HUTCHINSON, Kan.-The Derby Panthers, No. 1 ranked football team in class 6A showed why they are No. 1 with a 36 to 3 win over Hutchinson on the Salthawks homecoming night at Gowans Stadium Friday Night.
The Panthers won the coin toss and elected to receive and quickly put together nine play, 83 yard drive to score with 8:31 to go in the first quarter on a seven yard Drew Kemp run to get on the scoreboard early.
The PAT failed, and the Panthers never looked back.
Kemp scored his second touchdown on the night with 9:39 to go in the second quarter. The 2-point conversion failed and the Panthers lead was 12-0.
After both teams drives stalled, the Salthawks had their best opportunity of the night to only see a drive stall at the Derby two yard line and Derby promptly moved the football down deep inside of Salthawk territory allowing Trip Holtzinger to connect on a 31 yard field goal to take a 15-0 lead into the locker room at the half.
Kemp was able to show off his arm with two second half strikes for touchdowns in the third quarter taking advantage of Salthawk turnovers, plus an Arieus Finley seven yard touchdown run to lead 36-0 going into the final quarter.
Hutchinson was able to avoid a shutout with a Taysen Runyon 24 yard field goal at the 4:54 mark of the final quarter to make the final score 36 to 0.
Derby earned 422 yards on 56 offensive plays. Hutch was held to 131 total yards on 46 opportunities.
Hutch High's Kade Smith had 112 yards on 25 carries for the one bright spot for the Salthawks. Derby's Arieus Finley earned 195 yards on 18 carries to lead the Panthers in rushing.
Nest week, Derby (5-0) returns home to host Valley Center next Friday while the Salthawks (3-2) will travel to Haysville to take on the Campus Colts.