WINSIDE – With three weeks left on the regular season schedule, the Winside football team welcomed in a fellow Class D2 northeast Nebraska eight-man football opponent.
From the Winside football field, the Thursday night showdown highlighted the ground game with wet field conditions.
Winside built a 30-point halftime lead and used the running clock in the second half to win 46-8. The Wildcats are now 4-2 on the season while Randolph fell to 0-6.
Both teams traded opening drive scores as Winside’s senior running back Gabe Escalate raced off for a 60-yard score just over a minute into the game while junior quarterback Isaiah Salmon answered on a two-yard score with 7:42 left in the opening quarter. Senior running back Collyn Beal set up the Cardinal scoring drive with a nice run and also accounted for the lone two-point conversion to tie the game up at 8-8.
Winside then scored four more times in the first half as Randolph was forced to punt four straight possessions.
Gabe Escalante then ran in from 58-yards (7:29 left in first quarter) and 49-yards (4:34 left in first quarter). Senior Maddox Magwire opened the second quarter with a one-yard touchdown four seconds into the quarter while Gabe Escalante ended the half as time expired on a two-yard run.
Randolph’s senior Jacob Calder recovered a fumble while senior Art Escalate posted a first half interception for Winside.
At the half, Winside led Randolph, 38-8.
Winside then began the second half by forcing an opening punt from Randolph in which Gabe Escalante took the 45-yard return to the house with 10:43 to play in the third quarter. Art Escalante was five for six in two-point conversions as the running clock then moved the second half along quickly.
Both teams also had issues with the snap as the grass caused a handful of fumbles.
Final favored Winside over Randolph, 46-8.
1st 2nd Half 3rd 4th Final:
8 0 8 0 0 8 – Randolph
24 14 38 8 0 46 – Winside
Winside will next visit Wausa on Friday, October 8 while Randolph will play at Homer also next Friday.
Thursday area football schedule:
Wakefield 54, Elkhorn Valley 20
Friday area football schedule:
@ Wynot: Allen VS Wynot
@ Homer: Emerson-Hubbard VS Homer
@ Wisner-Pilger: Guardian Angels Central Catholic VS Wisner-Pilger
@ Crofton: Hartington Cedar Catholic VS Crofton
@ Hartington-Newcastle: Lutheran High Northeast VS Hartington-Newcastle
@ Plainview: Laurel-Concord-Coleridge VS Plainview – Big Red Country ‘KTCH’ 104.9 and waynedailynews.com
@ Wayne: Norfolk Catholic VS Wayne – The City ‘KCTY’ 98.9/1590 and waynedailynews.com
@ Norfolk: Omaha Bryan VS Norfolk
@ Pender: Walthill VS Pender
@ Pierce: O’Neill VS Pierce
@ BRLD: Ponca VS BRLD
@ West Point-Beemer: Columbus Lakeview VS West Point-Beemer
