Graphic courtesy of Salthawk Sports
The Hutchinson Salthawk football team solidified their Kansas Class 5A playoff position with a 42-20 win over Maize South Friday night at Maize South Stadium.
Hutchinson improved to 6-2 and will play a first-round home playoff game next week at Gowans Stadium.
Great Bend will be the No. 1 seed in Kansas Class 5A. The Panthers improved to 8-0 with a 42-6 victory over Garden City.
The KSHSAA will release state football pairings on Saturday for Classes 6A, 5A, 4A, 3A, 2A, 1A, Eight-Man I, Eight-Man II and 6-Man divisions.
Hutchinson scored two touchdowns in the first quarter.
The first Salthawks’ touchdown came after Maize South fumbled a punt. Kade Smith scored on a 2-yard touchdown run.
The second Hutchinson touchdown came on a 39-yard pass from senior quarterback Levi Kepler to Teshaun Williams. Taysen Runyon kicked both extra points for a 14-0 lead.
Valley Center got on the board with 9:18 left in the second quarter on a 3-yard touchdown run by McDonald but missed the extra point kick. Hutchinson led 14-6.
The Salthawks took a 21-6 lead on a 2-yard run by Terrell King and Runyon’s PAT kick. The key play on the drive was a long pass from Kepler to Williams on a 2nd-down-and-25 play.
Kepler ran for a 38-yard touchdown on a quarterback keeper. Runyon’s PAT kick made the score 28-6 Hutchinson with 1:51 left in the first half. Maize scored a late touchdown to cut Hutchinson’s lead to 28-13 at halftime.
Hutchinson’s Kade Smith scored from 5 yards out and Runyon’s PAT kick made the score 35-13 Salthawks in the third quarter.
Maize South scored a touchdown and a PAT kick to cut Hutchinson’s lead to 35-20.
Smith capped the Salthawks’ victory with a 54-yard touchdown run with 2:13 left in the game, aided by the blocking of Williams. The Salthawks were in a 2nd-down-and-24 situation. Runyon’s extra point put the Salthawks ahead for good at 42-20.
On his postgame radio interview, Hutchinson coach Mike Vernon gave a lot of credit to Kepler at quarterback.
“That’s the Levi Kepler we know,” Vernon said. “Teshaun Williams made a big block. I was super proud of the boys. Kade Smith, how competitive is that guy? We’re excited. We get to play at home next week. We get to be at Gowans (Stadium).”
Hutchinson defeated Maize South 28-23 during the 2023 regular season but lost to the Mavericks 21-20 in the playoffs.
Buhler 28, McPherson 21
The Buhler Crusaders knocked off the McPherson Bullpups 28-21 Friday night at Crusader Stadium in Buhler.
Buhler improved to 6-2.
Mitchel McDaniel scored a touchdown with 7:40 left in the first quarter to give the Crusaders a 7-0 lead. The Bullpups tied the score with a touchdown with 2:54 left in the first quarter to tie the score at 7-7.
Buhler and McPherson traded touchdowns to tie the score at 14-14. With 38 seconds left in the first half, Brendon Scripsick threw a touchdown pass to Quentin Pisano.
Jacob Miller kicked his third extra point for a 21-14 Buhler lead at halftime.
Butler scored again in the third quarter and led 28-14 at the end of the third quarter.
McPherson cut Buhler’s lead to 28-21 with a touchdown with 3:43 left in the game.
Haven 39, Kingman 6
The Haven Wildcats defeated Kingman 39-6 Friday night at Haven and improved to 7-1.
Haven led 14-0 at halftime and 26-0 at halftime.
In the first quarter, Haven scored on a 5-yard touchdown pass from Nash Wray to Brogan Wray and a 34-yard touchdown run by Nash Wray.
In the second quarter, the Wildcats scored on a 6-yard touchdown run by Vance Loop and a 16-yard touchdown pass from Nash Wray to Grant Patry.
Kingman’s Ben Bradshaw scored on a 3-yard touchdown run with 5:47 left in the third quarter to cut Haven’s lead to 26-6.
Haven scored on a 1-yard run by Nash Wray and a 7-yard touchdown pass from Wray to Chandler Ingold. Kolton Altvater made three extra point kicks.
Haven rolled up 438 yards of total offense (167 passing and 271 rushing) and the Wildcats’ defense limited the Eagles to 230 yards of total offense (70 passing and 160 rushing).
Nash Wray completed 9-for-15 passes for 167 yards and three touchdown passes. Loop ran for 163 yards (two touchdowns) and Nash Wray 108 (one touchdown).
Brogan Wray caught 3 passes for 87 yards and 1 touchdown. Patry caught 2 passes for 37 yards. Ingold caught 3 passes for 32 yards. Aiden Hoopes caught 1 pass for 11 yards.
On defense, Patry led the Wildcats with 13 tackles. Jaxson Wilder had 9 tackles. Dakota Arndt had 8 tackles. Brock Marks had 7 tackles.
Eureka 32, Reno County Sabres 30
The Reno County Sabres homeschool football team wrapped up its season in a back-and-forth battle with the Eureka Tornadoes Friday night at Eureka.
The Tornadoes edged the Sabres 32-30.
Senior Brecken Guthrie completed his career as wingback and safety.
The Sabres finished the season with 6 wins and 2 losses.
Halstead 54, Lyons 0
The Halstead Dragons celebrated Senior Night with a 54-0 victory over Lyons.
Breeson Bigley scored two touchdowns for the Dragons, Braxton Creed ran for a touchdown and threw a touchdown pass. Joey Millspaugh scored on a 14-yard touchdown run.
Reece Carmichael rushed for a 15-yard touchdown for a 40-0 lead. Connor Herman rushed for a pair of 1-yard touchdowns for a 54-0 lead. Davis Conard kicked 6-of-7 PATs.
In other Hutchinson Tribune area games, Hutchinson Trinity Catholic lost to Sterling 41-18, Hutchinson Central Christian defeated Norwich 52-6, Burrton forfeited 1-0 to Cunningham, Little River defeated Solomon 56-0, Pretty Prairie lost to Argonia-Attica 45-0 and Andale defeated Hesston 60-14.