The score of Friday’s 31-14 home defeat to St. Dominic didn’t do the Warrenton football team any justice.
The Warriors trailed by just three points late in the third quarter before a couple of St. Dominic scores blew the game open.
Warrenton Coach Jason Koper lauded his team for the effort.
“Our execution was probably our best on both the offensive and defensive sides of the ball so far this season,” Koper said. “They got the last couple of scores, but that third quarter was probably the best quarter of football we’ve played. We played fast, we played aggressive and we controlled the clock. There are a lot of positives to build off of tonight.”
In the third quarter, Warrenton tallied the only score of the period.
With 6:49 left in the quarter, Eli Schneider converted a 3-yard run to make it 17-14 after the PAT.
“A game like this won’t define us, but it will show who we are,” said Schneider of the team’s start despite the injuries piling up. “This will shape us into the team we can be and the team we will be.”
In the first half, the visiting Crusaders took a 17-7 lead.
St. Dominic (2-1) got both of its touchdowns on runs from Dominik Palo on carries of five and 20 yards.
Warrenton’s first-half score came on a 20-yard pass from Mason Sanders to Jordan Lopez to tie the score at seven with 9:31 to go in the half. It came on the drive after the Crusaders took the initial lead.
“We’re doing this so far with nine starting varsity guys out,” Sanders said. “A lot of teams wouldn’t (be 2-1) after that. There’s a great group of guys here battling for each other.”
St. Dominic answered back, and the final points of the half came on a 25-yard field goal by Justin Kraner as time expired.
Warrenton was quick to answer in the second half, though, with the score.
The Schneider score was as close as the Warriors would get, though, as St. Dominic quarterback Tanner Hirtz scored on a 2-yard run to push the lead to 24-14 with 4:30 left in the game. A third touchdown from Palo in the final minute ended the scoring.
Next week, Warrenton will host St. Charles West at 7 p.m. on Friday.
