Holton 28, Perry Lecompton 7

The Wildcat defense had another great goal-line stand and Holton never trailed in their first road game of the year rushing for 364 yards in a convincing 28-7 win at Perry Lecompton on Friday night. The Cats led 7-0 after one quarter, 21-7 at halftime and put the game with a fourth straight scoring drive following by a goal-line stand late in the third quarter when the Kaws were stopped on four goal-to-goal plays including the final snap from the one-yard line. 

The Holton defense also forced a trio of three-and-outs in a game that featured zero turnovers and both teams with only seven possessions. Both teams went without a first down in their initial series before the second drive for the Wildcats opened the scoring marching 71 yards in 13 plays before Jace Boswell ran in a touchdown from one-yard out. Perry answered with a 12-play 81-yard-drive and got their lone touchdown on a 17-yard TD run by quarterback Gunnar Ball on the first play of the second period. Garyson Booth had a 15-yard rushing score on the next Holton drive and Conner Collins added TD runs from five and two yards out to cap the scoring. 

Boswell, the fullback, got established early and had 116 yards on 13 carries while Jayden Fletcher added 82 yards on 13 totes and Collins also ran for 55 yards. Holton had one completed pass from Matt Lierz to Jake Zeller for 16 yards. Lierz had another dazzling run to convert a third and 12 play late in the first half as Holton improved to 3-0 and avenged both their losses last season against Perry. 

The Kaws finish the Big 7 League portion of their season 1-2 and like Holton, will move into 3A District play next week. Reichen Rush had 16 carries for 115 yards rushing while Ball had 46 yards rushing and was 13-18 for 92 yards passing. Ty Williams had eight receptions for 49 yards for the Kaws, who had beaten Holton four of the previous five meetings.

Perry was missing nine players including six starters in a week two loss to Hiawatha, but had all their starters back and only three players still out from Covid protocol against Holton. However, several of the Perry players back only had one practice the past 10 days before the week three battle with the Wildcats.  

Holton plays at Sabetha in week four while Perry travels to Bishop Ward.