BY BUDDY TABLER
LARNED – Larned snapped a 20-20 tie when sparkplug quarterback Carson Shaver scored on a 45-yard run and converted the 2-pointer for a thrilling 28-20 Central Kansas League football victory over Nickerson Friday.
Larned’s defense smothered Nickerson on the next possession. Larned moved close to the Nickerson goal-line and ended the Homecoming game in Victory formation. Carter Atteberry was crowned Homecoming King and Elizabeth Herrera was crowned Homecoming Queen. Atteberry would put down his crown and play an integral part on the offensive and defensive line for the victorious Indians.
The Indians (2-2) stopped Nickerson (1-3) on fourth down on the prior drive.
“Boy, we played with a patched up lineup tonight due to injuries but we really had guys step up,” said Larned coach Tad Remy. “Give Nickerson credit. They played hard and well. We made halftime defensive adjustments that helped. That fourth quarter by our defense was impressive.”
Quarterback Colton Morrell led with 120 yards rushing and 93 yards passing. Alarek VanKleek rushed 18 times for 56 yards.
Shaver gained 180 yards rushing and with two touchdowns. He completed nine passes for for 57 yards. Fischer gained 63 yards. Jayden Smith had four receptions for 29 yards. Fischer had three catches for 37 yards.
After a 14-14 halftime tie, Larned’s Luke Fischer scored on a 2-yard run with 8:10 left in the third quarter, but the 2-pointer missed.
Nickerson responded with a time-consuming drive that was culminated by a 2-yard touchdown run by Colton Morrell. But Larned blocked an Ayla Ontjes extra-point kick for a 20-20 tie.
Larned’s Talon Reynolds returned the Nickerson kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown, but it was nullified on a holding penalty. Larned controlled the fourth quarter, but penalties and fumbles blunted two Larned possessions.
The Indians’ Shaver sprinted untouched for a 61-yard touchdown on the second play from scrimmage.
Nickerson struck paydirt on a 60-yard touchdown pass from Colton Morrell to Kohen Starnes. Ayla Ontjes converted the extra point for a 7-6 lead. Morrell rambled 67 yards for a second Nickerson score for a 14-6 lead.
“We went flat after that first score of ours. It took us a while to get back into a rhythm,” Remy said. “We had fumbles that set us back.”
Luke Fischer answered with a 17-yard TD run and a 2-point conversion run by Shaver resulted in a 14-14 halftime tie.
Nickerson, now 1-3, will host Andale on Friday and Larned, 2-2, will again be at home against the Cimarron Bluejays in a district game.
Nickerson 14 0 6 0 – 20
Larned 7 7 6 8 – 28
L—Jacob Colglazier 61 run (Colglazier kick); N—Kohen Starnes 60 pass from Colton Morrell (Ayla Ontjes kick); N—Morrell 67 run (Ontjes kick); L—Luke Fischer 17 run (Colglazier kick); L—Fischer 2 run (run fails); N—Morrell 2 run (kick blocked); L—Shaver 45 run (Shaver run)
RUSHING—N—Morrell 21-120; Alarek VanKleek 18-56; L—Shaver 15-180; Fischer 15-63
PASSING—N—Morrell 5-9-0 93; L—Shaver 9-13-0,
RECEIVING—L—Fischer 3-37; Jayden Smith 4-29
Lakin 1-0 4-0
Hoisington 1-0 3-1
Larned 0-0 1-2
SW Heights 0-1 2-2
Cimarron 0-1 0-4
FRIDAY—*Hoisington 49, SW Heights 0; *Lakin 2, Cimarron 0; Larned 28, Nickerson 0
