By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
There was little, if any, doubt that Hayden football was going to win Friday night's home non-league game against Kansas City-Bishop Ward ... and probably by a sizeable margin.
After all, Hayden had won its first two games by a 77-21 margin while Ward had lost its first two contests by a lopsided 95-7 count.
Hayden junior Kade Mitchell scored on a 29-yard run and a 30-yard interception return in Friday's 62-8 non-league win over KC-Ward. [File photo/TSN]
Hayden senior Jensen Schrickel (9) scored a pair of touchdowns, on a 4-yard pass reception and a 45-yard punt return, in the Wildcats' 62-8 win over KC-Bishop Ward Friday night. [File photo/TSN]
But veteran Hayden coach Bill Arnold wanted to make sure his team approached Friday's game as seriously as it would any other, a goal he felt the Wildcats accomplished in a 62-8 romp past the Cyclones.
"I wanted our kids to come out and execute,'' Arnold said. "I told the seniors before the game, 'Look, you're a third done with the regular season and you have limited opportunities, particularly to play here at home, in front of the home crowd.'
"We wanted to come out and we wanted to execute right off the bat and our kids did come out and compete early and we executed pretty good offensively I thought and defensively we got some pressure on them.''
Hayden scored all eight times it got its hands on the ball in the first half en route to a 56-0 halftime advantage, scoring on offense, defense and special teams and forcing a running clock throughout the second half.
Hayden set the tone for the night when Julian McGivern blocked a Ward put on the Cyclones' opening possession to give the Wildcats the ball at the Ward 9-yard-line.
Two plays later Hayden senior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier connected with senior Jensen Schrickel for a 4-yard touchdown pass with 9:07 left in the first quarter. It was Hayden's lone pass completion on the night in just four attempts.
The Wildcats added three more touchdowns in the first quarter to build a commanding 28-0 lead, scoring on a 29-yard run from junior Kade Mitchell, a 45-yard punt return from Schrickel and a 1-yard run from senior Broderick Desch.
Hayden doubled its advantage with four second-quarter TDs -- a 22-yard run from junior Jackson McGivern, a 13-yard run from junior Jude Krentz, a 30-yard interception return from Mitchell and a 12-yard run from sophomore Jace Wolff.
Senior Matt Samich added Hayden's final touchdown on a 2-yard run early in the fourth quarter and Hayden was able to empty its bench in the second half.
"Our younger kids got an opportunity to go out there and see what a Friday night's like,'' Arnold said.
Sophomore Mason Becker went eight of eight on extra-point kicks.
Ward scored its lone touchdown with about 30 seconds remaining, with sophomore quarterback Quintayvion Pike htting junior Davontae Davis for a 20-yard TD strike. Davis ran for a 2-point conversion to account for the final score.
Hayden will go on the road for a marquee non-league matchup with 2-1 Wamego next Friday.
Hayden was the Class 3A state runnerup last season while Wamego posted a 9-3 record in 2023 and advanced to the 4A semifinals.
"I'm excited for the opportunity to get to go play them,'' Arnold said.
HAYDEN 62, KC-BISHOP WARD 8
KC-Ward (0-3) 0 0 0 8 -- 8
Hayden (3-0) 28 28 0 6 -- 62
Hayden -- Schrickel 4 pass from Wahlmeier (Becker kick)
Hayden -- Mitchell 29 run (Becker kick)
Hayden -- Schrickel 45 punt return (Becker kick)
Hayden -- Desch 1 run (Becker kick)
Hayden -- McGivern 22 run (Becker kick)
Hayden -- Krentz 13 run (Becker kick)
Hayden -- Mitchell 30 interception return (Becker kick)
Hayden -- Wolff 12 run (Becker kick)
Hayden -- Samich 2 run (run failed_
Ward -- Davis 20 pass from Pike (Davis run)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing -- Ward: Freeman 11-50, Pike 17-5, Jefferson 2-3, Team 2-(minus)-21. Hayden: McGivern 6-62, Mitchell 4-47, Desch 3-21, Wolff 2-21, Chisham 3-14, Krentz 1-13, Becker 1-8, Powers 2-9, Samich 2-6, Lopez 1-3.
Passing -- Ward: Pike 7-17-1, 65 yards. Hayden: Wahlmeier 1-3-0, 4; R. Tetuan 0-1-0, 0.
Receiving -- Ward: Jefferson 4-32, Davis 2-19, Holmes 1-14. Hayden: Schrickel 1-4.
Punting -- Ward: Pike 2-32.5. Hayden: R. Tetuan 1-50.0.
