Entering last Friday’s meeting against Winfield, Coach Matt Brooks wasn’t sure what to expect. He knew the Warriors’ defense was vulnerable, while their offense was very capable of moving the …
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Wright City Defense Rises to Challenge
Posted
By Derrick Forsythe, Record Sports Editor
Entering last Friday’s meeting against Winfield, Coach Matt Brooks wasn’t sure what to expect.He knew the Warriors’ defense was vulnerable, while their offense was very capable of moving the ball. It made for a difficult read of how many points Wright City would need to escape triumphant.“I felt like if we could limit them on offense and get a couple scores, we should be fine,” said Brooks.He never imagined one touchdown would suffice against the same team who had scored 30 points a week earlier at Warrenton.In fact, Ben Randolph’s school-record 45-yard field goal was enough during the Wildcats’ 12-0 shutout.Wright City kept the Warriors out of the end zone all night with several clutch plays, including three fourth-quarter interceptions and an aggressive fumble recovery.“I felt like we did everything we could to win,” asserted Brooks. “We managed the game pretty well, and our coaches did a great job of preparing our defense this week.”Derenzo Blanks was responsible for forcing three of those turnovers.“He made some big plays, especially getting the fumble after the receiver beat us to make the catch,” said Brooks.After a rather uneventful first quarter that included two Wright City turnovers, Steven Soltysiak broke loose for a 28-yard touchdown run with 3:05 remaining in the first half.The Wildcats were able to move the ball with relative success, employing sophomore Kyle Tuepker in the running game as well.“He gives us a little bit more of a true quarterback threat on the option,” said Brooks. “We’ve been on working on the read option with him.”Seconds before intermission, Randolph lined up for a lofty field-goal attempt that he managed to squeeze between the uprights.“It’s been great for us to see Ben get back to having the success he had in previous year,” said Brooks. “He had struggled earlier in the season, but he’s been more consistent lately.”Wright City went without an offensive touchdown in the second half but was able to force Winfield into crippling field position.Late in the third quarter the Warriors were pushed back into their own end zone and penalized for a safety on an intentional grounding call. Brooks says it was a solidifying moment for his team.“I felt even better when we got that safety,” said Brooks. “The nice thing was as the second half went on, even though we weren’t scoring a lot, we continued to get stops and stay in control.”The Wildcats had another opportunity to extend the score in the fourth quarter, but a lengthy interception return by Soltysiak was negated by a penalty.“We had a chance to put the dagger in there,” said Brooks.Wright City has now won four out of its last five games but faces a daunting challenge in Week Nine when it travels to face undefeated Brentwood.“I feel like the guys have taken on their new roles well,” said Brooks. “It may not be exactly where we want to be, but getting our offensive line to gel is so important.”
With Winfield upending most of Wright City's drives, the Wildcats' had to rely on their defense to shut out the Warriors.
