Westside put on a scoring clinic in their fourth game of the season putting up a crooked number on the scoreboard and beating a top ten Bellevue West team 52-21. This week Westside was ranked number two for the first time in the rankings since they lost to North Platte in 2022 and is only the second time under head coach Pual Limongi they are not number one.This game was also the game for anyone keeping stats as only three minutes into the second half Westside was averaging 3.23 points per play scoring 42 points on only 13 plays at the time. When the game was over the Warriors still averaged 1.33 points per play. For comparison the highest scoring college team Tennessee is only averaging 0.82 points per play in their best game.
This is in part to the special teams who put up three touchdowns of their own matching the Thunderbirds in scoring. It began in the second where a punt by Bellevue West hit the behind of one of the blockers near the punter and it floated in the air where Bryson Williams was there to scoop it for a touchdown. The others came in the second half via kickoff returns. Keynan Cotton initially bobbled the kickoff to begin the second half but then he picked it up and ran 88 yards to the house.
“Burke Brown said run behind me,” Cotton said “ I saw the hole and I hit and I was gone after that.”
The other kickoff return touchdown was returned by sophomore running back Tay Tay Jenkins who took the ball after Bell West tried not to kick it to Cotton again but Jenkins could return too as he took it 95 yards to make the offense sit a bit longer.
The defense also did pretty solid; they forced a turnover early in the first quarter off of a Quinton Warren interception. Bellevue West scored all of their points on consecutive possessions, one to end the first half and the first two drives of the second half otherwise Westside kept them off the scoreboard in both the first and fourth quarters of the game including not allowing the T-birds to not run a play in Westside territory until about three minutes left in the first half. The offense also had a really solid game.
Quarterback Braylen Warren went 13/16 for 244 yards and three touchdowns. Cotton along with getting the long kickoff return for a touchdown to begin the second half hauled in only one catch but took the screen pass he got 62 yards to the house to give the Warriors their initial touchdown of the game. Eli Johnson was the biggest key in the pass game for the Warriors in the win hauling in five catches for 94 yards and two touchdowns in the game. Along with that Christian Jones, Mo Purify, also hauled in multiple receptions.
The ground game for Westside was better than expected against the Thunderbirds defense. Jenkins, who on paper got a total of 48 yards from scrimmage, took a couple to the end zone from Bell West territory but got called back due to penalties.
Westside showed the coaches why they should be back at number one with this big win putting up over 50 points this season and tying the school record for most consecutive wins tying the 1981-1982 teams and will have a chance to break that record in their next game. “We have a brotherhood here,” Cotton said “We play our hearts for each other, play hard and E/T.” The number two Warriors will face off against another top ten opponent this one on the road against the Omaha Central Eagles which will be Friday, Sept 27.
