WOLSEY — The Wolsey-Wessington Warbirds, fourth in the most recent Class 9A rankings, hosted the Castlewood Warriors for homecoming Friday night in Wolsey. After a shaky first quarter, the Warbirds celebrated a homecoming victory 28-8.

The Warriors came out powering over the Warbirds defense with senior running back Camron Eng picking up huge chunks of yardage before a fumble by quarterback Brody Bass gave the ball to the Warbirds deep in their own territory.

The Warbirds would punt twice and the Warriors turned the ball over on downs on the next three drives. Castlewood ended the first quarter on a prolonged drive, having gained more than 100 yards in the first quarter against the Warbirds.

The Warbirds were able to stall the Warrior drive and on the third play of the ensuing drive, Caleb Richmond ran off guard 64 yards for a touchdown. The 2-point pass fell incomplete.

Moshe Richmond intercepted a pass on the next drive and returned it 50 yards for the Warbirds’ second score. He then caught the 2-point pass from Caleb Richmond to make it 14-0 Warbirds with 5:46 left in the first half.

The Warriors again controlled the clock. After turning the ball over on downs after a long drive, the Warriors forced a fumble on the first play of the Warbirds’ drive. Two plays later, Brody Bass found 6’9” tight end Bryon Laue in the end zone. Bass hit Laue for the two-point conversion to make it 14-8, and that was the score heading into halftime.

The Warbirds came out in the second half looking to control the clock, but a fumble turned the ball over after one first down. The Warbirds forced a punt and then drove the ball meticulously down the field, finishing with a Moshe Richmond 1-yard touchdown run to make it 22-8.

Clock-controlling drives by the Warbirds ate up clock, and after a pair of turnovers on downs, the Warbirds punched in another score with five minutes left on a 15-yard sweep run by Peyton Rainford. The conversion pass failed, giving the Warbirds a 28-8 lead.

The Warriors put in their backups at that point and the Warbirds did the same.

Wolsey-Wessington moves to 3-0 behind 71 yards on 7 of 9 passing from Caleb Richmond, adding in five runs for 78 yards and a score.

Moshe Richmond ran the ball 12 times for 80 yards and a touchdown, caught five passes for 41 yards and returned an interception for a touchdown.

Rainford ran 13 times for 41 yards and a score. Ethan Rearick added 20 yards on a pair of carries late in the game.

The Warriors outgained the Warbirds, but much of their damage was done in the first half. Bass completed 9 of 17 passes for 109 yards and a touchdown. He also threw an interception and ran five times for 16 yards.

Eng ran 16 times for 75 yards for the Warriors, who fall to 0-3. Kamden Keszler ran three times for 21 yards and grabbed eight balls for 75 yards. Laue had one reception for 34 yards and a touchdown, battling cramping throughout most of the second half.

The Warbirds will be off next Friday before traveling to Platte-Geddes on Sept. 20.

Castlewood 0 8 0 0 — 8
Wolsey-Wessington 0 14 8 6 — 28

Scoring plays
2nd quarter
7:40 - WW - Caleb Richmond 64-yard TD run. (2-pt pass failed.)
5:46 - WW - Moshe Richmond 50-yard interception return for TD. (C.Richmond to M.Richmond 2-point pass is good.)
0:38 - C - Brody Bass 34-yard TD pass to Bryon Laue. (Bass to Laue 2-pt pass is good.)

3rd quarter
2:29 - WW - M.Richmond 1-yard TD run. (Rainford run is good.)

4th quarter
5:03 - WW - Peyton Rainford 15-yard TD run. (2-pt pass fails)

Other Heartland scores:
Clark/Willow Lake 46, Sisseton 6
Hanson 25, De Smet 8
Mobridge-Pollock 50, Miller/Highmore-Harrold 32
Britton-Hecla 48, Redfield 0
Sunshine Bible Academy 58, Colome 12