Bulldog Football Advances with Impressive First Round Victory

Haxtun Fighting Bulldogs Crush Plateau Valley 44-0 in Wind-Swept Playoff Opener

By Bryce Bivins, Highway 6 Sports – highway6sports.com (Powered by Grok)

HAXTUN – On a brutally cold, gusty afternoon at Adam Wernsman Field where the wind chill dipped into the 30s and sustained winds hit 20 mph with gusts to 50, the #2-seeded Haxtun Fighting Bulldogs (9-1) turned Mother Nature into their 12th man and beat the Plateau Valley Cowboys 44-0 in the first round of the CHSAA 8-man playoffs.

The Cowboys, a pass-heavy squad averaging an eye-popping 202 yards per game through the air, “We knew the wind would take half their playbook away,” said color analyst Todd Workman during the Highway 6 Sports broadcast. 

Zach Statz: Human Wrecking Ball

Senior RB Zach Statz earned Colt by IWS Player of the Game honors with three rushing touchdowns. 

Bulldog Defense: No-Fly Zone

Haxtun’s veteran defense – led by Seth Seger, Austin Knox, Carter Lock, – lived in the Cowboys’ backfield. Plateau Valley QB Colter Ralston was sacked repeatedly, threw two picks, and managed just two completions to London Mitchell (leading receiver) all game. 

Scoring Summary (All in the first half – running clock second half) 

- 6:10 1Q – Zach Statz TD run (2-pt good) → 8-0  

- 4:27 1Q – Kanin Koberstein TD run (2-pt good) → 16-0  

- 3:21 1Q – Zach Statz TD run (2-pt failed) → 22-0  

- 11:50 2Q – Zach Statz TD run (2-pt good) → 30-0  

- 10:32 2Q – Colin Cone 77-yd TD run (2-pt good) → 38-0  

- 3:09 2Q – Seth Seger 1-yd TD plunge (took three tries after two controversial calls, 2-pt failed) → 44-0  

Special Teams

Colin Cone boomed multiple touchbacks with the wind and still averaged 40 yards punting into it. (Unofficially) The Bulldogs even lined up Seth Seger in Wildcat at the 3-yard line just to feed the senior a TD – a promise kept after two earlier calls were wiped out by flags.

Second-Team Shine  

With a running clock, Haxtun emptied the bench. Sophomore QB Eli Horton showed poise, ripping off a 19-yard scramble and nearly throwing a TD to Aspen Starkebaum (questionable OPI call). The JV defense forced two more fumbles recovered by Gabriel Becerra.

Up Next  

The Bulldogs advance to the quarterfinals and will host #7 Sedgwick County next Saturday at Adam Wernsman Field. Kickoff TBD.

Final Thoughts 

On a day when passing was impossible and temperatures plummeted, Haxtun leaned on its bread-and-butter: a nasty defensive front, a power run game, and senior leadership. Plateau Valley fought hard – QB Colter Ralston broke four tackles on a late scramble just to move the chains – but the Cowboys simply ran into a buzzsaw wearing red and white.

Final Score: Haxtun 44, Plateau Valley 0

The Bulldogs are two wins from a third in a row state-title appearance. And if today was any indication, good luck to anyone trying to stop Zach Statz and that defensive line when the weather turns nasty again.

Go Bulldogs. Highway 6 Sports – We’ve got you covered.

Next broadcast: Quarterfinals, Saturday on highway6sports.com and the Podbean app.