Valley Center received the ball first, and in a 12-play, 80-yard drive, the Hornets would score on a 15-yard touchdown run from RB Dai’mont Mucker. Salina Central would answer on their first possession on a 11-play 72-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run by RB Elijah Wilson.

After a stop by the Mustang defense, Salina Central would score again on the first of 3 touchdown receptions by WR Hunter Mowery from QB Jack Gordon. The Hornets wasted no time however, with a 75-yard touchdown run by Mucker.

Salina Central would respond again with an 8-play drive ending with a 2-yard touchdown run by Wilson. The Mustangs would stop Valley Center on their next drive but a botched return led to a safety for Valley Center putting the score to 21-16, with Salina Central leading.

Valley Center would receive the ball due to the safety and Mucker would score again from 19-yards out. A two-point conversion was successful. Mustangs had a chance to score before half after a big pass play from Gordon to WR Sam Payne, but an interception by LB Colby Newton would deny Salina Central. The halftime score would be Valley Center leading 24-21.

Mustangs would receive the second half kick, and scored on a 12-play, 80-yard drive. It was a 25-yard touchdown pass on 4th and 6 from Gordon to Mowery. Extra point was no good but Salina Central would retake the lead 27-24. The lead didn’t last long as 3 plays later Valley Center would score on a 60-yard touchdown run by RB Rylan Bailey.

Valley Center would go on to miss a field goal early in the fourth quarter but still led 31-27. Salina Central would get the ball back and convert on a 4th down reception by Tate Gary. This kept alive a drive that would end with a 45-yard touchdown pass from Gordon to Mowery.

Mustangs retook the lead 34-31 with 5:42 left in the ballgame. Hornets, with the ball back, would go 16 plays, but their drive would end with little time left on a 4th down incompletion from QB Hank Welu to WR Sam Eldridge. It only took 2 plays in victory formation for the Mustangs to run out the clock and hold on to win 34-31.

Next week, Salina Central, now 4-1 on the season, will visit Andover Central (3-2) in another high-profile AVCTL-II matchup.

H&R Block of the Game – Addison Branstetter

Nex-Tech Wireless Player of the Game – Hunter Mowery

Valley Center 7 / 17 / 7 / 0 31

Salina Central 7 / 14 / 6 / 7 34