Hutchinson overwhelms Gardner Edgerton in Kansas 5A final

Saturday November 28, 2009 1:00 PM
Team (Record)	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Total
Hutchinson	7	14	17	14	52
Gardner Edgerton (11 - 1)	7	7	0	0	14

EMPORIA, Kan. | Never mind that until a few years ago, Gardner Edgerton was an afterthought in the landscape of Kansas varsity football. Or that Hutchinson has been the state’s preeminent program of late.

The upstart Trailblazers came to win Saturday. It didn’t happen, and coach Marvin Diener wasn’t looking for moral victories afterward.

Hutchinson overcame an early deficit and scored the final 45 points to defeat Gardner Edgerton, 52-14, in the Kansas 5A state championship game at Emporia State’s Welch Stadium. It was the Salthawks’ state-record sixth consecutive championship (the last two at 5A after four straight 6A titles).

The Trailblazers, meanwhile, have rapidly morphed into a championship contender in four seasons under Diener, but the ultimate prize will have to wait.

“It should hurt, and it does hurt,” Diener said. “And anything worth winning, if you don’t get it done, the disappointment should be very tough. And it’s very tough for that group of boys because that group of boys believed that they could win this football game.”

Hutchinson, 13-0, rushed for 447 yards in 48 carries and scored 52 points against a Trailblazers team that had allowed 108 all season entering the game.

But this one was competitive in the first half, and Gardner Edgerton, 12-1, looked to have the momentum late in the second quarter.

After allowing Hutchinson to march 65 yards on its first possession and take a 7-0 lead on Josh Smith’s 12-yard touchdown run, the Trailblazers answered with the next two scores. Bubba Starling threw touchdown passes of 29 yards to Justice Berry and 32 yards to Brett Jensen to put his team ahead, 14-7, nine seconds into the second quarter.

Gardner Edgerton, hurt by two interceptions and a fumbled kickoff return, didn’t score again as Hutchinson took control.

Hutchinson’s Deveon Dinwiddie rushed for 219 yards and four touchdowns in 13 carries. For the Trailblazers, Starling completed seven of 16 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns, while Berry had four receptions for 115 yards and a score.

Diener is confident his Trailblazers will have more shots at the state title. But this one hurt — as it’s supposed to for a program with high expectations.

“The risk of feeling so terrible is worth it, but you still feel terrible. And it’s all right to feel terrible. It really is,” Diener said. “But the reward is going to be amazing someday.”

submitted by RYAN YOUNG - 2009-11-28 21:42:02

Comments - leave comment

• long4theocean says:

  Congratulations to the Blazers for a remarkable season. Also, congratulations to the Salthawks on their 6th Championship. It was a great accomplishment for both teams. Thanks for the fun!! Gardner should be proud of the great fans that follow their team.

  Posted 72 days ago | Delete