Knox Gets Season Opening Victory Over Winamac

Just one week removed from a rain-soaked Friday night, the Knox Redskins walked onto Community Field focused, and with a purpose, then walked off Community Field with a 27-0 win over Hoosier North Athletic Conference foe, the Winamac Warriors. Knox did not rely on a single side of the ball, nor was it a matter of being carried by one individual. It was a well rounded effort for the young men in red, white, and blue. Offensively, the Redskins had 10 different players advance the ball during the course of the ball game.

Knox starting quarterback Zac Rose was efficient from start to finish, as he completed 8-12 passes for 127 yards, to four different receivers, and two touchdown passes. Kole McIntire was on the receiving end of 2 of those passes, including a huge grab in the first half that resulted in 40 yards, and an incredible show of strength, as he dragged and fought off defenders to squeak out a couple more yards at the end of the run.

It was Cade Short who perhaps had the best all-around game for the Redskins, as he played a major role on both sides of the ball. Offensively, Short accounted for 46 yards rushing, including a touchdown, then tacked on 3 receptions for 43 yards which included a 12 yard touchdown. Defensively, Short was a thorn in the side of the Warriors, as he found himself in on multiple tackles, picked off a pass, and also broke up a pass that led to an interception by teammate Zac Rose. The well-rounded game by the Junior is what led to him being named the Ashley Derrickson/Five Star Player of the Game on WKVI.

When it came to the passing game, the Redskins were not short on heroes. Braxton Geller demonstrated his ability to get open late in the ball game, creating separation down the middle of the field, then grabbing the pass from Rose, and powering his way into the end zone for a 35 yard score.

Another great well-rounded performance for Knox came from Martin Napierkowski, who did many things extremely well for his Redskins, including finding the end zone not once, but twice. Napierkowski was able to get in the end zone on a 3 yard run, as well as a 5 yard reception, showcasing his versatility as an offensive threat for the Redskins.

The workhorse for the Redskins offensively for the evening was Junior fullback Payton Baugh who had 11 carries for 47 yards, never backing down when it was his time to go between the tackles.

The Warriors were not without their highlights on the evening, as they showed signs throughout the game of having serious playmakers on both sides of the ball. Senior running back Gabe Townsend led the team in rushing with 26 yards on 7 carries, while adding a 6 yard reception out of the backfield. Sophomore quarterback Russell Compton was a busy man going 12-27 passing for 111 yards in the effort.

Jared Huetten also showed he will be a force to be reckoned with throughout the year, as he was the Warriors’ leading receiver, pulling in 3 catches for 42 yards on the evening, against an extremely athletic Redskin secondary.

In the end, the Redskins were able to wear down the Warriors, having far fewer 2-way players on the roster, which led to Knox having more in the tank as each quarter wore along. Having the kind of depth the Redskins showed throughout the ballgame is what will keep them healthy throughout the year, and will cause a lot of headaches for opposing teams in the regular season and into the playoffs.