Union opened up at Dysart with their first home game of the year vs an optimistic Independence Mustang team (1-0) coming off a big win in week one. The Independence fans traveled well and packed the sidelines at UMS field with the standing room only Knight crowd. 1500 pork burgers were gone prior to kickoff.

The Knights dedicated this game to the Senior Citizen's of La Porte City and Dysart while also inviting the KYFC (Knights Youth Football Club, 3rd-6th) and UMS (7th-8th) players to join them as they entered the field and played the national anthem. It was an awesome site to have Union players shoulder to shoulder for 60 yards with approximately 175 red jerseys joining the Knight varsity team.

After deferring the flip due to a high wind from the NW, the Knight defense held the Mustangs to a three and out series. It did not take long for Wes Burnside (15 rushes, 188 yds, 4 TDs) to burst for a 40 yd TD run and after Reid Monroe kicked the PAT the Knights led 7-0. Again the defense held, with leading tacklers Blake Clark, 10 T, 6UT, 4AT, 1TFL and Dylan McLaughlin, 10T, 7UT, 3UT, 2.5 TFL, and Matt Schmitz, 5T, 1UT, 4AT, 2 TFL. The Union offense ran the ball down to the field until Burnside broke loose on a 13 yard run. After the Monroe PAT, the score was 14-0.

The new head coach and win last week kept the Mustangs inspired as Independence rallied on a 27 yard run by Kreston Caldwell-McMurrin and after PAT would trail 14-7. Field position was a key factor all night long as Union's punt return unit would provide a big advantage. Monroe only punted one time in four quarters while the Mustangs were forced to punt six times.

The second quarter was all Union. The defense pitched a shutout and a blocked punt by Cory Feldpouch turned into a scoop and score by Feldpouch from 8 yards out. Prior to that sophomore QB Trev Hadachek (4 of 4, 66 yds, 2 TDs, and 6 rushes for 132 yds) connected with Cole Hinders on a 26 yard scoring strike and Burnside added another rushing TD from 10 yards out. To finish out the scoring in the second quarter Hadachek connected with Hunter Zempel on a 37 yard aerial bomb to put the Knights up 42-7 at halftime.

The Knights opened up with a well blocked kickoff return and a super run by Feldpouch (2 returns, 64 yds). It was all Burnside on the first offensive drive of the third quarter finishing with a 33 yard run for TD putting Union up 49-7. Mitchell Dierks, who replaced Burnside, would also score in the third quarter on a 9 yard run. Final score, Union 56, Independence 7.

Twenty-two Knights were involved in making at least one tackle and seven Knights scored points during the four quarters of play. Next Friday the Knights open up 3A district 5 play at Center Point-Urbana.

Copy and paste this link to see pictures and video from the Waterloo Courier: http://wcfcourier.com/sports/high-school/other_high_schools/article_2f1009c4-b7c8-11df-9a2b-001cc4c03286.html?mode=video