CHETOPA – For the second time in four weeks, the Chetopa High School delivered a first-hand example to the Altoona-Midway Jets that the 2023 edition of the Hornets is a much-improved football team.
Altoona-Midway, riddled with injuries to an already short roster, could do little to slow the Chetopa gridders as the Hornets, under first-year head coach Tommy Heatherly, raced to a 62-13 triumph in the Kansas 6-Man, Division 1 contest played here Friday.
The game was called midway in the third period.
It was the second lopsided win by Chetopa over AMHS this fall. In an afternoon season-opener played in hot and humid conditions Sept. 1, the Jets trailed by only six points at halftime before the Hornets pulled away for a 78-33 victory.
Prior to that contest, Altoona-Midway had come away victorious in six of the previous eight matchups between the two schools, including all three of the meetings since the two schools switched to six-man football. Included in that string were a pair of shutout victories just a year ago, when the Jets beat the Hornets 46-0 and 49-0.
“We were plagued with injuries and also turnovers – but make no excuses – Chetopa is a much-improved team,” exclaimed Altoona-Midway head coach Randy Almond.
Indeed, while the Jets handed out a total of just 10 jerseys this season, that roster was depleted even further Friday night. Jacob Meigs, starting quarterback and stellar defensive star for AMHS, missed the game due to a knee injury suffered the previous week against Centre-Lost Springs.
And then during the second-quarter of the contest, the Jets lost the services of senior Blaine Collins (shoulder) and junior Joey Lamendola (arm).
Prior to leaving, however, Collins did earn the distinction of becoming the first Jet other than William Stackhouse to score a touchdown this season. Collins was on the receiving end of a 13-yard TD pass from Stackhouse in the second quarter. Prior to that play, Stackhouse had recorded all 10 of the AMHS touchdowns over the first three games.
In the third period, Stackhouse notched his 11th TD of the season when he raced 75 yards to paydirt with a kick return.
Sophomore Kage Beck finished the night 4-of-7 passing, and also tossed a PAT aerial to Stackhouse for the Jets’ final point of the evening.
Stackhouse and Collins were the leading ground-gainers for AMHS with 26 and 24 yards, respectively, while Kieran Foster finished with 16 yards and Beck added 13.
Defensively, Stackhouse recorded nine tackles, recovered a fumble, and had a quarterback sack. Lane Poeverlein was second in tackles with five, while Collins garnered four prior to his injury. Foster also notched four tackles and Braxton Whitlake added three.
“Because of our injuries, Andrew Wright got a lot of playing time and stepped up and made a couple of good tackles,” Almond said. “Kage also provided us with some good minutes on both sides of the ball.”
Altoona-Midway (0-4) will lick its wounds and try to regroup before traveling to Ingalls on Friday, Sept. 29.
“We’re hoping to get everyone healthy before making that long, five-hour drive to Ingalls,” Almond said.