To say the Nanih Waiya football team is an unusual position is an understatement. The defending MHSAA Class 1A State Champions find themselves at 0-2 headed into the third week fo the season.
But second-year NW head coach James Courtney says it’s far from panic time.
“The kids played hard, they (Union) just made a few plays on us and a couple things didn’t go our way,” he said of his team’s 35-24 loss to the Yellowjackets last Friday night. “We have some injuries on the offensive line and we are having to move some people around. We just need to keep working and keep improving.”
This week the Warriors take on another set of Warriors when they hit the road to take Choctaw Central High School. The game, which was originally scheduled for Thursday, has been moved to Friday.
“They are very big and their quarterback is really good,” Courtney said of CCHS. “We are playing a big football team Friday night.” Choctaw Central is 1-1 on the season after beating rival Cherokee (NC.) last Friday night.
In NW’s game with Union each team scored three touchdowns in the first half and the difference in the score was a trio of extra points from Union’s Henry Thornton.
Union struck first as Colby Ferguson scored on a 5-yard run with 6:42 left in the first quarter. Thornton booted the PAT and Union led 7-0.
Nanih Waiya answered right back as Donovan Turner hit Shia Moore o a 27-yard touchdown pass with 3:54 left in the first. The try for two failed and Union held a slim 7-6 lead.
Union had a quick answer as Kenyon Clay found the end zone on a 48-yard touchdown run with 2:03 left in the first. Thornton’s PAT gave Union a 14-6 lead.
Just two minutes later, Nanih Waiya hit another big pass play as Turner hit Tylan Glass on a 75-yard touchdown pass with 8 seconds still left in the first. The try for two failed and Nanih Waiya cut the lead to 14-12.
Union answered again as Jaylon Buckley got free on a 47-yard touchdown run with 10:53 left in the first half. Thornton’s PAT gave Union a 21-12 lead.
Each team settled down on defense and Nanih Waiya cut the lead to three as Turner scored on a 7-yard run with 3:44 left in the first half. The try for two failed and Union led 21-18 at the half.
After a scoreless third quarter, the game heated up late in the fourth. Nanih Waiya took the lead as Turner scored on a 3-yard run with 3:45 left in the game. The try for two failed and the Warriors led 24-21.
But Union bounced back as Ferguson hit Jamarian Harmon on a 37-yard touchdown pass with 1:48 left in the game. Thornton’s PAT gave Union a 28-24 lead.
Union added a late score with 23 seconds left as Ferguson scored on a 39-yard scamper.
Donovan Turner hit on 11 of 17 passes for 173 yards for NW and rushed for 57 yards as well. Glass caught six passes for 132 yards for the Warriors, while Moore had three catches for 31 yards.
