Cubs overcome rain, Rams

Humboldt's Cubs relied exclusively on the run Friday, and did so with devastating efficiency. Humboldt ran for 451 yards in a 64-7 romp over Riverton in the Class 2A playoffs.

By

Sports

November 11, 2024 - 2:07 PM

Humboldt High's Mason Sterling gets loose Friday against Riverton. Photo by Mike Myer

HUMBOLDT — Barely fit for man or beast, Friday night’s weather was apparently just fine for Humboldt High football players.

Humboldt relied on  its dominance at the line of scrimmage to cruise  to a 64-7 victory over Riverton.

The win puts Humboldt (10-0) in this week’s Class 2A sectional showdown against Council Grove (7-3), who had a 30-8 win over Silver Lake.

If the opponent sounds familiar, it should. Humboldt was a district foe of Council Grove’s in 2022 and 2023. The teams split those two matchups in a pair of defensive slug-fests. Council Grove edged the Cubs, 20-14, in 2022, while the Cubs prevailed, 14-7, last fall.

“They’re gonna do a lot of good things,” Humboldt head coach Logan Wyrick predicted. “They’re a really tough-nosed, defensive team.”

Humboldt High’s Blake Ellis runs for yardage Friday against Riverton. Photo by Mike Myer
Humboldt High head football coach Logan Wyrick addresses his team following the Cubs’ 64-7 win over Riverton Friday. Photo by Richard Luken / Iola Register
Humboldt High’s Carson Peters (61) and Jacob Harrington tackle Riverton’s Jacob Hester (58) Friday. Photo by Mike Myer
Spectators at Friday’s Humboldt-Riverto playoff game used tents, umbrellas and other protective gear to stay dry during a persistent drizzle. Photo by Mike Myer
4 photos

HUMBOLDT, the top-seeded team in Class 2A, reminded folks it  isn’t too shabby.

The Cubs had little trouble at the outset, using only two plays to go 45 yards, including Mason Sterling’s 29-yard touchdown run, less than a minute into the game.

Things got a little crazy after that.

Humboldt’s Asher Hart intercepted a Riverton pass on the Rams’ first snap of the game, but the Cubs immediately turned the ball back over to Riverton on a bad snap on the next play.

 A holding play nullified a Rams first down, forcing Riverton to punt from midfield, which Humboldt’s Kyler Isbell blocked, giving the Cubs the ball at midfield.

Blake Ellis cashed in three plays later on a 29-yard touchdown run.

The Rams came up inches short on a fourth-down attempt on their next possession, opening the door for a 40-yard touchdown run from Sterling, giving the Cubs a 24-0 lead by the end of the first quarter.

Things started humming along nicely after that.

Sterling’s 14-yard touchdown early in the second quarter upped the lead to 32-0. Cole Mathes was next with a 49-yard jaunt and Ellis scored on a 13-yard run with 30 seconds left in the half.

But Ellis’s score came at a cost. He landed awkwardly on his back as he crossed the goal line, and required assistance leaving the field.

Related