BY BUDDY TABLER
Special to the Tribune
HUGOTON— A penalty-plagued football game swung on a flag as Hugoton escaped Larned’s upset bid 23-7 in 3A, District 7.
It was a game marred by penalties, mistakes and turnovers for both ball clubs as each team added more than 100 yards in penalties.
A key penalty allowed Hugoton to get some breathing room. Larned was called for holding while attempting a pass out of its own end zone. The officials awarded Hugoton a safety which handed the Eagles a 16-7 lead. Hugoton added a clinching touchdown with 22 seconds left in the game for the final 23-7 margin.
Larned finished with 127 yards in penalties while the Eagles marked 118. Larned had three passes intercepted and lost a fumble.
“The penalties killed us,” said Larned coach Tad Remy. “We had terrific effort from our kids but we had so many big plays and mini-drives stopped by penalties. That, and four turnovers. It’s tough to win when those things happen. I tell you what – these kids are fighters. I’m really happy with how they hung in there, how we played defense and how we kept battling.”
Hugoton (3-4, 3-1 District) is ranked second in District 7 going to Holcomb while Larned (0-7, 0-4) is eliminated from the 3A playoffs heading to a home game against Kingman (2-5, 1-3).
Larned’s offense was spurred by the receiving and rushing of Brock Skelton who amassed a combined 146 yards. Quarterback Dillan Smith, despite heavy pressure from the Hugoton defense, completed 10 of 22 passes for 113 yards.
Several big gainers for the Indians were negated by penalties, including a 55-yard pass to Brayden Rupp that appeared to get the Indians out of a deep hole in their own territory. It was that kind of a night for the penalty-plagued and turnover-plagued Indians.
The Eagles converted an interception by Carlos Tinoco. Quarterback Martin Riggs scampered five yards for a touchdown and Leonardo Armendariz converted the extra point.
Larned shocked Hugoton with an 85-yard drive, culminating in a 4-yard touchdown run by Jacob Smith. Brock Skelton rambled 45 yards and Skelton caught a 35-yard pass from Dillan Smith to the 4-yard line.
Much of the second and third quarters were notable for penalties and mistakes by both offensive teams.
Larned‘s Skelton fumbled the second-half kickoff to hand Hugoton the football at the Indians’ 35-yard line. Dawson Kerbow sprinted untouched for a 37-yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead.
Hugoton completed nine passes for 98 yards. Kerbow rushed for 88 yards.
3A DISTRICT 7A
x-Pratt 4-0 7-0
x-Hugoton 3-1 3-4 (22)
Holcomb 2-2 3-4 (-27)
Nickerson 2-2 2-5 (-4)
Kingman 1-3 22-5 (-12)
Larned 0-4 0-7
x-playoff qualifier
WEEK 1—Pratt 34, Hoisington 0; Holcomb 34, Goodland 12; Scott City 35, Hugoton 0; Smoky Valley 46, Larned 7; Halstead 22, Nickerson 7; Chaparral 49, Kingman 23
WEEK 2—Pratt 32, Halstead 16; Scott City 24, Holcomb 0; Colby 35, Hugoton 6; Hesston 28, Larned 21; Hoisington 28, Nickerson 14; Kingman 56, Belle Plaine 18
WEEK 3—Pratt 55, Hesston 0; Colby 38, Holcomb 34; Hoisington 50, Larned 13; Smoky Valley 8, Nickerson 6; Conway Springs 38, Kingman 21; Ulysses 29, Hugoton 6
WEEK 4—*Pratt 55, Larned 0; *Nickerson 27, Holcomb 7; *Hugoton 21, Kingman 17
WEEK 5— *Pratt 42, Kingman 0; *Hugoton 42, Nickerson 20; *Holcomb 26, Larned 14
WEEK 6—*Pratt 42, Hugoton 0; *Nickerson 20, Larned 6; Holcomb 18, Kingman 14
FRIDAY—*Pratt 51, Holcomb 15; *Kingman 31, Nickerson 14; Hugoton 23, Larned 7
WEEK 8—*Pratt at Nickerson; Hugoton at Holcomb; Kingman at Larned
CENTRAL KANSAS LEAGUE
Smoky Valley 5-0 7-0
Pratt 4-0 7-0
Hillsboro 2-1 6-1
Hoisington 2-1 5-2
Hesston 3-2 4-3
Halstead 2-3 4-3
Haven 1-2 1-6
Nickerson 1-3 2-5
Lyons 0-3 0-7
Larned 0-5 0-7
WEEK 1—*Pratt 34, Hoisington 0; *Hesston 42, Hillsboro 36; *Smoky Valley 46, Larned 7; *Halstead 22, Nickerson 7; *Haven 28, Lyons 10
WEEK 2—*Pratt 32, Halstead 16; *Hesston 28, Larned 21; *Smoky Valley 44, Haven 0; *Hoisington 28, Nickerson 14; *Hillsboro 42, Lyons 0
WEEK 3—*Pratt 55, Hesston 0; *Smoky Valley 8, Nickerson 6; *Halstead 64, Lyons 0; *Hoisington 50, Larned 13; *Hillsboro 32, Haven 24
WEEK 4—*Smoky Valley 28, Hesston 0; *Pratt 55, Larned 0; Halstead 52, Rock Creek 16; Hoisington 42, Hays-TMP 0; Hillsboro 45, Salina Sacred Heart 31; Andale 65, Haven 0; Nickerson 27, Holcomb 7; Sterling 55, yons 21
WEEK 5—*Pratt 42, Kingman 0; *Hesston 38, Halstead 22; Smoky Valley 46, Clay Center 14; Hoplcomb 26, Larned 14; Hoisington 48, Ellsworth 14; Hillsboro 32, Waubansee 6; Clearwater 49, Haven 12; Hugoton 42, Nickerson 20; Ellinwood 34, Lons 3
WEEK 6—*Nickerson 20, Larned 6; Pratt 42, Hugoton 0; Smoky Valley 30, Chapman 22; Halstead 50, Clay Center 22; Hillsboro 18, Marion 14; Hesston54, Rock Creek 30; Cheney 36, Haven 12; SW Heights 34, Lyons 3; Hoisington 41, Minneapolis 6
FRIDAY—*Smoky Valley 20, Halstead 14; Pratt 51, Holcomb 15; Kingman 31, Nickerson 14; Hugoton 23, Larned 7; Hillsboro 66, Bluestem 22; Chapman 38, Hesston 28; Wichita Collegiate 46, Haven 8; Cimarron 60, Lyons 0; Phillipsburg 51, Hoisington 21
WEEK 8—*Pratt at Nickerson; Kingman at Larned; Smoky Valley at Rock Creek; Chapman at Halstead; Olpe at Hillsboro; Clay Center at Hesston; Haven at Wichita Trinity; Lakin at Lyons; Norton at Hoisington
