Sports

Sioux cruise to shutout win

By Matthew Semisch

09/09/2014

WESTHOPE - Another week, another win. That’s what the Westhope-Newburg-Glenburn (W-N-G) football team is looking for this season, and that’s what’s happened so far.

The Sioux maintained their unbeaten start to the season last Friday, picking up a 34-0 win at home over nine-man Region 3 rival New Town in Westhope. W-N-G roared out to a big lead early and led by the eventual final score at halftime before keeping the Eagles off the scoreboard again in the second half.

Speaking after the Sioux’s second home win of 2014, Sioux head coach Tom Nesvold said he liked what he saw from his team on Friday in terms of the energy with which his group played.

“We played with a little more intensity this time than I think we did in our first two games, and that was really good to see,” Nesvold said. “We aren’t clicking on all cylinders quite yet, but the intensity was there and there was a little more fire, so we’re making strides in a good way.

“You can pick that up just on the sidelines with all the kids yelling out there during the game now, whereas I don’t think that was happening enough before. Football’s an emotional sport and it’s a fun sport, and it’s supposed to be fun and it will be when the passion’s there, and that’s clearly growing with our boys, and that’s what you want to see. After all, if you’re not going to play with emotion, the game’s not worth playing.”

Sioux junior quarterback Reese Schell had a productive night against New Town in his third varsity start for W-N-G. Schell threw for 118 yards and two touchdowns and ran in a third.

The Sioux’s offense is starting to come together well, Schell said, and he said on Friday that he’s noticed improvements in his own game under center.

“We prepared well for New Town all week and made sure we had our passing game going again and set to go, and I think it was today,” he said. “It’s getting better every day and every game, and I feel like I’m getting to know how to read the defenses better.
“Instead of just winging the ball out there and hoping one of our guys catches it, I’m getting the reads down now and I think our whole offense is getting better.”

Wide receiver and backup quarterback Trent Marquart led the W-N-G wideout corps with two catches for 70 yards and one touchdown.

W-N-G running back Chase Conway also produced against the Eagles, gaining only 41 yards but scoring twice.

The Sioux are at home again this Friday for their homecoming game against Divide County (2-1). The game is set to kick off at 7 p.m. in Westhope.