The Winfield-Mt. Union Wolves fell in their season opener Thursday night as the potent and experienced offense of the Easton Valley River Hawks soared over WMU in a 59-22 rout.

Things started off well for the Wolves on the opening kickoff, as Tayson Samuels returned the ball all the way to the opposing 30 yard line, getting taken down by the last man back for Easton Valley. Winfield’s experienced offensive line flashed its potential on the opening drive, powering the team forward toward the end zone. Senior running back Nicholas Sparrow took the snap in a wildcat formation and punched it in with a five yard touchdown run to give WMU an early 8-0 lead.

From there, it was all River Hawks.

A kickoff out of bounds set up Easton Valley at midfield, and a 30-yard chunk run by senior River Hawk quarterback Keagan Lee set the tone for the rest of the evening. He called his own number again on a read option, coasting into the end zone on the very next play to tie the game at 8.

A turnover on downs and a fumble on the next two Winfield-Mt. Union drives killed the Wolves’ offensive momentum, and Easton Valley cashed in on the opportunities with a 45-yard touchdown run on a jet sweep by senior wide receiver Callan Messerich and a 17-yard score by junior running back Talan Driscoll. Following a missed two-point conversion, the score was 22-8.

Winfield-Mt. Union scored one last time in the first half on a seven-yard run by junior quarterback Cody Milks, but a 55-yard pass from Lee to Driscoll and a 70-yard pick six by Messerich put the game firmly out of reach going into halftime.

Winfield Mt. Union’s offense showed flashes in the second half, including a drive in which Milks completed four consecutive passes, including two perfectly-placed back-shoulder fades to tight end Max Edwards, one of which went for an 18-yard touchdown, but it wasn’t enough as Easton Valley cruised to a 59-22 victory.

Winfield Mt. Union Head Coach Scott McCarty described what the coaching staff could do to help get the team back on track heading into week two, “I thought on paper, the plan we had looked good, and then we got out here and they definitely exposed us in some spots. I don’t know if we’ll wholesale change, but we definitely have got to get things changed, because what we did tonight didn’t work.”

The Wolves will return to action on the KCII Area Game of the Week next Friday as they host the WACO Warriors in both teams’ first game of district five play.