Union Knights Football Team

By Cheyne Reiter

I'll save a majority of the adjectives for the post-game article, but I guess I'll give you one to put this game in perspective...UNBELIEVABLE. The Knights won tonight's first round contest over the Washington Demons by a 22-15 final in absolutely breath-taking fashion.

After Union took an early 7-0 on their opening possession, the Demons responded late in the second quarter with a touchdown of their own. Tied up at 7-all, fans would be in for a treat in the second half.

Once again on their opening possession of the second half, the Knights drove the football down the field and scored to go up 14-7. The score would remain that way until a roller coaster ending in the last five minutes.

The Demons scored a touchdown with less than 2:30 remaining and after sending out the PAT unit, they called a timeout. After breaking the huddle, out came the Demon offense to go for the win. On the road, underdogs, whatever you want to call it, the Demons wanted to shock Union.

On the two-point conversion attempt, the Knights had QB Jake Redlinger wrapped up, but after he slipped free he found a wide-open target waiting in the end zone, and just like that, the Knights would trail by a 15-14 margin.

The Knights would get roughly two minutes to get into field goal range. In a crucial situation like this, teams usually look for their playmakers and in this situation, the Knights would do just that. Scheel connected with Hadachek multiple times on the final drive, and finally on a short sideline hitch route completion, Hadachek eluded the Demon tacklers and scored the game-winning touchdown with just over a minute remaining. Knights players, coaches, fans, and announcers Dave Reisner and Ryan Moody went into pandemonium. After the successful two-point conversion attempt by Union, the score would be 22-15 in the Knights favor.

One more defensive stand would be necessary to seal the victory, and the Knights defense came up big. A strip sack would be recovered by Union and with one final 'victory formation' play, the Knights found themselves 22-15 victors and advancing to the "Sweet 16" of postseason play.

Next Monday night, the Knights will travel to Solon, the defending 3A champions of 2010 and also 3-time champions of 2A in 2007, 2008, and 2009. The Knights will look to knock off the now 9-1 Solon Spartans in a game that will certainly gain much media attention as Solon seeks their fifth consecutive state championship.