Union/A-C Valley football, powered by Max Gallagher and run game, rides to big win over Moniteau

Aidan Treu

Eagle Contributor

September 27, 2025 Last Updated: September 27, 2025 01:04 AM Sports

Union/A-C Valley quarterback Andrew Kifer (9) hands the ball off to running back Max Gallagher (23) against Moniteau in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

CHERRY TWP — Union/A-C Valley’s Max Gallagher continued to put up big numbers alongside Logan Skibinski and Michael Yerkey on the way to a 44-0 win over Moniteau football Friday night at Luciano Plesakov Stadium.

Gallagher pushed past the century mark on the ground and added three touchdowns in another impressive effort for the Falcon Knights.

“I’ve talked about him for a long time, about what a leader he is and how he brings, not only he brings it every night, but he brings everybody else’s game up so much too,” Union/A-C Valley coach Dan Reed said. “You know, he’s out there, you always feel real good about your chances.”

It was not just the lead back with a big performance on the night, though. There were six rushing touchdowns scored between Gallagher, Skibinski and Yerkey.

“I’ve said all along I think Max and Logan Skibinski are two of the best running backs in the district,” Reed said.

Skibinski had a pair of rushing touchdowns while Yerkey was second behind Gallagher in rushing yards with 41.

“We have other kids behind them that I believe would start for a lot of football teams. Michael Yerkey’s a kid that started for us at fullback a lot last year when Logan was hurt, and he stepped in there and you saw he ran the ball really well tonight,” Reed said.

Moniteau got aggressive early knowing it had to keep up with the Falcon Knights’ high-powered ground attack. The Warriors went for a fourth-and-1 on their own 35-yard line, but Brendin Sankey was stuffed for a loss, handing UACV good field position early.

The Falcon Knights capitalized quickly after a first-play incompletion, rushing the ball three times for 32 yards and a ground score.

The Warriors responded with a chance to maintain a tight scoreboard but could not finish with points. Their second drive lasted seven plays and pushed into enemy territory, but a holding penalty proved too much to overcome and forced a punt.

“We drove the ball in the first half,” Moniteau head coach Clay Kohlmeyer said. “We were running the ball good, we just kept shooting ourselves in the foot with penalties.”

Moniteau quarterback Weston Cook (20) throws the ball before he's tackled by Union/A-C Valley linebacker Micah Kindel (11) in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

The Falcon Knights next two drives included six rushes of at least 10 yards and two touchdowns on the way to opening up a 22-0 lead with less than five minutes remaining in the first half.

“Our offense I thought played pretty well tonight,” Reed said. “I thought we controlled what we wanted to do so, that’s a positive too.”

Moniteau got past midfield on the next drive, but the Falcon Knights stood tall to force another turnover on downs.

“Every game you’ll see us, you watch our defense, there’s 11 guys on the ball every play,” Union A-C running back and linebacker Gallagher said.

The Falcon Knights delivered a gut punch just before half with a 53-yard pass from Andrew Kifer to Aidan Fox that led to another Gallagher ground score.

“I knew tonight with all the mud I had to be more patient, and the cuts, I slipped once today; I knew I wasn’t going to be too quick to cut so I just had to read my blocks, follow my tackles and the hole was there,” Gallagher said.

Union A-C scored another pair of touchdowns in the third quarter, but the Warriors maintained composure and held strong the rest of the way.

“We keep praising for the effort and everything like that,” Kohlmeyer said, “the kids are disgusted because they’re getting better, like the first half we were right there the whole time, but it just doesn’t show up on the scoreboard.”

Following a tough three-game stretch against three strong opponents, Kohlmeyer said there are some clear fixes to get back into the win column.

“It was the dumb penalties when the ball was dead. We baited them into a couple, and then we just fell right into their trap,” Kohlmeyer said. “And keep sustaining drives, like hit the guys that are open on the short passes and stuff like that. Easy stuff we can fix.”

Union/A-C Valley 7 22 15 0 — 44

Moniteau 0 0 0 0 — 0

First quarter

UAC — Max Gallagher, 1 run (Steve Hepler kick)

Second quarter

UAC — Logan Skibinski, 1 run (Hepler kick)

UAC — Skibinski, 4 run (Hepler pass to Aidan Fox)

UAC — Gallagher, 9 run (Hepler kick)

Third quarter

UAC — Gallagher, 4 run (Hepler kick)

UAC — Safety, punt snap kicked out of end zone

UAC — Michael Yerkley, 10 run (kick failed)

Rushing: Union/A-C Valley, Max Gallagher 10-105-3, Logan Skibinski 10-25-2, Michael Yerkey 5-41-1, Carson Crissman 2-4, Broc Gagliano 2-(-4), Cason Scott 1-(-4), Lucas Yerkey 1-3, Joseph Long 1-0; Moniteau, Brendin Sankey 11-23, Aidan Shakley 6-8, Levi Lacava 1-0, Liam Allison 2-(-6).

Passing: Union/A-C Valley, Andrew Kifer 4-9-122, Gagliano 1-2-3; Moniteau, Weston Cook 5-13-43 yards-1, Liam Allison 0-2-0-1.

Receiving: Union/A-C Valley, Trent Fleming 1-17, Parker Bish 2-52, Aidan Fox 1-53, Long 1-3; Moniteau, Aidan McLean 1-10, Blaine Jamison 1-10, Sankey 3-23.

Matthew Brown

Union A-C Valley running back Max Gallagher (23) runs the ball against Moniteau in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

Moniteau running back Brendin Sankey (9) runs with the ball as Union/A-C Valley linebacker Logan Skibinski (33) closes in during a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown

Union A-C Valley linebacker Max Gallagher (23) brings down Moniteau running back Ben Prengaman (8) in a football game Friday, Sept. 26, 2025, at Moniteau High School. Matthew Brown/Butler Eagle

Matthew Brown