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Wildcats Thrash Festus in Season Opener

By Jake Schroeder
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Updated: 09/03/2015

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The Varsity Football Wildcats made the journey to Jefferson County to face off against the Festus Tigers in a much anticipated opener to the 2015 season.
The Cats started off with bang, scoring on their first drive. Fan favorite Junior Running Back, Steve Webb, ran in a red zone hand off to get the Cats a quick lead. The cheers were short lived, though, as a Festus player received a serious injury following the drive. The injury required an ambulance to drive onto the track to remove the player. On the Wildcat’s first defensive drive, Senior Mason Davitt came up with a key sack that set the tone for the rest of the night. The Tigers would have to battle for every yard. After a fumble on their next possession, the offense fixed their mistakes and scored on the next drive. Dylan Conway, Junior, found a gap and ran in for a 65 yard touchdown. A botched extra point ended the scoring there, and the quarter ended with the Wildcats up 13-0.

The second quarter was uneventful for the Cats offensively, but the defense continued to play strong. Late in the quarter, a Festus drive that seemed certain for a touchdown was cut short by a timely interception by Drew Melaragno, Senior. On the ensuing possession, Senior Quarterback Evan Johnson threw a gem of a pass to find Logan Sells, junior, to increase the lead to 20-0. After another flawless 4th and out by the defense, Johnson found Senior Zach Hughes for a long touchdown pass.

After a long halftime show from the Festus marching band, the Cats continued to dominate the game defensively, forcing a Festus turnover on downs immediately. For the beginning of the quarter, the WCA offense was mostly kept quiet, allowing the defense to continue to control the game. With key tackles, a red zone interception, and a blocked FG, the defense worked hard to keep the game at a resounding 27-0 at the end of the third.

The fourth quarter was simply a repeat of the previous three: tenacious defense and a commanding offense. Back and forth play continued, but the Tigers remained scoreless until the 3 minute mark, where a long drive ended in seven consolation points. When the final whistle blew, the score was a resounding 27-7 in favor of the Wildcats.