Hanson runs over Tri-State

ALEXANDRIA — There’s a reason more high school football teams choose to run rather than pass on offense.

That rationale was on full display on Monday as Hanson racked up 426 yards on the ground — including 283 from Pierce Smith — and scored touchdowns on seven of its nine drives in a 56-12 rout of Tri-State in Class 9A quarterfinal playoff action.

“We’ve got to give credit to the offensive line,” said Smith, who had five touchdown runs, made 10 tackles on defense and accounted for 310 total yards of offense. “They did an excellent job of blocking and getting into their hips and pushing them.”

The night started on the wrong foot for Tri-State, which fumbled the opening kickoff and was recovered by Hanson’s Alex Kayser. Six plays later, Smith scored the first of a pair of 1-yard touchdown runs in the first quarter. Tyson Tuttle also scored on a 1-yard run in the first.

However, Tri-State was able to make it competitive in the first quarter because of two long pass plays that resulted in touchdowns. Quarterback Koby Jackson found Clay Anderson for a 38-yard touchdown. Jackson capped first-quarter scoring when he threw a 58-yard strike to Dylan Willprecht with time running out to draw within 12.

“(Tri-State’s) first touchdown was a good catch on a good throw,” Hanson coach Jim Haskamp said. “We got confused on the second one, and they ended up getting the guy wide open.”

However, Hanson’s defense stiffened and didn’t allow another point in the final three quarters.

“They started to bring their safety over much quicker,” Tri-State coach Steven Schiltz said. “(In the first half), we were getting a 1-on-1 with (Anderson), but they started to roll a safety over to him.”

Smith had touchdown runs of 20, 8 and 42 in the second half to put the game away. Pierce’s brother, Reid, finished with 83 yards on 15 carries including a 7-yard score in the second quarter.

Tri-State was led by Jackson, who completed 16-of-26 passes for 173 yards. In the first half, he was 7 of 8 for 123 yards. Anderson added six catches for 74 yards and had 15 tackles on defense. Jared Hahn had 11 tackles for the Tigers, who end their season at 6-4.

Hanson improved to 9-1 with the win and hosts Avon in a semifinal game on Saturday.

First Quarter

H: Pierce Smith 1 run (Reid Smith run)

H: P. Smith 1 run (Andrew Gross run)

T: Clay Anderson 38 pass from Koby Jackson (pass failed)

H: Tyson Tuttle 1 run (P. Smith run)

T: Dylan Willprecht 58 pass from Jackson (run failed)

Second Quarter

H: R. Smith 7 run (R. Smith from Gross)

Third Quarter

H: P. Smith 20 run (P. Smith run)

H: P. Smith 8 run (R. Smith run)

Fourth Quarter

H: P. Smith 42 run (R. Smith run)

Tags: high school football, sports, hanson, alexandria