by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — The final score was what people expected: Andale 47 Wellington 7.

But Wellington head coach Zane Aguilar pulled out a quote from K-State head coach Bill Snyder’s list of cliches: It is about getting better each and every day.

If and/or when Wellington starts its rise back into competitive traditional Crusader football, Andale should serve as a barometer. The Indians currently have the Crusaders number.

But when you looked at the way Wellington played this game, it most certainly showed that the Week #4 Crusaders are much better than the Week #1 Crusaders, who lost to Clearwater 41-14. An interesting note: Rose Hill beat Clearwater 16-14 tonight. 

Andale played its typical game of smash-mouth football – the same kind that has bloodied Wellington 11 of the past 12 times. In the end the Indians rushed for 316 yards and passed for 82 more for a 398 total. The Crusaders rushed for 82 and passed for 78 for a 160 total.

It was Hawaiian night at Wellington’s Sellers Park.

Coming into the game people were grimacing. Connor Burnett and Aaron Schoemann, two of Wellington’s most prolific starters, were out due to concussions.

Wellington was so desperate they brought up a freshman which Aguilar didn’t play. This game had disaster written all over it from the start.

Still the Wellington fans showed up, and were vocal. And while Wellington was most certainly beaten, the Crusaders never embarrassed themselves. Andale worked for every score.

Andale always has itself a runner and Tristen Dagenais, the 170 pounder, most certainly is the flavor of the day. He rushed for 70 yards and scored three of Andale’s seven touchdowns.

He led Andale to scores of 3, 9, and 30 yards. Andale quarterback Taylor Richter scored on three other touchdowns, and getting a perfect 7-of-7 in the field in passing.

Colten Glover attempts to turn the corner against stout Andale defense.

Wellington had its moments in the first half. Twice it would cross the 50 yard line. But the Andale defense held firm. The Crusaders also accumulated fewer penalties tonight and didn’t have a false start. The big disaster came in the first half with a poor snap which led punter sophomore Travis Probst to scramble for his life deep in Wellington territory. He was talked at the 5, which led to an easy touchdown.

The second half another punt went awry as well.

The Crusaders broke up the shutout late in the fourth quarter when Chris Kop scored on a 7-yard touchdown scramble.

Wellington appears to come out of this one without too many scrapes and some confidence. The Dukes travel to Collegiate next week in a game that could be closer than previously thought. Collegiate was a 35-7 loser to Mulvane.

See the Sumner Newscow photo gallery here.

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