Wichita County blasts Hoxie, advances to FB state title game

For the first time in school history, Wichita County will play for a state football title next weekend.

The Indians (12-0) scored the game's first 52 points and rolled to a 58-6 win at Hoxie, winning a football semifinal for the first time ever and advancing to their first title game. They'll play Little River (10-1) on Saturday in Newton. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 pm.

Kayde Rietzke and Sheldon Whalen had big games for the boys from Leoti. Rietzke scored twice on the ground and threw three TD passes, from eight, 26 and 30 yards out, all to Whalen.

The defense also had an amazing outing, returning two fumbles for scores and forcing two others. Tristen Parker's 37-yard return of a bad snap with 8 minutes, 44 seconds left in the second quarter seem to stop any momentum built up by Hoxie (9-2), who did have better luck moving the ball as the game wore on, but could only manage one touchdown.

Mavis Chavez picked up a fumble late in the first quarter and took it the distance, capping off a 36-point opening quarter for Wichita County.

It was the third trip, and second straight, to the semifinals for Leoti, who also went to the semis in 1990, and removed the sour taste of a loss to St. Francis in the semifinals a year ago.

The Indians have now outscored their opponents on the season, 696-102, and have outscored their four playoff foes by a 246-28 margin.