Indians Enter Playoffs Undefeated
Host Ness City on Tuesday
St. Francis ran their season record to 8-0 with a 54-0 romp over the Trego Community Golden Eagles on Thursday evening. The home-standing Eagles did not keep the Indians from scoring on any possession and only earned two 1st downs against the strong Sf. Francis defense. The win advanced the Indians into the state playoffs. The Indians will host Ness City in St. Francis on Tuesday evening, November 1. Click here to view/print the state playoff bracket.
St. Francis kicked off to the Eagles to open the contest. The Eagles returned the kick to the 28 yard line, A first down dive play was stuffed by the Indian defense setting the tone for the game. After an incomplete pass, the Eagles tried the right side on third down and were stopped for no gain by Luin Norris. Facing 4th-&-12, the Eagles punted.
Taylor Rogers fielded the punt on the St. Francis 17 yard line and returned it to the Trego 30. On the play an outstanding block by Jordan Raby sprung Rogers for big yardage. Unfortunately, Raby was called for targeting on the play, and the football was moved back to the St. Francis 19 yard line. Taylor Rogers gained 6 yards over the right side on first down and then cruised to the St. Francis 35 over the left side on the following play. On the third play from scrimmage, quarterback Quinton Cravens found Tate Busse wide open deep downfield. Though the ball was a bit under-thrown, Busse made the catch for a 45 yard touchdown. Dalton Straub ran around the right side for the conversion points. The Indians were up 8-0 after their first possession.
Brady Dinkel's kick-off was returned by Trego Community (TC) to the 28 yard line. On first down, running back Hunter Folsom (175 lb. Jr.) earned a 2-yard gain around the left end. Using a no-huddle offense, the Eagles ran Ty Halfiger (190lb. So.) up the middle for three more yards. On 3rd-&-5, Trego's quarterback, Keagan Shubert (160 lb. So.) was stuffed by the Indian defense. Facing 4th-&-6, the Eagles punted.
Quinton Cravens returned the punt to the St. Francis 28 yard line. An option play to the left side gained two yards on the first play of the possession. The next play, a pass from Cravens to receiver Brock Waters advanced the ball to the Trego 28. Jordan Raby ran to the right side, gaining two yards. On the fourth play of the possession, Cravens found Dalton Straub open on the right side for a 26 yard touchdown pass. Cravens passed to Tate Busse for the conversion points. After seven offensive plays, the Indians led 16-0.
John Kuhn (125 lb. Sr.) returned the kick-off to the 27. On first down, the Eagles pass attempt in the right flat was intercepted by Taylor Rogers for a 45 yard touchdown. Rogers ran over the left side for the conversion points. The scoreboard jumped to 24-0, still early in the first period.
Again, the Eagles returned Brady Dinkel's kick-off to the 27. The Eagles were called for a delay-of-game penalty before the snap, and then fumbled on the ensuing play. On 2nd-&-17, Dalton Straub tackled the Eagle ball carrier after a short gain on an option play to the right side. On 3rd-&-15, Brock Waters sacked the Eagle quarterback for another big loss. Trego punted the ball away on the next play.
Tate Busse fumbled the punt, and Trego recovered the football at the TC 39 yard line. An option play to the right earned four yards before a pass fell incomplete on 2nd down. A 3rd down screen pass to Hafliger set up 4th-&-2. The Eagles were called for a false start before the play was underway. On 4th-&-7, the Eagles were sacked again by the strong Indian defense.
St. Francis took over at the Trego 35. On the first play from scrimmage, Taylor Rogers started left, then cut back to the right side, and sprinted 55 yards for the fourth Indian touchdown of the first period. Quinton Cravens ran over the right side to score the conversion points. The margin grew to 32-0.
The kick-off by Brady Dinkel traveled high and short. The TC return man was tackled by Trayton Doyle for little gain at the 33 yard line. Shubert ran to the right earning 4 yards before being tackled by Jordan Raby. Two more running plays set up a 4th-&-1/2 yard situation for the Eagles. Again, the Eagles committed a false start before the snap moving the ball back five yards. On 4-&-6, Tate Busse nearly intercepted Shubert's pass. The ball fell incomplete, and the Indians took over at the Trego 37 with 27 seconds left in the first quarter.
On the first play from scrimmage, Quinton Cravens passed to Tate Busse who was wide open in the end zone. Cravens passed to Jordan Raby for the conversion. With 21 seconds remaining in the 1st quarter, the Indians led 40-0.
Dallas Schneider (170 lb. So.) returned the kick-off to the Trego 32. Two TC running plays gained seven yards. On 3rd down, the Eagles were called for another false start penalty. The ensuing 3rd down play, an option, was stuffed by Luke Lampe and others. Facing 4th-&-9, the Eagles punted yet again. The punt was a low, line-drive punt.
St. Francis did not field the punt, and the ball rolled dead at the St. Francis 9 yard line. On the first play of the possession, Jordan Raby ran 30 yards over the right side for a 1st down at the Trego 39. Luke Lampe gained two on the next play before Taylor Rogers scrambled to the St. Francis 27 before stepping out of bounds making a cut near the sideline. Deep in Trego territory, the Indians fumbled on 4th-&-1. Trego recovered Cravens' inaccurate pitch at their own 30 yard line.
Trego ran three running plays before punting on 4-&-7. The Indians did not put anyone back to field the punt.
With 6:30 remaining in the second quarter, St. Francis set up offense at their own 16 yard line. On first down, Quinton Cravens attempted a pass to Tate Busse. The Eagles were called for pass interference on the play. With the ball advanced to the 31, Taylor Rogers ran over the left side for a 49 yard touchdown on the next play. Cravens passed to Raby for the conversion points. The Indians led 48-0.
Schneider returned the kick to the 26. After two running plays gained zero yards, Shubert rolled left on third down and picked up 9 yards. On 4-&-1, a quarterback sneak earned the first Trego 1st down of the game with just under 5 minutes left in the second quarter. After another incomplete pass on 1st down, Luke Lampe and Ryan Grover combined for a tackle to stop Hunter Price (170 lb. Fr.) after a two-yard gain up the middle. Two more incomplete passes turned the ball back to the Indians.
Setting up at the Trego 39, Quinton Cravens attempted a deep pass to Brock Waters that fell incomplete. On second down, Luke Lampe bolted 41 yards to paydirt on a reverse play. The conversion run attempt failed. With 3:30 left in the first half, St. Francis led 54-0.
Jordan Raby tackled the Eagles' return man on the left sideline at the 27. After a first down fumble set up 2nd-&-16, a pitch to Price around the right side netted three yards. Shubert then picked up 6 yards on a quarterback draw. On 4th-&-7, Jordan Raby was called for pass interference giving the Eagles their second 1st down of the contest. Two of the next three plays ended with tackles by Luke Lampe. On 4th-&-10, the Eagles' pass attempt fell incomplete.
St. Francis knelt in victory formation for one play to run out the clock. St. Francis defeated the Trego Community Golden Eagles 54-0.
The Indians will play in the Bi-District Playoff game on Tuesday, November 1, at 6:00 p.m. The game will be against Ness City (7-2) and will be played on Greene Field in St. Francis.