HUMBOLDT Humboldt has established itself as having a quick-strike offense, and the Cubs did nothing Friday night to diminish that reputation en route to a 56-6 victory.
Eureka, sentenced to play all of its games on the road this year after a storm of its namesake, Tornadoes, ravaged the EHS stadium, went by the book and deferred to the second half after winning the opening coin toss.
Given that Humboldt had scored 90 points in its first two games, it may not have been a wise choice to give a chance for a quick upper hand.
Kyle Kobold snagged the opening kick and darted 37 yards to the Eureka 33.
Conor Haviland, he of fleet feet and deceptive running style, raced 19 yards to the 18 and added four yards on two slices into the line before Quarterback Dagen Goodner put Humboldt ahead 6-0 8-0 with the extra point with less than two minutes expended.
Then, it was Eurekas turn.
The Tornadoes won the ball at the 50 and nudged out two yards to the Cub 48. The next play presaged what was to come. The Eureka center sent his pass to the quarterback a bit high, perhaps by three feet, and the Tornadoes quickly found themselves back at the 32. An eight-yard pass made some amends, but not enough.
The punter made the mistake of not avoiding Haviland with a nice high kick. In a flash the junior speedster had avoided a couple of flaying attempts at tackles and was cozy in the end zone, the Cubs ahead 14-0.
Humboldt scored on its next two possessions a 11-yard run by Haviland and a nifty 47-yard pass play from Goodner to Jackson Aikins, who made a dazzling catch just a couple of yards shy of the pylon and pranced in.
Thus, at the end of the first period the game, for all intents and purposes, could have been recorded to the Cubs favor.
However, Kansas State High School Activities Association rules require games to go four quarters, although the final two flew by with the running clock required by the same associations mercy rule.
The Cubs added 18 points in the second period, the first two on a safety when Tucker Hurst well get to him later made a crushing tackle of the Eureka QB, Cade Burden, two minutes into the quarter for a safety.
Hurst scored the next eight points, six on a 14-yard pass completion from Goodner, during which he had opportunity to demonstrate why it isnt the best of ideas for a small defensive back to try to tackle a brute like Hurst, with well over 200 pounds of muscle well-distributed over a 6-foot-3 frame. Hurst, as an afterthought, added a two-point conversion.
After Reid Barnett fortuitously embraced a Eureka fumble at the EHS 13-yard line, Haviland got in the act again, going 13 yards with 56 seconds left before halftime livened by a delightful exhibition of mass dancing by just about every young girl in Humboldt who dreams of being a cheerleader.
The final two points were notable.
