Several HOA football teams competed against one another on week one of the football season. Ell-Saline had the most impressive win with a 50-27 defeat of Marion.
Ell-Saline
The scoreboard shows a 50-27 win in Friday’s opener against HOA-foe Marion. In reality, the Cardinal football team dominated the Warriors, leading 20-0 after one quarter, and taking a 36-0 lead into the final 12 minutes of play. Marion would pick up two late scores on the Cardinal junior varsity, but not before more big plays from Ell-Saline.
The Cardinals needed just seven minutes to take an 20-0 lead on three possessions. Kaleb Whitehair ran in the first touchdown from 15 yards out for the first score 2:30 into the contest. Two minutes later, Toby Omli opened the throttle with a 69-yard touchdown. Just two minutes later, the Cardinals went to the air. Quarterback Garrett Walker found Keegan Hays for a 24-yard strike and 18-0 lead.
Ell-Saline scored just once in the second quarter, but it came in the first two minutes as Omli ran in from three yards out. Early in the third quarter, Whitehair busted out for a 51-yard score. Marion got on the board in the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals had answers. After the first score, LuizAntonio Arceo went 86 yards for a score. The Warriors answered with a 72-yard touchdown, then Arceo upped the ante with a 74-yard score.
Inman
The Teuton football team trailed after one quarter in Friday’s season-opener, but turned that into a 38-20 win against HOA-foe Moundridge. Inman scored two unanswered touchdowns in the second quarter, then outscored the Wildcats 18-13 in the second half to pull further away.
The Teutons did most of their damage on the ground with 281 rushing yards. Josh Miller paced a pack of backs with 152 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Tyler Cottam added another score, taking 11 carries for 70 yards. Tanner Mortimer went 32 yards on four carries. Quarterback Justin Friesen rushed for 21 yards, but was more effective in the air, completing 5-of-7 passes for 93 yards and two scores. Cody Seiler pulled in three receptions, including a touchdown, for 44 yards. Caden Severs had one catch, the other touchdown, for 33 yards.
Marion
The Warriors scored 27 points in one quarter on Friday. Unfortunately, those points came at the end of a 50-27 thumping at the hands of Ell-Saline. The Cardinals scored three times in the first quarter, then scored twice more to lead 36-0 before Marion began finding the end zone in the fourth quarter.
Turnovers and penalties were costly in the first three quarters. Eventually, Kyle Palic found the end zone from five yards out early in the fourth quarter. After Ell-Saline answered with a big play, Taylor Heidebrecht showed off his abilities with a 73-yard touchdown. The Cardinals again had a big answer, this time with a 74-yard touchdown. Against the Ell-Saline junior varsity, Marion scored twice more.
Hutchinson Trinity
The Celtic football team contained Sacred Heart for two quarters on Friday night, but the Knights ran wild in the middle quarters, scoring 35 points en route to a 42-6 win. Trinity was held scoreless for most of the night, tacking on its lone touchdown in the waning minutes of the game.
The Celtic struggled of offense, going a meager 167 yards on 52 plays. Spencer Truman was one of the bright spots all night, going 64 yards on 11 carries. Truman also had a big catch for 32 yards. Nathan Eisenbarth added 34 yards on seven rushes. Michael Doeden scored the lone touchdown, finishing with 11 yards on nine carries. He also completed the only two Celtic passes of the night, finishing with 44 yards and two interceptions on 2-of-5 passing. Defensively, Joey Hale paced the team with eight tackles. Jerome Miller added seven tackles. Pierce Billington had an interception in the loss.
