Kickapoo’s response to last Thursday’s loss to Glendale was as swift as it was decisive this Thursday night. The Chiefs opened up the floodgates early on their homecoming, opening the game with 35 unanswered points in an eventual 56-8 win over an overmatched Hillcrest team.
The scoring opened on what’s likely to be a 'Catch of the Year' candidate when Corey Dye reached out his right hand for a one-handed diving touchdown halfway into the endzone to make it 7-0 Chiefs in the first quarter.
From there, it was Maverick McGee time. The senior ran for all 97 of his yards (108 total yards) on 17 first-half carries, adding two first-quarter touchdowns from two-yards out to Dye’s highlight-reel moment.
CLICK FOR HILLCREST VS. KICKAPOO PHOTO GALLERY
“It felt good to get our team back on track to how we were before [last week],” McGee said. “I think we needed this success to boost us up so we can keep having success the rest of the season.”
For McGee and the rest of the Chiefs (5-1), they couldn’t have asked for a better moment for a bounceback performance.
“We needed that after last week,” Kickapoo coach Kurt Thompson said. “We told our kids that one game is not going to define us and let’s get better and win the rest of our games, and our kids did that. They had a little air taken out of their sails, but that’s life. I’m very happy about tonight.”
Kickapoo went up 28-0 on Hillcrest (2-4) early in the second quarter when Lawson hit Robbie Merced for his second touchdown pass of the game. Lawson would add a rushing score from three yards out and a 34-yard touchdown to Dye later in the quarter as the Chiefs led 43-8 at the half.
Hillcrest’s Malachi Beckham scored the only Hornets touchdown of the first half, punching it in from the six.
“I thought our kids played as well as they could play,” Hillcrest coach John Beckham said.
“They were completely outmatched. Class 4 team against a Class 6 team. They’ve got about twice as many guys as we’ve got and we did the best we could. We dropped some balls and made some mistakes, but we fought hard.”
Hillcrest quarterback Haden Parton was addressed as Carter Campbell by the P.A. announcer most of the night due to a roster error, but Parton’s play spoke for itself. The junior had a very strong first half, utilizing Josh Powell and Tim Washington effectively on a variety of screen passes.
Parton finished 16-27 for 209 yards and two interceptions, with 162 of those yards coming in the first half. Kickapoo’s Jabin Johnson and Connor Lambeth accounted for the two interceptions, with Lambeth’s coming off a perfectly tipped ball in the endzone late in the second half.
“Haden [Parton] made some good decisions and threw the ball well,” Beckham said. “Last week, i was disappointed by how our kids played, but I’m not disappointed this week. They played hard throughout the game and kept trying to make plays. They were just outclassed tonight.”
Josh Powell led Hillcrest with 10 receptions for 110 yards. He also added a 10-yard rush. Hillcrest also found success in the first half with Tim Washington, who totaled 93 yards in the first two quarters but none in the second half.
“Hillcrest is pretty good,” Kickapoo coach Kurt Thompson said. “They’ve got some players who can play now. They’re explosive. Their quarterback can throw the ball well and [Powell] is as good a player as we’ve played against.”
Kickapoo was able to rest its starters for nearly the entirety of the second half after removing Lawson following the opening drive. Lawson finished 14-20 for 212 yards and three touchdowns. He added a fourth score and 13 yards on the ground.
Merced finished with 82 yards and a touchdown on five catches. Dye had 70 yards and two touchdowns on three catches.
Sophomore halfback Keyshawn Jackson looked very good for the Chiefs in the second half, scoring two touchdowns and carrying the ball 11 times for 48 yards. Sam Sawchak caught two passes for 31 yards from backup quarterback Mason Auer. The catches from Sawchak brought on some of the loudest cheers of the game from the Kickapoo bench.
“Sam [Sawchak] is a first-year player for us,” Thompson said. “He’s been buddies with all these senior boys and wanted to play his senior year. He’s just a great kid who comes to practice every day and does what you want. You’re happy for those kids when they get their chance to play.”
Kickapoo visits West Plains (1-4) next Friday. Hillcrest will host Parkview (2-4).
“I’ve watched Parkview play a little bit,” Beckham said. “I think they’re very similar to us. They’re young. They’ve got some playmakers and so do we. I think it’ll be a very competitive, tight game.”
As for Kickapoo, the Chiefs appear to be back on track after last Thursday’s 40-20 loss to Glendale (6-0).
“Our mindset is that we have to pick ourselves back up and look forward not worry about the past,” McGee said. “It’s one game. Flukes happen.”
SCORING SUMMARY
1st Quarter
7-0 Kickapoo: #4 Chris Lawson 28-yard touchdown to #10 Corey Dye (KICK)
14-0 Kickapoo: #34 Maverick McGee 2-yard touchdown run (KICK)
21-0 Kickapoo: #34 Maverick McGee 2-yard touchdown run (KICK)
2nd Quarter
28-0 Kickapoo: #4 Chris Lawson 23-yard touchdown to #10 Robbie Merced (KICK)
35-0 Kickapoo: #4 Chris Lawson 3-yard touchdown run (KICK)
35-8 Kickapoo: #7 Malachi Beckham 6-yard touchdown run (HILL)
43-8 Kickapoo: #4 Chris Lawson 34-yard touchdown to #10 Corey Dye (KICK)
3rd Quarter
50-8 Kickapoo: #16 Keyshawn Jackson 7-yard touchdown run (KICK)
4th Quarter
56-8 Kickapoo: #16 Keyshawn Jackson 7-yard touchdown run (KICK)
