Jays finally best Fairmont

After losing four straight games to Fairmont including last year’s section final, the Waseca High School football team finally tasted revenge, coming from behind in the second half to win 32-14 at Waseca Friday, Sept, 23. 

Things started slowly for both squads, with neither team scoring in the first quarter.

On their second possession of the game, the Bluejays methodically drove 10 plays, and 59 yards before senior Oliver O’Brien rolled out wide right, sneaking the ball inside the pylon from 3 yards. O’Brien was stuffed on the two-point try at the 1-yard line. 

The Cardinals immediately answered, driving 65 yards on nine plays, converting two key third-down plays before Blaze Geiger floated a touchdown pass to the front right pylon from 17 yards away, which Levi Pooley hauled in over the Bluejay defender. The point after kick was good, putting the Cardinals ahead 7-6.

Both teams traded possessions the rest of the half, punting twice. 

During halftime the Waseca Marching Band performed, “Outside the Lines,” and was well received. 

In their opening second-half drive, the Cardinals quickly gave the ball back to the Bluejays after several incomplete passes, broken up by both Neaves and Russell.

On the next drive the Jays needed only two plays to go 92 yards. On play number one Kyle Ausclauger broke off a big chunk before Christian Rodriguez went 38 yards on run number two.

The tough Bluejays defense put more pressure on the Cardinals, who went three and out and failed to answer.

Rodriguez, after a nine play drive, ran through a wide-open hole up the middle from 14-yards away to pad the Jays’ lead. After a two-point conversion run by Rodriguez, Waseca led 20-7. 

With misting rain and cold wind, Fairmont went to work trying to get back into it, using only three plays to go 79-yards, scoring on a long sweep right by Landen Meyerdirk. With the point after the Jays still led 20-14. 

The game wouldn’t get any closer.

Rodriguez carried the offense and the Jays to two more scores, this time from 24 yards away and again from 5 yards out. Between possessions and touchdown drives, O’Brien intercepted the Cardinal quarterback. 

Defensively, Neaves led the Bluejays in tackles with six solo and 5 assists.

Rodriguez finished with 188 yards rushing on 21 carries while O’Brien ran 16 times for 63 yards.

As a team, Waseca ran the ball 48 times for 378 while holding the Cardinals to 145 yards of total offense.

“Everyone contributed tonight,” Waseca coach Brad Wendland said after the game. “I’m proud and excited. You can see how a player-led team plays and the seniors show that.”

Wendland said the boys had a good week of practice.

“All that helps you grow,” he said. “We’ll see them (Fairmont) again. We know that and they know that. In the meantime, we have homecoming week to be excited for.”

This week the Bluejays host Jordan at 7 p.m. 

 

Waseca 32, Fairmont 14

FMT                       0    7      0       7 — 14

WAS                       0    6     14    12 — 32

 

First Quarter

No scoring

Second Quarter

WAS – O’Brien 3 run (run failed)

FMT – Teveldal 18 pass from Geiger (Burmeister kick)

Third Quarter

WAS – Rodriguez 38 run (run failed)

WAS – Rodriguez 14 run (Rodriguez run)

Fourth Quarter

FMT – Meyerdirk 8 run (Burmeister kick)

WAS – Rodriguez 24 run (kick failed)

WAS – Rodriguez 5 run (kick failed)

 

                                             FMT      WAS

First downs                              6          15

Rushing                             30-118   48-378

Passing                                 2-12      2-6

Passing Yds.                           27         9

Total offense                         145        387

Penalties                                1-5      2-20

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

Rushing – WAS: Rodriguez 21-188; Ahlschlager 11-27; O’Brien 16-63; FMT: Meyerdirk 12-51; E. Johnson 7-37; Schmidtke 4-21; J. Johnson 2-5; Geiger 5-4

Passing – WAS: O’Brien 2-6, 9; FMT: Geiger 1-10, 3; Schmidtke 1-2, 18

Receiving – WAS: Ahlschlager 1-5; Da. Russell 1-4; FMT: Pooley 2-27

Defense – WAS: Neaves 5 tackles, 6 assists; Ahlschlager 3 tackles, 2 assist; Thompson 3 tackles, 2 assists; Robran 3 tackles, 2 assists; Dam. Russell 2 tackles, 1 assist;

O’Brien 1 tackle, 2 assists, 1 interception; Ohnstad 2 tackles; N. Engel-Mueller 2 assists; S. Engel-Mueller 3 tackles, 1 assist; Rodriguez 1 tackle, 1 assist; Droog 1 tackle; Stenzel 1 tackle; De. Russell 1 assist; Rupe 1 assist; Allen-Haas 1 assist