Watch out - here comes Ellis. The Railroaders handed Larned its first loss in dominating fashion and Phillipsburg moved to 4-0 with another win.
Ellis
Last season, the Railroader football team started off slow before eventually reaching the Class 2-1A playoffs. This year looks like more of the same. After an 0-2 start, Ellis pounded Ellinwood two weeks ago. Friday night, the Railroaders took down another MCAA team, this time handing Class 4A Larned its first loss at 36-0.
Ellis (2-2) dominated both sides of the ball, holding Larned’s potent offense to just 100 yards. After a slow 6-0 quarter, the Railroaders turned it on over the next 24 minutes to lead 36-0 with a quarter to play. Quarterback Blake Hudson and running back Gage Younger proved to be unstoppable for the second week in a row. Both had big touchdown runs in the second half with Hudson going 49 yards and Younger breaking a 34-yard score. Hudson finished with 142 yards on 15 carries, and Younger added 133 yards on 16 carries. Jared Mick caught a Hudson touchdown pass, finishing with 34 yards on three receptions. Defensively, Cole Pfeifer was the star of the night with a five-yard fumble recovery for a score in the first quarter, and a 57-yard interception return for Ellis’ next score.
Trego
The Golden Eagles needed just seven days to get back to their winning ways. A game after suffering their first loss of the year, Trego handed Ingalls a 58-22 thrashing to improve to 3-1. The Golden Eagles scored 24 points in the second quarter to lead 36-14 at the half.
Trego did it a variety of way with five rushing touchdowns, two scoring passes, and a 60-yard kick return from Devon Ghumm. Senior quarterback John Griffith completed just three-of-eight passes, but two went for scores with a 50-yard connection to Clayton Riedl, and an 11-yard strike to Mike Goff. Tyler Lowry added a 32-yard catch. Ghumm ran wild all night, scoring three more times on 22 carries for 146 yards. Griffith added 86 yards and a score on 10 carries, and Corbin Schoenthaler scored the other Trego touchdown. Defensively, Griffith, Riedel, and Isaiah Fabrizius each had interceptions. The Golden Eagles have picked off seven passes in four games.
Osborne
The Bulldogs were able to withstand a late rally from Wakefield, adding an insurance touchdown in the fourth quarter to secure their third-straight win 50-40. Osborne clung to a 30-26 halftime lead, extending the gap to 42-26 before Wakefield scored twice. Kenton Ubelaker’s 41-yard run in the fourth quarter was the final blow.
Ubelaker lead a powerful trio of runners with two scores and 154 yards on 22 carries. Jake Tiernan added a touchdown and 83 yards on 15 carries, and Maverick LeRock took 12 carries for 72 yards and the other rushing touchdown. Tiernan was an even bigger force from behind the line, completing 15-of-22 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns. Ubelaker completed both of his passes for 11 yards and a score. Ubelaked proved to be invaluable in the win, leading the team with 123 receiving yards and a score on eight catches, and grabbing an interception on defense. LeRock also had a touchdown reception, and Colin Clark caught a touchdown pass.
Stockton
The Tiger football team doubled its win total Friday night with a 38-22 home game against Natoma. Leading just 8-7 after one quarter, Stockton took control in the second quarter to open up a 22-10 lead, adding on for a 38-16 lead with a quarter to play. The Tigers improve to 2-2 overall.
Koby Beougher struck first with an 18-yard touchdown pass to Zach Lowry. In the second quarter, Colton Hull scored on runs of five and 15 yards, and the Stockton defense allowed only a rare 42-yard field goal. In the second half, Beougher again proved effective with two touchdown passes. First, he connected with Justin Wiltfong for a 13-yard strike. His 35-yard pass to Tyler Williams was the final Tiger touchdown of the game.
Phillipsburg
Class 3A is just a tough class once again. The Panthers have yet to enter the top five rankings despite another win on Friday. Phillipsburg downed Smith Center 28-6 to improve to 4-0 overall and 2-0 in the MCL.
Hunter Kohler needed just 89 seconds to put the Panthers on the board with a 31-yard run. Smith Center added its only touchdown nine minutes later but missed the two-point try. Midway through the second quarter, Riley Juenemann added an eight-yard score, and Grant Wickham’s one-yard touchdown late in the half gave Phillipsburg a 21-7 lead. After a scoreless third quarter, Michael Dusin added the icing on the cake with a 14-yard run late in the fourth quarter. Kohler finished the night with 114 yards on five carries. Dusin added 48 yards, and Juenemann and Wickham each added 45 yards. Kicker Justin Juenemann had a perfect night with four PAT makes.
Plainville
Last year, the Cardinals met twice with LaCrosse for two of the best football games around the entire state all year. Friday night, Leopard senior Levi Morss was determined not to repeat history. Morss rushed for 356 yards and four touchdowns on just 19 carries, playing the biggest role in LaCrosse’s 42-22 win over the Cardinals.
Plainville (2-2) allowed a 51-yard Kip Keeley touchdown, and two scores from Morss, including a 70-yard sprint in the first quarter. Trailing 18-0 in the second quarter, the Cards finally got on the board on a five-yard pass from Hadley Gillum to Connor Collins. After two more Leopard scores, including an 80-yard run from Morss, Trevor Axelson broke a 58-yard run. Axelson scored the final Plainville touchdown in the fourth quarter from a yard out, but Morss had the final say with a 67-yard touchdown. Axelson was the lone force offensively for Plainville on the night with 104 yards on 16 carries. The rest of the offense combined for 72 more yards.
Norton
The Blue Jay cross country teams were among the many competing at the University of Kansas’ Rim Rock Farm on Saturday. The Lady Jays placed ninth out of 28 teams with 303 points, just three points shy of Maranatha Academy and 243 points behind winner Smithville. The boys finished 15 out of 34 teams with 462 points, 20 points behind the next school (Tonganoxie) and nearly 400 points from the win.
Sierra Griffith ran a 17:14.7 to finish 54th overall, just seven seconds from a top 50 finish. Darcy Bainter finished 67th in 17:27, Molly Maddy ran a 17:40 for 76th, and Katelyn Engelbert finished in 17:45 for 80th place.
Alec Hager led the boys in 53rd place in 18:06.8, four seconds from a top 50 finish. Marc Miller finished 67th in 18:17.0, and freshman Brendon Frack finished behind him in 18:18.3.
