Courtesy Sathawk Sports
By John Mesh
The Hutchinson Salthawks advanced to the Kansas Class 5A state football quarterfinals with a 33-13 victory over Liberal Thursday night at Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson.
The game was moved to Thursday because inclement weather is in the forecast for Friday.
Hutchinson High School football coach Mike Vernon said playing on Thursday instead of Friday did not have any effect on the Salthawk players.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the kids,” Vernon said. “We’ve gotten faster and stronger since the start of the season. It’s fun to watch them (the offensive line and defensive line players). The kids responded well to playing (on Thursday).”
Hutchinson stopped Liberal on a fourth down on the Redskins’ first series. The Salthawks then converted on their own fourth down in the red zone for a Jeremiyah Gaitho Karanu 7-yard touchdown run and a 7-0 Salthawk lead.
The Salthawks led 14-0 lead after an 86-yard touchdown run by senior fullback Kade Smith.
Liberal got on the scoreboard with a 62-yard TD pass from freshman quarterback Tevin Cotter to Alex Schwindt to cut Hutchinson’s lead to 14-7.
Taishaun Williams caught a TD pass from Hutchinson senior quarterback Levi Kepler. After Williams was flagged for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, Runyon missed the extra point and Hutchinson led 20-7.
Runyon kicked a 23-yard field goal as the clock ran out on the first half, making the score 23-7 and added a 34-yard field goal for a 26-7 lead in the third quarter. He missed a 40-yard field goal in the fourth quarter.
After Liberal scored on a touchdown pass from Cotter to James Fieser, the Salthawks drove down the field and capped a scoring drive with a TD pass to Terrell King from Kepler. Runyon’s PAT kick made the score 33-13 Hutchinson.
Smith rushed for 245 yards on 24 carries and now has 1,808 yards rushing for the season. Hutchinson ran for 328 yards and out-gained Liberal 406-75 in total yards.
Kepler completed 4-of-7 passes for 78 yards. King had 3 catches for 44 yards and Williams 1 for 34 (the touchdown catch).
Liberal’s Xavier Porkas ran for 111 yards on 23 Carris. Cotter completed 12-fo21 passes for 165 yards. Fieser caught 4 passes for 60 yards and completed 2 passes for 17 yards.
Hutchinson (8-2) will play the Great Bend (9-0)-Hays (5-4) winner in the quarterfinals. If Hays beats Great Bend, Hutchinson will host another playoff game. If Great Bend wins, the Panthers will host Hutchinson.
Vernon said it didn’t matter whether the Salthawks play Hays or Great Bend.
“Those two teams are very physical,” Vernon said. “Both are great teams.”
Liberal finished the season 7-3.
Buhler 62, Mulvane 21
The Buhler Crusaders advanced to the Kansas Class 4A state football quarterfinals with a 62-21 victory over the Mulvane Wildcats in the second round Thursday at Mulvane.
Buhler will play the winner of Friday’s Wamego-McPherson playoff game in the quarterfinals.
Buhler led 15-8 after the first quarter, 29-14 at halftime and 42-14 at the end of the third quarter.
Buhler lost to Mulvane 28-7 in Week 1 and defeated McPherson 28-21 in Week 8.
Hutchinson Central Christian 48, Logan-Palco 6
The Hutchinson Central Christian Cougars advanced to the Eight-Man II quarterfinals with a 48-6 win over Logan-Palco Thursday at Central Christian in Hutchinson.
The Cougars (9-1) will play in the quarterfinals Nov. 15 against the winner of the second-round matchup between Sharon Springs-Wallace County vs. Victoria.
Other Kansas state football playoff scores from Thursday, Wichita East 21, Dodge City 17 (6A); Wichita Northwest 62, Wichita South 28 (6A); Eisenhower 37, Maize South 26 (5A); Andover Central 35, Winfield 7 (4A); Wellington 20, Kapaun-Mount Carmel 19 (4A); and Andale 74, Clay Center 0 (3A).