By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden and Silver Lake's football teams hadn't squared off in 78 years, long before any of the Wildcat players, or their parents, were born.
But Hayden senior JC Cummings said his team was well aware of Silver Lake's proud tradition and knew the Wildcats would need to be at their best to take care of the Eagles in a showddown between the two perennial state powers.
Hayden senior JC Cummings (38) celebrates a big defensive play in Friday's 43-10 win at Silver Lake. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden was up to the task and then some, improving to 2-0 with a 43-10 romp at Silver Lake's CJ Hamilton Field.
"We were very worried and we came very prepared and felt like we have a bunch of tradition on both sides of the ball and we felt like we needed to come out and play the best we can and I think we did that,'' said Cummings, who starred on both sides of the ball. "
Silver Lake (1-1) actually drew first blood on a 31-yard Dysen Schooler field goal set up by a 64-yard pass play from Tanner Martin to Trenton Rollenhagen at the 9:48 mark of the first half.
But the rest of the half belonged to Hayden, which scored on offense, defense and special teams to open up a 21-3 halftime advantage.
Hayden's first offensive posssession ended with a turnover deep in Silver Lake territory after the Wildcats had a 52-yard Finn Dunshee touchdown run wiped out by a penalty.
But a Jensen Schrickel interception in the end zone prevented Silver Lake from adding to its lead and two plays later Dunshee, who replaced injured senior Ethan Florence in the Hayden backfield, rambled 76 yards to put the Wildcats ahead to stay at the 4:08 mark of the opening quarter. Schrickel tacked on the extra point to put Hayden in front, 7-3.
Hayden junior Finn Dunshee rushed for 151 yards and a touchdown and also had a pick-six on defense in the Wildcats' 43-10 wn at Silver Lake Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden sophomore Jensen Schrickel is congratulated after returning a punt for a touchdown in Friday's 43-10 win over Silver Lake. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Hayden boosted its margin to 14-3 when Schrickel returned a Silver Lake punt 48 yards for a touchdown with 8:25 left in the half and the Wildcats scored again on the Eagles' next possession, with Dunshee picking off a pass and returning it 33 yards for a TD. Schrickel kicked both extra points.
The Wildcats needed just 19 seconds at the start of the second half to add to their advantage, with sophomores Jett Wahlmeier and Schrickel hooking up for an 82-yard touchdown pass (Schrickel kick), and Hayden added its fifth unanswered TD on a 16-yard Cummings run (Schrickel kick) with 8:46 left in the third quarter.
Silver Lake scored its lone touchdown of the night on a 55-yard pass from Martin to Brody Deiter early in the fourth quarter (Schooler kick) before Hayden added a final score on a 42-yard run from Braydn Rose and a 2-point conversion on a busted play from Wahlmeier to Dom Ridley.
Hayden out-gained Silver Lake 513 yards to 359, including 360 yard on the ground as seniors Joe Otting and Ben Evans dominated up front.
"Overall I felt good,'' Hayden coach Bill Arnold said. "I thought our offensive line did some stuff that we preached all week long in practice and we needed to chore some stuff up there and I thought for the most part they did a really good job.''
Dunshee finished with 151 rushing yards on 14 carries despite having two TDs wiped out by penalties while Cummings added 104 yards on 13 attempts and Rose had 72 yards on eight totes.
"I was pretty excited and a little bit nervous at the same time,'' Dunshee said. "I was just really happy, happy that I finally got a chance to get some carries in. It was great.''
Wahlmeier went nine of 13 passing for 153 yards and a TD while Schrickel had three catches for 96 yards and a score.
Martin, Silver Lake's junior quarterback, passed for 258 yards and a touchdown, but was picked off three times.
Silver Lake will be at home again next Friday against St. Marys while honoring Eagle coaching legend Hamilton.
Hayden will be at home to face two-time defending Class 2A state champ Rossville.
HAYDEN 43, SILVER LAKE 10
Hayden (2-0) 7 14 14 8 -- 43
Silver Lake (1-1) 3 0 0 7 -- 10
Silver Lake -- Schooler 31 FG
Hayden -- Dunshee 76 run (Schrickel kick)
Hayden -- Schrickel 48 punt return (Schrickel kick)
Hayden -- Dunshee 33 interception return (Schrickel kick)
Hayden -- Schrickel 82 pass from Wahlmeier (Schrickel kick)
Hayden -- Cummings 16 run (Schrickel kick)
Silver Lake -- Deiter 55 pass from Martin (Schooler kick)
Hayden -- Rose 42 run (Ridley pass from Wahlmeier)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing -- Hayden: Dunshee 14-151, Cummings 13-104, Rose 8-72, Wahlmeier 4-11, Desch 3-11, Schrickel 1-9, Ridley 3-6, Mitchell 1-(minus)-4. Silver Lake: Martin 12-58, Cathcart 5-28, Redmond 4-12, Schooler 11-3.
Passing -- Hayden: Wahlmeier 9-13-0, 153 yars. Sillver Lake: Martin 11-25-3, 258; Schooler 0-3-0, 0.
Receiving -- Hayden: Schrickel 3-96, McGibboney 2-26, Cummings 1-12, Rose 1-10, Tetuan 1-10, Dunshee 1-5 Silver Lake: Heiman 6-67, Rollenhagen 3-121, Deiter 2-70.
Punting -- Silver Lake: Schooler 2-41.0.
