Cougars Ground Salthawks

Mike Hammett - Fri 09:09 PM 09/28/2012

South High Football

For the first time since joining the AVCTL in 2004, Salina South knocks off the Hutchinson Salthawks, picking up a 35-10 at Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson.

The Cougars handed Hutchinson just their second regular season loss to a Kansas school in their last 33 games, and did so with a strong second half.

Hutchinson came out on fire, with Dakota Brower scoring from 50 yards out, putting the Salthawks up 7-0 less than two minutes into the game.

Salina South would answer. With the Cougars facing third-and-eight from the Salthawk 39, Busby went for 37 yards to the Hutch 2, and scored on the next play, pulling South even at 7 all with 6:55 to go in the first.

Hutchinson would drive to the South 10 on the next drive, but the South defense would hold on downs, stuffing Hutch on fourth down.

The Cougars would then take the lead for good, putting together a 10-play, 90-yard drive, capping it off with a Cody Busby touchdown run, putting South up 14-7 with 11:27 to play in the second quarter.

The two teams would trade punts before Hutchinson ran the final 6:28 off the clock in the first half, going 16-plays, but the South defense held Hutch at the 2-yard line. With no timeouts left, the Salthawks ran the kicking team on the field, getting the snap off just in time for a 19-yard Kassidy Lemons field goal, pulling Hutch within four at 14-10 at halftime.

Mike Jones sparked South's start in the second half, returning the kickoff to the Hutch 48. On the next play, Cody Busby hit Zach Nachbar for a 44 yard pitch-and-catch on the halfback pass. Two plays later, Busby plunged into the end zone again, putting South up 21-10 with 10:56 to go in the third.

Hutch would try to respond, moving all the way to the Cougar 1-yard line. Facing fourth-and-goal, the Salthawks tried to go outside, but Salina South was there, forcing a four-yard loss and a turnover-on-downs.

Salina South would fumble in the red zone on the ensuing drive, but held Hutch to a three-and-out, giving the Cougars the ball back near mid-field.

Early in the fourth quarter, Salina South converted a fourth-and-one by mere inches just inside of Hutchinson territory. On the next play, South would put it away as Justin Stonebraker hit Zach Nachbar down the sideline for a 46-yard touchdown pass, putting the Cougars up 28-10 with 10:13 to play.

Hutchinson would go four-and-out on the following possession, and South capped the scoring with Cody Busby's fourth touchdown of the night for the 35-10 win.

The South defense was dominant, as Cade Calvert ended the next Salthawk possession with an interception. The Cougars have given up just 38 points over their past four games.

Busby led the way with 24 carries for 152 yards and four touchdowns. Mike Jones hit the 100-yard mark once again.

The Cougars threw just three passes, but Stonebraker and Busby combined to complete all three passes for 106 yards.

The Cougars are 4-1 on the season and 3-1 in AVCTL Division I. The Cougars travel to Newton next week.

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