WALNUT – Walnut’s football team started out slow on Monday night, but thanks to three second-half touchdowns, its record remains perfect.

The Wildcats defeated Kossuth 33-20 at home in a game that was postponed Friday due to bad weather and field conditions in Walnut.

“We came out in the second half and turned it on,” said Walnut senior linebacker Tyler Camburn, who made seven solo tackles with five assists. “We played our style of football. It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.”

The ’Cats turned it on in the second half, scoring two TDs in 44 seconds on a 2-yard run by Hunter Doyle, and after an interception by Dominic Steele, a 43-yard jaunt by Mark Peterson.

“We couldn’t stop them running the ball and we couldn’t move the ball after we started the second half,” said Kossuth coach Pete Seago, whose team dropped to 0-4. “ We sort of wore down at the end. Walnut played really well tonight.”

Kossuth got two touchdown passes – one a 90-yarder to Tevario Gwyn and the other an 18-yarder to Daniel Cooper – in the first half from QB Wesley Box. Box also scored on a 1-yard run in the first quarter.

Walnut’s Shaquille Perry scored twice, on runs of 43 and 12 yards, to give the Wildcats the lead and some breathing room versus Kossuth.

Monday’s victory sets up a showdown with Booneville, the Journal’s top-ranked Class 3A team, on Friday.