Williamsburg looks the part in season-opening win over West Branch

WILLIAMSBURG — If Game 1 was a test for Williamsburg starting quarterback Kellen Cockrell, he passed … with flying colors.

With Cockrell at the helm, the Raiders offense, which led Class 2A in touchdowns last season, picked up right where it left off Friday in an impressive season-opening, 42-14, win at home against 1A No. 9 West Branch.

Cockrell had a near-perfect first half, completing 13 of 16 passes for 264 yards and accounting for all six of 3A No. 2-ranked Williamsburg’s touchdowns, throwing for five and scrambling for one.

“It feels great. I have the best receivers a quarterback can ask for,” Cockrell said. “I mean, they came out tonight, did their job and I just found that the connection. I knew if it's a one-on-one shot, I trust my guys.”

Cockrell got the Raiders on the board with an impressive 5-yard TD run, reaching out to connect with the pylon for the score with 6:16 to go in the first quarter.

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On Williamsburg’s next drive, Cockrell found Braylon Wetjen for a 5-yard score. The score was set up by a 43-yard pitch-and-catch from Cockrell to Iowa commit Derek Weisskopf.

“He (Cockrell) played the best game of his life,” Weisskopf said. “He found me on two scrambling plays that I ran the right route, but it was covered, and I found him in a hole and he found me.

“He did a great job tonight, scrambling, throwing to all four receivers. All four of our receivers had touchdowns.”

On the final play of the first, Cockrell found Rayce Heitman open for a 25-yard touchdown.

The second quarter belonged to Cockrell and the Raiders as well.

At the 8:39 mark, Cockrell rolled out to left and threw a jump ball to Weisskopf, who leaped over his defender for the 8-yard score.

The Raiders defense also held up their end under first-year defensive coordinator Matt Matthes.

“We didn’t give up a first down that first half,” Coach Curt Ritchie said. “I knew that in coach Matthes’ first game as a defensive coordinator those defensive guys would jump right in there and go.”

With 5:51 left in the second, Nile Sinn picked off West Branch quarterback Connor Rios.

Seven plays later, Cockrell connected with Clayten Steckly for a 7-yard TD.

Cockrell found Steckly again with 54 seconds left as Williamsburg took a 42-0 lead into intermission.

“We're really excited for Kellen,” Ritchie said. “He was our starter coming into the season last year, had a rough first half of the game. He got banged up a little bit in the first half and we just decided we were going to go a different direction.

“It’s good to see his growth, his maturity and his confidence level is tremendous. Through 7-on-7 in the summer and through camp, he’s just been really solid. He’s a senior who wants the job. He took it and ran.”

It was a big opening win for the Raiders, who moved up to 3A after a state runner-up finish in Class 2A last season.

“Even after 30 years (of coaching), you’re always nervous for that first game,” Ritchie said. “It’s also time to realize what you have. That was the exciting part, just seeing where we’re at. We take a lot of pride in continually getting better and improving.”

Prior to kickoff, Williamsburg’s public address announcer paid tribute to legendary West Branch coach Butch Pedersen. He mentioned many of Pedersen’s career accolades and the stadium took a moment of silence in Pedersen’s honor.

“Anybody in the coaching fraternity around here knows Butch is a legend,” Ritchie said. “He’s somebody we’ve all looked up to. He’s helped all of us somewhere along the way.

“I always had a lot of respect for Butch. I feel for the community and his family.”