Union Knights Football Team

Scheel, Knights set multiple records

By Cheyne Reiter

The No. 4 Union Knights made easy work of Central Springs Friday night with a 61-6 victory.

Union moved to 3-0 on the season while also picking up their first win in district play.

Putting up 61 points is no easy task, especially with the continuous clock rule in effect after half when a team is up by 35 or more points.

However, Union had the game in hand before the break, mainly because of Iowa Hawkeyes’ commit and Union QB Jay Scheel delivering a near-perfect aerial performance.

The electrifying Scheel threw five TDs in the first half, scored another with his legs, and led the Knights to the locker room with a 47-0 lead at halftime.

Union scored two touchdowns in the first quarter on multiple TD passes, one apiece to Brady Driscol and Kolten Bader.

Union put up a whopping 34 points on five touchdowns in the second quarter, ultimately burying Central Springs. Scheel unleashed three more TD strikes, two to Dylan Bear and one more to Bader. He and Jacob Holschlag also had TD runs both from two yards out.

Scheel’s all-around, record-setting performance had his head coach Joe Hadachek in awe.

“He’s got the complete package. He can throw darts on the perimeter, and we all know he runs like a deer. Throw in his short and intermediate passing game and it’s a pretty special talent,” said Coach Hadachek.

The Knights added two more scores in the third quarter, the first being a 43-yard missile to Bader – his third receiving TD of the night – and the second coming on a 9-yard TD carry by Noah Garwood.

When the game ended, Scheel’s numbers looked like those from a video game. He completed 12-of-14 passes for 225 yards and six TD’s. He also carried five times for 46 yards and a score. His seven total touchdowns and six passing TD’s both are Union records.

Holschlag again led all ball carriers with 13 carries for 85 yards and a TD. Garwood added 31 yards on eight rushes. Bader led the receiving corps with five catches for 111 yards and three scores. In total, the offense racked up 396 yards and punted only twice.

While the offense was wheeling and dealing, the Knights’ defense was equally as impressive. They limited Central Springs to just 70 yards of total offense, 64 of them coming on the ground. The secondary intercepted five passes – another Union record – led by Driscol who had two. The junior standout now has four interceptions in just three games.

Central Springs completed just 1-of-15 passing attempts.

Despite the impressive 55-point victory, Hadachek knows there’s more to come.

“We can be better as crazy as that sounds. We want to be playing our best ball towards the end of the regular season.”

With district game No. 2 and Osage lurking, Hadachek continued to emphasize the mental mistakes, in addition to his team not becoming complacent. The Knights accumulated eight penalties.

“We have to cut down on penalties. The aggressive ones are fine, but it’s the illegal procedure(s) and the 12 men on the field type of miscues that hurt us. We can’t become bored with the routine.”