Defensive Trio Serbin, Flores, Rau lead Wildcats to a Badger Shutout

Defensive Trio Serbin, Flores, Rau lead Wildcats to a Badger Shutout Deirdre Alexander Wed, 10/02/2024 - 12:46 Image

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  Calvin Duprie rushes past his opponent. PHOTOS BY DEIRDRA ALEXANDER

  Calvin Duprie rushes past his opponent. PHOTOS BY DEIRDRA ALEXANDER
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  Rylan Rau has the Bruni quarterback in his sights.

  Rylan Rau has the Bruni quarterback in his sights.
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  Two Wildcats including Rylan Rau bring down the quarterback for a loss of yards.

  Two Wildcats including Rylan Rau bring down the quarterback for a loss of yards.

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Friday, Sept. 27 the Wildcats concluded preseason play against the Bruni Badgers. The Yorktown defense proved to be too stout for their opponents as the Wildcats nabbed the win, 57-0. Bruni has been dealt their fourth shut out of the year.

Junior Adam Serbin leads the team in total tackles while senior Richard Flores tops the leaderboard in solo tackles. Rylan Rau and Flores both have recorded two sacks for the year. Defensive highlights from the Wildcat vs Badger matchup include Cameron Willis blocking a punt and returning it, and Matthew Olguin and Ethan Fitts tackling their opponent for a safety. Bruni faked a punt, however Calvin Duprie stopped them short of the first down. Also during the opening drive of the second half Manuel Macias and Connor Saunders tackled the quarterback in the backfield for a loss of yards.

With 9:54 on the clock during the first period McKenzie Yanta bolted into the endzone and Kason Sullivan tacked on the extra point, 7-0. The Wildcat defense forced the Badgers to punt and that is when Willis had his extraordinary defensive play and ran back the blocked punt, 14-0. Brody Metting shuttled for a 39 yard score and then pitched it to Yanta who jetted 50 yards for a touchdown. Bruni fake punted to start the second quarter but defensive playmaker Duprie tackled the opposing player short of the down marker. The Wildcats fumbled and fortunately recovered it. Two plays later, Duprie bolted into the endzone. Sullivan’s extra point was successful, 34-0. With a little more than 9:00 on the clock during the third, Olguin and Fitts recorded a safety, 36-0. With six seconds remaining in the first half, Garrett Menn pounds into the endzone, 43-0.

The scoreboard showed 2:00 remaining in the third period when Metting handed off to Menn for a touchdown, 490. Immediately, Fitts recovered the ball on the kickoff as the ball came loose from the Bruni players hands on the 25 yard line to start the fourth quarter. Brayden Knostman handed the ball off to Hagen Newman who crossed into the endzone with 4:23 remaining. Sullivan made seven extra points for the night, only missing one.

“How great do we want to be? Where is our ceiling? This game is in the books, enjoy it. But everything we want to achieve, we still have to go out there and achieve it. Keep that in our minds. Let’s remember that on Monday, to re-dedicate ourselves to being the best we can be,” stated Head Football Coach and Athletic Director Ryan Knostman.

The Wildcats will start district play on Friday, Oct. 11 at home against the Pettus Eagles.