HUTCHINSON, Kan. – The Hutchinson Salthawks got off to a slow start and fell to the Derby Panthers in an Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League game, 27-17 on Friday at Gowans Stadium.
Derby (3-1) set the tone early, scoring on its first two drives of the game to lead 13-0 with 5:27 left in the first quarter. The Panthers then built a 20-0 lead midway through the first half, and never looked back.
The Panthers won the toss and took the football, marching the ball down the field with ease, resulting in a four-yard touchdown run from quarterback Braxton Clark with 10:09 left in the first quarter. The PAT was wide left, making it 6-0 Derby.
The Panthers defense then forced a Salthawk punt, giving Derby the ball back on its own 15-yard line. The Derby offense took only 90 seconds off the clock to go 85 yards on just five plays, as Clark added a three-yard rushing score to put the Panthers in front, 13-0.
After Derby returned a punt to the Salthawk 15-yard line, a penalty marker gave the Panthers half the distance to the goal, giving the Panthers the ball at the Hutchinson seven. Clark connected with Rowan Foster for a nine-yard touchdown pass to lead 20-0.
Hutchinson (2-2) got on the board with 45 seconds left in the first half on a safety after the Panthers were called for a holding call in the end zone, making it 20-2 Derby at halftime.
The Salthawks first drive of the second half was promising, a 11-play drive, 59 yards in 4:20 off the clock, resulting in a one-yard touchdown run from Robert Hunter. The two-point try was good, making it 20-10 Derby with 7:34 left in the third.
Derby answered back on its ensuing drive, a 54-yard pass from Clark to Da’Saahn Brame to put the Panthers back in front, 27-10 with 4:03 to play in the third quarter.
Hutchinson added its final points on a 19-yard rushing score by Hunter with under a minute to play to pull within 27-17.
The Salthawks outgained the Panthers, 271-262, and ran 35 more plays than Derby, 75-40.
Hunter finished 15-for-24 passing for 132 yards and an interception, while Clark finished 8-for-11 for 126 yards and two touchdowns. Zion Burgess ran the ball 18 times for 59 yards to lead the Salthawks ground game, while Derek Hubbard finished with 12 carries for 93 yards for the Panthers.
The Salthawks fall to 2-2 on the season, while the Panthers improve their record to 3-1. Hutchinson will host Salina South (0-4) on Friday for homecoming at Gowans Stadium. Derby will host Campus (1-3) for its homecoming game, as well.
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