Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Tigers earn 48-point victory on the road
Odessa running back Gage Starkel cuts around the left side against Wilbur-Creston. The Tigers routed the Wildcats 68-20 Thursday, Sept. 22.
WILBUR – Last Thursday's game against the Wilbur-Creston Wildcats was projected by many to potentially be the toughest challenge Odessa faced in the regular season. Not so, as the Tigers took advantage of a banged-up Wildcats squad to earn a comfortable 68-20 victory Thursday, Sept. 22.
Odessa improved to 3-0 with the win.
"We've got a lot of weapons and a quarterback that knows how to run the offense," Odessa head coach Jeff Nelson said. "We only gave up 20 for the game, so I think that's pretty good defense overall. We adjusted a little bit, they got on us early."
It took 72 seconds of game time for the Tigers to score. Gage Starkel scored his first of three touchdowns from 11 yards out to give Odessa the lead. Wilbur-Creston responded with a 22-yard strike from Dru Becker to Kallen Maicho to make it 8-6, but Corbyn Neilsen extended Odessa's lead with a one-yard score on the ensuing drive.
Odessa led 22-6 after one quarter following a 54-yard catch-and-run score from Collin Martin to Neilsen.
The lead was extended to 46-20 after one touchdown each from Martin, Starkel and Neilsen. Becker ran in a score and hit Lanny Strozyk on a 28-yard pass down the right sideline for Wilbur-Creston's points.
Neilsen notched his fourth score of the game in the third quarter. Starkel had a one-yard run in the fourth quarter, while freshman Troy Hardung had a six-yard touchdown run with 1:43 remaining to cap Odessa's scoring efforts.
Starkel ran for 194 yards and three touchdowns, while Neilsen had 146 all-purpose yards and four total touchdowns. Martin threw for 142 yards.
Preston Michel led Wilbur-Creston with 105 rushing yards.
The Tigers will look to keep their perfect season alive Friday, Sept. 30 at home against Wellpinit. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m.
"I think (we) have a sour taste losing in the playoffs last year," Nelson said. "(We'll) be ready for every game."
Drew Lawson is the editor of the Davenport Times. He is a graduate of Eastern Washington University.
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