The Springlake-Earth Wolverines’ varsity football team fell on the road to the Wellman-Union Wildcats, 4622, on Friday night.
With the loss, the Wolverines fall to 2-4 overall on the year.
The Wolverines received to begin the contest, as Kaylob Frietze covered the onside kick at their own 28-yard line.
After an incomplete pass on first down, Levi Hill took a carry up the middle, and the Wildcats were flagged for a facemask penalty, moving the ball across midfield to the Wellman-Union 37yard line, moving the chains for the Wolverines.
Josiah Castillo would hit Ethan Mosqueda for a short gain on first down, but the drive would stall out at the Wildcat’s 33-yard line. Faced with fourth and long, the Wolverines elected to go for it, as Castillo hit Hill with a pass over the middle, as he churned ahead for the first down, moving the ball down to the 19-yard line.
Two plays later, Castillo would connected with Frietze for a 14-yard touchdown pass with 7:54 to play in the opening quarter. The kick from Jacob Alvarez was good, making the score, 8--
0.
Wellman-Union would return the onside kick from Isaac Harrison for a short gain, as their offense took over at the Springlake-Earth 39-yard line. Gabriel Quintanilla carried the ball on first down, but was stopped for a one-yard loss by Castillo. However, on the next play, Quintanilla’s pass connected with Noah Rodriguez over the middle for 13 yards, making it third and three from the Wolverine 27-yard line.
Fabian Chavez would carry the ball around the right side on third down to move the chains for the Wildcats, and two plays later, Quintanilla broke loose up the middle for a 22-yard touchdown run with 5:51 to play in the first quarter. The kick from Braxton Dill was no good, leaving the Wolverines in front, 8-6.
The Wolverines took over at the Wellman-Union 37yard line after the onside kick try was fielded by Castillo, and on first down, Hill took a carry to the right sprinting down the sideline for a 37yard touchdown run. The kick from Alvarez was off the mark, leaving the score, 14-6, with 5:37 remaining in the quarter.
Both teams would turn the ball over on downs during their next possessions, but with 1:34 to play in the first quarter, the Wildcats took over on offense, needing just three plays to find paydirt, as Quintanilla connected with Dill for a 20-yard touchdown pass. The kick was no good, leaving the score, 1412, going into quarter number two.
The Wolverines opened the second frame with second and long from their own 30. They were able to take it across midfield, burning nearly six minutes off the clock, before a dump pass to Alvarez was stopped short of the sticks for a turnover on downs with 6:46 to play in the half.
The Wildcats took over at their own 20-yard line and wasted no time finding the endzone, as Edgar Macias, on second down, found Dill on the left side with a pass, as he spun out of a wouldbe tackle and raced down the sideline for the 50-yard touchdown. The kick from Quintanilla was good, making the score, 20-14, with 5:58 to play in the half.
The Wolverines would not go down without a fight, as Castillo fielded the onside kick and weaved his way through the defense for a kick-off return touchdown with 5:48 to play in the half. This time, the kick from Alvarez was good, putting the Wolverines back in front, 22-20.
After a turnover on downs from each team, the Wildcats took over with 2:11 remaining in the half.
A fumbled pitch on first down was covered by Quintanilla for an eight-yard loss, but on the next play, Quintanilla kept it himself taking it up the middle before cutting it out to the left side for a huge gain. The Wolverines took a time out with 1:19 to play in the half, and out of the break, Macias took the snap rolling out to his right, he connected with Quintanilla for the three-yard touchdown pass. The kick was no good, leaving the score, 26-22, going into the locker room at halftime.
Both teams’ offenses got off to a slow start in the second half, turning the ball over on downs on each of their first possessions of the third quarter. However, the Wildcats would regain possession with 4:10 to play in the third, deep in Wolverine territory. They needed just two plays to find the endzone, as Quintanilla capped off the drive with a one-yard touchdown run. The kick was good, putting Wellman-Union in front, 34-22.
The Wildcats would take advantage of a Springlake-Earth turnover on their next possession, as Quintanilla took a toss around the left side for a 33-yard touchdown run with 1:39 remaining in the third quarter. The kick was no good, leaving the score, 40-22, going into the final quarter of play.
In the fourth quarter, Wellman-Union would tack on one more score, on a 19yard run from Quintanilla with 4:41 to play in the game, as the Wolverines went on to drop the contest, 46-22.