Kee football team battles top five-rated Easton Valley down to the wire for 51-46 loss at home in District 5 battle of unbeatens
Persistent pressure ... Kee football senior lineman Alex Goetzinger (at left) and junior lineman Tom Troendle (at right) make their way through the Easton Valley offensive line as they pressure the quarterback in the Hawks’ 51-46 home loss to the River Hawks Friday, October 15. Alex Goetzinger wrapped up eight total tackles in the ballgame, including three solo stops and one solo and one assisted solo tackle for loss, and Troendle had two total tackles that included the Hawks’ lone quarterback sack in the contest. Photo courtesy of the Kee High School Yearbook. View and find out how to purchase this photo and more by clicking on the Photo Galleries link on this webpage.
Hawks will open Eight-Player State Play-Offs this Friday hosting Northwood-Kensett
by Perry Hesse
Perhaps the largest crowd to ever attend a football game in Lansing Friday, October 15 was not disappointed in the action as a battle of unbeaten teams waged war to a 51-46 contest which ultimately resulted in the Kee football team’s first loss of the season. The ninth-ranked Hawks led by 10 points entering the game’s final quarter but the fourth-ranked visiting River Hawks of Easton Valley scored three touchdowns in the final frame and were able to run out the clock for the victory.
“We obviously knew we had our hands full as Easton Valley is an excellent offensive and defensive football team,” said Kee football coach Chad Winters. “I’m so proud of how my team battled all night long, they left everything on the field. We came up short but Easton Valley is one of the best teams in the eight-player class.”
While the Eight-Player District 5 title goes to Easton Valley with its win, Kee also now advances to the play-offs with their district second seed and 7-1 overall record. The Hawks will host 6-2 Northwood-Kensett this Friday, October 22 in a first-round play-off match-up.
Kee jumped on the visitors early with senior Damon Weber finding senior receiver Dalton Dibert on just the second play from scrimmage for a 58-yard touchdown pass. Senior Buddy Hill scored on the two-point conversion run for an 8-0 Hawk headstart.
Weber then made a play defensively with an interception in the end zone to end Easton Valley’s first drive. Weber would have a career game with three interceptions defensively while throwing a school record seven touchdown passes along with a school record 379 yards passing. “Damon had an incredible night,” said Winters. “He was an absolute warrior out there on both sides of the ball.”
“They love to run the football out of an option-based attack,” said Winters. “They are big up front, come off the ball hard, and their backs run extremely hard. They control the game through dominating the time of possession with their run game. Coach Dave Capitani has been there a long time and does an outstanding job. We have to have a great week of preparation and I know our seniors will make sure that we are focused on what needs to be done.”
Kick-off Friday night will be at 7 p.m. in Lansing. A win Friday would mean a second-round play-off game the following Friday, October 22 at a site to be determined.
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