Indees break through for first win

The Independence/Gilmanton football team used a balanced offensive attack for its first win in more than two years.

The Indees had more than 100 yards rushing and passing, spreading the ball out offensively as it scored a season-high 28 points to beat Augusta on the road last week. The win was I/G’s first since Sept. 9, 2022. 

In Austen Whitwam’s first season as the head coach, the Indees are now 1-6 overall and 1-4 in Dairyland Conference play. The team will play two of the teams that are tied at the top of the DC standings to close out its regular season. This week, the Indees host Blair-Taylor, which is coming off a 52-30 win over Eleva-Strum (see story elsewhere in Sports) and is 4-1 in DC play. 

Next week, I/G hits the road to face another 4-1 team, Cochrane-Fountain City. The Pirates knocked off defending DC champion Pepin/Alma last week.

I/G 28 Augusta 6

The Indees got three touchdowns on offense and 20 tackles on defense from sophomore Chase Back in the win.

I/G led for most of the game as it scored a touchdown in the first quarter then added a touchdown and two-point conversion in the second to take a 14-6 advantage into halftime. They scored two more touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull away.

Back passed 14-for-21 for 163 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. He also ran for another touchdown. He spread the ball around offensively as five different Indees caught passes, led by freshman Blake Slaby, who caught four for 69 yards and a touchdown. 

Nathan Pyka led the ground attack with 64 rushing yards, he added 20 receiving yards and scored two touchdowns, one on the ground and one through the air. 

Both Pyka and Back were active defensively. Back had 12 solo tackles and finished with 20 total stops in the game. Pyka had five solo tackles and 15 total. 

I/G —

Rushing (att./yds.) — Pyka 14/64 Marsolek 6/22 Back 11/16 Klimek 1/2

Receiving (rec./yds.) — Marsolek 5/37 Slaby 4/69 Solberg 2/22 Pyka 2/20 Klimek 1/18

Passing (comp./att./yds.) — Back 14/21/163 Pyka 1/1/3

Tackles (solo/total) — Back 12/20 Marsolek 2/5 Pyka 5/15 Klimek 1/4 Slaby 0/2 Carillo Taylor 3/7 Cantu Lucio 0/3 Halverson 0/1 Solberg 2/6 Turner 1/4 Flores 1/6