Waitsburg Holds On to Beat C-B, 24-22

WAITSBURG – The Waitsburg Cardinals football team was cruising along with a 21-0 lead when halftime homecoming festivities arrived Friday night. But all of those points were needed, along with three more from a third-quarter field goal, as the Columbia-Burbank Coyotes came roaring back to nearly spoil the Cardinals' night.

Two third-quarter touchdowns, with successful two-point conversions, allowed C-B to close the gap to eight. And with 21 seconds left in the game, the Coyotes scored again, but the Cardinal D denied them the conversion points, as Waitsburg held on for the 24-22 win.

Early in the third quarter, Cardinal quarterback Jacob Dunn suffered a severe cut on his throwing elbow, which required at least 30 stitches after the game, according to Waitsburg Coach Troy Larsen.

"I was very proud of Jacob's leadership and toughness in that second half," Larsen said. "A lot of kids would have been done for the night."

Dunn scored the first Cardinal TD on a one-yard run in the first quarter. He completed two long touchdown passes in the second quarter, one to Brandon Penner for 49 yards and then to Nick Kitselman for 35 yards.

Besides the third-quarter field goal, Jordan Garrity was three-for-three in extra-point kicks.

For the game, Dunn was 10 for 21 passing, for 239 yards and the two TDs. Chris Philbrook had nine carries and rushed for 74 yards.

Penner had three catches for 118 yards and Kitselman had two for 48. Each had a touchdown. Jason Carter caught five passes for 73 yards.

On Defense, Mark Montgomery led the Cardinals with 12 tackles. Dunn had two interceptions and Kitselman had one.

The Cardinals open league plan Friday night with a game at DeSales.

Waitsburg 24, Columbia-Burbank 22

Burbank 0 0 16 6 - 22

Waitsburg 7 14 3 0 - 24

Waitsburg Rushing: Penner 1-5, Dunn 8-11, Garrity 6-3, Philbrook 9-74

Waitsburg Receiving- Penner 3-118, Carter 5-73, Kitselman 2-48

Waitsburg Passing - Dunn 10-21 239