Different day, same results.
Whether it’s under the Friday night lights or on a bright, sunny Saturday afternoon, the Valle Catholic football team keeps punishing its opponents.
On a rare Saturday contest during the regular season, the undefeated Warriors demolished winless Vianney 49-8 at Father John Dempsey Field in Ste. Genevieve to move to a perfect 8-0. While this was the only Saturday game on the Valle regular season schedule, it may not be the last if it captures a district title and moves onto the state quarterfinals next month.
In its signature fashion, Valle scored before the hometown faithful could settle into their seats.
Just 1:11 into the game, Bryce Giesler scored on an 11-yard run, and Will Kuehn began what was to be a busy and successful afternoon with his first extra point to make it 7-0.
It stayed that way until the 2:03 mark of the first quarter when Giesler was on the receiving end of a 55-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Chase Fallert. Kuehn added the PAT to make it 14-0 after the first period.
But the second quarter proved to be another clinic from the Warriors’ fast and furious offense and big play defense.
Just 58 seconds into the quarter, Tim Okenfuss scored on a five-yard run, and with Kuehn’s successful point after attempt, it was 21-0.
Less than four minutes later Giesler scored another rushing touchdown, this time from 20 yards out to make the score 28-0 after the PAT.
Giesler wasn’t done. He scored his 17th rushing touchdown of the season from two yards out at the 4:31 mark. Kuehn continued his flawless kicking to put Valle up 35-0. Those 17 rushing touchdowns by Giesler have come on just 83 carries. This young man scores a touchdown on every 4.9 attempts, pretty remarkable stuff.
About two minutes later, Fallert tossed his second touchdown pass of the game, this time to Harry Oliver from 13 yards out. Kuehn made it 42-0.
Not to let the offense have all the fun, Cohen Gibbs recovered a Vianney fumble at the 20-yard line in the final minute of the half and took it the house. Kuehn completed a perfect seven for seven day with the extra point to make it 49-0 at halftime.
As impressive as 49 first half points is for any team, that’s just the fourth most scored in the first two quarters by this Valle squad this season!
After a scoreless third quarter, the Golden Griffins got the goose egg off the scoreboard on the visitor’s side with an 18-yard touchdown pass midway through the fourth quarter. The two-point conversion made the final 49-8.
Fallert led the Warriors in rushing with 73 yards, but you know who was nipping at his heels. Giesler’s 72 yards puts him over 1,000 yards for the season.
Fallert also completed 6-11 passes for 118 yards and his 16th and 17th touchdown passes of the season against just four interceptions.
Giesler balanced out his 72 rushing yards with 74 receiving yards to lead the team.
Valle’s 314 total yards is almost pedestrian for a squad that came into the game averaging 500 yards per contest,
Defensively, the Warriors racked up a stunning 21 tackles behind the line of scrimmage. The team total for the season is up to 125, an average of over 15 per game. If you look up the word suffocating in the dictionary, there may very well be a picture of this Valle Catholic defense.
Isaac Viox led a balanced defensive day with seven total tackles. Okenfuss had two sacks, giving him a team-high 10.5 on the season. In addition to his touchdown return of a Vianney fumble, Gibbs added two sacks.
Valle wraps up the regular season with a long road trip down I-55 to Kennett on Friday, October 21st. Game time is set for 7 p.m. The Warriors sit atop the Class 3, District 1 standings, the Indians are third just ahead of Ste. Genevieve.
