BY CHARLES CHANEY
COFFEYVILLE, Kan. — Circle wasted little time showing its firepower in all phases, cruising past Field Kindley 55-8 on Friday night in its season opener.
The Thunderbirds struck first on a deliberate but efficient opening drive that drained nearly half the quarter. Jason Smith capped it with a 4-yard touchdown run at the 7:38 mark of the first to take the quick 6-0 lead.
Moments later, Franklin Ekue set up his own score with a big cutback run to the Field Kindley 9. After a penalty pushed Circle back, Ekue broke through the middle of the Golden Tornado defense for a 21-yard touchdown with 3:16 to go in the first quarter. He added the two-point run to make it 14-0.
The Thunderbirds struck again less than a minute later. On the first play of the next drive, Dominic Sawyer intercepted Field Kindley quarterback Kaylan Austin. One snap later, Smith dashed 41 yards for his second touchdown of the night. Jackson Strecker’s kick made it 21-0 with 2:02 left in the first.
Circle’s special teams then joined the party. Ekue fielded a punt and raced 58 yards for a touchdown just 16 seconds into the second quarter. Strecker’s kick stretched the margin to 28-0.
The lead swelled further on the next possession. Senior quarterback Mason Stobart executed a play-action pass to a wide-open Jay Bonewitz for a touchdown with 8:03 left in the half. Strecker added the extra point, and Circle was rolling 35-0.
After another defensive stand, Ekue punched in his second rushing touchdown of the night on a 4-yard run with 3:12 until halftime. Circle missed the PAT but still carried a commanding 41-0 lead into the break, having racked up 279 first-half yards while holding Field Kindley to just 40.
The second half brought more of the same. Stobart found Sawyer on a 20-yard touchdown pass midway through the third quarter, pushing the lead to 48-0. With the running clock in effect, Circle’s reserves continued to pound away. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Smith broke free for a 62-yard score, his third rushing touchdown of the night. That put Circle ahead 55-0.
Field Kindley finally broke through with 6:55 left when Austin connected with Carson Voss on a 45-yard touchdown strike. The two-point try was good, but it was far too late to alter the outcome.
Smith finished with 136 yards on 6 carries and three touchdowns, while Ekue added 148 yards on 13 carries with two rushing touchdowns and a punt return score. Stobart went 8-of-10 passing for 127 yards and two touchdowns, finding Bonewitz and Sawyer for scores. Sawyer also had 76 yards receiving and an interception.
Circle now turns its focus to perennial power McPherson, which dropped its opener to Great Bend.
Circle 55, Field Kindley 8
Circle 21 20 7 7 — 55
Field Kindley 0 0 0 8 — 8
1Q 7:38 CIR: Jason Smith 4 run (kick failed)
1Q 3:16 CIR: Franklin Ekue 21 run (Ekue run)
1Q 2:02 CIR: Smith 41 run (Jackson Strecker kick)
2Q 11:44 CIR: Ekue 58 punt return (Strecker kick)
2Q 8:03 CIR: Jay Bonewitz 14 pass from Mason Stobart (Strecker kick)
2Q 3:12 CIR: Ekue 4 run (kick failed)
3Q 7:28 CIR: Dominic Sawyer 20 pass from Stobart (Strecker kick)
4Q 11:51 CIR: Smith 62 run (Strecker kick)
4Q 6:55 FKHS: Carsten Voss 45 pass from Kaylan Austin (pass good)
RUSHING — Circle: Ekue 13-148, Smith 6-136, Oliver 1-13, Wilbur 1-4. Totals 21-301. Field Kindley: Fulcher 12-45; Austin 10-(-3); Kirk 2-(-4); Westervelt 4-13. Totals 28-51.
PASSING — Circle: Stobart 8-10-0, 127, 2 TD. Field Kindley: Austin 2-9-1 93.
RECEIVING — Circle: Sawyer 3-76, Cosby 2-17, Janzen 1-19, Ekue 1-1, Bonewitz 1-14. Field Kindley: Voss 2-93
