This past Friday the Warrior varsity football team set up camp at Phelps Field for the highly anticipated homecoming matchup versus the Creighton Prep Jr. Jays. The Jr. Jays came out to the field wearing their normal white away uniforms matching up with their student sections white out campaign. However, in theme with the Westside students section, the Warriors came out wearing their all new alternate black uniforms with red numbers and stripes for the game. Grant Tagge felt the uniforms were a new look and were great for the theme of the night.

“They look great,” Tagge said. “It was mashed with the Red shield so it looked really good.”

In the first quarter nothing would quite get going for the Warriors offense after a missed field goal on their first drive. This would set up a 90 yard drive for the Jays capped off by a 26 yard touchdown pass from Prep’s John Coniglio. The Warriors would answer back on their ensuing drive and start off the second quarter right with a 2 yard punch-in by Quarterback Cole Payton. Jack Bush’s kicking woes would continue as his point after attempt would get blocked, leaving the score at 7-6. Prep would bounce right back returning the kickoff for 60 yards setting the Jays in prime field position at the Westside 40. Coniglio would again punch it in with another 20+ yard touchdown pass to wideout Alex Bullock and put the Jays up 14-6. Back and forth each team went as the Warriors would look to set up a touchdown drive of their own. Cole Payton would end up  getting his second rushing touchdown of the game taking a 72 yard scramble to the house. However a missed 2 point attempt would keep the Jr. Jays up by a score of 14-12.

After the back and forth scoring of the 1st and early second quarters, the Warriors started to pull ahead. After a Cade Haberman sack on third and long to force a punt, the Warriors would drive the ball down the field 66 yards and give Cole Payton his 3rd rushing touchdown of the day. A completed two point conversion pass put the Warriors up a score of 20-14 with just over three left to go in the half. On their next drive the Jays would be forced to punt ealry and the Warriors would start deep within their own territory with just under 2 minutes to play in the half. Instead of running conservative the Warriors’ offense rushed down the field 84 yards and ended it with a Koby Bretz 17 yard touchdwn reception. Another two point conversion put the Warriors up 14 headed into the half. In the third quarter alone the Warriors would pull together another two touchdown drives, both ending in Cole Payton rushing touchdowns, and would give the Warriors a 42-14 lead. After two more scores from both sides, the Warriors would left the game with a homecoming win, 49-21.

“We didn’t make mental mistakes,” Dickerson said. “We went out and just saw what happens and I’m happy to get a win with my brothers.”

Along with the defense, the shining star of the night seemed to be Junior quarterback Cole Payton. Payton was responsible for 6 out of 7 of the Warriors’ touchdowns on the night and seemed to be the spark in the teams’ offense. Head Coach Brett Froendt said he liked what he saw out of his quarterback.

“He’s a good football player and this is what we expect out of him,” Froendt said. “We know he’s capable of being good and he showed that tonight, both with his legs and with his arm and I’m real proud of how he managed the offense.”

With the win, the Warriors improve to 4-1 on the season and take a hard fought win from their rival in Omaha Creighton Prep. This upcoming week the Warriors will look to get to their fifth win on the year as they will go up against the Omaha Northwest Huskies at home.