Wichita Heights Hands Demons First Loss of Season
Dodge City, KS (westernkansasnews.com) A pair of 2-0 teams did battle Friday night at Memorial Stadium when Wichita Heights visited Dodge City, but unlike last year’s track meet where the final score ended up 53-48 for the Falcons this game had a more grind it out approach.
Game Highlights
Sparked by drives of 80, 85 and 90 yards that went 10,11 and 12 plays, Heights led by their sophomore quarterback K’Vonte Baker scored 14 points in the first half and then kept answering each Dodge City score in the second half to win 34-14.
Falcons running back DeJuan Scott had two rushing touchdowns on the night. His first with less than 2 minutes to go in the first quarter gave Heights a 7-0 lead. Scott added a 4 yard score with 5:15 left to make it 28-14 Falcons.
Dodge City’s Kenedy Escobedo forced two fumbles in the game. One came at midfield with 6:48 left in the second quarter. The recovery was made by Payson Hatfield, but Dodge could not take advantage of the opportunity.
The other fumble came when Escobedo forced Heights QB Baker to pitch early and the ball never found the arms of Ontario Russell at their own goal line. Escobedo’s force fumble and recovery resulted in a two play, one yard run by Demon QB Dawson Williams to cut Heights lead in half 14-7.
Heights then proceeded to take a little more than six minutes off the clock to drive 66 yards ending in Baker’s only rushing touchdown of 24 yards on an option keeper off the right edge.
Dodge quickly came back when Williams delivered a touchdown pass for the second straight week to running back Tylor Garcia of 47 yards bringing the Demons to within seven at 21-14. Heights then mounted the drive of the night marching 90 yards down the field on 12 plays taking up six minutes and capped off with Scott’s four yard rushing touchdown to give Heights a 28-14 lead.
After the kickoff Williams launched a deep ball passed midfield attempting to find Derrick Blansett. Blansett slipped on the under thrown ball and Falcon safety Torian Jenkins made the pick, Heights first interception of the year.
Post-game DCHS Coach Dave Foster
The Demons were limited to 173 total yards by Heights defense which returned eight starters from a team that went to the state quarterfinals last year. Williams was forced to pass in certain situations for the first time all year going 7-15 for 78 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Rushing the ball Dodge carried 29 times for 95 at 3.3 per carry.
Heights as a team carried the ball 58 times for 351 yards at 6.05 yards an attempt. The Falcons amassed 440 total yards as a team almost 70 yards short of what they averaged over their first two wins. Falcon Wideout Tevin Hines set up one score with a 36 yard reception and then hauled in a 47 yard pass in the final seconds on a trick play throw from running back Ontario Russell.
For Heights they win their third straight game by 20 points and are in a solid second in the most recent football polls. Dodge loses their first game and a chance to have a three game winning streak in back to back years. The Demons open up conference play next Friday night with their first road game of the season at Great Bend a team they beat 51-7 during the Panthers homecoming last season.
Great Bend is off to a 3-0 start this year and just spoiled Northwest home opener 58-47 on Friday night as senior quarterback Jacob Murray passed for 284 yards and rushed for another 138. Senior wide receiver Bryce Lytle had eight receptions, four for touchdowns and 180 receiving yards in the win.
Pre-game coverage is 6:30 Friday night on Z98 and westernkansasnews.com with the kickoff at 7.
