Big first quarter leads Scott City past Smoky Valley

Scott City, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–The playoffs started off for the Beavers on Friday night, as they would play host to the Smoky Valley Vikings on a cold Friday night at Darner Field. In a game that saw some rare ways to score, the Beavers would put together a big first quarter, and blow the game open in the third quarter, to take a 51-14 win over the Vikings to advance on to Regional play next Friday. 

Scott City took the opening drive and used nine plays to find the end zone. Collin McDaniel would get the Beavers on the board with a 17-yard run with 8:51 left in the first quarter to go up 7-0 after the Jackson Rumford kick. It took just three plays for Smoky Valley to get on the board. On third down, Scott City thought they had stopped Gavin Stambaugh, but he kept running and took off for an 82-yard touchdown run with 7:47 left in the first quarter to pull to within 7-6, after the missed two-point conversion. That was the longest play the Beavers have allowed all season. A four-play drive put Scott City back on the board. Following back to back penalties, with one that wiped off a touchdown, it was Camden Vulgamore connecting with Alex Tarango for a 59-yard touchdown pass to push the Beaver lead to 14-6 with 6:39 left in the opening quarter, that included the Rumford kick. Tarango would return the next punt down to the Viking 18 yard line. On the next play, McDaniel scored from 18 yards out to extend the lead to 21-6 with 4:12 remaining in the quarter. 

Smoky Valley would hold on to the ball for the final 15:18 of the first half. However, they would be scoreless in that stretch. On the final play of the first quarter, McDaniel would return an interception 39 yards for a touchdown, and Rumford’s PAT made it 28-6 after the first quarter. It was Scott City’s 11th pick-six since 2013, and the first since Aaron Ruelas’ 32-yard interception return against Goodland last year.

In the second quarter, the Beavers would run just four plays, which included a three-and-out. The Vikings ran 21 plays in the second frame, that resulted in a turnover on downs, a punt, and the end of the half. Scott City’s second possession of the quarter would only need one play to find the end zone. McDaniel’s fourth touchdown of the night would cover 75 yards with 1:24 left before halftime to extend the lead to 34-6, as the extra point was no good.

The beginning of the second half would be a bizarre half, where Scott City’s varisty ran only one play. However, the Beavers still scored 17 points in the period. The first score of the half came with 9:49 remaining in the third quarter, when a high snap bounced into the end zone. The kicker missed the ball trying to kick it out of the end zone. Collin McDaniel would fall on it to extend the lead to 40-6 with 6:45 left in the third quarter. It was Scott City’s first fumble for a touchdown since Marshal Hutchin’s 63-yard fumble return in the playoffs at Norton in 2014, and the fourth fumble return for a score since 2013. 

Scott City would score two safeties in the third quarter as well, as the first came with 6:45 left in the third quarter, as the punter kicked the ball out of the back of the end zone for a safety after a high snap. Sandwiched in between that was a one-play, 24-yard drive following the free kick. Vulgamore connected with Jackson Rumford from 24 yards out with 6:33 left in the third to push the lead to 49-6 with the extra point. The second safety came with 4:04 left in the quarter, as another high snap over the punters head resulted in the punter kicking it out of the back of the end zone to make the score 51-6. That forced a continuous clock, due to a 45-point margin in the second half. 

From late into the third quarter to about the 7:14 mark of the fourth quarter, the second team for the Beavers moved the ball down the field, but would turn the ball over on downs. The Vikings would run a 12-play, 79-yard drive,that capped off an Ezekiel Baker five-yard run wiht 40 seconds left. Baker ran in the two-point conversion with no time on the clock, that made the final 51-14. 

Camden Vulgamore wnet 3-6 passing for 95 yards and two touchdowns passes. Collin McDaniel rushed nine times for 133 yards and three rushing touchdowns, and had a pick-six and a fumble recovery in the end zone. Scott City rushed for 174 yards, and ended up with 286 yards of offense.

For Smoky Valley, Gavin Stambaugh had 13 carries for 111 yards and a touchdown, while Ezekiel Baker had 17 carries for 91 yards and a touchdown. Takoda Hauk had seven yard passing and an intercetion on 1-6 passing. The Vikings ended up with 158 yards total. 

With the win, Soctt City improves to 22-3 in the Week 9/Bi-District round of the playoffs, and are 55-23 in 28 playoff appearances. They are now 4-0 all-time in the series against the Vikings, as they improved to 8-1 for a second straight year. Smoky Valley finishes the year at 1-8, as they now 7-11 in the Week 9/Bi-District round.

Up next for Scott City is a home matchup with Andale. The Indians are 8-1, following their shutout win over Hugoton 46-0. Andale will play in Scott City for the first time in the brief series history, where the teams split results in 1991 and 2018. 

Box Score
Smoky Valley  6 0   0 8–14
Scott City      28 6 17 0–51

Scoring Summary
1st QTR
SC 8:51 Collin McDaniel 17 Yard Run (Jackson Rumford Kick) 9-56, 3:09
SV 7:47 Gavin Stambaugh 82 Yard Run (2-Pt Conversion Failed) 3-83, 1:04
SC 6:39 Alex Tarango 59 Yard Pass from Camden Vulgamore (Rumford Kick) 4-62, 1:11
SC 4:12 McDaniel 18 Yard Run (Rumford Kick) 1-18, :08
SC 0.0 McDaniel 39 Yard Interception Return (Rumford Kick)
2nd QTR
SC 1:24 McDaniel 75 Yard run (Missed Kick) 1-75, :13
3rd QTR
SC 8:44 McDaniel Fumble Recovery in End Zone (Missed Kick)
SC 6:45 Team Safety
SC 6:37 Rumford 24 Yard Pass from Vulgamore (Rumford Kick) 1-24, :12
SC 4:04 Team Safety
4th QTR
SV :40 Ezekiel Baker 4 Yard Run (Baker Run) 12-79, 6:34

Smoky Valley
Rushing
Gavin Stambaugh 13-111, 1 TD; Ezekiel Baker 17-91 1 TD; Christian Erickson 14-40; Takoda Hauck 2-3; Team 3-(-68); Total: 49-151
Passing
Takoda Hauck 1-6 7 0-1
Receiving
Toren Miller 1-7
Total Yards: 158

Scott City
Rushing
Collin McDaniel 9-133 3 TD; Cesar Peregrino 1-17; Cayden Couchamn 1-12; Camden Vulgamore 1-6; Tracer Chapman 2-4; Pierce Vallejo 1-4; Matthew Wheeler 1-3; Kevin Wiebe 1-(-1); Peyton Berger 2-(-4); Total: 19-174

Passing
Camden Vulgamore 3-6 95 2-0; Petyon Bergner 2-2 17 0-0

Receiving
Alex Tarango 1-59 1 TD; Jackson Rumford 1-24 1 TD; Brooks Bailey 1-12; Brody Holstein 1-10; Teagan Feeley 1-7; Total: 112
Total Yards: 286

Coach Jim Turner Postgame