Wildcats lose Marawood opener

Edgar falls to No. 2 ranked Colby team

If Edgar head coach Jerry Sinz ever gets tired of coaching, he might have a career gambler.

Not that this is likely, after nearly 50 years at the helm of the Edgar Wildcats football program. But Sinz and his ‘Cats certainly rolled the dice during their Marawood Conference opener with the Colby Hornets last week.

Both teams came into the contest highly regarded in the state in their respective divisions with Edgar ranked first in D-7, and Colby second in D-6. But it would be the hometown Hornets who prevailed in a game for the ages as both teams turned in momentum swinging plays in the ‘Cats 29-14 loss to the Hornets.

“We just have to finish,” Edgar senior Jordan Bunkelman said. “Simple as that, we gotta play all four quarters. Fourth quarter we were up 8-7 with eleven minutes left to play. We just gotta work on finishing the game out, and everyone has to battle.”

That Edgar had a lead was a testament to the team’s grit, determination and ability. For while the Wildcats might have had their way with Lakeland and Iola-Scandinavia, Colby is a different beast altogether.

The Hornets showed that in their first offensive series, taking the opening kickoff and then marching downfi eld at will as Colby’s Caden Healy drew first blood, scoring on a 14-yard scamper with just under eight minutes to play in the first half.

The Hornets’s defense proved to be just as stout as its run game, and Colby stymied the ‘Cats time and time again through the first half.

But after that initial 70-yard scoring drive, Edgar slowed down and let the game come to them, meeting Colby tailbacks in the gaps and at the line of scrimmage. Peyton Dahlke picked off Colby QB Brent Jeske in the second quarter, and Edgar hold Colby scoreless for the remainder of the first half.

“We keyed our keys,” Bunkelman said. “Guys were antsy and we just got back into the things, settled down, and shut them down from there.”

It remained a one score game deep into the second half. Colby got its yards, but the ‘Cats defense kept the Hornets out of the endzone. A missed field goal from 30 yards out by Colby’s Tucker Brost kept it a 7-0 game.

Edgar finally found life late in the third quarter. The Wildcats were facing a third and long deep in their own territory. Mattison Butt handed the ball off to Karter Butt, who bounced off one Colby tackler, kept his balance, and busted off the longest play of the game, sprinting 65 yards to the Colby 23-yard line before being stopped.

Edgar inched closer to the endzone thanks to several Colby penalties, but the drive almost ended in disaster when Karter Butt was stopped at the line of scrimmage. A lateral pass from Karter to Mattison resulted in more lost yards.

An incomplete pass followed, and brought up fourth and 14 on Colby’s 14yard line. That’s when Sinz gambled, trusting his players to make plays.

They did not disapppoint.

Mattison Butt stood in the pocket, took a big hit from Colby’s Brent and Andrew Jeske, but delivered the ball perfectly to Everet Brehm in the corner of the endzone for six. The ‘Cats rolled the dice once more, going for two and the lead.

Mattison found Ashton Schuett across the middle to give Edgar a 8-7 lead with eleven minutes to go. But from there, Colby came up with the goods, scoring on their next three drives as Colby’s Brent Jeske broke the hearts and tackles of Edgar defenders for a fourth quarter touchdown.

Caden Healy added another TD from 45-yards out, followed by another Jeske TD from 28-yards, and in the blink of an eye, Edgar trailed 29-8.

But the ‘Cats refused to give up, and on the final play of the game, Karter Butt scored from 32-yards out to make it 29-14. It was a tough pill to swallow, given how well Edgar played for much of the game, but Bunkelman and his teammates vowed to learn and grow.

“We’re going to learn a lot from this and use this to make us better,” Bunkelman said. “We’re going to practice harder, lift weights more and study film better. Everyone’s got to be there on the same page.”

STOP HIM IN HIS TRACKS- Edgar’s Brady Stencil (53) and Ayden Weisenberger (22) wrap up Colby’s Mason Voss for a short gain. The ‘Cats held firm for three quarters, but could not stop Colby in the fourth, dropping their Marawood opener 29-14.STAFF PHOTO/ROSS PATTERMANN