Fumbling Reicher falls short in shootout

By Brian Bateman

Ask any coach and he’ll say a solid start to any football game is the first step toward victory.

Reicher certainly didn’t do itself any favors with four fumbles on its opening four possessions last week. The result? An early 27-6 hole and a 74-39 loss to Addison Trinity Christian.

“They were really good at stripping the ball. We had six ball carriers lose it,” Reicher coach Mark Waggoner said. The lead “stayed about 21 points the whole night.”

Combine that with Trinity Christian’s scorching-fast, no-huddle offense, and it was a tough night for the Cougars (1-1). Trinity Christian ran 62 plays and totaled an eye-popping 573 yards.

“They made Oregon look slow,” Waggoner said. “They’re hoping you’re trying to switch coverages, and they caught us a few times.”

Still, the Cougars had reasons to be hopeful for the rest of the season. Brandon Dwyer scored two touchdowns — one running and a 95-yard kickoff return — and quarterback Blake Waggoner had 315 yards and two touchdowns through the air. Dwyer, Aaron Cain and Lincoln Plsek have helped form the top of a solid backfield rotation and best of all for Mark Waggoner, there’s not another team on the Cougars’ schedule with a no-huddle like Trinity Christian’s.

“At least not one with 11 one-way players,” Waggoner said. “If someone runs it, they’ll at least have to slow” it down at some point.

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