The West Central Area-Ashby football team won its home-opener on Friday over the Staples-Motley Cardinals behind a strong rushing attack.
The Knights racked up 340 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns in a 43-7 win to improve to 1-1.
Senior Anthony Sykora led the rushing attack with 123 yards and three touchdowns on 10 rushes.
WCA-Ashby got the running game going early with two Sykora rushing touchdowns in the first quarter, along with one from senior Tyler Stone.
Sykora scored on the ground again to begin the second quarter to put WCA-Ashby up 28-0 with 9:48 left until halftime.
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Junior Brady Lindquist then connected with Cole Anderson a minute later to add another score for the Knights.
The Knights’ final touchdown of the game came in the third quarter on a 49-yard run by Cash Nelson.
WCA-Ashby totaled 488 yards of offense while Staples-Motley had three. In addition to Sykora’s 123 yards on the ground, sophomore Hunter Gruchow had 75 yards on six rushes.
The WCA-Ashby defense kept Staples-Motley (0-2) in check for most of the night. Staples-Motley only scored once, late in the third quarter, on a five-yard run by Colbe Tappe. WCA-Ashby picked off two Staples-Motley passes on the night.
Junior Isaac Kreft led the Knights in tackles with seven.
WCA-Ashby heads back on the road on Sept. 16 to face Pillager (0-2). Pillager has lost 42-6 to Hawley and 43-7 to Otter Tail Central so far this season.
WCA-Ashby beat Pillager in the 2021 season, 34-0.
Staples-Motley - 0 0 7 0 - 7
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WCA-Ashby - 20 17 6 0 - 43
SCORING -
1ST -
Anthony Sykora 4-yard rush, 6:11, Missed PAT (WCA-A 6-0)
Tyler Stone 5-yard rush, 3:28, 2-pt conversion Brady Lindquist to Anthony Sykora, (WCA-A 14-0)
Anthony Sykora 45-yard rush, 0:34, 2-pt conversion no good (WCA-A 20-0)
2ND -
Anthony Sykora 20-yard rush, 9:48, 2-pt conversion Brady Lindquist to Anthony Sykora, WCA-A 28-0)
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Brady Lindquist 44-yard pass to Cole Anderson, 8:39, Missed PAT (WCA-A 34-0)
Anthony Sykora 23-yard field goal, 4:34 (WCA-A 37-0)
3RD -
Cash Nelson 49-yard run, 4:12, 2-pt conversion no good, (WCA-A 43-0)
Colbe Tappe 5-yard run, 0:47, (WCA-A 43-7)
TEAM STATS -
YARDS - WCA-Ashby, 488 (148 passing, 340 rushing); Staples-Motley 133 (117 passing, 16 rushing)
FIRST DOWNS - WCA-Ashby, 19; Staples-Motley, 5
3RD-DOWNS - WCA-Ashby, 1-4; Staples-Motley, 1-12
4TH-DOWNS - WCA-Ashby, 1-1; Staples-Motley, 0-4
TURNOVERS - WCA-Ashby, 3; Staples-Motley, 2
PENALTIES - WCA-Ashby, 1 - 5 yards; Staples-Motley, 1 - 5 yards
WCA PLAYER STATS -
PASSING - Brady Lindquist, 4-7, 93 yards, TD; Sam Hansen, 2-2, 35 yards; Anthony Sykora, 1-1, 20 yards
RUSHING - Anthony Sykora, 10 rushes, 123 yards, 3 TD; Hunter Gruchow, 6 rushes, 75 yards; Cash Nelson, 1 rush, 49 yards, TD; Cole Anderson, 2 rushes, 44 yards; Nas Dotts, 7 rushes, 28 yards; Brady Lindquist, 1 rush, 6 yards; Tyler Stone, 1 rush, 5 yards, TD; Jake Norby, 1 rush, 4 yards; Beau Robinson, 1 rush, 1 yard; Sam Hansen, 1 rush, -3 yards; TEAM 7 yards
RECEIVING - Cole Anderson, 2 catches, 76 yards, TD; Adam Loshe, 2 catches, 22 yards; Ben Bye, 1 catch, 20 yards; Peyton Hanson, 1 catch, 19 yards; Anthony Sykora, 1 catch, 5 yards
DEFENSE - Isaac Kreft, 7 tackles; Sam Hansen, 5 tackles; Jake Norby, 4 tackles; Brady Lindquist, 4 tackles; Cam Anderson, 4 tackles; Tyler Stone, 3 tackles; Anthony Sykora, 2 tackles; Peyton Hanson, 2 tackles; Ben Nyreen, 2 tackles; Cole Anderson, 1 tackle, INT; Beau Robinson, 1 tackle; Hunter Gruchow, 1 tackle; Adam Lohse, 1 tackle; Justin Blascyk, 1 tackle; Blake Flint, 1 tackle; Zach Vick, 1 tackle; Grant Lindquist, 1 tackle; Jackson Nadgwick, 1 sack; Damon Sanstead, 1 sack