Waseca quarterback Oliver O’Brien ran for 134 yards and a touchdown while also passing for two more TDs Friday night, leading the Bluejays to a 49-6 triumph over the Worthington Trojans at Trojan Field.
Mason DeKruif also rushed for a pair of touchdowns for Waseca, which improved to 6-1 on the season. The lone Bluejay loss this season came at the hands of unbeaten Fairmont.
Waseca scored the game’s first 35 points before Trojan QB Jake Brandner got WHS on the board in the third quarter. Brander broke multiple tackles at first, then broke free and sprinted to the end zone for a 62-yard TD run.
Brandner was the leading WHS rusher on the night, carrying seven times for 85 yards total. Jacari Swinea contributed 40 yards on the ground on 10 carries for WHS.
In the passing department, Brandner completed just 3-of-12 passes for 11 yards while also throwing two interceptions. Swinea caught two of Brandner’s completions; Marenono Opiew had the other WHS reception.
For the game, Waceca accumulated 343 yards of total offense and the Trojans 120. For the WHS defense, Nasim Zeidi led the way with 12 total tackles (seven solo, five assisted). Teyel Lowe and Opiew each had five total tackles, and Brandner added an interception.
The Trojans, now 0-7 on the season, travel to New Ulm, which is 1-6, for their regular season finale on Wednesday night. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
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In other area high school football action Friday night, it was:
Hills-Beaver Creek 24, Red Rock Central 6
Heron Lake-Okabena-Fulda 52, Westbrook-Walnut Grove 14
Mountain Lake Area 68, Madelia 12
Adrian 34, New Ulm Cathedral 20
Tracy-Milroy-Balaton 55, Sleepy Eye 13
Murray County Central 30, Minnesota Valley Lutheran 6
Lake Crystal-Wellcome Memorial 37, Windom Area 14
Pipestone Area 32, Jackson County Central 14
Fairmont 28, Luverne 18
Jordan 27, Marshall 14
Unity Christian 28, Sheldon 0
Boyden-Hull/Rock Valley 41, MOC-Floyd Valley 7
Central Lyon/George-Little Rock 45, Okoboji 14
West Lyon 50, Cherokee 0
Ridge View 24, Sibley-Ocheyedan 6
Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn 50, Akron-Westfield 13
Harris-Lake Park 35, North Iowa 8
Spirit Lake 21, Southeast Valley 14
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Willard Holm’s two-point pass from 3 yards out to Bailey Cowell won it in the third overtime as Minnesota West outlasted Minnesota State Fergus Falls, 35-33, in a wild and wacky Saturday afternoon clash on the Trojan Field gridiron.
With the Bluejays and Spartans knotted at 27 at the end of regulation, overtime began with Minnesota West getting the ball at Fergus Falls 25. Mike Peralta ultimately had a 26-year field goal attempt blocked, and the Spartans had their turn from the 25. Carsen McKnight would later miss a 36-yard field goal wide right, and the teams played on.
In the second OT, Fergus Falls’ Rondarius Gregory scored his fourth touchdown of the afternoon from a yard out to make it 33-27. Teams are required to go for two-point conversions, and the Spartans could not convert. The Jays then answered on a 25-yard pass from Holm to Ian Stamer, but also missed the two-point try to result in a third OT.
The third OT began with Minnesota West getting the ball on the Fergus Falls 3 for one play, and Holm immediately connected with Cowell for two points. The Spartans failed on their one shot from the 3, ending the game.
The Jays won despite managing just 197 yards in total offense compared to 519 for Fergus Falls. Gregory alone had 306 yards in total offense, 226 of them coming on the ground. Spartan QB Nate Hayden passed for 281 yards.
For Minnesota West, Holm passed for 153 yards and two TDs, both to Stamer. Rashard Anderson was the leading rusher, gaining 56 yards and adding a TD. La Rontay Standard returned a Fergus Falls fumble for a West defensive touchdown, and DuVaughn Williams also recovered a fumble in the end zone for another Bluejays’ score. Kendrick Gordon had a team best nine total tackles, as well as an interception and forced fumble. Kent Lais added eight total tackles, as well as an interception and forced fumble.
Minnesota West is now 3-5 on the year and has completed its regular season schedule. The Bluejays will be the sixth seed in the MCAC playoffs and will play at Rochester on Sunday, with the winner to advance to the semifinals on Oct. 31.
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The Minnesota West volleyball team had a tough road trip this past weekend, falling 3-1 to Western Tech on Friday and 3-0 to Rochester on Saturday.
Game scores in the Western Tech match were 25-22, 15-25, 25-22, 28-26. Leading the Lady Jays was Kennedy Buckneberg, who 11 kills and 25 digs, and Emily Dunlop and Mallory Thorson, who each had 12 kills and five blocks. Coralis Ramos added eight kills, and Emma Keith had 29 set assists and was 21-of-22 serving. Grace Suttle chipped in with 17 digs, and Taya Mason had 12 set assists and 12 digs.
Game scores Saturday against Rochester were 25-14, 25-12 and 25-13. Buckneberg had six kills and was nine-of-nine serving. Dunlop had four kills, Mason had six set assists and six digs, and Julia Russel had eight digs.
The Lady Jays are scheduled for a match at the Gustavus Adolphus JV on Wednesday, and will then return home for a match against Ridgewater on Friday.
