HUTCHINSON DOMINATED IN FIRST LOSS OF THE SEASON

Anything Hutchinson did, Derby did quicker, and better. The first quarter in the Class 6A clash between the Hutchinson Salthawks and Derby Panthers featured three plays that combined for 228 yards in the form of a 72 yard run by Derby quarterback Grant Adler on the game’s first play. The Salthawks responded right back on a touchdown run from 74 yards out by Joesiah Galindo and Derby was able to convert a 3rd-and-12 with an 82-yard touchdown pass from Adler to receiver Tyler Brown. But it was a defensive and special teams play by Derby that sidetracked the early track meet at Panther Stadium Friday night. Derby blocked the second Hutchinson punt of the game that traveled five yards to their own 40 yard line. On the ensuing play, Derby running back Brody Kooser raced into the end zone from 40 yards out, stamping the exclamation mark in the 61-18 rout to hand the Salthawks their first loss of the season. Kooser finished the game with 9 carries for 185 yards and 3 touchdowns. “I thought first half, we shot ourselves in the foot,” said Hutchinson coach Ryan Cornelsen. “We can’t have big penalties and big mistakes that cost us. I felt like we were moving the ball and matched up well and had big runs early, then we kind of got those shut down.” Hutchinson found some momentum and marched down the field inside Derby’s 10 yard line thanks to long gains by Brody Smith and Galindo. Facing a 4th-and-goal from the 1 yard line, Derby stuffed a quarterback sneak by Trevor Rhoades. A defensive pass interference allowed Derby to escape the shadow of their own goal post. The Panthers capped off a 99-yard drive with a 36-yard screen pass to from Adler to Brown to go up 43-18. “We put that drive together and got stuffed and started worrying about the scoreboard and we let down,” Cornelsen said. “We have to not worry about the scoreboard and play hard. It was an embarrassing showing the last quarter and a half.” The Hutchinson defense got to Adler early with three sacks in the first half and two interceptions by Tre’Vaughn Jones and Patrick Graebner, but the defense couldn’t come up with the same stops in the second half as Kooser started to get loose. The Salthawks had fumbling issues early in the game, and one was no bigger than a fumble on 4th-and-7 on Derby’s 16. Jones was back in the shotgun looking to pass and rolled left. He couldn’t find and open receiver, but he attempted to throw the ball away. As he winded up to pass, he was rocked and fumbled. The ball bounced into the hands of Jacob Ornsby for an 84-yard fumble return for a touchdown. “I just don’t think we played with the same intensity,” Cornelsen said. “That happens sometimes when you get blown out. You lose your focus and you don’t play with the same mentality. I was excited going into the second half because I thought we shot ourselves in the foot and I thought we could play with these guys. The second half, we just kept making mistakes and we can’t do that.” QUICK HIT THE TURNING POINT: The fourth and goal stop in the third quarter short circuited the Salthawks’ momentum. A touchdown from Hutchinson quarterback Trevor Rhoades would’ve made it a 36-24 ball game, but Derby stopped Hutchinson and went down the field to score to make it 43-18. NOT SO FAST: Salthawk punter Landon Dimitt had his punt tipped and it soar farther going up than it did going forward. The punt went for three yards, putting Derby in great field position. On the first play after the punt, Tre’Vaughn picked off an Adler pass. NEXT: Hutchinson (3-1) stays on the road to head to Goddard-Eisenhower. DERBY 61 HUTCHINSON 18

HUTCHINSON DOMINATED IN FIRST LOSS OF THE SEASON

Photo Credit: Travis Morisse

Contact Us