WILDCATS DEFENSE SHUTS DOWN BENNINGTON

MOUNDRIDGE WINS BY 46, NOW 2-0

By Staff

MOUNDRIDGE – The Moundridge High football team put on a defensive clinic for the home folks in their 2023 season home debut on Friday as they shut down Bennington while running and throwing their way to a decisive 52-6 win.

With the victory, the Wildcats are now 2-0 on the season as the defense through two games is holding the opponents offensive attacks to a measly 1.87 yards per snap, or just 178 yards on 95 plays over two weeks.

Against Bennington on Friday, the stingy Moundridge defense held the visitors to just eight yards of total offense on 38 plays as they held Bennington to minus-31 yards running the ball.

The defense was led by Paul Grill with nine tackles of which seven were solo stops as he also recorded a pair of quarterback sacks and two stops for a loss of yardage. Both Layton Schmidt and Barrett Moddelmog also recorded a pair of quarterback sacks in the game while the Kanitz brothers, Kreighton and Kaizer, each grabbed an interception.

“Our defense showed up tonight and played a tough game of football,” noted Wildcat head coach Tyler O’Connor in his very brief post-game reflections. “Bennington has a normally strong run game and our kids responded well to the challenge.”

Offensively, Henry Hecox and Joaquin Huff each scored on running plays in the first quarter and Hecox connected with Moddelmog for a 14-yard scoring pass as well as the Wildcats took a commanding lead of 24-0 in the first quarter of play.

Kreighton Kanitz ran for a pair of scores in the second quarter and Hecox connected with Moddelmog for an eight-yard scoring pass play to give Moundridge a commanding 44-0 advantage before Bennington finally put a score on the board to make it 44-6 going into the halftime break.

With a scoring pass play from Hecox to Kaizer Kanitz in the third quarter the Wildcats hit the point threshold required in eight-man football to end the game early with Moundridge scoring the final 52-6 victory.

Offensively the Wildcats ran up 233 yards on 40 offensive snaps of which 152 were on the ground led by Hecox with 73 while McPherson transfer Kreighton Kanitz saw his first playing time as a Wildcat and ran for 53 yards on eight carries. Kaizer Kanitz and Barrett Moddelmog combined to catch five passes for 69 yards for three scores.

Next Friday the Wildcats will go on the road to Wichita to battle with the Panthers of Wichita Independent School.

MOUNDRIDGE WILDCAT FOOTBALL hosting Bennington

(All Stats/Scoring from Hudl.com)

SCORING > WILDCATS = 24-20-8-0 = 52; Bennington = 0-6-0-0 = 6.

1st Quarter >

WILDCATS = Henry Hecox on a 14-yard run (2-Point Conversion was Good) 8-0

WILDCATS = Joaquin Huff on a 6-yard run (2-Point Conversion was Good) 16-0

WILDCATS = Barrett Moddelmog on a 14-yard pass from Henry Hecox (2-Point Conversion) 24-0

2nd Quarter >

WILDCATS = Kreighton Kanitz on a 7-yard run (2-Point Conversion Failed) 30-0

WILDCATS = Barrett Moddelmog on an 8-yard pass from Henry Hecox (2-Point Conversion Failed) 36-0

WILDCATS = Kreighton Kanitz on a 1-yard run (2-Point Conversion was Good) 44-0

Bennington = Scored on a 3-yard run (2-Point Conversion Failed) 44-6

3rd Quarter >

WILDCATS = Kaizer Kanitz on a 21-yard pass from Henry Hecox (2-Point Conversion was Good) 52-6

4th Quarter >

No scoring.

TEAM STATS > WILDCATS Bennington

1st Downs 14 2

Plays/Yards 40/237 38/8

Passing Yards 82 39

Rushing Yards 155 -31

3rd Downs Made 2/4 0/10

Turnovers 0 3

Fumbles Lost 0 1

Interceptions 0 2

Penalties/Yards 8/48 3/37

WILDCAT INDIVIDUAL STAT LEADERS >

Passing > Henry Hecox = 6/11 for 82, 3 scores.

Rushing > Henry Hecox = 10/73, 1 score; Kreighton Kanitz = 8/53, 2 scores; Kaizer Kanitz = 2/19; Joaquin Huff = 3/10, 1 score. Team Totals = 23/155, 4 scores.

Receiving > Kaizer Kanitz = 2/35, 1 score; Barrett Moddelmog = 3/34, 2 scores; Fynn Burge = 1/14; Kreighton Kanitz = 1/9. Team Totals = 7/92, 3 scores.

Defense (Tackles/Solo/Asst/Sacks/For Loss) > Paul Grill = 9/7/2/2/2; Henry Hecox = 5/3/2/0/1; Kaizer Kanitz = 4/3/1/0/0; Layton Schmidt = 4/1/3/2/2; Kreighton Kanitz = 3/3/0/0/0; Lane Durst = 3/3/0/0/0; Barrett Moddelmog = 3/1/2/2/2; Joaquin Huff = 2/2/0/0/1; Fynn Burge = 1/1/0/0/0; Braden DenHartog = 1/1/0/1/1; Brayden Elmore = 1/0/1/0/0.

(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at macks.people.places@gmail.com)