BY BUDDY TABLER
Special to the Tribune
LEON – It was a “shocking” end to Larned’s first victory Friday as the game was called by officials due to an electrical current, throwing sparks and shocks through the metal fencing and gates. Larned was leading 56-6 at the 8:03 mark of the third quarter.
It was an unusual night in many ways, including the bizarre ending.
Logan Erway led the Indian ground attack with 77 yards on three carries. Andreus Tucker gained 56 yards on two carries, pushing his season average over 10 yards per carry. Luke Fischer had six carries for 55 yards.
Dillan Smith completed 9 of 12 passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Nine receivers caught passes, led by Gunner Cline with three catches for had 3 of those catches for 22 yards. Eight other receivers caught one pass.
Bluestem’s struggling offense finished the night with a minus in total offense though they did net 79 yards in passing. Their rushing attack was constantly under siege from the aggressive Larned defense. Gavin Worrell, a 260-pound sophomore had several nice runs for the Lions.
Larned (1-4, 0-2 District) travels to Hugoton Friday for a key 3A district game with 3A playoff hopes on the line.
Larned scored 49 first quarter points, surely some kind of record for the Indians. Bluestem scored on a 67-yard touchdown pass and run from quarterback Logan Walden to Eyan Knipp. That shocked not only the Larned players and fans but winless Bluestem (0-4), outscored by an average score of 59-4.
Larned led 56-6 at halftime while liberally substituting backup players.
“I was pleased that we were able to play a lot of kids,” said Larned coach Tad Remy. “We had some really good performances from guys that haven’t had a lot of varsity action.”
Larned took the opening kickoff and on their second play Logan Erway sprinted 54 yards to the Bluestem 25. Two plays later Jace Snyder rambled into the end zone from the 7 and the rout was on. Bluestem would counter with their touchdown pass on their first possession but that was their first and only threat of the evening as their defense simply had no answer for Larned’s offense.
On Bluestem’s third possession Larned’s Carter Atteberry broke through and blocked the Lions’ punt and Luke Wilson gathered in a 10-yard touchdown pass for a 21-6 lead.
Following the blocked punt, Bluestem coach Ethan Haworth declined to punt again, no matter the location on the field so Larned had excellent field position to start touchdown drives throughout the second quarter.
Larned coach Tad Remy pointed out the good play of backup players.
“I was pleased with the play of Ethan Haas on both offense and defense and Luke Fischer had some impressive runs with the football,” Remy said. “Alex Troughton played well on defense. They all came in and performed well.”
Larned 49 7 – 56
Bluestem 7 0 – 7
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—L—Logan Erway 3-77; Andreus Tucker 2-56, Luke Fischer 6-55, Jace Snyder 2-14, Gunnar Cline 1-5, Bryson Bird 1-(-1)
PASSING—L—Dillan Smith 9-12-0, 115
RECEIVING—L—Kaden Pontius 1-25, Cline 3-22, Jack Stelter 1-22, Erway 1-14, Fernando Herrera 1-12, Luke Wilson 1-10, Snyder 1-7, Ethan Haas 1-4, Fischer 1-(-1)
3A DISTRICT 8
Cheney 3-0 6-0
Holcomb 2-1 5-1
Hugoton 1-1 3-3
Pratt 1-2 2-4
Nickerson 0-1 0-4
Larned 0-2 1-4
9-4—Cheney 38, Kingman 14, Holcomb 29, Cimarron 19; Colby 35, Hugoton 6; Hillsboro 40, Nickerson 14; Hoisington 34, Pratt 13
9-11—Hoisington 35, Larned 19; Cheney 54, Belle Plaine 7; Halstead 36, Nickerson 0; Holcomb 30, Scott City 13;, Hugoton 28, Ulysses 6; Pratt 20, Girard 19
9-18—Haven 46, Larned 43; Holcomb 38, SW Heights 12; Hugoton 63, Guymon, Okla. 13; Cheney 44, Garden Plain 7; Hesston 24, Pratt 15; Atchison Maur Hill 40, Nickerson 6
9-25—*Holcomb 40, Nickerson 18; *Cheney 51, Hugoton 12; *Pratt 35, Larned 20
10-2—*Holcomb 43, Larned 13; *Cheney 42, Pratt 0; Canadian, Texas 52, Hugoton 14
10-9—*Cheney 31, Holcomb 28; *Hugoton 22, Pratt 16; Larned 56, Bluestem 6
10-12—Nickerson at Circle
10-16—*Larned at Hugoton; *Cheney at Nickerson; *Holcomb at Pratt
10-23—*Larned at Cheney; *Pratt at Nickerson; *Hugoton at Holcomb
