Trojans move on to play Conway
Hillsboro defeats Riley County 18-6 and will face the No. 1 team in the state, Conway Springs
By RYAN RICHTER
Sports writer
The Hillsboro football season stayed alive Tuesday night at Riley County as the Trojans upended Riley County 18-6.
The Trojans took command of the game in the first quarter and never relinquished the lead.
Senior Ryan Jilka scored first for the Trojans on a one-yard run in the first quarter, but the kick failed and Hillsboro led 6-0. Caleb Marsh lighted up the scoreboard later in the same quarter picking up a fumble and scampering 20 yards for a touchdown. The Trojans attempted to convert the 2-point conversion but were unsuccessful.
Neither team scored in the second or third quarter, but in the final quarter, Riley County made it interesting, scoring on a one yard dive play which cut the lead to just a touchdown after they failed to convert the PAT.
But Hillsboro remained resilient, and later in the quarter, Derek Hamm's 16-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Deckert sealed the Trojan win, despite a failed two-point conversion.
The Trojans racked up 184 total yards, while Riley County compiled 221 total yards.
Brodie Unrau spearheaded the defense with five solo tackles and five assists. Marsh finished with four solo tackles, four assists, two fumble recoveries, and an interception in the victory over Riley County. Jilka finished with three solo tackles, five assists, one sack, and one fumble recovery.
Hillsboro will face the No. 1 team in the state in the Eagles of Conway Springs Saturday at 2 p.m.
Hillsboro 30, Halstead 0
Nothing like having to earn a trip to the postseason against a team coming off a big win.
For the Trojans Thursday night in the regular season finale at Hillsboro against the Halstead Dragons, the Trojans backs were against the wall.
Down the Dragons, stay alive and play into November. Lose, watch the 3A playoffs from the bleachers.
Fresh off its only win of the season last week over Lyons, Halstead had a chance to advance with a win over Hillsboro.
Luckily for the Trojans, a 23-point eruption in the first half was enough to put the game out of the Dragons' reach by halftime.
Despite a ragged second half, the Trojans still sent the Dragons home with a 30-0 shutout.
"In the first half, we played very well scoring 23 points," Trojan coach Dustin McEwen said. "We really executed how we wanted to. We played solid defense; offensively, we kept them off a little off-balance and we ran the ball well. We didn't have many penalties, and it worked out pretty good the first half.
"In the second half, they played a little harder than we did. You got to give them credit. They came out and finished their season with a good effort."
Hillsboro ends its regular season in a logjam for first place in the MCAA Mid-Division with Ellinwood and Sterling at 3-1. The win improves the Trojans to 6-3.
Finishing with a modest 100 yards in offense, the second least allowed by the Trojan defense this year, Halstead could get little going its way.
By halftime, with its defense being permanent residents of Reimer Field, Halstead had a sparse 29 yards moving the ball while giving up 175 to the Trojans.
Running back Ben Creed was about all that worked the Dargons, carrying the ball 19 times for 73 yards.
Their longest drive that wasted nearly 6:00 of the third quarter stalled inside the Trojan 30. After that, Halstead never got closer than the Trojan 43.
Scoring on touchdown runs of 41- and 16-yards, Caleb Marsh carried the ball a team-high nine times for a game-high 86 of the Trojans 156 yards on the ground. Kyle Jilka furnished 43 more while catching two passes for 22 more and Tim Funk rushed for 31.
Marsh broke loose on second-and-three with 7:32 to play in the first quarter, bolting down the Trojan sideline.
Derek Hamm plunged up the middle on the two-point conversion and Hillsboro was home-free, 8-0.
Daniel Deckert scored a touchdown both offensively and defensively, hooking up with Hamm 46 seconds into the second quarter for an 18-yard touchdown strike.
Four minutes later, Marsh struck again, sending the Trojans in at halftime comfortably in front, 23-0, after backup QB Josh Boese hit Brodie Unrau on the two-point conversion.
Whatever problems the Dragons had moving the ball the entire game hit Hillsboro in the second half.
The Trojans were an ugly 0 for 5 on third down conversions, 0 for 3 on the night in fourth downs amidst turning the ball over twice in the fourth quarter. Not to mention managing a pair of first downs.
Deckert put the game on ice with 9:41 left in the game, scooping up a fumble and taking it in from nine.
"This is a better way to prepare for (postseason) it than if Halstead hadn't won last week," McEwen said. "This was another situation where you had to win or go home. It's nice to put that pressure on to go into the playoffs and we responded well to begin with."
The Trojans faced a familiar opponent Tuesday night in the first round of the playoffs traveling to Riley County.
The two teams have met at least once in both football and basketball since 1999.
The most current meeting on the football field came last year in the first round with the Trojans stopping the unbeaten Falcons and nemesis Jordy Nelson.
Pending on a win over the Falcons, the Trojans would travel Saturday to the three-time defending state champs and top-ranked team in 3A, Conway Springs.
The Cardinals ended the Trojans' season also in the second round with a closer-than indicated 28-7 win.
