For the first time in the 109-year history of Onaga high school football, the Buffaloes took on Pleasant Ridge last Friday night in search of their second win in district play. Onaga came into the game in fourth place in the District #3 standings and was facing a winless Rams team that was tied with Valley Falls for the last two spots. Though Pleasant Ridge was much more talented than their record and results might indicate, the game was never in doubt, as the Buffaloes ran out to a near 30-point lead by halftime and never looked back.
Onaga’s offense got things going early when junior tailback Josh Daniels ran 49 yards on the game’s opening play. Though Daniels is third on the team in carries this season, he’s made the most of them by averaging a team-leading 8.6 yards per carry. He showed off his big play ability on the third play of the drive with another long run, this time for 17 yards, and on the next play junior fullback Gavin Kolterman ran 12 yards for a Buffalo touchdown.
The ensuing kickoff was fumbled by Pleasant Ridge and recovered by the Buffaloes, a common theme throughout the evening. Though the Rams couldn’t stop the Onaga offense from scoring, their own offense would have made the game a lot closer would it not have been for numerous dropped passes and four fumbles on the night. But those things did happen and the Buffaloes took advantage of the miscues continuing to put the hammer down on offense.
A punt on Onaga’s next possession would lead to the Rams’ only scoring drive of the first three quarters, as they went 67 yards in 11 plays and would score on a 20-yard touchdown run. The PAT was good to make it 8-7 Onaga in the early going. Unfortunately for Pleasant Ridge, that would be the last time they would be within a score for the rest of the evening.
The Buffaloes were marching on their next possession and it looked like the drive would go into the second quarter before senior quarterback Jackson Kolterman ran 40 yards for a touchdown with no time on the clock. He would then add the two-point conversion to make it 16-7.
The game was still up for grabs at that point, but that wouldn’t last long. The Rams would have the ball five times in the second quarter with the first three ending in punts, the next one ending in a turnover-on-downs, and the final one ending with the conclusion of the first half. Meanwhile, the Buffalo offense exploded for the most points they’ve scored in a single quarter this season outside of the second quarter against Valley Falls in week four.
Sophomore Tristan Kuhlman scored first on a 6-yard run, his second touchdown of the season, and Jackson Kolterman would throw for two more in the period. The first was the longest of his career, a 78-yard strike to sophomore Casen Hutfles. That was a career long reception for Hutfles as well, and the first touchdown of his career. The second touchdown pass went to junior Graham Valburg from 31 yards out, his first touchdown reception of the season. Kolterman would finish the game with 121 yards passing, all of which came in the second quarter.
With the onslaught of offense from Onaga, they took a 36-7 lead into the halftime break.
The third quarter was not as prolific offensively for the Buffaloes, but was just as dominant as the ball never crossed midfield. Their opening kickoff was fumbled by the Rams and four plays later turned into Gavin Kolterman’s second touchdown run of the night. Then after a punt, Jackson Kolterman would score his second from 20 yards out to end a 6-play drive. The senior signal caller would not only throw for over 100 yards in the game, but also run for 113 on just 11 carries to improve his season total to a team-leading 728 yards to go along with 13 touchdowns.
The final quarter saw a lot of Onaga backups get some playing time during a quick period that included a running clock. The Rams would tack on a late touchdown, but the Buffaloes still won in dominant fashion, 50-13.
With the win, the Buffaloes clinched a spot in the postseason that begins next week. Up first, though, is a final regular season against McLouth that will have postseason seeding implications. A win over the 5-2 Bulldogs would get Onaga to 4-4, potentially bumping them up on the postseason bracket. Also, a win over McLouth, combined with a Jeff County North loss to undefeated Jackson Heights, would create a three-way tie for second place in the district. If that happens, the final standings would come down to points, meaning beating the Bulldogs by a couple of touchdowns could vault the Buffaloes into a second place finish in District #3.
All of that will play out this Friday night when they host McLouth for the final regular season game of the season. It could be the final home game of the season for Onaga, and will be senior night as well. The school will pay tribute to Wyatt Boggs, L.J. Koelzer, Jackson Kolterman, Dylan Magnett, and Jacob Ronnebaum, and thank them for their four years of dedication to Onaga football. That will take place prior to the game, which is set to kick off at 7:00pm.
For a look at the stats from this season, league and district standings, season totals, and everything else Onaga football related, head over to the district website (usd322.org) and go to the team’s page under the “Athletics” tab.