Parkway West excels in all three phases to edge Seckman

By Joe Harris | Special to the Post-Dispatch

IMPERIAL — Parkway West senior Nathan Yates didn’t have to wait long to make amends Friday night.

Yates, a 6-foot-2 senior lineman, was visibly upset with himself after allowing a game-clinching interception slip through his hands in the Longhorns’ season opener at Seckman High.

He went to work on the next play, bursting through the line and getting a key sack to help short-circuit the Jaguars’ last chance for a comeback as West held on for a 28-27 win in a nonconference season-opening football game.

“Of course, it felt terrible dropping that pick, seeing it on the ground, thinking they got it,” Yates said. “But I got a sack right after, and I felt so much better after that. Still missing that is kind of annoying.”

Yates’ play came moments after West’s offense, which dominated the first half but struggled in the second, seemed to put it away on a trick play flea flicker that ended with a touchdown catch. But the fourth down play was flagged for an illegal forward pass, giving Seckman, No. 9 in the large school rankings, one last chance.

“I told our team, and I told them all year, football is the ultimate team sport, and tonight proved that, where the offense carried us in the first half, the defense carried us in the second half, and our special teams were great all night long,” West coach Jeff Duncan said.

West quarterback Brett Ottensmeyer went 24 for 36 passing for 331 yards and four touchdowns, with most of that damage coming in the first half. Leyton Usry had eight catches for 131 yards and two touchdowns.

The Longhorns snapped Seckman’s 29-game regular season winning streak going back to its season opener in 2022.

“The last time we lost our season opener, we won the next (29) regular season games in a row,” Seckman coach Nick Baer said. “And, you know, certainly a disappointment for this team, and I understand it, but the story of this year is just going to have to be different.”

Yates said West’s hard work is being rewarded.

“All those high 100-degree weeks really paid off for this,” Yates said. “This was such a fun game.”

Bombs away

West’s passing attack dominated the first half. Ottensmeyer hit on five explosive pass plays of 30, 33, 29, 30 and 48 yards and entered the break 18 for 22 passing for 298 yards and four touchdowns.

“The work me and my receivers have put in this year is just, it's special,” Ottensmeyer said. “I've never had a bond like it.”

Usry was the big play threat, hauling in three of those explosive plays and catching touchdown passes of 12 and 30 yards. He finished the first half with five catches for 110 yards.

Max Jones also caught a 5-yard touchdown pass and Max Hurley hauled in a 55-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter to give the Longhorns a 28-21 lead at halftime.

West outgained Seckman 302-173 in the first half.

“It's nice to have a team that rallies around me,” Ottensmeyer said. “And then we start just start pushing the ball down the field, you know, we start running whatever plays we want. And then, you know, our defense was just amazing too.”

Big play Jags

Seckman’s defense started the season off with a bang. On the game’s second play from scrimmage, Dylan Lappe hit Ottensmeyer’s arm as he was throwing, allowing Elliot Burris to come up with the interception and return it 36 yards for a touchdown.

Seckman’s second touchdown, a 5-yard run by Mason Fowler, was set up by a 43-yard pass from Brody Kube to Nick Weidler.

Chance Ruble capped Seckman’s first half scoring with a 1-yard touchdown run with 3:31 left in the second quarter than momentarily tied the game at 21-all.

Gamble comes up short

Ruble capped Seckman’s opening drive of the third quarter with a 21-yard touchdown pass to Kylar Huckfeldt. After West was called on an encroachment penalty on the point after, Baer elected to go for two, but Ruble was stopped just short of the goal line, allowing the Longhorns to maintain a 28-27 lead.

“We've made a habit of being an aggressive football team, and 100 times out of 100 times, we're going for it there,” Baer said. “And you know, just all it takes is one missed block, one guy not doing his job, and a play don't work. And you know, if we're going to win football games this year, that has to be our identity.”

Quotable

“They've been gearing for this for over a year, but if this is the best thing that happens all year to us, then we've failed,” Duncan said. “We've got to come out next week with the same excitement, the same preparation.”

Light it up!

Seckman’s new video scoreboard made its debut, courtesy of local sponsors.

“We've really done a lot to build our community and really try to enhance the experience, you know, for our athletes,” Baer said. “And credit to the production team and our Booster Club, who put all the work in for the board.”