Following a 28-0 win on homecoming, the West Delaware football team moves to 3-2 on the season and 1-0 in district play.

The Hawks were defeated by Western Dubuque and Decorah, both 4A schools,  to start the season; however, the Hawks have flipped their season around in the last three weeks pulling off wins over Union Community, previously fourth-ranked Webster City, and Maquoketa. 

Over the course of the last three games, the Hawks have scored an insane 112 points with junior quarterback Brent Yonkovic leading the way offensively, tallying 860 yards of total offense with 12 total touchdowns. In this span, the defense held opposing offenses to 149.3 yards per game. 

The Hawks kicked off this winning streak in Laporte City against Union Community on Friday, Sept. 8, where they won, 42-12. Yonkovic led the way on offense throwing for 183 yards and two touchdowns while also rushing for 150 yards and three more touchdowns. 

The following week, Class 3A fourth-ranked Webster City traveled to Brown Field to face the Hawks. Bound, the app which provides stats from all games and a social media page, considered the Hawks extreme underdogs heading into the game. 

After punting on their first possession of the game, the defense forced the Lynx to punt themselves.

Junior Ryan Hilby initiated the scoring party for the Hawks in the first quarter when he returned Webster City’s punt 84 yards after breaking numerous tackles for the first score of the game. 

Screams from Brown Field could be heard from across town. This swung the momentum in the Hawks’ favor early in the game.

“The momentum swing was definitely Ryan’s (Hilby) punt return touchdown early in the game,” junior lineman Jeryn Funke said. “Everyone on our side fired up afterward.”

On their next three drives on offense, Yonkovic ran in two more touchdowns, while throwing for another. Christian Timmerman (11) added all four extra points to make the score 28-0 in favor of the Hawks going into the half. 

Both offenses added scores in both the third and fourth quarters, which made the final score, 42-13, in favor of West Delaware.

Yonkovic finished the game with 217 rushing yards and three touchdowns to go along with 87 passing yards including a 16-yard dime to Seth Jackson for his fourth touchdown of the night. Jack Smith, senior linebacker, led the way defensively with 11.5 tackles. “Our scout team gave us great looks at what they were going to run all week in practice,” Funke said.

Both Funke and Head Coach Doug Winkowitsch credit their scout team for preparing the team for this game.

Winkowitsch said they treat each week the same, no matter who they play.

“We always keep the focus on ourselves,” Winkowitsch said. “We are getting better fundamentally, and the guys do a great job of executing.”

Bound called this the biggest upset of the season through the first four weeks.

Gallery • 7 Photos

Keevan Hauschild

Senior Gracie Lynch celebrates with the student section after a Hawk touchdown against Webster City. The Hawks upset fourth-ranked Webster City, 42-13, on Friday, Sept. 15, on Brown Field.

Following the upset of Webster City, Maquoketa came to town for homecoming on a dreary yet exciting night inside Brown Field. 

With thunderstorms in the area all night, the Hawks quickly jumped out to a 6-0 lead early in the first quarter on a Yonkovic rushing touchdown. On the ensuing drive, Yonkovic ran in his second touchdown of the night with sophomore running back Macoy Roling adding the two-point conversion to make the score 14-0.

Toward the end of the quarter, junior defensive lineman Sawyer Krogmann added to the lead when he recovered a Carter Meyer fumble and took it to the house from 20 yards out. Timmerman missed the extra point, but the Hawks led 20-0 heading into what would be the final quarter of the game due to lightning.

“I can’t describe the feeling after I scored,” Krogmann said. “The crowd went crazy and my teammates were hyping me up.” 

Midway through the rainy second quarter, Yonkovic dropped in another dime to Conrad Smith (12) from 35 yards out for the Hawks’ fourth touchdown of the night. 

Heading into the half, the Hawks led 28-0; however, a lightning delay added to the halftime wait. A meeting between Athletic Director Matt Weis and the coaches of both teams resulted in Maquoketa forfeiting the game since rain and lightning remained in the area. 

West Delaware moved to 3-2 on the season after picking up the win over Maquoketa. Yonkovic leads the way for the Hawks with over 600 yards both in the air and on the ground through the first five games. Conrad Smith has hauled almost 300 yards from Yonkovic. Jack Smith has stopped offenses in his tracks as he’s recorded 47 tackles.

The Hawks look to build on this momentum with four district games to go, including tough road games at Wahlert and Central DeWitt. Rival Independence comes to town in week eight.