The top-ranked Westside football team continues to wreak havoc in week three defeating the No. 8 Bellevue West Thunderbirds 45-12. The Thunderbirds were the preseason number two team in the state and were expected to be the Warriors biggest challenge this season. Bellevue West came into the game with a record of 2-1 and ranked outside the top five, but the Warriors took care of business with ease once again.
The Warriors were led by quarterback Anthony Rezac. The senior completed 13 passes for 177 yards and three touchdowns. Rezac also added 100 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
“It all stems from the preparation throughout the week,” Rezac said. “We have great coaches, great strategy, great scrappy guys that all help and especially the o-line, they really balled out today.”
Junior receiver Keynan Cotton led the Warrior receivers with three catches for 62 yards and two touchdowns. Senior Caleb Benning had three receptions for 47 yards and one touchdown. Benning also added an interception. Senior running back Jahmez Ross continued his great season on the ground racking up 113 yards.
The game started off slow with only one score in the first quarter, a 15-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the end zone from Rezac to Benning. Early in second on the first play of the drive Rezac took it 79 – yards himself to the house. Senior kicker Will Bauerly went perfect on extra points and added a 25-yard field goal to boost the lead to 17-0. The Warriors came back quick with a 40-yard touchdown pass to Cotton. At the end of the half the T-birds put up their first points on a 15-yard touchdown pass from Daniel Kaelin to Ben Goodwater, but failed on the two point conversion.
The second half went very similar starting off with Rezac capping off a 67-yard drive with a one yard sneak into the endzone. Cotton caught his second touchdown on a 17-yard pass making the lead 31-6 after three quarters. Bellevue West backup quarterback Will Anderson came in the fourth quarter and scored the second touchdown for the Thunderbirds on a four-yard run. The scoring ended on a three play 60- yard drive topped off by a one yard touchdown run by Westside senior Brody Goc.
According to an interview done with Hurrdat Sports, Westside head coach Paul Limongi was pleased with the victory.
“We felt good about them, very proud of the guys and coaches. We had a tough week of practice, we came in wanted to play confident, execute and play fast,” Limongi said. “I think we did that in all three phases, but can’t say enough about the guys and it was the biggest game of the year because it was the next one. Next week will be the biggest game of the year as well.”
Westside returns home to host Millard North on Friday, Sept. 15. The Mustangs come into the game with a record of 0-3, and just lost to number three Millard South 56-19. Nonetheless the week four game will be just as important as the others. The Warriors will head into the game with almost no questions regarding the team, but one big question, can anyone come close to the Warriors?
