No. 3 Bulldogs charge into Class 2 quarterfinals

South Callaway manhandles No. 7 Huskers

South Callaway senior Troy Hentges breaks out into the open during the fourth quarter of the No. 3 Bulldogs' 41-6 victory over the Lafayette County (Higginsville) Huskers in the Class 2, District 7 championship game on Friday night in Mokane.
South Callaway senior Troy Hentges breaks out into the open during the fourth quarter of the No. 3 Bulldogs' 41-6 victory over the Lafayette County (Higginsville) Huskers in the Class 2, District 7 championship game on Friday night in Mokane.

The South Callaway Bulldogs were equal to the moment and excelled in it, staking another memorable marker for their football program.

South Callaway is moving on to the state quarterfinals for the first time in school history after a thorough 41-6 throttling of Lafayette County (Higginsville) for the Class 2, District 7 title in Friday night's showdown between unbeaten, state-ranked teams.

The Bulldogs had reached this point in the playoffs each of the past four years, only to watch their season come to an end each time. South Callaway suffered sectional losses in 2010 and 2011, then bowed in district championships in 2012 and 2013.

Now, the Bulldogs have added their first district title in three years and are ready to take that next, brand-new step forward in the postseason.

"The biggest thing was how awesome it was to see the unity that's happening - just the idea that we're all pulling on the rope," South Callaway head coach Tim Rulo said. "That unity is so important.

"I'm really excited winning a district championship again; it had been a while since we had done that. That's kind of been a goal out there that we've had ... and just came up short (in recent years), for whatever reason. To be able to come away with that (title) now is just great. From here, it just propels us now - Lord willing - further down the road."

The Bulldogs (12-0) - ranked third in the state - enjoyed home-field advantage for three games in the district playoffs, but will have to take to the road for next Friday night's quarterfinal matchup at unbeaten East Buchanan. The Bulldogs - also 12-0 - captured the District 8 championship with a 50-34 triumph at previously unbeaten Brookfield on Friday night.

"Now, only eight schools in Class 2 are still getting to practice; there are a lot of schools that would like to be practicing," Rulo said. "That's such a neat honor that we have and the responsibility now to not only represent our school and our community, but now our district - and go out and show that our district plays great football.

"We're not just playing for ourselves, we're playing for Higginsville, we're playing for Hallsville, we're playing for those other schools."

Friday night's marquee clash between South Callaway and Lafayette County lived up to its billing through the first quarter. The Bulldogs struck first when they recovered a fumble by the Huskers on the game's third play and quickly converted the turnover into points.

Senior fullback Dakoda Ballard put South Callaway on top 6-0 when he scored on a 7-yard touchdown run with 9 minutes, 34 seconds to go in the quarter. Senior kicker Caleb Sconce missed the extra point.

Lafayette County answered with a seven-play, 65-yard scoring drive on its next series, pulling even on senior fullback Christian Turner's 10-yard touchdown run at the 7:27 mark. The Huskers went for the two-point conversion, but senior wide receiver Blaine Wheeler's option pass fell incomplete.

The game remained tied until senior quarterback Troy Hentges put the Bulldogs back in front on his 2-yard touchdown run with 11:29 remaining in the second quarter. South Callaway then stretched its advantage to 19-6 when senior slot receiver Cory Hanger made a sliding catch in the back of the end zone on Hentges' 26-yard touchdown pass at the 8:24 mark.

Sconce then followed up with a perfectly placed onside kick that the Bulldogs recovered at Lafayette County's 42-yard line. Seven plays later, Hentges busted up the middle for a 12-yard touchdown to give South Callaway a three-score edge with 6:10 left in the half.

"Coach (Tucker) Bartley gets all of the credit for it," Rulo said of the onside kick. "... He called down (from the press box) and we said, "Yeah, let's do it, let's roll the dice here.' It seemed like a good time and it worked out, because we were able to go down and score."

The Bulldogs made sure that the Huskers were not going to get the opportunity to recover from that point on.

Sconce booted a 21-yard field goal with 8:21 remaining in the third quarter to stretch South Callaway's lead to 28-6. Hanger then put the punctuation on the Bulldogs' emphatic victory with touchdown runs of 1 and 4 yards.

Seventh-ranked Lafayette County - ending its season at 11-1 - came into Friday night averaging 43 points per game, but was manhandled by South Callaway's tormenting defense. The Bulldogs, who forced three turnovers, held the Huskers to a meager 21 yards rushing on 25 carries.

Lafayette County's three leading rushers - senior quarterback Matt Gibson, senior slot receiver Colton Williams and junior slot receiver Malcolm Elmore - combined for only 13 touches and finished in the negative with minus-19 yards.

With South Callaway wiping out the Huskers' ground game, Gibson finished 13-of-25 passing for 138 yards. He completed 11-of-13 passes for 102 yards in the first half, but was just 2-of-12 for 36 yards over the final 24 minutes.

"What was so awesome was watching our guys make adjustments because their (wing-T) offense is challenging," Rulo said. "It makes it very tough because guys have to play sound. It was great to see them respond."

The Bulldogs' offense, meanwhile, racked up 399 total yards, including 278 rushing on 60 total carries. With so much attention focused on slowing Hanger and fellow senior slot receiver Mason Shoemaker on the perimeter, Ballard worked the interior and handled the ball 18 times for a game-high 98 yards.

Lafayette County's defense will certainly remember Ballard after Friday night's showing.

"When you run the option, sometimes the fullback's kind of forgotten," Rulo said. "They don't always key on him, they key on the other weapons on the outside, so they kind of leave him open.

"He had a really good game against Bowling Green, had a couple of touchdowns - kind of a similar idea. They just didn't really account for him. Then you give a lot of credit to Troy, because he's reading those (defensive) guys and he's reading it well, and he's giving it to (Ballard)."

Hentges ended up 8-of-11 passing for 121 yards and the one score, while gaining 24 yards and the two touchdowns on six carries. Hanger rushed for 80 yards and his two scores in 14 attempts, adding three catches for 90 yards and the one touchdown.