A third home outing was played Friday night for Wayne High football beginning district competition.
From Bob Cunningham Field on the campus of Wayne State College, WHS welcomed O’Neill for a Class C1 showdown.
Despite having two onside recoveries, the Wayne High football team was unable to come back from a four-score deficit. O’Neill picked up the 41-21 win to start their season at 5-0 as the Blue Devils fell to 1-4.
Scoring opened less than a minute into the game for O’Neill thanks to a 63-yard rushing touchdown by senior Brady Eichelberger. The Eagles led 7-0 with 11:08 remaining in the first quarter.
Following an interception, Wayne High would answer running off about six minutes when junior Jace Jorgensen rushed in on a four-yard direct snap. The game was tied at 7-7 with 3:36 left in the opening quarter.
After O’Neill recovered a muffed punt return attempt, the Eagles then scored on four straight possessions.
Junior quarterback Turner Heiss got thing going on a 19-yard pass to senior tight end Pryor Matthews with nine seconds left in the first quarter to go up 21-7. In the second quarter, Heiss ran in from seven yards (10:19 remaining) and also dove across the goal line on a one-yard score (2:02 left).
Wayne was forced to punt three straight possessions in the second quarter.
Halftime favored O’Neill 28-7.
Following a Blue Devil turnover on downs at their own 30, O’Neill’s Heiss connected with senior wide receiver Weston Kohl from 34 yards out. The Eagles led at-most 35-7 with 8:45 remaining in the third quarter.
Wayne would begin to chip away at the deficit. First it was senior quarter Kaden Keller finding senior wide receiver Alex Rodriguez on a 25-yard strike in the back of the end zone. Wayne trailed 35-14 with 3:58 left in the third.
Wayne turned the ball over on downs towards the end of the third quarter with O’Neill giving it back on a turnover on downs at the Blue Devil 10 leading 35-14.
The Blue Devils marched down the field and used a second passing touchdown from Keller this time tipped into the hands of Rodriguez with 3:31 remaining in the game. Following a third Rodriguez extra point, O’Neill remained ahead 35-21.
After recovering a second onside, Wayne was unable to capitalize after a strip sack fumble for O’Neill. The Eagles would then use a final rushing score from junior fullback Grady Welke with less than 90 seconds remaining in the game.
Final favored O’Neill winning 41-21.
The onside attempts occurred late in the third and fourth quarters for Wayne off the kick from Rodriguez.
Keller went 15-29 for 164 yards with two passing touchdowns while also running five times for four yards.
Will Leseberg led the rushing attack with 27 yards on eight attempts, Cohen Olson followed with six carries for 24 yards as Taven Ocampo added six rushes for 20 yards.
Rodriguez hauled in 11 catches for 135 yards and two scores while also running the ball four times for 13 yards. Calvin Ankeny had two receptions for 25 yards. Jorgensen added one catch for five yards and three rushes for five yards.
The Blue Devil defense was led by Ankeny with eight tackles (four solo) as Waylon Huff added six tackles (three solo). Rodriguez recorded four tackles (three solo) and an interception as Irvin Trujillo had a sack among three tackles (two solo).
Wayne ran 68 plays for 256 total yards (164 passing/92 rushing) while O’Neill finished with 272 yards on 42 plays (72 passing/200 rushing). The Blue Devils were 6-14 on third down and 1-4 on fourth down as O’Neill went 0-3 on third down and 1-2 on fourth down.
The Wayne High football team will next travel to Columbus Lakeview on Friday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m.
