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Small School, Big Win; St. Francis (KS) over Bucklin #BeyondTheKeystone @coach_fawcett

Tagged under: 8-Man League, Beyond The Keystone, Game Photos

| November 9, 2020

Small School, Big Win

November 7, 2020
St. Francis Indians v. Bucklin Red Aces
Greene Field, St. Francis, Kansas

B — 0 – 0 – X – X — 0
S — 30 – 24 – X – X — 54

In the furthest northwest corner of Kansas, is the small town of St. Francis. At the crossroads of US36 (the Pony Express Highway) and State Route 27, the town is home to one of the best 8-man teams in the nation. Under Kansas 8-man rules, the game ends any time a team leads by 45 or more after halftime. Of their 9 games, seven were ended early. The other two? Forfeit victories. The St. Francis Indians, or the Sainty Indians as they’re affectionately known don’t know how to play a whole game.

They don’t need to. In the Regional Round of the KHSAA playoffs, their game against Bucklin was bumped from the usual Friday night time slot into a rare Saturday pre-noon contest. The windy conditions on Saturday helped make things difficult. As the ground game was the only consistent option.

And use it, they did. The Indians stuffed the Bucklin ground game, and chewed up yards in the first quarter. Taking a 30-0 lead, including a pick-six by the stout defense. #12 Blanka had TD runs of 44 and 16 yards in the first frame.

The second quarter was a repeat of the first. Four touchdowns by the home side. While their defense stymied and frustrated the Red Aces. After an injury by a Red Ace, the frustration boiled over when, after a rough tackle, a Red Ace back hopped up, and fired the ball underhand to the official. Resulting in a penalty. And another for something said on his way off the field.

But, luckily, cooler heads prevailed and the impending early finish guaranteed by the 54-0 score kept things from boiling over. St. Francis again, has yet to play en entire game this season. Winning this one, 54-0.

On a beautiful, warm, extremely windy day on the high plains of western Kansas, one small town reveled in their victory. A dominating performance to be proud of. But not one to hang their hat on. A stinging state runner-up finish from the previous season (their first title game appearance), ended in painful fashion. A 36-0 lead led to a 66-36 defeat at the hands of Canton-Galva. A game this 2020 edition of the Sainty Indians intend to rectify. And they’re well on their way.

They host Caldwell next week. Again, on a Saturday.

 

Photos of the Game

For more, and larger, photos from this week, click HERE.

For photos from previous weeks and seasons, visit http://www.flickr.com/sykotyk/sets/

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