BY CHARLES CHANEY
ROSE HILL, Kansas — You always want to win on Homecoming. It’s a big night in the town.
That’s exactly what the Rockets did on Friday night, beating El Dorado 78-0 on their way to improving to 2-2 on the season.
“The guys were fired up,” first-year head coach Reece Petty said. “Homecoming has a lot to do with it but we’ve been preaching it’s a football game and we’re just going to go one play at a time.”
Rose Hill wasted little time scoring, getting a safety on the game’s opening drive. Then, it was Zander Ford taking it into the end zone on the game’s first drive.
It was all Rose Hill from there.
“This just shows what we’re capable of,” senior KJ Jones said. “We play every team like hard. We play every team like they’re Andale and Collegiate. We just have great guys. Coach petty came in and we’re doing a great job.”
For Rose Hill, it has to be nice to get the hard games of Andale and Collegiate out of the way. Those are two gauntlet of games to start out the season. Unfortunately, with Andale and Collegiate both being 3A, the games have to be played early so they can play district play.
Now, it’s all up hill for the Rockets.
“Definitely going through that little gauntlet prepared us for coming out here and putting up that many points,” senior Sebastian Bentley said. “We all came together and battled as a team and we’re going to be ready for anybody that steps up to the plate.”
Rose Hill has a chance to win every one of their remaining games. If their defense plays like they have this season, they’ll have a shot. They didn’t allow a first down until the third quarter and the Rockets offense seemed to be clicking on all cylinders.
It all started last year and has built into this season. A lot of young players going through the fire, prepared them for these moments. They pushed Collegiate, who is routinely a top 3A school to the edge two weeks ago and then scored a couple of touchdowns on Andale.
Now, they’re ready for anything.
“We grew up a lot,” Bentley said. “Last year was almost all of our guys first year starting. Now, to have all of us come back and still compete as a team is awesome.”
Jones agreed.
“Experience has helped everybody,” he said. “We have one sophomore, Caleb Williams, and he plays right guard. Everyone else is a junior or senior. We all came together and we have leadership meetings. We just hold our standard as individuals and as a team.”
It showed as the lead ballooned for Rose Hill. From 9-0, to 59-0 at halftime, the Rockets were soaring.
Right before half, that’s when Bentley was able to finally break through. He trotted 60 yards for a punt return touchdown and wasn’t touched.
“That’s my first touchdown of the year,” he said. “Having guys like Cash McVeigh, who laid a block on the outside to set that edge.”
They also had a pick 6 from Thunder Page in the first half.
With the running clock, the Rockets were able to get plenty of work for everyone as junior Isaac Hill was able to come in and run the second team. Senior Kadan Stuhr came through big late, ripping off a 45-yard score to cap the scoring on the night.
“We got a lot of guys touchdowns tonight,” Petty said.
Rose Hill has scored 70 multiple times before. Most recently 70-0 win over Pratt in 2010. They beat Kingman 73-0 in 2009. They beat Udall 78-6 in 1967, which is the current school record.
The 78-0 is the largest margin of victory for a Rose Hill team.
Rose Hill piled up 397 total yards, including 339 on the ground. They had four rushers get at least 49 yards and five different people scored a touchdown rushing.
Ford was 4 of 4 passing for 58 yards and a touchdown.
KJ Jones led the Rockets with 118 yards on five carries and three touchdowns.
El Dorado was led by Nellieon Williams, who had two receptions for 33 yards. Hunter Conrad had 10 carries for 33 yards.
The Rockets now turn their attention to McPherson. Last year, Rose Hill went toe-to-toe with the Bullpups, falling late. They’re confident they can play with anyone right now. 6-2 doesn’t seem so far off.
“We know we can make a deep playoff run,” Jones said. “We’re on each other’s butt, holding each other accountable.”
Bentley knows that’s key.
“We just have everyone’s back,” he said. “We’re all here for each other and we all die for each other, whether it be down on the trenches or in the backfield, we’ll find a way to be there for one another.”
Rose Hill 78, El Dorado 0
El Dorado 0 0 0 0 — 0
Rose Hill 24 35 13 6 — 78
RH – Rose Hill defensive safety
RH – Zander Ford 9 run (Josh Herrera kick)
RH – KJ Jones 13 run (Bentley run)
RH – Ford to Leven Jones (Herrera kick)
RH – KJ Jones 14 run (Herrera kick)
RH – Thunder Page 25 interception return (Herrera kick)
RH – Kirchhoff-Jones 5 run (Herrera kick)
RH – Sebastian Bentley 60 punt return (Herrera kick)
RH – KJ Jones 45 run (Herrera kick)
RH – Kadan Stuhr 29 run (Brett Kiser kick)
RH – Leven Jones 11 fumble return (kick blocked)
RH – Stuhr 46 run (pass failed)
RUSHING: El Dorado – Bowlin 8-(-3); Wight 5-(-6); Conrad 10-33; Markowitz 3-3. Totals: 29-13. Rose Hill – Kirchhoff-Jones 4-49; KJ Jones 5-118; Ford 1-9; Hill 3-68; Stuhr 3-86; Merlau 1-9. Totals: 17-339.
PASSING (C-A-YD-TD-INT): El Dorado – Bowlin 4-17-42-0-1; Demel 1-2-6-0-0. Rose Hill – Ford 4-4-58-1-0.
RECEIVING: El Dorado – Conrad 2-9; Fullerton 1-6; Williams 2-33. Rose Hill – Poss 1-7; Dees 2-19; Jones 1-32.
