Scott City runs over Ulysses

Ulysses, Kan. (westernkansasnews.com)–For the first half of the first quarter, it was Ulysses who was controlling the game early on. It was the first time all season that Scott City gave up a score on the opening drive. After a three and out, it wall controlled by the Beavers. Scott City scored on six consecutive possessions en route to a 42-11 GWAC win over the Tigers Friday night at Maxwell Field.

Ulysses opened the scoring up with 8:35 remaining in the first quarter, on a 35-yard field goal by Maurice Ochoa. Following a three-and-out by both teams, Scott City would finally get things rolling. A seven-play, 80-yard drive was capped off by a Jarret Jurgens nine-yard run with 2:09 left in the first quarter to go up 7-3, after the Moses Hinojos PAT. The Beavers would get a strip sack by Wyatt Hayes, who would take it to the five. Two plays later, Jurgens found paydirt from two yards out with 48.1 seconds remaining in the quarter to go up 14-3.

Scott City would put together yet another long drove. A nine-play, 90-yard drive would be finished off by a Hayes three-yard plunge with 4:12 left in the second quarter to put them up 21-3. The Beavers were not done late in first half. On third and 26, Parker Gooden connected on a 54-yard strike to Marshal Faurot, setting Scott City up inside the Tiger 10. Two plays later, Nick Nowak punched it in from three yards out with 6.9 seconds left in the half to go up 28-3.

The Beavers would methodically took the opening drive down the field to begin the second half. Hayes punched it in from four yards out with 8:13 remaining in the third quarter to extend the lead to 35-3. After another Ulysses turnover, Scott City wrapped up their scoring on a Hayes 15-yard run with 6:28 left in the third quarter to lead 42-3, capped off by a Hinojos extra point.

In the fourth quarter, the Beavers had their second team in for the most part. Ulysses would score when an errant snap went to the back of the end zone, giving the Tigers a safety to make the score 42-5 with 3:40 left. Ulysses would march down the field 50 yards after the free kick, and get a Alonso Martinez one-yard run with 1:21 left to make the final 42-11, after the missed two-point conversion.

Scott City had a season-best 514 yards of offense, getting 381 yards on the ground. Wyatt Hayes carried the ball 18 times for 124 yards and three touchdowns, while Nick Nowak added 117 yards on nine carries with a touchdown. Parker Gooden was 4-10 passing for 133 yards, and Marshal Faurot had two receptions for 92.

Ulysses finished with 155 yards of offense. Devin Walker was 6-12 passing for 73 yards with two interceptions. Victor Perez had two catches for 44 yards. Alonso Martinez had eight catches for 25 yards with a touchdown. The Tigers finished with five turnovers, while Scott City had two.

With the win, Scott City has now won 10 of the last 12 in the series against Ulysses, including four straight. The Beavers improved to 36-2 in GWAC competition in eight years of the league. Also in the win, Scott City has now had 31 consecutive non-losing seasons. The Tigers have now lost six straight, dating back to the first round of the playoffs last year.

Scott City is 5-0 overall, 3-0 in GWAC play, and will step out of league play next Friday night, as they host Wellington. The Crusaders fell to 3-2 on the year, losing to Wichita Collegiate 28-13 at home. Ulysses is 0-5 overall, 0-4 in GWAC play. They will travel to Goodland next Friday night to wrap up the league portion of their schedule. The Cowboys are 1-4 and lost to Hugoton 28-20 on Friday night.

Assistant Coach Dakota Hayes Postgame