Webbers Falls Warriors avenge playoff loss to Keota

The Webbers Falls Warriors saw their season end in 2022 with a Class B opening-round 42-14 road loss to the Keota Lions at Keota’s Alvin Powell Field.

As luck would have it, the same two teams met Friday night at Smokey Cox Stadium, and the Warriors got revenge.

Trailing 28-22 with 9:30 left in the third quarter, the Warriors scored midway through the period and never lost the lead as they prevailed 4228.

Down six points with 9:30 remaining in the third quarter, the Warriors (1-0) took the lead for good as Maddux Shelby ran for a touchdown with 7:31 left in the period. He also ran in the two-point conversion for a 30-28 lead going into the final quarter.

Shelby put the game away with two TD runs in the fourth period to get the 12-point victory.

All total, Shelby scored four touchdowns on the night, with his first coming in the first quarter, in which he also ran in the two-point conversion, for an 8-0 lead. Webbers Falls led 8-6 after a period.

Just 30 seconds into the second quarter, the Lions (0-1) took a 12-8 lead with 11:30 left before halftime.

However, Shelby decided to use his arm and not his legs to get Webbers Falls on the scoreboard as he hit Dylan Young for a touchdown with 9:35 remaining in the first half to put the Warriors back ahead 1412.

With 3:58 remaining before halftime, the Lions went back ahead on a TD and a successful two-point conversion to regain the lead at 20-14.

However, it only took 42 seconds for Webbers Falls to get the lead right back as Zane Nolan scored on a touchdown run. Shelby scored the two-point conversion to put the Warriors on top 22-20 at halftime.