O’Connor Holds Off Wagner in 21-14 Victory

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — O’Connor opened its 2026 season with a hard-fought 21-14 victory over Wagner on September 5 at Farris Stadium.

The matchup featured two San Antonio-area programs looking to establish momentum early in the season. Wagner entered the game playing its first contest of the year, while O’Connor was coming off a close 35-28 loss to Brandeis in its season opener.

O’Connor's offense found enough production to take control of the game, while its defense made several important stops to keep Wagner from completing the comeback.

The Panthers finished the night with 146 passing yards and 94 rushing yards, while Wagner battled throughout the contest but ultimately came up seven points short.

For O’Connor, the victory was an important response after the season-opening loss to Brandeis. Running back Wyatt McKenzie continued to be an important part of the Panthers' offense. McKenzie entered the season as one of O’Connor's key offensive players and has continued to contribute as both a runner and receiver.

Wagner continued to fight until the final whistle, but O’Connor's defense held the Thunderbirds to 14 points and secured the seven-point victory.

The win gave O’Connor its first victory of the 2026 season. The Panthers later defeated Holmes 36-20 on September 17, moving to 2-1 overall and 1-0 in District 29-6A.

Wagner responded with a 27-7 victory over Del Rio the following week before falling to Steele 56-19 in its district opener. The Thunderbirds entered the September 18 game against Steele with a 1-1 record.

The early-season matchup between Wagner and O’Connor provided both programs with valuable experience as they continued toward district play. For O’Connor, the 21-14 victory became the first step toward building momentum during the 2026 campaign.