For the third time in as many years, the Waldorf football team has opened their season with a victory over Briar Cliff University. The Warriors opened with the Cliff Saturday night in Sioux City at Memorial Field and led the game wire-to-wire, to win 42-24.
In the opening quarter, second-year starting quarterback Jordan Cooper opened the scoring with a 20-yard run for his first score of the season. Cooper thrived in his first game with new offensive coordinator Chase Paramore. The junior completed 16 of his 20 passes for 219 yards and three touchdowns.
One of his touchdown passes came in the second quarter with a score of 7-7. Cooper found Seth Oakes for a 40-yard score and put the Warriors back out front – this time for good.
Later in the quarter, the Warriors went on a 13-play, 83-yard drive that was capped off by a Taye Buchanan two-yard score. Buchanan, a junior from Vernon, AL, rushed for 107 yards in the game with two total touchdowns.
After BC returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown, Waldorf answered back once again. Cooper hit Oakes for an 86-yard touchdown as time was winding down to halftime, and Waldorf went into the break leading 28-17.
After the half, it was more Waldorf. Sam Huntley, who wasn’t with the team a year ago and returned this year, got his first season score. Huntley caught Cooper’s pass in the third quarter and was the lone score that period.
In the final quarter, Buchanan scored for the second time, this time from two yards out, and Briar Cliff scored the final touchdown of the game the next drive going seven plays for 58-yards, to make the score 42-24. Waldorf turned the ball over, giving BC life with under five minutes remaining, but those hopes were squashed when former West Hancock Prep McCoy Yeakel picked off BC quarterback Seth Davies with under one minute to go. Waldorf could milk the clock and win for the first time this season.
The Warriors move to 1-0 and open at Bolstorff Field next Saturday, September 3rd, at 6 pm against Saint Ambrose University for Community Night.
