By Blake Chadwick
Lightning, rain and hail wreaked havoc on high school football games across the Wichita area.
Delays were common, and the Wellington-Clearwater game was called with eight minutes to go in the game, while Medicine Lodge and Moundridge was canceled.
But the Derby Panthers had no problem finding a rhythm against the Salina South Cougars after a kickoff return touchdown by speedy senior defensive back Martel Jackson, a safety forced by the defense and two punt returns for touchdowns by James Middlebrook and Da’Saahn Brame. The Panthers’ offense did not see the field until it was 23-0 with six minutes left in the first quarter.
The Panthers found the end zone three more times in the first quarter, extending their lead to 44-0 by the end of the first. From there, the running clock began, and the second and third-string players got valuable reps as Derby cruised to a 59-7 victory.
The Greenbacks won handily against Larned 70-0 thanks to senior Owen Schmidt.
Schmidt had four defensive touchdowns (two fumble returns and two interceptions) all in the second quarter alone. He finished with six total touchdowns.
Great Bend took care of Buhler 43-26 on the back of junior Ian Premer, and his monster performance of five touchdowns receptions and one interception.
Collegiate improved to 3-0 with a 30-0 win over El Dorado.
Andale cruised to a 52-0 win over Rose Hill to stay unbeaten, scoring 46 first-half points. Cooper Marx had 152 rushing yards on seven carries and one touchdown. Landon Harp scored twice, while Jack Horsch, Hunter Grimes and Charles Parsons each added a touchdown. Grimes also passed for 103 yards and a touchdown.
Northwest came from behind to beat Junction City 43-30 to improve to 3-0 in a game that didn’t finish until 11:45 p.m.
Cheney is still undefeated after a 41-7 win over Garden Plain. It’s the Cardinals’ 16th straight win.
Conway Springs is 3-0 after a 42-0 win over Douglass. Isaac Winter had 158 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while Eli Howard, Levi Mies and Cade Howell both scored, as well.
Eisenhower beats Newton 49-7 to improve to 3-0.
Maize South’s game ends after 11:30 p.m. as the Maverrcks move to 3-0 with a 10-7 win over Valley Center.
Tonight’s scores
Abilene 37, Concordia 7
Andale 52, Rose Hill 0
Bishop McGuiness 49, Bishop Carroll 0
Chanute 27, McPherson 14
Cheney 41, Garden Plain 7
Conway Springs 42, Douglass 0
Derby 59, Salina South 7
Dodge City 42, Wichita South 8
Eisenhower 49, Newton 7
Goddard 14, Andover 13
Ellsworth 26, Minneapolis 21
Eureka 38, Cherryvale 26
Great Bend 43, Buhler 26
Halstead 38, Nickerson 0
Hesston 27, Hillsboro 12
Hutchinson 21, Maize 0
Hutchinson Central Christian 48, Stafford 0
Little River 32, Centre 0
Lyndon 72, Independent 6
Maize South 10, Valley Center 7
Pratt 70, Larned 0
Pratt Skyline 22, Pretty Prairie 12
Reno County Homeschool 64, Fairfield 42
Rural Vista 46, Goessel 0
Salina Central 48, Campus 0
Sedgwick 47, Herington 0
Scott City 29, Hoisington 7
South Sumner 41, SE-Cherokee 22
Topeka 26, Wichita Southeast 0
Wellington 35, Clearwater 14
Wichita Collegiate 30, El Dorado 0
Wichita Northwest 43, Junction City 30
Postponed
Andover Central vs. Ark City, 10 a.m. Saturday
Burlingame vs. Madison, 1 p.m. Saturday
Kapaun vs. East, noon Saturday at Southeast
Kingman vs. Trinity Academy, 10:30 a.m. Saturday
Mulvane vs. Circle, 10 a.m. SaturdayCanceled
Moundridge vs. Medicine Lodge
Thursday’s scores
Ell-Saline 52, Norwich 6
Fredonia 21, Bluestem 0
Winfield 28, Augusta 0
