Swathers' second half sinks Hillsboro Trojans
24 unanswered points helps Hesston down Hillsboro, 38-12
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
For 24 minutes Friday night at Hesston, the Trojans had the Swathers on the ropes and held on to a chance at a huge win.
Sadly for the Trojans, it was the second half that foiled their bid at stunning Hesston in the first game of district play.
The Swathers (5-2) used 24 unanswered points the second half to clinch a 38-12 win over the Trojans (2-5.)
"The score isn't indicative of the game, I don't think," Trojan coach Len Coryea said. "I think you're seeing a better football team now than you did three weeks ago.
"We fought, we moved the ball, we had yards and I'm proud of the guys."
Keep in the mind the Swathers began the year second in Class 3A behind three-time defending champion Conway Springs, losing to two teams ranked highly in 4A, Collegiate and Smoky Valley.
That seemed to matter little to Hillsboro in the first half, playing arguably its best half of the season.
In fact, had it not been for one of Hillsboro's biggest enemies — extra points, the Trojans would have been in a deadlock at halftime at 14-14.
Pass coverage has been another enemy of Hillsboro. It was a 43-yard completion from Swather quarterback Derrick Klassen to Brandon Liechty that set up Liechty's five-yard run to put Hesston ahead, 7-0, with 3:55 of action gone by.
Unlike the past two years where the Hesston ground attack has torn apart Hillsboro, it was the aerial assault this time with the Trojans surrendering 136 yards.
After having a 50-yard 11-play drive stall at the Swather 25, Hillsboro dodged a cannon ball that could have broken open the game early for Hesston.
Klassen hit Reed Hammond for a huge completion, only to have it called back on holding, forcing the Swathers to go three and out.
Being held to 66 yards a week ago in a win over Nickerson, Tim Funk finally broke loose Friday night.
Carrying the ball 19 times for a game-high 125 yards, Funk cut the Hesston lead to 7-6 with a 30-yard scamper down the Swather sideline with :50 gone by in the second quarter.
Hillsboro got its greatest production of the year on the ground, rushing 45 times for 211 yards while holding Hesston to 108 and 244 yards total.
While the Trojans' strength is power, the Swathers used quickness.
Klassen again took to the air, hitting Hammond for a 38-yard touchdown completion to stretch the lead to 14-6 with 9:46 left in the first half.
But Hillsboro had an answer the next drive.
Going a perfect 2-for-2 on fourth downs the second quarter and 2-for-3 the first half, Lucas Hamm rumbled for 12 yards to give the Trojans a fresh set of downs at the Swather 36.
Lucas Hamm supplied 19 carries for 68 yards, pulling the Trojans to within 14-12 with a two-yard score six plays later.
In an attempt to tie the game, Derek Hamm's pass was incomplete on the two-point conversion with 5:14 to go before halftime.
Hillsboro dodged one more bullet in the waning moments of the first half.
With the chance to let the Swathers take a 17-12 lead in at the break, Coryea iced Hesston kicker Mitch Mason, who missed the 39-yard field goal attempt.
The game started slipping away on Hillsboro on the second half kickoff.
Hammond bolted for a 66-yard return to start the drive for the Swathers at the Trojan 16.
Two plays later, Klassen hooked up with Kevin Roulhac for a 14-yard touchdown to give the Swathers 21-12 breathing room, 16 seconds into the second half.
Hesston's halftime talk must have been about putting the clamps down on the Hillsboro run.
Rushing for a season-high 144 yards in the first half, the Trojans could only manage 67 the second half.
Still two scores behind after a Mason field goal at the 2:16 mark in the third quarter, the Trojans couldn't have picked a worse time for their only turnover of the game.
Backed up at the Hillsboro 10, Derek Hamm's only pick cost the Trojans seven points, with Klassen returning for an 11-yard touchdown.
Hillsboro spotted the Swathers their final seven points, failing to convert on fourth-and-three at the Trojan 28.
Despite the loss, the Trojans' 299 yards of offense marked a season high.
"It bugs me because I gave them two touchdowns," said Coryea of the score. "When you're down, you got to try, so we gave them those scores.
"We didn't come out and get that ground game going. They took some things away from us, but our pass protect tonight was real well."
The Trojans play host Friday to the Marion Warriors at 7 p.m. in a must-win game for Hillsboro.
A loss to the Warriors would likely snap the Trojans' streak of making post-season six years straight.
HRC offers junior basketball tournament
Hillsboro Recreation Commission will sponsor a junior basketball tournament Nov. 12-14. The event will benefit the youth summer baseball and softball programs.
There will be separate divisions for fourth, fifth, and sixth grade boys and girls with team limits for each grade division.
There is a $90 entry fee with a three-game guarantee.
Entry deadline is Oct. 29. For more information, call 947-3490 or e-mail the HRC at hillsbororec@dtnspeed.net.
