Ellsworth knocks off Halstead 37-19

Ellsworth, Kan. (Catch it Kansas) - The Ellsworth Bearcats jumped to a quick lead to defeat the Halstead Dragons 37-19 in a Class 2A District 5 game.

The Bearcats entered their final regular season home game with a perfect 6-0 record. They hosted the Halstead Dragons with a 3-3 record and came in on a two-game win streak.

Halstead won the coin toss and deferred to the second half. The Dragons kicked the ball off short to the Ellsworth 43. Wyatt Bohnen broke loose for a 35-yard rush before a Dragon tackled him to save the touchdown.

The Bearcats would get down to the six-yard line and a fourth down before Will Cravens found Cole Webber for a touchdown. Cravens’ point-after-touchdown was blocked. The Bearcats led 6-0.Halstead took the ensuing kickoff and started at their 14-yard line. On the Dragon’s first play, quarterback Tucker Divine missed the handoff, and the ball bounced. Riley Stone was there to scoop up the ball, and he carried it to the one-yard line.

Wyatt Bohnen made the quick rush to score the next touchdown. Will Cravens successfully kicked the PAT to set the score at 13-0.Halstead started the next possession on their 20 after a touchback kicked by Will Cravens.

A holding penalty followed by a false start backed the Dragons up to the five-yard line. Thomas Burns lined up to punt the ball from near the back of the end zone. The hiked ball went over Burns’s head for a Safety.

Burns kicked the ball off from the 20-yard line. It bounced once in front of Josh Rodriguez then he grabbed it.

Rodriguez found a hole in the kicking team’s defense. He ran through it on his way to running along the sideline. Rodriguez ran the ball back for a total of 60-yards and a touchdown.

Will Cravens added the extra point.

With only 7:50 in the first quarter showing on the clock, Ellsworth had scored 22 points in four minutes and ten seconds.

With about two minutes left in the first quarter, Halstead got on the board with a four-yard rush by Tucker Divine.

The quarter ended with a score of 22-7.Late in the second quarter, Cole Webber caught a 12-yard pass from Will Cravens. Wyatt Bohnen rushed for a two-point conversion. The score at halftime was 30-7.Skyler Geer scored for Halstead in the third quarter on a three-yard rush.

Ellsworth responded immediately with a three-play drive finished with a Landin Johnson 19-yard rushing touchdown. Cravens made the PAT making the score 37-13.Kegan Krouse would score the final points of the night with a one-yard run for Halstead.

The game ended with a score of 39-17.”We got on top of it quick with some big plays early,” said Ellsworth Head Coach Josh Homolka.

“We got one in on offense and then special teams and defense played really well.”

Will Cravens ended the night for Ellsworth passing 14 times for nine completions for 76 yards and two touchdowns. Cole Webber caught both touchdowns. Cravens also ran for 77 yards on six carries.

Wyatt Bohnen had the most rushing yards with 113 on 17 carries and scoring one touchdown.

Before tonight’s game, Ellsworth allowed only 21 points in six games total including four shutouts. Tonight they gave up 19.The Bearcats travel to Gypsum next week to face the Southeast of Saline Trojans. Both sides will enter with perfect seven-win records after Southeast of Saline won over Lyons 94-0.The game will decide the winner of District 5.”We both do a lot of similar things,” said Ellsworth Coach Josh Homolka. “Coach Gebhardt is an old Bearcat. We like seeing his success. It will be a good game, they are a good football team.”