Wildcats go to overtime with Cougars

By James Stitt

patriotsports@apgecm.com

The Waconia football team battled Mankato East in a thriller Friday night, a game that saw both teams light up the scoreboard.

Unfortunately for the Wildcats, the Cougars would ultimately prevail in overtime 34-31.

Waconia started fast by scoring three touchdowns in the first quarter on a trio of exceedingly longer throws from Kaden Herman. The senior connected with Ryan Lange on a 29-yard pass, then with Owen Hiltner on a 40-yard strike and finally with Cooper Jahnke on a 66-yard bomb.

Down 20-0, Mankato East responded with a three-score quarter of their own, scoring on a trio of touchdown passes to go up 21-20 before the break.

Waconia went back up 28-21 in the third quarter as Nick Theis scored from 5 yards out and Herman connected with Hiltner on the two-point conversion.

The Cougars would tie game in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime.

In the extra period, Eli Seim booted a 35-yard field goal, but Mankato East scored a touchdown to clinch the win.

Herman threw for 229 yards and three touchdowns. Hiltner had five catches for 93 yards and a touchdown, Jahnke had a 66-yard touchdown catch, Lange had 48 yards and a score on four catches, Mason Speers had 22 yards on four catches and Will Kirsch had a 5-yard catch.

Theis ran for 73 yards on 16 carries (4.56 yards per carry) and Tyler Ess had 29 yards on seven carries (4.14).

Jahnke and Jack Jacobs led the defense with eight tackles each while Liam Jambor-May had seven. Jacobs had three sacks.

Waconia is now 2-3 and hosts Chaska Oct. 4.