The Hutchinson Salthawks romped to a 47-0 victory over the Salina South Cougars Thursday night at Salina District Stadium for their third straight shutout.
The last time a Salthawk football team posted three straight shutouts took place in 1946. Hutchinson, coached by Norval Neve, shut out Sapula, Okla., 7-0, El Dorado 34-0 and Winfield 51-0 in the first three games of the season.
That team posted an 8-1 record and outscored its opponents 219-27. The only loss was a 13-6 setback to Wichita East.
After losing the season opener Sept. 6 to Andover Central 37-7, the 2024 Salthawks blanked Valley Center 13-0 on Sept. 13 and Maize 21-0 on Sept. 20.
After Hutchinson intercepted a pass at the 8-yard line on Salina South’s first drive of the game, Hutchinson senior fullback Kade Smith ran for an apparent 92-yard touchdown, but was credited with 76 yards because of a penalty on the Salthawks.
A few plays later, Smith scored from 1 yard out. Taysen Runyon’s PAT kick hit the crossbar and the Salthawks led 6-0.
Hutchinson’s Jeremyah Gaitho Karanu scored Hutchinson’s second touchdown on a 3-yard run and Runyon kicked the PAT.
Smith broke loose for a 63-yard touchdown run. Runyon added the extra point and Hutchinson led 20-0 at the end of the first quarter.
Salina South was driving on the first series of the second quarter, but Hutchinson’s Carter Morgan picked off a pass and ran it back 94 yards for a touchdown. Runyon’s extra point kick made the score 27-0.
Smith scored his third touchdown of the game on a 47-yard run and Runyon tacked on his fourth extra point for a 34-0 lead with 5:43 left in the first half.
In the first half, Smith had 213 yards rushing. He finished the game with 323 yards on 20 carries. He now has 847 yards in four games with six touchdowns. Terrell King rushed for 82 yards on 8 carries.
In the third quarter, Gaitho Karanu scored the Salthawks’ sixth touchdown and his second on a 3-yard run. Hutchinson led 41-0 at the end of the third quarter.
Karmelo Green scored on a 2-yard touchdown run with 11:05 left in the fourth quarter to make the score 47-0. Runyon missed the extra point.
“Kade Smith ran hard,” said Hutchinson High School football coach Mike Vernon on his radio postgame show. “The kids played hard with a lot of effort.”
Hutchinson (3-1) hosts Class 6A’s No. 1 team Derby next Friday on Homecoming Night.
“This will be a great opportunity for us to play the top-ranked team (in the state),” Vernon said. “We need to play our kind of football.”
Salina South (0-4), which lost its 28th consecutive game, will play at Valley Center Oct. 4 (next Friday).
In Hutchinson Tribune area football games Friday night, Buhler hosts Towanda-Circle, Burrton plays at Chase, Fairfield hosts Hutchinson Central Christian, Halstead plays at Hillsboro, Haven plays at Douglass, Hutchinson Trinity Catholic plays at South Sumner County, Inman plays at Remington, Nickerson hosts Hesston, Pretty Prairie hosts Victoria, Reno County Sabres play at Marmaton Valley and Sterling hosts Ellinwood.
Salthawk varsity volleyball team 1-1 at Great Bend Triangular
The Hutchinson High School varsity volleyball team competed at the Great Bend Triangular Thursday night at the Great Bend High School gymnasium.
The Salthawks (9-8) defeated Goddard 25-16, 25-17 and lost to No. 10 Great Bend 25-11, 25-19. The host Panthers defeated Goddard 25-17, 25-15.
Hutchinson plays at the Derby Triangular on Tuesday and returns to Great Bend Oct. 5 (Saturday) for the Great Bend Tournament.
Buhler varsity girls tennis team 8th at Salina South tourney
The Buhler High School girls tennis team placed eighth at the eight-team open-draw Salina South Varsity Tournament.
In singles, Buhler’s Cassidy Banning placed 12th and Addy Tech finished 13th.
In doubles, Hannah Kinast-Payton Thompson placed 11th and Danyka Sutton-Payton Barnes placed 15th.
Buhler JV tennis team 5th at Nickerson Invitational
The Buhler High School junior varsity tennis team placed fifth at the Nickerson Varsity Invitational Thursday at the Crazy Horse Golf Course.
Buhler’s Kaylee Schroeder placed 13th in the medal competition and Madalyn Bohringer placed 15th.
Haven boys cross country team 5th at Marion meet
The Haven High School boys cross country team placed second at the Marion Invitational Thursday with 56 points.
Haven results
HS boys varsity: Isaiah Doherty 7th 17:45, Austin Honeycutt 8th 17:47, Dalton Bontrager 21st 19:51, Camden Behnk 28th 20:36, Jayden Idacavage 35th 21:14.
HS girls JV: Zoe Williams 2nd 25:08, Zaprina Percy 12th 29:44, Abby Thalmann 14th 32:06
HS boys JV: Lane Hoskinson 9th 21:06, Aiden Rich-Adkins 15th 21:47, Brady Peterson 16th 21:59, Atreyu Micheli 22nd 23:06, Brennan Williams 23rd 23:07, Wyatt Bontrager 26th 23:21, Noah Miller 31st 24:03, Braedyn Stieben 36th 25:48, Nicholas Muir 38th 26:55, Jesse Myers 42nd 31:45.
7th grade girls: Leah Behnk 11th 7:28.
7th grade boys: Abel Doherty 5th 6:22.
8th grade girls: Amelia Scott 2nd 14:24, Jolie Brock 14th 19:24.
8th grade boys: Statler Rinehart 6th 13:09.
Inman runners compete at Marion cross country meet
Inman High School took a few runners to the Marion Cross Country Invitational Thursday.
In the varsity boys’ race, Inman’s Tyler Martisko placed fifth and medaled. Hunter Schrader placed 25th in the junior varsity boys race.
Inman Junior High School runners also competed and brought home medals.
In the seventh grade boys race, Wyatt Wichert placed third and brought home a medal. Loki Turcotte placed seventh in the eighth grade girls race. Teagan Stutzman placed 25th in the seventh grade girls race.
“Despite the warm weather, very one of the runners ran a season best,” said Inman cross country coach Jay Parsons. “After the race, Tyler said ‘I felt very good during the race.’ He along with all of the others were happy with their times.”
Riley Roots, Abigail Siemens and Addison Wedel did not run in the Marion meet. They will compete Saturday at the Rim Rock Farm High School Cross Country Classic hosted by the University of Kansas.
The next meet the full Teuton boys and girls teams will compete in is next Thursday. The meet will be hosted by Berean Academy at Harvey County East Lake.
“Some larger schools will be there which should make it a very competitive meet,” Parsons said.