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Perry-Lecompton junior quarterback A.J. Campbell celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the team’s 44-8 home win over Hiawatha on Sept. 11 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
After trading touchdown scores in the early going of an 8-all stalemate, Perry-Lecompton wasted little time in the second quarter turning this low-scoring affair into a run-away game by halftime.
Perry-Lecompton junior quarterback A.J. Campbell opened the game with a rushing touchdown before contributing the team’s three final scores. Campbell put the final exclamation point on the blowout victory with his 38-yard rushing touchdown midway through the third quarter.
Before that happened, Campbell’s 6-yard rushing touchdown in the opening quarter got the Kaws on the scoreboard first. With the Kaws swinging gate formation on the extra point, junior running back Tanner Wheat quickly moved into position under center to take a snap and swiftly dive across the goal line nearly untouched to complete the 2-point conversion.
But Hiawatha would respond with a touchdown score of their own early in the second quarter. Hiawatha junior running back Grayson Gilbert broke a pair of tackles before finding open space up the middle for a 34-yard rushing touchdown. Despite a false start penalty before the 2-point try, the Red Hawks still connected on pass tie the game at 8-all.
For the rest of the game, it was all Kaws.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton senior Kayden Baker during the team’s 44-8 home win over Hiawatha on Sept. 11 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
Wheat gave the Kaws another rushing touchdown, taking the ball in from seven yards out. Wheat also scored the 2-point conversion on a throw from senior wide receiver Kayden Baker.
On the ensuing drive, Baker scooped up a fumble and returned it 30 yards for a defensive touchdown that put the game on track to become a rout.
Campbell would score another rushing touchdown, this time from 33 yards out, to give his team a 31-8 advantage with 2:32 remaining in the second quarter.
Campbell would score again before halftime, this time connecting with senior wide receiver Thomas Marcellino Jr. on a 18-yard touchdown passing with under a minute to go.
Campbell would get his final score in the third quarter before ultimately turning the reins over sophomore quarterback Jack Maul and the backups to ice the game from there. Campbell would also account another 2-point conversion and a pair of extra point attempts to round out the team’s 44 points.
Perry-Lecompton (1-1) will head to St. Marys next Friday. The Kaws have lost two straight games in as many years against St. Marys, including a 28-0 defeat in last year’s season opener.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton junior A.J. Campbell runs in a touchdown during the team’s 44-8 home win over Hiawatha on Sept. 11 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton junior Tanner Wheat looks to stiff arm a defender on a running play during the team’s 44-8 home win over Hiawatha on Sept. 11 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton senior Kayden Baker celebrates after a tackle during the team’s 44-8 home win over Hiawatha on Sept. 11 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton junior Ashden Dinkel closes in on the opposing quarterback during an option play in the Kaws 44-8 home win over Hiawatha on Sept. 11 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports
Perry-Lecompton senior Kayden Baker and junior Austin Pennel lead the Kaws off the field following a 44-8 home win over Hiawatha on Sept. 11 at Perry-Lecompton High School in Perry.
