Knights drop two competitive games

By Sam Peterson

Grant County Herald

The WCA football team opened up the 2026 season with a pair of competitive games, but came up just short in both to start the year 0-2. The team opened up their season on their home field against Lake Park Audubon Sept. 4 and lost 28-14, despite 233 yards of total offense and two touchdowns from quarterback Owen Gruchow. A week later, the team was on the road against Belgrade-Brooten-Elrose and fell 20-14, despite leading the game 14-0 early in the second quarter.

LPA 28

WCA 14

The Knights stayed at home in Barrett to open the 2026 season when they welcomed Lake Park-Audubon. The Knights did hold multiple leads in the game, but fell 28-14 to the Raiders to start the season 0-1.

WCA was first to the scoreboard when Owen Gruchow threw a 46-yard pass to Landon Heidinger and after a successful two-point conversion, the Knights went up 8-0. LPA answered quickly by returning the ensuing kickoff to the endzone to make it 8-6. LPA took a 10-8 lead with a 29-yard field goal to start the second quarter, but WCA went back in front with a 12-yard rushing touchdown from Gruchow to take a 14-10 advantage. LPA did add one final touchdown when they broke open a 78-yard touchdown run to make it 16-14 at the break.

After a scoreless third quarter, LPA stretched their lead in the fourth quarter with two more touchdowns to pull off a 28-14 win over the Knights. 

Gruchow accounted for 233 of the 263 total yards the Knights accounted for. He was 12 for 24 through the air for 135 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Landon Heidinger was the team’s leading receiver with five catches for 76 yards and a touchdown. Elijah Domeier pulled in four catches for 28 yards.

Gruchow also led the team on the ground, finishing with 98 yards and a touchdown off 22 carries. Gavin Armstrong added 12 yards on seven carries for the Knights. 

WCA had a tough time shutting down the ground game from LPA. The Raiders had the same 263 yards of total offense as the Knights, but 230 of that was on the ground, controlling the game.

LPA 6 10 0 12 – 28

WCA 8  6  0  0  – 14

Scoring Plays

First quarter

WCA – Owen Gruchow 46-yard TD pass to Landon Heidinger

LPA – 60-yard kick return TD

Second quarter

LPA – 29-yard field goal

WCA – Owen Gruchow 12-yard TD run

LPA – 78-yard TD run

Fourth quarter

LPA – 5-yard TD run

LPA – 24-yard TD run

WCA Individual Stats

Passing – Owen Gruchow 12-24, 135 yards, TD, INT; Jayce Allen 1-1, 8 yards

Rushing – Owen Gruchow 22-98, TD; Gavin Armstrong 7-12; Elijah Domeier 2-8; Keiran Gehrke 1-4

Receiving – Landon Heidinger 5-76, TD; Elijah Domeier 4-28; Jack Sabolik 2-19; Keiran Gehrke 1-15; Jayce Allen 1-5

BBE 20

WCA 14

The Knights went on the road for the first time this season in search of their first win against Belgrade-Brooten-Elrosa. Despite having a 14-0 lead in the game, the Jaguars scored 20 unanswered points to hand WCA a 20-14 loss. 

In a defensive first quarter, the Knights were the only team to score when Eli Domeier punched in a 15-yard touchdown run to give WCA an 8-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. The Knights pushed their lead to 14-0 when Owen Gruchow scooped a backwards pass and returned it for 43 yards and a touchdown. The Jaguars did manage to score twice in the final nine minutes of the half to tie the game at 14-14 at the halftime break.

Neither team scored in the third quarter and both teams were still deadlocked entering the fourth. BBE scored on an eight-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter to take a 20-14 lead. The Knights were able to get into BBE territory on two more occasions, but never got inside the 40-yardline and came up just six points short. 

It was tough sledding for the WCA offense all day, finishing the game with just 215 yards of total offense. Gruchow started at quarterback and finished the game 5 for 11 for 69 yards and an interception. Landon Heidinger was the only player to have more than one catch, finishing with two receptions for 26 yards. Gehrke also had 26 yards on one catch. On the ground, Gruchow led the team with 50 yards on 24 carries and Gehrke added 34 yards on five carries. 

The Knights will stay on the road this week to play Browerville/Eagle Valley Friday, Sept. 18.

WCA 8  6  0 0 – 14

BBE 0 14 0 6 – 20

Scoring Plays 

1st Quarter

WCA – Eli Domeier 15-yard rushing TD – 8-0

2nd Quarter

WCA – Owen Gruchow 43-yard fumble return TD – 14-0

BBE – 17-yard passing TD – 14-8

BBE – 38-yard passing TD – 14-14

4th Quarter

BBE – 8-yard rushing TD – 20-8

WCA Individual Stats

Passing – Owen Gruchow 5-11, 69 yards, INT

Rushing – Gruchow 24-50; Keiran Gehrke 5-34; Elijah Domeier 1-15; Landon Heidinger 1-4

Receiving – Gehrke 1-26; Heidinger 2-26; Domeier 1-15; Gavin Armstrong 1-2