Football Tigers Secure First Win with Strong Second-Half Performance Over Winnetonka

Excelsior Springs 14, Winnetonka 7

Kansas City, MO — The Excelsior Springs Tigers claimed their first win of the season, and first win under new head coach Jake Danneman, in a hard-fought 14-7 victory over the Winnetonka Griffons on Friday night, moving to 1-1 on the year. With the game tied 7-7 at halftime, the Tigers used a critical third-quarter touchdown to pull ahead and held off the Griffons’ attempts to rally in the second half.

The game, held at Griffon Field, started as a defensive battle, with both teams failing to score in the first quarter. The Tigers broke through in the second quarter when junior quarterback Marquez McCant capped a drive with a 5-yard touchdown run, followed by a successful extra point from senior kicker Carson Gholson, putting Excelsior Springs up 7-0.

Winnetonka quickly responded with a big play of their own. Griffons’ standout running back Steven Anderson took off for a 54-yard touchdown run, evening the score at 7-7 after a successful PAT from Dominic Gonzalez.

The Tigers made their biggest push in the third quarter. McCant connected with Gholson for a 20-yard touchdown pass, giving the Tigers the lead. Gholson, who had a strong all-around game, added the extra point, bringing the score to 14-7.

Despite holding possession for nearly 30 minutes, Winnetonka couldn’t crack Excelsior Springs’ defense in the second half. The Tigers’ defense, led by standout performances from Brant Cashett (9 tackles) and Dominck Rogers (6.5 tackles), shut down the Griffons’ offense. Sophomore Ethan Schultz’s interception late in the game sealed the victory for the Tigers.

“It feels great, we had a great week of practice leading up to this game.” Quarterback Marquez McCant said after his first career varsity win. “I couldn’t be more proud of our guys and how they performed in high-pressure situations.”

The defensive line stood out in this game, physically outmatching Winnetonka and dominating in the trenches. Winnetonka had a similar ground-based attack that Excelsior Springs used to implement, but the Tiger’s defense did a great job not gassing out as the game went on.

Winnetonka was anchored by Anderson’s impressive 176 rushing yards on 25 carries, but the Tigers’ defense came through when it mattered most, especially on third downs, where they limited the Griffons to just 5-of-18 conversions.

The Tiger’s new-look offense seemed much more comfortable this week, specifically in the passing game. McCant finished the game with 79 passing yards on 11-of-17 attempts, with one touchdown and one interception. The rushing attack was led by senior Dawson Claypole, who gained 67 yards on 14 carries.

Key Stats:

• Rushing Leaders: Dawson Claypole (67 yards) and Marquez McCant (5 yards, 1 TD)
• Passing Leaders: Marquez McCant (79 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT)
• Receiving Leaders: Carson Gholson (3 receptions, 37 yards, 1 TD)
• Defense Leaders: Brant Cashett (9 tackles), Dominck Rogers (6.5 tackles), Ethan Schultz (interception)

The Tigers will look to carry the momentum from this gritty victory into their next match versus North Kansas City (1-1) at home on September 13.