Sandhills/Thedford had already proven themselves in the regular season and they didn't miss a beat now that it's playoff time. They breezed by the Axtell Wildcats to the tune of 76-26 on Friday. The result was nothing new for the Knights, who have now won nine games by 42 points or more so far this season.
It was another big night for Kyle Cox, who rushed for 245 yards and six touchdowns while picking up 15.3 yards per carry, and also threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns on only 16 passes. His rushing production has been exceptional for a while as that marked his 23rd straight game with at least 119 rushing yards dating back to last season. Maurice Robinson was another major influence, as he rushed for 56 yards and ran in a TD.
Sandhills/Thedford was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 318 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 188 rushing yards in 19 consecutive matches dating back to last season.
Sandhills/Thedford didn't go easy on the quarterback and picked off two passes before the game was over. The picks came courtesy of Aydyn Hall and Cox.
When it comes to explaining why Axtell lost, don't look at Jacob Halvorsen. Despite the final result, he rushed for 101 yards and three touchdowns, and also threw for 115 yards on seven of 16 attempts. Halvorsen has become a key player for Axtell: the team is 3-1 when he posts at least 80 rushing yards, but 2-4 otherwise. Axtell also got a significant boost from Elijah Bergstrom, who ran away from the competition to the tune of 88 yards.
Sandhills/Thedford's record now sits at 10-0. As for Axtell, they moved to 5-5 with that loss, which also ended their five-game winning streak.
Sandhills/Thedford's road trip will continue as they head out to face Riverside at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Sandhills/Thedford knows how to get points on the board -- the team has finished with 31 points or more in their past ten contests -- so hopefully Riverside likes a good challenge. Axtell does not have any more games scheduled as of now.
Article generated by infoSentience based on data entered on MaxPreps
