By Staff for www.mcpherson-county-ks.com & www.facebook.com/mcphersoncountyks
MOUNDRIDGE – After falling behind early, the Moundridge football team was unable to bounce back on Friday at home and lost to Wichita Independent 26-18.
Now 1-2 for the season, the Wildcats will go on the road next Friday to play Pretty Prairie who is also 1-2 after losing 68-18 to Norwich on Friday. Pretty Prairie has been outscored 114-18 in their last two games.
Wichita Independent put points on the board immediately as they returned the opening kickoff 75 yards for a score to take an early 6-0 lead in the first quarter.
After Independent scored again midway through the second quarter to go up 12-0, the Wildcats got a boost from a 59-yard scamper to the end zone by Joaquin Huff to pull within a score. With just 56 seconds left in the first half, Barrett Moddelmog returned an interception for a touchdown giving Moundridge another six points and tying the game at 12-12 heading into the halftime break.
Neither team could find the end zone in the third quarter but Independent scored twice on big plays in the fourth quarter, one on a 71-yard pass and catch and another on a 58-yard breakaway run. While the Wildcats were able to put another score on the board with 2:48 to go in the game on a 75-yard pass and catch play from Henry Hecox to Logan Churchill, they failed on the two-point conversion and were unable to get the ball back again, ending the game with the final eight-point loss.
Independent ran 57 offensive plays for 331 yards while the Wildcats ran just 47 for 256. Independent beat Moundridge with a balanced attack as they ran for 178 yards and threw for 153 and found ways to overcome six penalties and four turnovers.
For Moundridge, Henry Hecox directed the offense and completed four of eight passes for 100 yards while Joaquin Huff ran for 85 yards on just eight carries. Kaden Elmore was the workhorse, taking 16 totes for 56 yards.
On defense, the Wildcats kept Independent off guard as they made a pair of quarterback sacks and totaled six tackles that amounted for a loss of yardage. Both Barrett Moddelmog and Joaquin Huff recorded 8.5 tackles in the game while Henry Hecox and Lane Durst both got credit for 6.5 and Banky Hayes had six that included 1.5 sacks and two tackles for a loss of yardage.
MOUNDRIDGE WILDCATS hosting Wichita Independent
Scoring: Wichita Independent 6-6-0-14=26; WILDCATS 0-12-0-6=18
1st Quarter:
Independent: (11:43) Scored on 75-yard kickoff return (Kick Failed) 6-0
2nd Quarter:
Independent: (6:22) Scored on an 8-yard pass play (2-Point Conversion Failed) 12-0
WILDCATS: (6:01) Joaquin Huff on a 59-yard run (2-Point Conversion Failed) 12-6
WILDCATS: (0:56) Barrett Moddelmog on an Interception Return (2-Point Conversion Failed) 12-12
3rd Quarter:
No Scoring
4th Quarter:
Independent: (7:46) Scored on a 71-yard pass play (2-Point Conversion was Good) 20-12
Independent: (5:04) Scored on a 58-yard run (2-Point Conversion Failed) 26-12
WILDCATS: (2:38) Logan Churchill on a 75-yard pass play from Henry Hecox (2-Point Conversion Failed) 26-18
Wichita Independent: 1st Downs – 15; Total Offense – 57 for 331; Passing – 7/10 for 153, 2 scores, 2 interceptions; Rushing – 47 for 178; Fumbles – 2/2; Penalties – 6/40; Time of Possession – 25:57.
WILDCATS: 1st Downs – 9; Total Offense – 47 for 256; Passing – 4/8 for 100, 1 score; Rushing – 39 for 156; Fumbles – 2/2; Penalties – 1/5; Time of Possession – 22:03.
MOUNDRIDGE WILDCAT INDIVIDUAL STATS:
Passing: Henry Hecox – 4/8 for 100, 1 score.
Rushing: Joaquin Huff – 8 for 85, 1 score; Kaden Elmore – 16 for 56; Lane Durst – 2 for 9; Henry Hecox – 10 for 6; Paul Grill – 3 for 0.
Receiving: Logan Churchill – 1 for 75, 1 score; Barrett Moddelmog – 2 for 16; Kaden Elmore – 1 for 9.
Defense: Barrett Moddelmog – 8.5 with 5 solo, 1 interception; Joaquin Huff – 8.5 with 5 solo, 0.5 sacks, 1.5 for loss; Henry Hecox – 6.5 with 6 solo, 2.0 for loss; Lane Durst – 6.5 with 2 solo, 1 interception; Banky Hayes – 6.0 with 3 solo, 1.5 sacks, 2.0 for loss; Braden Den Hartog – 4.5 with 2 solo, 0.5 for loss; Logan Churchill – 3.5 with 2 solo; Caleb Ward – 2.5 with 1 solo; Layton Weins – 2.0; Kaden Elmore – 1.5 with 1 solo.
(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at crossdovewriter@gmail.com)