Courtesy of www.sutv.com

It's been 7 years since the Crusaders emerged from district play and advanced on to post-season action. (It's been almost 2 calendar years to the date since we won a district game at all). Friday night in Winfield, they moved closer towards that end, (post-season), winning the first 2017 district game 14-7 over the Winfield Vikings, coached by former Crusader Head Coach Linn Hibbs, chalking up more offense than they had since week #2 vs El Dorado. On the down-side, Sr. QB Cade Phelps went out the 2nd qtr with an injury to his left knee. No official word yet other than it's a "significant" injury. Phelps was on the sideline in street clothes and on crutches the 2nd half with his knee iced.

Back up Jr. QB Michael Ledbetter took over the reigns of the offense and did a very adequate job for his first varsity action this season. Down 7-0, Michael and the Crusaders would find paydirt before the first half ended and knotted it at 7-7 by the break on a 1 yd run by Jr. Joe Ybarra and a successful PAT by sophomore Karsten Gill after missing a FG earlier in the game. The Crusaders were penalized for 100 yds to Winfield's 30 yds. That's all I should probably say about that. 

Wellington came out the 2nd half and were able to keep the Vikings out of the endzone and add another TD on another run by Jr. Joe Ybarra, this one a 5 yarder, the PAT by Gill was good again! Prior to that score, Ybarra had been on the sideline, getting his chin stitched up after an impact caused his braces to slice through the chin area. Dr. Scheufler worked his magic and Ybarra was back in the game shortly thereafter. He was wearing a different jersey though, #5 had blood on it so Ybarra put on #12 and continued on.

Several Crusaders carried the ball for a total of 249 rushing yds. Ybarra had 38 carries for 169 yds and the 2 TD's. Deyton Araujo broke loose and chalked up 38 yds on 4 carries and 1 fumble. Trayson Probst carried the pigskin 6 times for 22 yds, Cade Phelps 1 carry for 10 yds prior to his injury. Julian Jimenez was 1/-3 yds and QB Michael Ledbetter 4/-4. Phelps went 1/2 passing for 2 yds, Ledbetter 6/11 for 74 yds. (1 Interception) Total Offense 326 yds, just 25 yds shy of the totals from week #2 vs the Wildcats from El Dorado. DeAndre Washington caught 4 passes for 45 yds, Julian Jimenez 2 for 29 yds and Gage Cunningham1/2 yds. The Crusaders had 22 first downs but the penalties, the fumble and the interception reduced the scoring opportunities for the team in the red. Trayson Probst would punt the ball 3 times for a total of 93 yds (31 yd avg). Sophomore Zander Vargas had a 48 yd return on the opening kickoff...a nice run by Zander.

Next up for the Crusaders, Mulvane who defeated Ulysses 40-14. Both will come into next Friday's game in Wellington (which is HOMECOMING) with 1-0 district play records. 0-1 Ulysses will take on 0-1 Winfield. District play will wrap up with Ulysses here on the 27th. The top 2 teams will move on to post season, again a journey the Crusaders haven't taken since 2010.

Other SCORES
Andale 17 Buhler 6
Attica-Argonia 52 Kiowa City 6
Douglass 54 Belle Plaine 20
El Dorado 40 Circle 14
Conway Springs 26 Garden Plain 6
Maize South 31 Augusta 23
Mulvane 40 Ulysses 14
Andover Central 34 Rose Hill 13
Collegiate 40 Clearwater 20

The Crusaders have several players on the sideline. Blake Rausch, Silas Popplewell, Caleb Reichenberger, Trenton Bannister, Matt McComb and Grey Hatfield. The first 3 are out for the season, the latter 3 should return by week 8 or 9 "perhaps". Phelps' status will remain unclear until the knee can be more closely examined by doctors. 

GAME ACTION PICS