By John Mesh
The Derby Panthers, the overall top-ranked team in the state of Kansas, rolled past Hutchinson 36-3 on Homecoming Night at Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson.
The Panthers (5-0), ranked No. 1 Kansas Class 6A, led 15-0 at halftime. Derby put three touchdowns on the board in the third quarter to take a 36-0 lead.
Derby quarterback Drew Kemp ran for touchdowns of 7 and 4 yards and threw touchdown passes of 27 and 16 yards (to John Lujan and Rowan Foster). Arieus Finley added a 7-yard touchdown run.
Hutchinson (3-2) had three scoring opportunities. The last opportunity came in the fourth quarter. A Salthawk interception and a face-mask penalty on Derby put Hutchinson on the Derby 7-yard line.
Taysen Runyon kicked a 24-yard field goal to put the Salthawks on the scoreboard.
Derby had 422 total yards (257 rushing and 165 passing) compared to 131 total yards for the Salthawks (all rushing).
Finley rushed for 195 yards on 18 carries. Kemp had 39 yards rushing and 125 passing. Daylen Bledsoe caught 3 passes for 51 yards, Foster 3 passes for 44, Da’Saahn Brame 3 for 15, Finley 2 for 28 and Lujan 1 for 27.
Senior fullback Kade Smith rushed for 112 yards on 25 carries for the Salthawks, including a 43-yard gain on one carry. Smith now has 955 yards rushing on 134 carries in five games this season.
“They (the Derby Panthers) are very good and are well-coached,” said Hutchinson coach Mike Vernon on his postgame radio interview. “I told the boys they belonged out there. We need to clean things up.
“Our offense is growing. They’re getting better. I am super proud of our boys. There was no give-up out there. We need to get back to work on Sunday, get back in the weight room and work hard.”
Derby has outscored its five opponents 271-24. The 33-point win over Hutchinson was the closest margin of victory for the Panthers this season.
The Salthawks’ final three regular-season games are at Haysville-Campus Oct. 11, at home against Newton Oct. 18 and away at Maize South Oct. 25.
Hutchinson seniors Nadiya Garcia and Terrell King were named Homecoming Queen and King.
Other Hutchinson High School senior king and queen candidates were Cole Bleything, Logan Most, Skylar Ray, Kade Smith, Jack Yoder, Brynn Hall, Hollyn Neufeldt, Grace Posch, Lily Rodriguez and Kalea Williams.
Buhler falls to Wamego in first-ever meeting between schools
The Buhler Crusaders and Wamego played for the first time in the more than 100-year history of the schools’ football programs.
Buhler dropped to 3-2 with a 29-16 loss to Wamego at Buhler.
According to Greensburg-based live-streaming service KCMC Sports, the first-recorded football season for Wamego is 1914. Buhler first played football in 1916.
Buhler’s Cash Carson sacked the Wamego quarterback in the end zone for a 2-0 lead with 8:15 left in the first quarter.
Buhler quarterback Brendan Scripsick kept the football on an option play for a 6-yard touchdown with 3:22 left in the first frame. Jared Miller kicked the extra point and the Crusaders led 9-0.
The Wamego Red Raiders scored a touchdown with 7:24 left in the third quarter and kicked the extra point to cut Buhler’s lead to 9-7.
With 1:31 left in the third quarter, Scripsick connected with Carson for a 12-yard touchdown pass. Miller’s PAT kick increased Buhler’s lead to 16-7.
The Red Raiders cut the Crusaders’ lead to 16-15 with 45 seconds left in the third quarter, but missed the PAT.
Wamego scored a touchdown with 5:59 left in the game and converted the PAT kick for a 21-16 lead.
The Red Raiders added another touchdown and a 2-point conversion to make the score 29-16 with 5:08 left in the game.
Haven Wildcats fall to Garden Plain
The Garden Plain Owls knocked the Haven Wildcats from the unbeaten ranks with a 38-14 victory at Haven.
The Owls led 13-0 in the first quarter, 22-0 at halftime and 29-0 after three quarters.
Haven outscored Garden Plain 14-9 in the fourth quarter on an 8-yard touchdown pass from Nash Wray to Grant Patry and an 8-yard touchdown run by Vance Loop. Kolton Altvater made both extra points.
Wray passed for 125 yards and rushed for 105. Loop ran for 68 yards. Chandler Ingold caught 3 passes for 59 yards, Patry caught 3 passes for 25 yards, Aiden Hoopes caught 2 passes for 25 yards and Brogan Wray caught 2 passes for 19 yards.
Patry made 9 tackles, Loop 7, Maddix Finecy 7 and Dakota Arndt 7.
Garden Plain outgained Haven in total yards 380-307, including 313 yards on the ground.
Haven (4-1) plays at Belle Plaine next Friday night.
Halstead Dragons fall to Minneapolis
The Halstead Dragons football team fell to the Minneapolis Lions 28-21 Friday night at Minneapolis.
Halstead led 21-7 at halftime, but the Lions tied the score at 21-21 with two touchdowns in the third quarter and added the game-winning points in the fourth quarter.
With 2:58 left in the first quarter, Halstead’s Breeson Bigley scored on a 10-yard touchdown run. Carlos Martinez’ extra point kick made the score 7-0.
The Dragons’ Noah Diehl returned a Minneapolis punt 45 yards for a touchdown with 2:21 left in the first half. Martinez’ PAT kick made the score 14-7.
Halstead’s Braxton Creed hooked up with Kohen Corona on a 35-yard touchdown pass and Martinez’ PAT kick gave the Dragons a 21-7 halftime lead.
In other area games Friday night, Hutchinson Trinity Catholic lost to Conway Springs 35-0, Hutchinson Central Christian defeated St. Paul 52-6, Little River defeated Canton-Galva 66-6, Cunningham defeated Otis-Bison 50-0 and Fairfield lost to Argonia-Attica 58-12.
Salthawk JV girls golf team 7th at AVCTL Division 1/2 tourney
The Hutchinson High School junior varsity girls golf team placed seventh with a 258 score at the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Division I and II JV Tournament Friday at MacDonald Golf Course.
Hutchinson’s top golfer at the tournament was Audryee Spouse, who tied for 15th place with a nine-hole score of 62.
Hutchinson’s Renne Ehling tied for 20th with a 64, Hannah Marcum tied for 25th at 65, Naddilyn Wellington placed 32nd at 67 and Bria Carlton placed 35th at 70.
Buhler JV girls golf team wins AVCTL Division 3/4 tourney
The Buhler High School junior varsity girls golf team captured the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Division 3/4 Tournament title with a 213 score, beating second-place Augusta by 11 strokes.
Buhler’s Ellie Goering placed third in the tournament with a nine-hole score of 50
Teammate Kaylee Schroeder tied for seventh with 54, Madalyn Bohringer tied for ninth at 57, Eva Goertz tied for 12th at 58 and Ashlyn Bounds tied for 15th at 58.
Hutchinson Trinity volleyball team sweeps Central Christian
The Hutchinson Trinity Catholic high School volleyball team swept Hutchinson Central Christian Thursday at the TCHS gymnasium 25-20, 25-18 and 25-20, 25-23.
The Celtics improved to 10-13 and the Cougars fell to 6-16.
Trinity plays Berean Academy and Marion on Tuesday and Salina-Sacred Heart next Thursday.
Central Christian plays at Cunningham next Thursday.
Haven runners compete at Hesston meet
The Haven High School boys junior varsity cross country team finished second at the Hesston Invitational Thursday and the varsity boys finished ninth.
Haven results
7th grade girls: Leah Behnk 9th 7:20.49.
7th grade boys: Abel Doherty 4th 6:02.16.
8th grade girls: Amelia Scott 4th 15:04.95, Jolie Brock 16th 17:31.2.
8th grade boys: Statler Rinehart 11th 13:37.79, Jackson Doherty 19th 14:12.7.
JV girls: Zoe Williams 1st 25:14.06, Zaprina Percy 19th 29:49.37.
JV boys: Brady Peterson 11th 21:23, Atreyu Micheli 14th 21:28, Aiden Rich-Adkins 15th 21:34, Jayden Idacavage 21st 22:01, Brennan Williams 24th 22:30, Wyatt Bontrager 31st 23:50, Noah Miller 35th 24:23, Braedyn Stieben 39th 25:28, Nick Muir 52nd 27:47, Jesse Myers 57th 30:3.
Varsity boys: Isaiah Doherty 15th 18:09, Austin Honeycutt 17th 18:15.00, Dalton Bontrager 50th 20:05, Camden Behnk 75th 21:07, Lane Hoskinson 82nd 21:44
Inman cross country runners compete at Berean Invitational
The Inman High School boys and girls cross country teams competed at the Berean Academy Invitational Thursday.
In the boys’ varsity race, Inman’s Tyler Martisko and Riley Roots continued to add to their collection of medals placing ninth and 12th, respectively.
In the girls’ varsity race, Inman’s Abigail Siemens and Addison Wedel finished outside of the medals placing 30th and 34th, respectively.
In the seventh-grade boys’ race, Inman’s Wyatt Wichert added to his medal collection placing fourth. Teagan Stutzman competed in the seventh-grade girls’ and finished outside of the medals placing 17th.
In the eighth-grade girls’ race, Inman’s Loki Turcotte added to her medal collection placing fourth.
“The times were slower than what I thought we could run but that is sometimes how it is when the temperature rises into the 90s,” said Inman cross country coach Jay Parsons. “I think all the runners still have more and can continue to improve their times, of course with the help of Mother Nature.
“The goal isn’t to peak quite yet but each runner needs to show what he or she is capable of as the season draws to a close.”
Inman competes at the Sterling Invitational next Thursday.
Buhler JV girls golfers compete at Hesston Scramble
Buhler’s Madalyn Bohringer and Bailey Warkentin earned third place at the Hesston JV Two-Player golf Scramble Thursday.
Teammates Grace Schmidt and Niah Dilbeck placed fourth.
Buhler JV tennis team 4th at McPherson tourney
The Buhler junior varsity girls tennis team placed fourth at the JV League tournament in McPherson.
Buhler results
No. 1 singles Cassidy Banning 4th
No. 2 singles Addy Tech 2nd
No. 1 doubles Danyka Sutton-Payton Barnes 5th
No. 2 doubles Payton Thompson-Hannah Kinast 6th