The Waterloo High School football squad traveled north and stunned Mt. Zion in a first round IHSA Class 4A playoff game Friday night, using defense and ball control for a 14-13 upset victory.

Bulldogs quarterback Conrad Lindhorst only threw for 20 yards and netted just one total yard of rushing, but his pair of one-yard touchdown runs were enough to win on this night.

The only scoring of the first quarter came on an eight-yard TD run by Mt. Zion to take a 7-0 lead. Waterloo tied it at 7-7 early in the second quarter following a 14-play, 68-yard drive. Lindhorst cashed it in from one yard out.

Mt. Zion answered with a drive of its own, but Waterloo’s defense limited the host squad to a 36-yard field goal. The Braves then recovered a Bulldogs fumble on a botched snap, but were again held by Waterloo’s defense to just a 28-yard field goal. Mt. Zion, last year’s Class 4A state runner-up, led 13-7 with five minutes remaining in the first half. That would be the score at halftime.

Neither team was able to accomplish much in the third quarter until Waterloo’s Cannon Richard picked off a Mt. Zion pass near the end of the frame. The Bulldogs drove into Braves territory and were in business entering the fourth quarter.

After being stuffed by Mt. Zion’s defense on three prior attempts from just outside the goal line, Lindhorst broke the plane on fourth down from one yard out to finally give Waterloo a 14-13 lead with just seven minutes left in regulation.

The Bulldogs defense took over from there.

Mt. Zion was forced to punt with just more than five minutes remaining, giving the ball back to Waterloo for its running game to chew more clock.

The Braves did get the ball back for another offensive drive, but Waterloo’s Kaleb Osterhage stepped in front of a pass attempt and recorded the interception with just 2:26 remaining.

Waterloo closed it out to improve to 7-3 on the season and survive for another week. The Bulldogs will host Rochester at 7 p.m. next Friday. The Rockets (9-1) won easily over Taylorville on Friday, 56-7, to advance. Rochester edged Mt. Zion back on Sept. 5, 28-24.

Waterloo’s offense was led once again by senior running back Derez Sayles, who carried the ball 29 times for 122 yards. With his performance Friday night, Sayles became the program’s all-time career leader in rushing yards, scrimmage yards and touchdowns.

Owen Niebruegge had 17 carries for 86 yards.