Following a state championship victory in 2022, Hitchcock County was looking to get the 2023 campaign off to a strong start. Well, did they ever Friday evening as they played host to Bayard and won big 54-12.
The Falcons were rolling from the opening kickoff as they scored on their first possession in six plays, capped off by a one-yard run by Jaxon Unrein to make the lead 8-0 with just over nine minutes to go in the first quarter. The Falcons got a stop on their next possession, and a short punt from Bayard allowed Hitchcock County to play with a short field.
It only took two plays and Unrein again found himself in the endzone, this time from 26 yards out and the Falcons went up 16-0.
Hitchcock County's defense continued to dominate in the first quarter as they posted another stop, and then the offense kept rolling as Unrein again, scored from a yard out and all of a sudden it was 24-0 with 1:20 to go in the first quarter.
That was what the score read at the end of the first period.
In the second quarter, it was much of the same as Hitchcock County scored at the 5:19 mark on a 24-yard run by Karson Schuler, advancing the lead to 32-0. In the later stages of the half, the Falcons were able to score with 1:47 remaining as Hitchcock County ran a trick play, Karson Schuler's pass to Asthon Parker-Johnson went for six from 20 yards out. The Falcons converted the two-point conversion and led 40-0. They took that lead into halftime.
In the second half, Bayard did come out swinging, as they were able to score on a 55-yard run from their quarterback, Kolby Houchin. I was 40-6 at this point.
The Falcons answered back quickly as Unrein found Mason Schilke with a dime from 29 yards away to push the lead back up to 48-6. The second half rolled on as the running clock made the second 24 minutes go by quickly.
In the fourth quarter, Hitchcock County scored again at the 5:14 mark with Maddox Schilke getting into the endzone and advancing the lead to 54-6. Bayard's Houchin did punch it in one more score for the Tigers to end the scoring at 54-12.
Unofficially, Hitchcock County was led by Jaxon Unrein and his 103 yards rushing and four total touchdowns. Karson Schuler added 54 yards and three total touchdowns.
Hitchcock County wins their 14th game in a row and they have won 20 of their last 21 games, and start the season at 1-0. They will play Sandhills-Thedford next week. Bayard is 0-1 and will play Sandhills Valley next week.