BUFFALO – The Ingalls Bulldogs have been among the top-ranked high schools in Kansas 6-Man football polls all season long.
The Ingalls grid squad showed exactly why they deserved such a ranking here Friday, as the powerhouse rolled to a 51-6 victory over the Altoona-Midway Jets in an afternoon contest played at Frank Kennedy Field.
The Bulldogs found paydirt three times in the first quarter to build a 23-0 lead, then outscored the Jets 28-6 in the second period to make it 51-6, compelling the game to be called on the mercy rule at that point.
“Ingalls is a very good team that I believe will go deep into the playoffs this year,” said AMHS Coach Jeff Almond. “They are disciplined, big, and fundamentally sound.”
The contest – Altoona-Midway’s first home game in over a month – was also the 2024 Fall Homecoming.
Following the game, AMHS seniors Joey Lamendola and Olivia Goodwin were honored as the Homecoming King and Queen. Other members of the Jets Royal Court were Jyl Davis, Emmalynn Pupanek, and Autumn Raymond; as well as William Stackhouse, Kieran Foster, and Kenny Smith.
Miss Goodwin and Mr. Lamendola were crowned on the football field, followed by free hot dogs and smores and a Homecoming Dance at Milo Peterson Gymnasium.
As for the game, Ingalls took control of the contest from the outset, scoring on their first two plays from scrimmage – a 63-yard pass play and a 50-yard run. The Bulldogs added a 37-yard run before the quarter ended.
The Ingalls juggernaut kept rolling in the second period, adding four more TDs, three on the ground and one in the air.
Meanwhile, the Jet offense was unable to generate much success against the Bulldog defense. AMHS finished the game with just 37 yards of total offense.
“Obviously, it was not the outcome we hoped for on our homecoming evening, but the kids played hard and never gave up,” Almond noted.
The score was 45-0 midway in the second quarter before the Jets cracked the scoreboard on a fumble recovery by William Stackhouse that resulted in a 38-yard scoop and score.
Stackhouse finished with 26 yards rushing and 14 yards receiving to top AMHS in both categories. Kieran Foster had to scramble much of the night but still managed to complete 6-of-11 attempts for 27 yards. Kage Beck had four receptions for eight yards and Taj Chism managed five yards on one catch.
Defensively, Beck was in on nine tackles to lead the Jets. Stackhouse was in on four tackles, Joey Lamendola and Chance Carter each had two, and Chism recorded one tackle, along with an interception.
“Give Ingalls credit. They came to our field and put it to us,” Almond said. “We had no answers for their offense.
“Monday we will watch film and see our numerous mistakes and try to get better for our final regular season game against Peabody next Friday at our place,” he added.
Prior to the loss, the Jets had won two games in a row and three of their last four. Altoona-Midway now holds a 3-3 record on the season and stands 2-2 in District 1 play.
Altoona-Midway will wind up the regular-season portion of its schedule on Friday, Oct. 25, when they host Peabody-Burns at Frank Kennedy Field. Postseason play will begin the following week.
It will be another tough test for the Jets, as Peabody-Burns will enter that contest 5-1, with only a loss to undefeated Cunningham in the second week of the season marring its record.
Ingalls, now 6-1, pounded five consecutive opponents to open the season before suffering its first loss of the season, 51-32 to Kiowa-South Barber.
The Bulldogs have scored 356 points in their seven games, an average of over 50 points a game.