The White Knoll defense got their second shutout in three weeks against Lexington to secure a 16-0 win and clinch a share of the Region IV-5A championship. It’s the school’s first share of a region title since 2014.

The Lexington defense shined early on in the first quarter when they held the Timberwolves to zero points on a goal line stand on the first possession of the game. The Wildcats couldn’t capitalize however and after a solid defensive quarter for both teams, the game was tied at zero.

On the first play of the second quarter, White Knoll’s Landon Sharpe found Austin Cunningham down the sideline for a 20-yard touchdown. The extra point was no good after a botched hold created a frantic two-point conversion attempt that was picked off in the end zone, resulting in only a 6-0 early second quarter lead for White Knoll. 

The Timberwolves got the ball back after Lexington quarterback Taiden Mines got stripped and the fumble was recovered by Jaiden Kimble near midfield.

Lexington’s Jacob Gepfert got them the ball right back after he intercepted Sharpe. However, the possession didn’t last long after Mines was picked off by James Smith and returned to the Lexington 32.

The Timberwolves took full advantage and another pass from Sharpe to Cunningham went to the Wildcat one yard line which set up a short one-yard touchdown rush from Sharpe. This time, the extra point was good and White Knoll took a 13-0 lead late in the first half. That score would stay the same at the halftime break.

The second half was a rock fight. Both defenses didn’t budge with White Knoll, specifically, holding Lexington to only seven total yards in the second half. 

White Knoll kicker Jordy Aguilera connected on a 27-yard field goal to push the lead to 16-0 and kept it a two score game but Lexington was never able to provide a serious scoring threat in that second half and the Timberwolves were able to walk away with another shutout victory in the region. 

“The key to high school football is stopping the run and we stopped the run in the early part of the game and we forced Coach Gamble and Coach Curtis to throw the ball more than what they probably wanted to do,” White Knoll head coach Nick Pelham said after the game. 

With a win against Chapin in their final game, White Knoll will clinch sole possession of the Region IV-5A championship. 

“I’m very proud of their demeanor but also, I see so many of our previous senior classes and I see them right out there by the fence and they’re happy, they’re excited and they’re high fiving us at halftime and I hear congratulations and I just want those kids to understand how far they’ve come and what they’ve been able to accomplish and really, how lucky they are that they got to be here to enjoy the benefits of this as opposed to just the hard work,” Pelham said. 

The defense for White Knoll was the star of this game as well as the entire region slate. In three region games, they have two road shutouts and have only given up one offensive touchdown.

“We make mistakes, but very little mistakes,” Kimble said. “We’re gonna hit you. And we’re gonna be where we’re supposed to be at at all times.”