Republic Tigers roll past Willard squad 59-7 on senior night

Republic closed its regular season in style, turning Senior Night into a runaway celebration with a 59-7 win over Willard. The Tigers scored in nearly every way possible while improving to 7-2 heading into this week’s district opener a rematch against the same Willard squad.
The tone was set early. After the defense forced a turnover on downs deep in Willard territory, Owen Klier scored from a yard out to make it 7-0. A safety on the next series pushed the lead to 9-0, and Jin Villasica’s five-yard touchdown run made it 16-0 just five minutes into the game. Klier added a 13-yard score following an interception by Mason Whitworth, and Izaiah Hull broke free for a 44-yard touchdown on the final play of the first quarter, giving Republic a 30-0 lead.
The defense continued to shine in the second quarter. Keiran Govan intercepted a pass in the end zone and raced 106 yards for a touchdown, breaking the school record for the longest interception return. Treyton Gray scored on a 21-yard run, and Klier’s third touchdown of the night made it 51-0 by halftime.
The Tigers added one more score after the break when Tristan Burks powered in from five yards out. Willard’s lone touchdown came early in the fourth quarter.
Republic’s offense relied entirely on the ground game, rushing 43 times for 312 yards without attempting a pass. Hull led with 66 yards and a touchdown, while Klier, Gray, Villasica, and Burks each scored. Eleven different Tigers carried the ball.
Defensively, Republic forced four interceptions by Whitworth, Govan, Cayden Pacheco, and AJ Uhl and pressured Willard quarterback Kaiden Snyder all night. The visitors managed just 162 total yards on 59 plays.
The Tigers will face Willard again on Thursday when district play begins.