USA finish regular season undefeated

The Upsala/Swanville Area Patriots football team finish the 2024 regular season undefeated with a 7-0 record after beating it’s last two opponents during the week.

The Patriots latest victory was against West Central Area Wednesday, Oct. 16, winning 34-14. individual results were not available.

Patriots dominate Benson in Upsala

The Patriots dominated the Benson Braves 46-0 in a matinee game at a different home field Friday, Sept. 11.

Instead of having their home game at the Swanville High School like usual, The Patriots had the game at a football field by the Upsala High School at 1:30 p.m. Despite Benson proving to be a physical team, the USA Head Coach Jay Love n said he was glad to see the undefeated Patriots play as well as they did in their last six games . “(Having) the kids play as well as they have basically all year, but just again here today, as a coach is pretty encouraging,” Loven said.

The Patriots started off the game with a Carson Primus eight-yard touchdown run at 9:48 in the first quarter. A PAT kick by Jack Primus gave the Patriots a 7-0 lead. Towards the end of the period, Brody Kircher took the ball on a running play and made a 10-yard jet sweep into the end zone. Kircher said although it felt different playing in the afternoon and not at night, the team was able to stay focus and compete at a high caliber, but staying humble.

“We just didn’t want to have big heads and think that we were just going to win and trample them,” Kircher said. “We wanted to keep containment and keep composure and not break.”

Carson Primus scored another touchdown run early in the second quarter. Beseman later made a touchdown grab in the next drive, after Kircher made a long punt return all the way to Benson’s 23-yard line.

Zachariah Johnson started the second half with a short short touchdown run at 11: 04 in the third quarter and one more from Colby Twardowski at 11:12 in the fourth quarter.

The Patriots quarterback Frank Meagher completed 12 out of 15 pass attempts for a total of 164 yards. Calvin Primus had 12 carries for 132 yards. Caden Beseman led the team in receiving with four catches for 59 yards. With one more regular season game left before the playoffs Loven told the team told the team they need to start polishing their performance for when postseason starts.

“Our stuff is in. Now we need to just smooth it out and today I think we’re certainly a step in that direction,” Loven said.

The Patriots traveled to their last regular season game against West Central Area Wednesday, Oct. 16. The Section 4A Tournament will start Tuesday, Oct. 22.