Three teams win; one loses quarterback
Staff writers
Marion continued to stay hot early in the season while Goessel and Hillsboro bounced back with victories. Peabody took its first loss, and Centre’s quarterback suffered a season-ending injury.
Marion
The Warriors got the best of Douglass on the road Friday night, winning 28-0.
Quarterback Carson Krause found wide receiver Tripp Peterson for a touchdown to open the game. Lane Smith, Jameson Looper, and Kellen Waner also scored for the Warriors.
Douglass was unable to match the intensity brought by Marion offensively. On defense, senior Luke Watkins finished with 13 tackles and Brian Nguyen with 12.
“I was very pleased with how our defense played the whole night,” coach Shaun Craft said. “They knew heading into the game they’d face a good challenge from a physical running team and they stepped up by holding Douglas to 45 yards with only 15 rushing.
“After the half, our guys did a great job executing on offense and scored on three straight possessions coming out of the locker, and the defense continued to play great.”
The Warriors (2-0) will play their first home game Friday against Bennington (0-2).
“We are excited to be home for the first time this season and play in front of our home crowd,” Craft said.
Hillsboro
The Trojans bounced back Friday from last week’s season opener with a decisive 35-8 victory over Larned.
Top performer for the team was quarterback Zayne Haslett with 82 passing yards, 174 rushing yards, and three touchdowns.
Jesiah Gooch rushed for two touchdowns, while Anders Weisbeck scored one through the air.
“After facing challenges head-on, our team showed remarkable resilience and determination in our bounce-back game against Larned,” coach Demetrius Cox said. “Each player rose to the occasion, exemplifying their commitment and ability to perform under pressure.”
On defense, Gooch, Sutton Redger, and Noah Beavers were credited with at least one sack. Weisbeck led the team with 10 tackles, followed by Redger’s nine, including six solo tackles.
The Trojans (1-1) will look to keep their road momentum going as they travel Friday to Hesston (2-0).
Goessel
In a cross-county Wheat State League game, Goessel came out ahead of Centre by a sizable margin.
Goessel’s first score was set up with an interception by Luke Stucky. Brayton Base then scampered 24 yards for the Bluebird score.
The Cougars answered with a long drive that ended in a two-yard plunge. Both teams capped their touchdowns with two-point conversions.
Trey Gaddis then weaved his way downfield for a 55-yard score. Three minutes later, he scored again from 20 yards, with Braxton Davis running in more two-point conversions.
The Bluebirds led at the end of one quarter, 22-8.
Robert Spohn, Centre’s quarterback, suffered a season-ending knee injury early in the second quarter, quashing Cougar hopes of a comeback.
Claudio Flores ran six yards for another Goessel score before the Bluebird defense forced a Cougar punt.
Gaddis then tightroped down the left sideline for a 28-yard touchdown.
Goessel’s scoring continued, as Braxton Davis caught a pass from Base for a 45-yard score.
Gaddis intercepted a pass with 1:49 to play in the half, and the Bluebirds took advantage of missed tackles as Base ran 40 yards for a score.
Davis recovered a fumbled kickoff, and Gaddis responded with a 35-yard run to push the score to 56-8. The game was called at halftime.
Goessel is now 1-1 for the season and will play Friday at home against Rural Vista.
Centre
The Cougars took a huge blow Friday, losing their starting quarterback in their 56-8 loss against Goessel.
Starting quarterback Robert Spohn sustained a season-ending injury, dislocating his left knee.
On-site emergency medical techncians worked to get him off the field and onto a stretcher to take him to a hospital.
Spohn said doctors told him he’d be out for a minimum of six to eight weeks.
Meanwhile, the Cougars (0-2) will press onward Friday at home against Little River (2-0).
Peabody-Burns
The Warriors (1-1) were unable to match last week’s performance, losing 54-6 at 54-6.
Peabody-Burns opened the first quarter with a 15-yard passing touchdown but wasn’t able to get back on the board for the rest of the game.
No opponent is scheduled for this Friday night.
Last modified Sept. 18, 2024