Fort Calhoun quarterback Austin Welchert already told Enterprise Media Group once.
During a preseason interview, the senior said, “No one's going to be ready for our pass game this year.”
And, as it turned out, Nebraska City wasn't Saturday night.
Welchert threw three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth at Peru State College as FCHS opened its season with a 27-12 victory in the inaugural Pioneer Bowl. In the end, the orange and black Pioneers claimed the wagon wheel trophy the purple and gold Pioneers produced for the newly-established rivalry game and raised it over their heads in celebration.
“I knew that we would probably need to throw the ball with Austin,” said Calhoun coach Adolph Shepardson, who also celebrated his 44th birthday Saturday. He complimented Nebraska City's defensive line, but also commended his young offensive line for sticking with it.
Ultimately, it was the victorious Pioneers' linemen who allowed Welchert to get off passes to his two primary targets — Grayson Bouwman and Blake Welchert, his freshman brother. Just 16 seconds into the second quarter after a scoreless first, it was Bouwman finishing off an 89-yard pass play in the end zone.
“Grayson had a phenomenal game, obviously,” Shepardson said after the junior set a school record for single-game receiving yards with 228. “He's just an athlete.”
“He's fast,” Austin Welchert added. “No one's catching him.”
Mason Bliss hit the extra-point kick and FCHS led 7-0 at the Peru State Bobcats' Oak Bowl. Thanks to the point after touchdown and an Avery Quinlan blocked kick, the visiting Pioneers were never even with NCHS on the scoreboard again.
Shepardson's team still led 7-6 when Welchert connected with his little brother, Blake, for a 28-yard score with 2:53 left before halftime.
“What can you say? He's just a different kid,” Shepardson said of the ninth-grader.
Nebraska City tied Calhoun in touchdowns again during the third quarter, but a second missed PAT still left it behind 14-12 when Bouwman caught another pass for a long gain. The Pioneers then took their first-down snap from the 8-yard-line, but Welchert scored from the four for a two-score advantage, 21-12.
Bouwman later added his second touchdown catch of the game from 15 yards out during the fourth quarter, but it was the FCHS defense that preserved the Pioneers' lead over the final minutes. Tacklers flocked to the Nebraska City ball carriers, while Zach Nelson, Quinlan and Bouwman picked off passes during the last quarter.
“All summer, on defense, we've preached, 'Swarm,'” Welchert said. “When the whistle blows, there better be seven guys on the pile.”
There was late Saturday night on the Oak Bowl turf.
“That's how we did it on defense,” the QB noted.
Each time the Pioneers regained possession, they burned clock, too. When it finally counted itself down to zero, the team with black helmets and orange logo stickers celebrated a season-opening win despite all of its numerous roster losses to graduation last May.
“We have a really good coaching staff and our kids listen,” Shepardson said when asked how FCHS pulled it off. “We try and fill them with knowledge and they take it in.”
It's been a benefit.
“This young team is just growing every day,” he said.
One game into the new season, the Pioneers are 1-0 with Oakland-Craig up next.
“I'm just really excited for our kids,” Shepardson added. “No. 1, they work hard all year. They work hard all year and they believed, and they want to keep this winning tradition going that we got started last year.”
Welchert and his passing targets may continue to play a big part.
