WCA starts 2024 season with blowout over Polk County West

Sam Peterson

Grant County Herald

The Knights were on the road for their first game of the 2024 season when they made the trip to Climax to play the Polk County West Thunder Aug. 29. West Central Area was in midseason form with a dominating 38-12 win to earn a win in their season opener.

The Knights kicked the ball off to start the game and were able to immediately get the ball back when PCW fumbled the ball while receiving the kickoff. WCA went right down the field and on fourth and nine, and Tucker McGee scored from 16 yards out with 10:25 left in the first quarter to make it 6-0. WCA decided to go for two and Owen Gruchow threw the ball to Sam Hanson for two points to make it 8-0

The Knights defense forced a stop and got the ball right back for their offense. Owen Gruchow busted a play open for 47 yards for a score. WCA picked up another two points when Hunter Gruchow ran it across the goal line to make it 16-0 with 7:26 left in the first quarter.

Less than two minutes later the Knights got the ball back and wasted no time, only needing one play, Sam Hanson running the ball for 50 yards and another touchdown. Hanson then caught a successful two-point conversion to jump ahead 24-0.

The PCW Thunder threatened to score early in the second quarter and eventually punched the ball into the endzone with 10:39 left in the second quarter to make it 24-6. 

Both defenses settled down in the second quarter after PCW scored the early touchdown. WCA started to drive the ball down the field with less than a minute left in the first half. The Knights got into Thunder territory, but PCW was able to intercept an Owen Gruchow pass to end the WCA scoring chance and the score was 24-6 at the half. 

The Knights got the ball to start the second half and took advantage. They drove 63 yards down the field and an 18-yard run from quarterback Owen Gruchow made it 30-6 with 9:52 left in the third quarter.

The Thunder tried to make it interesting when they scored from 52 yards out on the first play of the fourth quarter to make it 30-12 with 11:51 left in the game.

The Knights answered quickly just over a minute later when Ben Bye caught a 51-yard touchdown pass from running back Sam Hanson and after a successful two-point conversion, the Knights were up 38-12 with 10:21 left.

For the second half of the fourth quarter, the WCA second unit had a chance to get on the field with the lopsided score. The Knights were able to bleed the rest of the clock out and secured a 26-point win to start the season 1-0.

Individual stats were unavailable at the time of print.

The next game on the schedule will once again be on the road against Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa on Friday, Sept. 6.