With playoffs looming, the Westside varsity football team clinched its district title for the second year in a row, beating Fremont 60-27.

In front of a crowd of mostly Westside parents and Fremont fans, the Warriors got off to a quick start. On the opening kickoff, the Warriors got up 7-0 when junior Braxton Anderson took a lateral from junior Alex Lindquist before returning the ball 88 yards for the score. Then, senior Anthony Boone returned an interception from the Westside 21 to the Fremont 12. Two plays later, senior Mitch Schenkelberg (26 carries for 226 yards and five touchdowns) put the Warriors up 14-0 with a seven-yard touchdown carry, Schenkelberg’s first of five rushing touchdowns in the game.

Fremont would tie the game in the second quarter with two rushing touchdowns by Sean Lambert, the Tigers running back.

But the even game wouldn’t last long. A big return on the ensuing kickoff by Lindquist (who was hurt on the play and sat out the rest of the game) set up another Schenkelberg touchdown run before two touchdown passes of 38 and 35 yards from junior Mitchell Hagan (8-12 for 150 yards and two touchdowns) to senior KaVon Neelon (six receptions for 131 yards and two touchdowns) sent the Warriors into the locker room leading 33-14, as the Warriors missed two of three PAT attempts.

To start the second half, the Warriors got right back to scoring, as Schenkelberg scored again after the Warriors recovered a Fremont fumble inside Fremont territory, putting the Warriors up 40-14.

Fremont narrowed the lead to 40-21 with another rushing touchdown with 6:41 remaining in the third quarter before both players and fans watched one of the most terrifying moments of the football season unfold.

With six and a half minutes remaining in the third quarter, junior Jake Stacy went down to the ground with an injury. Stacy remained mostly motionless for a few moments before trainers, coaches, and athletic director Tom Kerkman ran on the field to attend to the linemen. 10 minutes passed as a stretcher was brought onto the field and Stacy was carted off in front of a silent crowd. Stacy brought an end to the silence as he lifted a hand in the air and gave the thumbs up to the fans, which elicited applause and eased a tense crowd.

Thankfully, Stacy is, and will be, OK.

“When he got to the hospital, he was feeling fine,” head coach Brett Froendt said. “It was more a precautionary thing. He just got a whiplash a little bit and it caused a little stinger. But he’ll be fine. He’ll be back with us on Monday.”

After play resumed, Westside was able to get back to football. The team finished its drive with another Schenkelberg touchdown carry, putting the team up 46-21, as the Warriors missed another PAT, with 3:33 remaining in the third quarter.

Fremont would add one more touchdown and a missed PAT to cut the lead to 46-27, but another Schenkelberg touchdown and a senior Kieran Carter rushing touchdown gave the Warriors a 60-27 victory.

The victory put the Warriors at 5-4 to finish the regular season. Playoff seeds were released Saturday morning, and the Warriors drew the 12th (out of 16) seed. They will play Millard West, the five seed, Friday, Oct. 31 at Buell Stadium (Millard South) at 7:30 p.m. The game is at 7:30 rather than 7 because Millard North also earned home field advantage, and will play at 4 p.m. at Buell Stadium.

The theme for the Halloween night game will be “Costumes.”

CRAZE Magazine’s Post Game Report