BY JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtrbune.com
OTIS – Otis-Bison backup tailback Daniel Scott rescued the Cougars with four touchdowns and 221 yards. Defensive tackle Luke Higgason was a disruptive terror with 41/2 tackles for losses.
No. 3-state ranked Otis-Bison cruised past Ingalls 60-14 in Friday’s Eight-Man 2 quarterfinal football game. The Cougars (10-1) earn a semifinal rematch at Jetmore-Hodgeman County (9-2) next week. The Cougars won 58-26 in the first meeting.
Otis-Bison racked up 451 yards with a perfect mix of running and passing. Quarterback Anton Foust accounted for 222 yards, three passing touchdowns and a rushing touchdown.
The Cougars iced the game on Scott’s 56-yard score with 6:05 left in the third period.
“It went really good tonight,” Scott said. “Our team played hard, came through got the job done. It was a lot of hard work by everyone to overcome our injuries. Our blocking up front was really good tonight.”
The Cougars played without injured starting tailback Blake Bahr and linemen Kaden Schwartz and Clade Anderson.
“Our guys stepped up big tonight,” said Otis-Bison coach Travis Starr. I was really pleased with what happened.”
Higgason led the defense. Bevan Gradig had 91/2 tackles. One time, Landon Hoopingarner and Seth Hoopingarner combined for a quarterback sack and the Cougars scored on the next play.
“Luke Higgason was really special tonight,” Starr said. “We’ll take that type of effort every time. He just needs to keep his motor running.”
Foust threw for 138 yards with two touchdown passes to Maitland Wiltse and one to secret weapon Bevan Gradig. The Cougars rushed for 313 yards.
The Cougars scored six first-half touchdowns for a 44-6 lead keyed by Foust who threw three touchdown passes and rushed for a score. The Cougars gained 314 yards and rumbled 66 and 77 yards on lengthy first-half scoring drives.
Wiltse opened the scoring on a 7-yard scoring strike and ended the half with a 28-yard touchdown reception from Foust. The Cougars were pinned deep in their own territory when Ingalls handed them a 5-yard offside penalty. Scott busted a 70-yard touchdown for a 14-0 lead.
“It’s disappointing when you have them pinned back in long-yardage situations,” said Ingalls coach Vestal Teeter said. “We had a hard time getting our defense off the field tonight. That’s pretty much the ballgame tonight.”
Gradig caught a 32-yard scoring pass from Foust and Foust added a 2-yard touchdown for a 28-0 lead. The Bulldogs answered on Timothy Gillen’s 4-yard touchdown dive on fourth-and-goal for a 28-6 score.
Otis-Bison’s Scott converted a third-and-25 on a 35-yard run and scored on an 8-yard run for a 36-6 lead. Wiltse caught a 28-yard touchdown pass with nine seconds left in the first half.
Ingalls (7-3) was outmanned physically against a fast and talented Otis-Bison football team.
“I had nightmares all week because I knew how talented Otis-Bison was,” said Ingalls coach Teeter. “Their offensive and defensive lines are really good. I give them all the credit. Their quarterback Foust and their back Scott are really good football players.”
The Bulldogs scored on a dazzling 63-yard second-half touchdown by David Varela from Gillen. Gillen threw for 151 yards and Ingalls rushed for 38 yards. Joseph Clark recovered a Cougar fumble.
OTIS-BISON 60, INGALLS 14
Ingalls 0 6 8 — 14
Otis-Bison 20 24 16 — 60
OB—Maitland Wiltse 7 pass from Anton Foust (pass fails), 10:51; OB—Daniel Scott 70 run (run fails), 7:35; OB—Bevan Gradig 32 pass from Foust (Foust run), 5:27; OB—Foust 2 run (Foust run), 8:59; I—Timothy Gillen 4 run (run fails), 2:59; OB—Scott 8 run (Scott run), 1:21; OB—Wiltse 28 pass from Foust (Foust run), 0:09; I—David Varela 63 pass from Gillen (Osborne run), 9:16; OB—Scott 8 run (Foust run), 7:14; OB—Scott 56 run (Gradig pass from Foust), 6:05
RUSHING—Ingalls—28-38; Mikel Osborne 10-19; Gillen 10-16; Tate Davis 7-1; Joe Clark 1-2; OB—25-313; Scott 13-221; Foust 10-84; Luke Higgason 1-8; Cheely 1-0.
PASSING—Ingalls—Gillen 8-19-0, 151; OB—Foust 6-11-0, 138.
RECEIVING—Ingalls—Varela 2-75; Easton Irsik 1-8; Joe Clark 1-25; Osborne 3-23; Davis 1-20; OB—Maitland Wiltse 3-56; Gradig 2-72; Higgason 1-0.
COUGAR STARTERS
QB-LB—Anton Foust
TB—Blake Bahr
SE-LB—Daniel Scott
C-NG—Landon Hoopingarner
LG—Hunter Mitchell
RG-DE—Luke Higgason
TE-S—Maitland Wiltse
TE-LB—Bevan Gradig
DE—Kaden Schartz
DE—Seth Hoopingarner
OTIS-BISON (10-1)
W— St. John 58-0
W— Ellinwood 56-0
L—Central Plains 12-36
W—Victoria 22-20
W—Wallace Co. 70-24
W— Greeley Co. 50-0
W— Dighton 54-8
W— Triplains 64-0
W—Hodgeman Co. 58-26
W—Sylvan-Lucas 60-26
W—Ingalls 60-14
HODGEMAN COUNTY (9-2)
W—Wichita Co. 56-6
L—Spearville 34-64
W—Deerfield 74-0
W—South Central 30-27
W—Greeley Co. 60-14
W—Triplains 52-6
W—Wallace Co. 27-6
W—Dighton 46-6
L—Otis-Bison 26-58
W—Northern Valley 59-14
W—South Barber 52-6
OTIS-BISON PLAYOFF HISTORY (19-13)
2017—8II—Otis-Bison 60, Sylvan-Lucas 26; Otis-Bison 60, Ingalls 14; Osti-Bison vs. Hodgeman County
2015—8II—Wallace County 65, Otis-Bison 20
2012—8II—Otis-Bison 54, Rolla 0; Thunder Ridge 28, Otis-Bison 18
2011—8II—Otis-Bison 68, Moscow 20; Otis-Bison 26, Victoria 6; Thunder Ridge 54, Otis-Bison 26
2010—8II—Otis-Bison 46, Fowler 0; Otis-Bison 51, Cheylin 6; Otis-Bison 26, Ashland 14; FINALS—Baileyville 50, Otis-Bison 34
2009—8II—Otis-Bison 60, Sharon Springs 30; Quivira Heights 42, Otis-Bison 6
2003—8I—Otis-Bison 34, Macksville 28 (2 OT); South Barber 56, Otis-Bison 8
2002—8I—Otis-Bison 42, Macksville 36; South Barber 56, Otis-Bison 22
1995—8I—Otis-Bison 36, Macksville 0; Coldwater 28, Otis-Bison 0
1992—8I—Otis-Bison 63, Sylvan 16; Otis-Bison 52, Cunningham 14; Quinter 24, Otis-Bison 20
1991—8I—Otis-Bison 76, Pike Valley 44; Inman 34, Otis-Bison 18
1988—8I—Otis-Bison 60, Pretty Prairie 14; Greensburg 24, Otis-Bison 20
1987—8I—Otis-Bison 31, Sedgwick 7; Otis-Bison 26, Greensburg 18, OT; FINALS—Denton-Midway 27, Otis-Bison 6
1985—8I—Otis-Bison 34, Mankato 0; Axtell 38, Otis-Bison 30
