The high school football kicked off its 2023 season last Friday night at the Rosenfield Sports Complex. The team welcomed McLouth to town, the second year in a row the schools had met in their season openers. The Buffaloes were looking for similar results after beating the Bulldogs 21-0 in 2022 and bringing back multiple starters on both sides of the ball. McLouth, meanwhile, was looking for redemption, bringing in a newly energized team under new head coach Seth Mills.
The Buffaloes jumped out to an early lead, scoring on their first possession of the season. After a 21-yard kickoff return by senior Hunter Lamond, Onaga hit the ground game seven times and totaled 59 yards in the process. Carries by senior Rayce Fisher, junior Jackson Kolterman, and sophomore Gavin Kolterman marched the Buffaloes down the field before the elder Kolterman punched it in from two yards out. The PAT attempt failed, but the Buffaloes held an early 6-0 lead.
Onaga would score each of their next two possessions in the first quarter, both drives being capped off by touchdown runs by Fisher. The bruising back showed off his speed on both runs, scoring from 40 yards out and 53 yards out. He ended the first period with 91 yards on just four carries, and the Buffaloes ended the quarter with an 18-8 lead.
Though each team had a tough time stopping the other’s offense, the high-scoring first twelve minutes of the game would not be the story for the remaining three quarters. The second period saw just two possessions between the two teams as they pounded out few yards and plenty of clock on the ground. McLouth would strike again on the second touchdown run of the evening and would convert the first PAT of the night for either team. Onaga would run just six plays in the second period and totaled zero yards on them. McLouth also had trouble moving the ball on their second possession, and the two teams went to halftime with the Buffaloes on top 18-16.
The third quarter was like the second, but a costly turnover would lead to the game’s first lead change. McLouth had a promising opening drive going, but after nine plays they would turn it over on downs at the Onaga 18-yard line. After a false start backed the Buffaloes up five yards, their first play from scrimmage of the second half went for nine yards but ended with a fumble. The Bulldogs recovered, and four plays later they were in the endzone on a 22-yard pass play. The PAT was successful again, and McLouth had taken a 24-18 lead.
Onaga’s offense got rolling again on its next possession with carries again by Fisher and the Kolterman boys. It was also aided by Jackson Kolterman’s second completion of the night when he hit Fisher for a 29-yard strike. A couple of Gavin Kolterman runs later, and the third period ended with the Buffaloes having possession at the McLouth six-yard line.
The fourth quarter began with two runs by Fisher, the second of which saw him find his way into the endzone for the third time in the game. Onaga was then able to add their first PAT of the night from Hunter Lamond to take the lead back, 26-24. Unfortunately, that lead would not last long as McLouth went 65 yards in just five plays, the final one a 28-yard touchdown run to give the Bulldogs a 30-24 lead with 7:30 to go in the game.
Onaga would start off its next drive with three long runs by Gavin Kolterman, Fisher, and Kolterman again, totaling 47 yards. The next four plays, however, totaled one yard, and the Buffaloes turned the ball over on downs at the McLouth 19-yard line.
The Bulldogs never got rolling again, but they were able to gain just enough yards to bleed out the clock and end the game, knocking off the Buffaloes 30-26.
While the opening-night loss was a heartbreaker for the Buffaloes, there were several bright spots that lead to optimism the rest of the way in 2023. Rayce Fisher, in his second career game as the primary back, picked up right where he left off against Oskaloosa in 2022. The senior running back ran 12 times on the night for 158 yards, averaging over 13 yards a carry and scoring three times. He also had his career-long reception in the third quarter for another 29 yards. Sophomore Gavin Kolterman also had a great night on the ground, averaging over eight yards on each of his seven carries. Jackson, the junior signal caller, ran the offense well and added to the statistically positive night. He had 47 yards on ten carries, scoring once, and went three for four through the air for another 37 yards.
On the defensive side of the ball, several Buffaloes stood out as well. Senior Christian Henneberg and junior Dylan Magnett led the team with 11 tackles a piece, while senior Tatum Lara also reached double-digits with 10 tackles and added a sack for good measure. Lamond also added a sack on the night to go along with his five tackles, while freshman Maddex Honas tallied six tackles on the night in his first career game in a Buffalo uniform.
Onaga now turns its attention to league play is it gets ready to go on the road this week for the first time this season. They’ll be taking on Valley Heights this Friday night, a team that is also coming off a heartbreaking loss in its season-opener after losing 18-16 to Centralia last week. The two teams will kick off at 7:00pm.