After having their Week 4 game with Derby cancelled, the Salina South Cougar football team took the field for the first time in two weeks, in a road matchup against the Maize Eagles.

This game was close early but from the end of the first quarter to midway through the second, the Eagles hit the Cougars with an avalanche of touchdowns to build an insurmountable lead, on their way to a 58-13 win.

Maize scored first after a South punt traveled just two yards and set up the Eagles at midfield. Running back Josh Sanders broke free for a 12-yard TD run and the PAT made it 7-0 with 6:20 to go in the opening period.

South would respond at the 3:38 mark when running back Brandt Cox busted loose for a 56-yard touchdown run. The extra point failed and the Eagles led 7-6.

On several occasions, the Cougar defense got Maize into third and long situations but were not able to get off the field. Sanders capped the next drive with an 11-yard scoring run for a 14-6 Eagle lead. That score came with 0:26 left in the first quarter and would set in motion a barrage of touchdowns.

Over the next 5:20 of game time, seven touchdowns were scored. Maize had six of them. The Cougars lost two fumbles and had a punt blocked and recovered in the endzone for a score. In and around all of that, the Eagle offense did what they wanted when they wanted. When QB Avery Johnson scored on a 3-yard keeper with 7:06 left in the second quarter, Maize had built a 49-13 lead. The only score for South during that stretch came when Cox found a hole and outraced the defense for an 85-yard touchdown run.

Cox never reappeared in the game and earlier in the quarter when the Cougars had the punt blocked for a touchdown, QB Weston Fries came out of the game and did not return. Backup Carter Copes played the rest of the way.

Maize added on with a Cole Seagraves field goal from 31 yards out and the Eagles took a 52-13 lead into the locker room.

Just 12 seconds into the third quarter, the running clock was put into effect when Maize’s Jacob Hanna fielded the kickoff and then handed the ball to a sweeping Sanders who sprinted down the near sideline untouched for a 75-yard return for a touchdown.

Cox rushed for 154 yards on six carries. Copes threw for 55 yards in relief of Fries. The Cougars were hampered by not only the miscues on special teams, but four turnovers as well.

South (1-3) now looks ahead to a game next week against the Hutchinson Salthawks at Salina Stadium.