Broncos improve to 2-0 on young season

    The Wauneta-Palisade football team had an early scare in  its Friday game at South Platte, but once the Broncos got their feet under them they were unstoppable.
    South Platte scored two quick touchdowns that left WP trailing 0-12.
    “We had a couple of defensive breakdowns and got down early, but we were very proud of the way the boys responded to adversity.  Strong leadership and trust helped us climb out of that 12-0 whole we dug for ourselves,” WP Co-Head Coach Jospeh Frecks said.
    The Broncos went to work on the ground to put points on the board. Kyle Jutten capped a four-play drive with a three-yard touchdown run.
    WP got a quick defensive stop, then a quick offensive touchdown in the second quarter. Jacksen Littrel snagged a 16-yard pass from Derik Kennicutt to give WP its first lead, 14-12.
    Points continued to come quickly thanks to an assertive performance by the Broncos’ defense. Grayden Sutherland scored his first touchdown of the game on a 23-yard interception return, then found the end zone again on a 35-yard reception from Kennicutt.
    A late first half touchdown by South Platte cut WP’s lead to 28-18 at halftime, but the Broncos put the Knights to bed in the third quarter.
    Littrel duplicated Sutherland’s second quarter exploits in reverse, scoring on a 54-yard run, then returning an interception 65 yards for a touchdown.
    Jutten led WP in rushing with 91 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown run in the third quarter.
    Both teams found the end zone often in the fourth quarter. South Platte scored 14 points in the fourth quarter, while WP’s three-headed monster of Littrel, Jutten and Sutherland tacked on points for the Broncos to wrap up the 66-32 win.
    Both teams racked up massive yards on the ground. WP totaled 295 yards rushing and South Platte totaled 367.
    Sutherland, Littrel and Blake Nickerson combined for eight tackles for loss.
Up next
    Undefeated Sioux County comes to Wauneta for an afternoon game Friday.
    The Warriors opened the season with a 78-0 win over Creek Valley and a 62-12 victory at Banner County.
    This week’s game is a rematch of the 2012 Six-Man State Championship game that WP won 26-16.
    Frecks said Sioux County is a very well coached team.  
    “We will have to focus on discipline and great tackling to shut down their option offense,” he said.
    Kickoff is set for 3 p.m.
    District competition will begin next week at Southwest.