point conversion with :21 seconds remaining in the quarter. Score at the half found Wayne leading 10-8.
Following a punt from both O’Neill and Wayne, the Blue Devils would score on their next three possessions.
Senior quarterback Tyler Gilliland found junior Shea Sweetland on a jump ball at the end zone from 14-yards out (two-point conversion) as Bartos recorded back-to-back rushing touchdowns from five-yards and two-yards (two-point conversion on both) to lead 34-8.
O’Neill did manage to score once more through the air (PAT blocked) as Wayne held on for the 34-14 victory.
1st 2nd Half 3rd 4th Final
2 8 10 8 16 34 – Wayne
0 8 8 0 6 14 – O’Neill
Wayne High will next host Arlington during Parent’s Night at 7 p.m. as O’Neill will visit Central City with both games slated for Friday, September 7.
Friday area scores:
Pierce defeats Arlington, 51-8
Oakland-Craig defeats Hartington Cedar Catholic, 38-20
Hartington-Newcastle defeats Niobrara/Verdigre, 57-6
BRLD defeats Ponca, 30-20
Wisner-Pilger defeats East Butler, 42-12
