High school football season started with many big games and excitement this past Friday and on 92.1 KMZA it was a Twin Valley League showdown, between the Washington County Tigers and Onaga Buffaloes.
Last year's meeting was decided by two points 14-12, in favor of the Tigers, with big plays and Buffalo mistakes playing a big factor in the game.
Both teams replacing some players, but returning a solid core, as well. After an early mistake by the Tigers with a punt shooting over the Tigers punter's head and an Onaga recovery the Buffaloes set up on offense right outside of their own 20-yard line, behind some runs by sophomore, Michael Bliss (33 rush yards TD) who punched it in with a two-yard touchdown. Sophomore, Wyatt Cordell then added the two-point conversion for a early 8-0 lead for Onaga.
Washington County would answer that touchdown with their own; matter of fact scoring the next two scores. After an interception throw by Onaga quarterback, Mitchell Kufahl (2-10 27 yards passing TD; 62 rush yards TD) the Tigers set themselves by in Buffalo territory. Sophomore, Wyatt Durst (48 yards rushing 2 TD's) scampered in for a 19-yard touchdown, after coming up with the interception on Kufahl. Next offense series the Tigers would score agian behind Durst with a four-yard touchdown run.
Driving with halftime approaching Onaga looked to regain the lead before the half. The Buffaloes moved the ball but got hit with a few pentalies with just seconds left in the half, senior quarterback, Kufahl dropped back to pass and hit his senior tight end, Thomas Eisenbarth for a 25-yard touchdown pass; Eisenbarth added the PAT giving the Buffaloes a 15-12 lead at the half.
Coming out of the half the Buffaloes were hit with some bad news as tailback, Bliss would be able to return suffering an ankle injury. But both teams offenses would go stagnet in the early going of the second half, until another error in special teams by the Tigers, when their quarterback and returner, Andrew Tiemeyer muffed a punt and the Buffaloes captured the live ball setting up another short field for their offense. Onaga would capitalize upon the mistakes and added another score with a nine-yard Kufahl touchdown run, giving Onaga the 21-12 lead.
Washington County wouldn't give in pushing back with a touchdown drive as Tiemeyer started to scamper around the field for the Tigers, ultimately leading to a four-yard touchdown run. That's when the mistakes started to happen with for the Buffaloes, as they tried to run the ball to use clock a costly fumble happened and then on the next play it was a 32-yard run by Tiemeyer for a touchdown and the 25-21.
Now down with under two minutes left in the game the Buffaloes took to the air with Kufahl, but it was hard task and ultimately resulted in another interception by Onaga giving Washington County the ball back and after a few plays the final nail in the coffin would be a 65-yard burst by Tiemeyer for a touchdown.
Tiemeyer for the Tigers finished the game with 123 yards rushing and three TD's and 78 yards passing, earning the Community National Bank of Seneca and Sabetha "Player to Bank On" award.
Washington County starts the season with the comeback win and improves 1-0, while Onaga falls to 0-1 to start the season.
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