Sports : Union advances with first-round route of Mt Vernon

The Union Knight motto this year is First Strike.

They did strike first and put it in the end zone again and again, building a 56-20 first half lead and defeating Mt. Vernon, 63-20 in first-round playoff action.

In a crazy game that featured three kickoff returns in first half for TDs (two by Union, {Scheel, Carey} and one by Mt Vernon) and a punt return for TD (Hadachek) it was a special teams clinic.

Union defense was led by first team all state DT, Josh Clark and DE Tanner Heckt up front. The linebacking trio of Will Crees, Jace Hadachek, and Christian Gray were also á big factors in slowing down Mt Vernon. Trev Hadachek scored five touchdowns in four different ways. He returned a punt 70 yards for TD, had an interception return for TD, scored two TDs, running and caught one TD from Scheel. Sophomore Max Thomsen led the rushing department for Union behind a line that opened holes all night long with Chase Hansen, Tedd Schimtz, Justin Clark, Tanner Heckt, and Josh Clark.

Union plays at home on Monday in a rematch of the comeback game of the year vs. Waukon. Game time kickoff is 7pm CST.

Waukon defeated Center Point-Urbana, 35-0 in its first round game. The Knights beat Waukon by one point on Week Six, 34-33.