’Hounds stomp Indy, 33-0

INDEPENDENCE — Fort Scott Community College football got into the win column for the first time this season by dominating Independence, 33-0, in Jayhawk Conference action here Saturday night.

The Greyhounds (1-3 conference and overall) saw every aspect of their game click. Their maligned defense, which came into the nation allowing more yards per game than any other team in the NJCAA, allowed nearly 200 fewer yards than their average coming into the contest.

Independence (also 1-3, 1-3) used four quarterbacks, none especially effective. Mailk Henry, one of the focuses of the third season of the Netflix series “Last Chance U,” completed 13 of 27 passes for 121 yards but was intercepted three times and got pulled during the third quarter.

The Greyhounds turned Independence into “No Chance U.”

The scoring began with Michigan transfer running back Kareem Walker’s 16-yard run with 8:24 left in the first quarter. That was set up by a 34-yard completion from Gunnar See to Jaylan Jenkins on the play before.

Charles Peeler intercepted two passes, the first of which he returned 95 yards for a score with 5:17 left in the first. He intercepted another pass later in the game and has picked off three passes — two for scores — in his last two games.

Dustin Rieser kicked a 31-yard field goal for the ’Hounds with 9:37 to go in the second quarter, which created what turned out to be the halftime margin of 17-0.

Rieser also had an outstanding night punting as two of his kicks pinned Indy inside its own 2-yard line. After the second one, Pirates backup quarterback Jordan Jones had trouble handing off to Tyrone Taylor. He was tackled in his own end zone just 2:09 into the half to make it 19-0.

Walker scored again on a 4-yard run on the possession following the free kick. Riser’s extra point made it 26-0 with 10:250 to go.

The defense stopped Indy when the Pirates went for it on fourth-and-10 from the Fort Scott 24. The offense took the ball downfield, scoring in nine plays on a 25-yard pass from See to Jon Jiles with :23 seconds left in the third.

Fort Scott finished with 425 yards in total offense. See completed 19 of 33 passes for 276 yards. Walker rushed 14 times for 89 yards and Damon Bonds gained 57 yards on 10 carries.

Darious Abrams caught 8 passes for 87 yards to lead the receivers.

Independence gained 322 yards in total offense but that was much better than the average of about 519 yards Fort Scott had been allowing coming in. Roy Livingstone caught 7 passes for 66 yards for the Pirates. Treymon Payemanu rushed for 53 yards on 12 carries.

The Greyhounds will be back home Saturday as Garden City visits for a 11 a.m. contest. The Broncbusters (2-0, 4-0), ranked No. 7 in last week’s NJCAA poll, knocked off No. 2 Iowa Western, 16-13, at Garden City Saturday. Kicker Ben Raybon hit two field goals in the final minute of play. He hit a 30-yarder to tie the game. The Busters, who moved up to No. 2 this week, recovered a muffed kickoff and Raybon connected from 25 yards out with seven seconds to go.

NOTES — This was the first shutout posted by Fort Scott since Sept. 19, 2016, when the ’Hounds blanked the Central Methodist junior varsity, 70-0. It was the first shut out of a conference opponent since Oct. 10, 2009, when they beat Dodge City, 21-0.

The last time Fort Scott shut out Independence was on Oct. 4, 2008, by a 35-0 score. That was the second game of a string of four consecutive shutouts....

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FORT SCOTT....................... 14 3 16 0 —33

INDEPENDENCE.................. 0 0 0 0 — 0

Scoring plays

First quarter

FS — Walker 16 run (Rieser kick), 8:24

FS — Peeler 95 interception return (Rieser kick), 5:17

Second quarter

FS — FG Rieser 31, 9:37

Third quarter

FS — Safety, Taylor tackled in own end zone, 12:51

FS — Walker 4 run (Rieser kick), 10:25

FS — Jiles 25 pass from See (Rieser kick), :23

INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING: Fort Scott — Walker 14-89, Bonds 18-57, Woolridge 3-11, team 1-minus 2, See 5-minus 6. Independence — Payemanu 12-53, Taylor 10-49, S.Jones 6-38, Wright 5-33, J.Jones 5-11, Hildreth 2-2, King 1-1, team 1-minus 1.

PASSING: Fort Scott — See 19-33-0-276. Independence — Henry 13-27-3-121, J.Jones 2-3-0-minus 1, Wright 0-2-0-0, Hildreth 1-6-0-16.

RECEIVING: Fort Scott — Abrams 8-87, White 4-74, Jenkins 3-58, Jiles 3-45, Thomas 1-12. Independence — Livingstone 7-66, Wilcox 3-20, Odom 2-35, King 2-13, Cannon 1-2, Payemanu 1-0.

MISSED FIELD GOALS: None.