BY BUDDY TABLER

Special to the Tribune

LARNED — Hoisington changed what was a tight defensive battle with four second-half touchdowns for a 35-8 Cardinal victory over Larned Friday. Hoisington has won seven straight games against Larned.

Hoisington (3-4, 3-0 District) clinches the 2A District 8 title while Larned (2-5, 1-2) will play Lakin in the Indians' fourth District game.

Larned's defense turned back Hoisington in the first half, resulting in just a 7-0 Hoisington edge at halftime. 

Rhen Galla completed 3 37-yard pass to Jason Robinson to set up the first of three Kyler Dean Russel rushing touchdowns. Hoisington gained possession on a Larned fumble at the Larned 41 to set up the score. 

"They dominated us up front on both sides of the ball. We were lucky at halftime," said Hoisington coach Zach Baird. "Our guys responded. Our seniors get credit for rallying the troops. I was proud of the way we played the second half. We played harder that second half."

Larned had advanced in the second quarter to the Hoisington 8-yard line with a long drive but a holding penalty ended the threat.

“That penalty really hurt us," said Larned coach Larned coach Brady Keith. "We were moving the ball and were poised to score. When we didn’t, it hurt us. In the second half, after Hoisington went up 14-0 we had to change our offense and play a little “catch up” Unfortunately a couple of fumbles and an interception really stymied our offense in the second half and the game got out of hand.”

Hoisington's Robinson scored on a 37-yard run with 4:50 remaining in the third quarter for a 14-0 lead. 

Larned had two fumbles and an interception in the next eight minutes that turned the tide in what had been a low-scoring defensive game.

Russell scored on a 7-yard run for a 21-0 lead. Two minutes later Mason Martin intercepted a Mason Miller pass and the Cardinals' Russell scored for a 28-0 lead. 

On the ensuing kickoff, the ball was held up by the strong wind on the kickoff and Hoisington recovered. Preston Merlau rambled 27 yards for a touchdown and a 35-0 lead.

With six seconds remaining, Larned’s Jimmy Gardner broke loose for a 32-yard touchdown and Carson Shaver ran in the two-point conversion for the final score of 35-8.

Hoisington’s Flex-Bone offense rolled up 239 yards of rushing offense, spread amongst Kyler Russell, Kaiden Chambers and  Robinson. Gabriel Pawlowski converted five kicks. 

Gardner totaled 79 yards on nine carries.  Shaver had 6 carries for 34 yards and David Colglazier 10 carries for 44 yards. Larned’s offense was hampered by three second-half turnovers and a total of 9 penalties.

Hoisington 7 7 7 7 -- 35

Larned 0 0 0 8 -- 8

H—Kyler Dean Russell 1 run (Gabriel Pawloski kick); H--Jason Robinson 37 run (Pawloski kick); H—Russell 7 run (Pawloski kick); H-Preston Merlau 28 run (Pawloski kick); H—Russell 1 run (Pawloski kick); L—Jimmy Gardner 36 run (Carson Shaver run)

RUSHING—H--239; Robinson 6-85; Merlau 2-38; C.J. Bryant 2-26; Galla 3-6; Cossell 2-5; Pawlowski 2-5; L--188; Gardner 9-79; Shaver 6-34; Colglazier 10-44; Mason Miller 8-21; Dalen Rasmussen 2-34

PASSING--H--Galla 4-10-0, 65

RECEIVING—H--Robinson 2-56; Mason Martin 2-9; L—Deacon Martin 1-16

2A DISTRICT 8

Hoisington 3-0 3-4

Lakin 2-1 5-2

Cimarron 2-1 2-5

Larned 1-2 2-5

SW Heights 0-4 2-5

9-27—Hoisington 53, SW Heights 6; Russell 48, Larned 28; Lakin 38, Cimarron 20

10-4—Cheney 47, Hoisington 18; Lakin 64, SW Heights 0; Cimarron 33, Larned 8

10-11—Hoisington 48, Lakin 31; Hugoton 35, Cimarron 6; Larned 14, SW Heights 7

10-18—Hoisington 35, Larned 8; Lakin 22, Colby 14; Cimarron 51, SW Heights 6

10-25—Cimarron at Hoisington; Larned at Lakin; Holcomb at SW Heights