Washington County high school football teams went 2-1 Friday night as the Fort Calhoun Pioneers began a new era.
Under a new coach — Zach Byrd — on its new turf field, FCHS edged Nebraska City 19-18 in the second Pioneer Bowl.
Elsewhere, the Arlington Eagles and Blair Bears went to overtime with their opposition. AHS beat Raymond Central on the road 27-21, while BHS dropped to 0-2 with a 30-27 loss at Plattsmouth.
Welchert leads Calhoun to win
Sophomore runner Blake Welchert scored three touchdowns in Byrd’s debut Friday, including the game-winner with 2:40 left in the fourth quarter.
From there, FCHS’ Levi Lasher intercepted a Nebraska City pass and Alex Christensen swatted down another in the final seconds of the 19-18 win.
The Pioneers won despite trailing 18-6 going into the final quarter. After he scored on a 3-yard run to close out the first half, Welchert opened the fourth with a 33-yard score, breaking tackles down the west sideline at FCHS.
Still trailing 18-13, Calhoun earned a defensive stop, cutting down a Nebraska City runner short of first down on a fourth-and-3 play. The Pioneers’ ensuing offensive drive started at their own 34-yard-line, but ended when Welchert scored from 11 yards out. Runs by TJ DeMilt and first-year starting quarterback Adam Elofson set up the game-winner.
The 1-0 Fort Calhoun football team hosts Oakland-Craig next Friday.
Eagles beat Mustangs in OT
Arlington’s Cooper Staats connected with Kieryn Grothe for the game-winning touchdown Friday as the Eagles topped Raymond Central in overtime, 27-21, according to activities director James Shada.
The Eagles’ first win since the 2021 season came after the home team tied the game with 48 seconds left in regulation. Coach Colter Mattson’s team had previously led 21-15 on touchdown runs by Kaden Foust and Staats. Foust’s scores covered 46 and 49 yards during the first half, according to AHS social media posts.
Arlington goes into next Friday’s homecoming game against West Point-Beemer with a 1-0 record.
Bears fall short in OT
Plattsmouth hit a 27-yard field goal in overtime, besting Blair by three points, 30-27.
The Devils previously tied the game late during the fourth quarter with a 35-yard kick, too.
Blair, meanwhile, built a 27-24 lead with touchdowns from Brock Templar, Ethan Baessler and Bode Soukup.
Templar scored on a 22-yard run during the fourth quarter after Soukup — the Bears’ QB — scored on a 6-yard scramble and a sneak in the first half.
Baessler, meanwhile, scored his second touchdown of the season on a 26-yard pass from Soukup in the first quarter.
The 0-2 Bears have a week off before facing Ralston on Sept. 8.
For the full story on these games and additional photos, check out next Tuesday's edition of the Washington County Pilot-Tribune. Coverage will appear online at enterprisepub.com/sports that same day. (Note: Enterprise Media Group's Aaron Hickman contributed to this report.)
