By JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
HOISINGTON — Hoisington coach Zach Baird unveilved his latest secret weapon — quarterback Tyler Specht, who scored three touchdowns to spark the No. 1 ranked Cardinals to a 56-13 Class 3A playoff victory over Lakin. Specht rushed for a career high 119 yards and scored on a 75-yard touchdown.
Specht started his night with a fumble recovery that set up the Cardinals’ first touchdown.
“Tyler made his reads and took what the defense gave us,” said Baird. “We showed a balanced offense and played hard, fast and physical football. The great thing is everyone wants the team to succeed.”
Teamwork contributed to the game’s biggest play after Lakin sliced the lead to 14-6. Sean Urban returned the ensuing kickoff 86 yards for a touchdown. The Cardinals led 42-6 at halftime.
“The other 10 guys on kickoff return did their job because it was blocked excellent,” Baird said. “That’s the best way to regain momentum.”
Tailback Hunter Hanzlick, the Cardinals’ all-time leading rusher, rushed for two touchdowns and 83 yards. Hanzlick has scored a TD in 33 consecutive games. Cameron Davis added two rushing TDs and rushed for 28 yards.
Davis opened the scoring on a 1-yard dive. Hanzlick added a 2-yard TD for a 14-0 lead. Specht followed Urban’s return with back-to-back TDs for a 35-6 lead. Hanzlick scored his second TD for a 42-6 lead. Specht and Davis finished off the scoring in the second half.
The Cardinals (10-0) travel to Norton (8-2) for a second-round 5 p.m. game Saturday.
“Their quarterback Jace Ruder is talented, the best quarterback we have seen,” Baird said. “He’ll run it and pass it. They’ve been tested by a good schedule.”
CARDINALS 56, LAKIN 13
LHS 0 6 7 0 — 13
HHS 14 28 14 0 — 56
SCORING SUMMARY
HH—Cameron Davis 1 run (Inigo Barrena Carpio kick)
HH—Hunter Hanzlick 2 run (Barrena Carpio kick)
L—Hunter Kirby 44 run (run failed)
HH—Sean Urban 86 kickoff return (Barrena Carpio kick)
HH—Tyler Specht 5 run (Barrena Carpio kick)
HH—Specht 75 run (Barrena Carpio kick)
HH—Hanzlick 1 run (Barrena Carpio kick)
HH—Specht 10 run (Barrena Carpio kick)
HH—Davis 4 run (Barrena Carpio kick)
L—Jeff Gilleland 2 run (kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING—Lakin—Kirby 7-77, Dawsen Shalberg 6-27, Gilleland 3-17, Jose Perez 17-8, Diego Davila 1-0; HHS—31-397; Specht 7-119; Sean Urban 6-118, Hanzlick 8-83, Alex Schremmer 1-33, Davis 4-28, Jared Curtis 2-9, Derek Boxberger 3-7.
PASSING—Lakin—Kirby, 3-9-0, 13; Shalberg, 1-1-0, 1; HHS—Specht, 3-5-0, 52.
RECEIVING—Lakin—Davila 1-11, Gilleland 1-2, Kirby 1-1, Esquivel 1-0; HHS—Hanzlick 1-27; Davis 2-25.
CLASS 3A
WEST BRACKET
Garden Plain 12, Wichita Independent 7
Halstead 36, SE Saline 22
Hoisington 56, Lakin 13
Norton 28, Marysville 20
Chaparral 48, Douglass 16
Hesston 48, Sterling 8
Phillipsburg 49, Riley County 27
Larned 35, Cimarron 30
SATURDAY’S SECOND ROUND
Halstead 9-1 at Garden Plain 9-1
Hoisington 10-0 at Norton 7-3, 5 p.m.
Chaparral 9-1 at Hesston 7-3, 3 p.m.
Phillipsburg 10-0 at Larned 3-7
EAST BRACKET
Nemaha Central 61, Pleasant Ridge 6
Silver Lake 50, Mission Valley 0
Wellsville 54, Humboldt 6
Galena 42, Fredonia 14
Sabetha 62, Atchison Maur Hill 28
Rossville 41, Perry 14
Osage City 20, Jayhawk-Linn 14
Caney Valley 51, Riverton 14
SATURDAY’S SECOND ROUND
Nemaha Central 10-0 at Silver Lake 10-0
Wellsville 9-1 vs. Galena 8-2, 2 p.m.
Rossville 9-1 at Sabetha 9-1, 6 p.m.
Caney Valley 8-2 at Osage City 5-5, 3 p.m.
