Holton vs. Atchison – Holton Channel Broadcast

A season ago, the Holton Wildcats had one of their worst starts to a football season in several years starting the season off with a 24-14 loss to Atchison which started a string of three straight defeats.

The Wildcats made fans forget all about that in the 2017 season opener Friday, as Holton scored three times in the final 2:30 minutes of the first half  on their way to a resounding 45-14 over victory over Atchison in Holton.

It didn’t take the Wildcats long to open up the scoring, as senior running back Dylan Aeschliman capped off Holton’s first drive with a 4-yard touchdown just four minutes in. 

After the Redmen went three-and-out, the Wildcats worked their way down the field for the second score of the contest, this time on a 4-yard run by AJ Haussler to take a 12-0 lead with 1:06 left in the first quarter.

But, after a 30-yard return on the ensuing kickoff the Redmen got right back into the game, as sophomore running back Sercy Duncan Jr. found some daylight and scampered into the end zone from 49 yards out to make it a 12-6 ballgame after one quarter.

The turning point of the game came late in the half, as the Wildcats scored three times in the final 2:30 minutes thanks to several Redmen miscues. First junior running back Jayger Carson got loose for a 62-yard touchdown with just under 2:30 left in the half.

After Holton forced a three-and-out the Redmen tried a fake punt on their own 30 yard line, but the Wildcats sniffed it out and capitalized with a 1-yard TD run by Aeschliman for his second score of the game.

The Wildcats then recovered the ensuing kick and finished the first half with another 1-yard score by Aeschliman to take a 32-6 lead into the break.

Holton would score two more times in the second half including a 40-yard pick-six from Mason Strader to cap off an impressive opening season victory.

The Wildcats finished the contest with an astounding 320 yards rushing, as Jayger Carson led the way with 141 yards on just nine carries and one score, while Dylan Aeschliman finished with three touchdown runs on 10 rushes.

The Redmen racked up nine penalties in the opening contest, while the lone bright spot for Atchison came from junior Brayden Dame who came in at quarterback in the third quarter and threw for 110 yards and a touchdown.

Holton (1-0) now turns its attention to a huge Big 7  league matchup at home with Sabetha next week, while the Redmen (0-1) host Sumner in their home opener Friday night.