Football season ends with loss to rival Wausa

WAUSA – With no chance of making the playoffs, the Randolph Cardinals hoped to finish their best season since 2019 in style.

Playing rival Wausa and hoping to play potential spoiler to the Vikings postseason dreams, the Cardinals fell short in a 44-12 defeat to wrap the campaign with a 2-6 record.

Regardless, the win total equaled the composite two wins the program recorded from 2020-22.

“We played a well fought game in rough conditions,” Randolph head coach Mark L ech said. “The rain made the field extremely sloppy and the ball was slick and this led to both teams having to change their game plans.”

Wausa led only 14-6 at halftime before getting its second legs to pull away.

“We played good defense until the fourth quarter when Wausa got a couple of long pass plays to open up the game and put it out of reach, ” Lech said.

He said the coaching staff appreciates everyone who supported the team which included three seniors: Aiden Gubbels, Joe Miller and Bryson Eledge.

“They were the heart of the team and played almost every snap regardless of the outcome of bumps and bruises that they had. The set a great example for the future of the team. ”

Even with the losing record, Lech said the season was a step in the right direction.

“The underclassmen played a lot of minutes and got a lot of experience,” he said.

Against Wausa, Eledge (12 carries, 55 yards, one touchdown/three receptions, 62 yards and a score) and Dayton Winkelbauer (six carries, 38 yards/4for-14 passing for 69 yards) led the way.

Freshman Ryan Engel had hoped the Cardinals could make the playoffs this season.

The campaign didn’t end the way any of his team planned, he said.

“I’m a little bummed about it, ” he said. “But there was also some good stuff that came out of this season. I think (against Wausa, they ran out of gas) because we were just worn out from those two big games (vs.Wynot and Bloomfield the preceding two weeks).