Union County began the home football season last Friday night with something for everyone and everyone for the Patriots. The bleachers were full of support for the Patriots and the football Patriots didn’t disappoint. 

“It was an exciting game,” UC coach Joel Hoffman said after pasting the 41-6 Tri-Eastern Conference victory amd near shutout of the Lincoln Golden Eagles.

 Hoffman summed it up this way...

“We had a couple things we wanted to do and we executed those things. That made it real exciting from the start.” 

UC’s start began with Jordan Takara’s block of a Lincoln punt and Michael Eversole’s touchdown pass to Evan Wolf. 

“Then we put a trick play in this week,” Hoffman continued. The Patriots faked the point after touchdown (PAT) with a pass that was intercepted.

After six Lincoln plays, Wolf needed six plays to find the end zone and up the score to 13-0. 

Lincoln responded with their longest possession in the game – 6 minutes, 23 seconds and 12 plays that ended near midfield with back-to-back incomplete passes.

Eversole found Topher Fritts open three plays later to raise the score to 20-0 with 2:57 left in the first half. That was enough time for the Patriots defense to hold the Eagles to five plays that ended in a fumble and the UC offense on the move again. Wolf ran in from 15 yards out and Rhett Hollen toed his third PAT in the first half.

 A short Eversole to Wolf pass and Hollen putting another PAT through the uprights set the halftime score at 34-0.

Takara’s 17-yard TD  pass after halftime and Hollen’s fifth PAT kick put UC up 41-0.

“We used everybody –  young guys on offense and defense in the fourth quarter. It was nice to give the starters a rest,” Hoffman said. “And we had a shutout until the last play. They put their best guy back in (6’5” senior, good basketball player, Tyler Wyles) and he went up and got it.”

Lincoln was in possession virtually all of the fourth quarter until quarterback Gavin Trent launched a 30-yard pass to Wyles in the end zone as time ran out. Final score, Union County 41, Lincoln 6.

“We try to get a quick score and it worked out well for us tonight,” Hoffman said. “The guys were aggressive and that’s what we ask.”

The football home opener found a near capacity crowd cheering on the Patriots at Curry-Phenis Field and a tremendous halftime show by the Union County Marching Patriots Band. 

                            
Patriots host Knightstown
The Patriots Knightstown this Friday, Sept. 2, and travel home on Sept. 9, to host the Hagerstown Tigers at  Curry/Phenis Field at 7 p.m.

Quarter scores:
Union County  13  14  14   0 - 41
Lincoln              0    0    0   6 -  6
 
First Quarter
UC - Evan Wolf 30-yd. Pass from Matthew Wooley, 6:44. PAT  failed.  
Second Quarter
UC - Evan Wolf 5-yd. Run, 9:59. PAT - Rhett Hollen.     
UC - Topher Fritts 40-yd. Pass from Michael Eversole, 2:57. PAT - Hollen kick.   
UC - Evan Wolf 15 yd. Run, :51. PAT - Hollen kick.    
Third Quarter 
UC - Evan Wolf 6-yd. Eversole pass, 9:41. PAT - Hollen kick.   
UC - Jordan Takara 17-yd. Run, 6:03. PAT - Hollen kick.    
Fourth Quarter 
L - Tyler Wyles 30 yd. Pass :00.    
                                UCo       L
Total plays                 25       48
Total yards                230
Passing yards           109
UC-Eversole 5/6 - 79yds. Wooley 1/1 - 30 yds. 
Receiving yards - UC-Wolf 9 - 82 yds., 2 Tds. Takara 4 - 47, 1 TD. Snyder 2 - 7 yds. Eversole 2 - 5yds. Wessler 1 - -6 yds. 
Rushing yards -           121     
UC-Wolf 4/55, 2 Tds. Fritts 1/40, 1 TD. Takara 1/14  
First downs                10         9
Turnovers                    0         1
Penalty Yards              0         5

UC Tackle Leaders - Wooley 3-1 assist; Wolf 3-3 assists; Snyder 2-2 assists; Dishmond 2-1 assist; Tom 2-2 assists; Fritts 1-2 assists; Mullins 1-1 assist; Schulte 1-0; Darter1-2 assists; Mills 1-0; Takara 1 assist,  1 sack;  Whitsell 1 assist, 1 sack;  Herring 1 assist; Tipton 1 assist;  Jones 1 assist; Buttery 1 assist.