BELLE PLAINE, Kan. – The Smoky Valley football team hit the road for the second straight week to start the season. An early defensive touchdown gave the Vikings momentum as they went on to a 48-18 win over the Belle Plaine Dragons on Friday night.
After stalling on their opening drive, the Vikings put the pressure on the Dragons early. On their first drive, a snap sailed over the head of Belle Plaine quarterback Brooks McGinnis and Brock Gengler recovered it and walk into the end zone for a two-yard touchdown. Jack Opat added a two-point run to put the Vikings up 8-0 with 7:19 left in the first quarter and they never looked back.
Smoky Valley scored 16 points in each of the first three quarters. Ty Heitschmidt added a four-yard touchdown run in the first to put Smoky Valley up 16-0 after one quarter. Belle Plaine answered with a 19-yard touchdown run from McGinness, but Heitschmidt had his second touchdown run from one-yard out to put Smoky Valley up 24-6 with 4:27 left in the first half. McGinnis connected with Mattix Bruner on a 46-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter, but the Vikings had an answer again as Heitschmidt connected with Toren Miller on a 29-yard touchdown pass to put Smoky Valley up 32-12 at halftime.
Smoky Valley got touchdown runs of nine and four yards from Crew Elliott in the third quarter, taking a 48-12 lead into the final frame. The Dragons tacked on one final score in the fourth as Smoky Valley finished with the 30-point win.
It was a coming out party for the newly revamped Smoky Valley offense, putting up 420 total yards with 384 on the ground. Opat finished with 100 yards on 15 carries, while Heitschmidt had 88 yards on 15 carries with two touchdowns. Belle Plaine finished with 190 total yards as McGinnis went 9-11 passing for 149 yards and a score.
Smoky Valley moved to 2-0, continuing their best start since 2021. Next up is the home opener this Friday night against Haven. The Wildcats are 2-0 after a 44-7 rout at Nickerson on Friday night.
Score by Quarters
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | F | ||
| Smoky Valley | 16 | 16 | 16 | 0 | 48 | |
| Belle Plaine | 0 | 12 | 0 | 6 | 18 |
Scoring Summary
1st Quarter: SV: Gengler 2-yard fumble return (Opat run) (7:19) (SV 8-0)
1st Quarter: SV: Heitschmidt 4 run (Anderson pass from Heitschmidt) (0:09) (SV 16-0)
2nd Quarter: BP: McGinnis 19 run (kick blocked) (10:12) (SV 16-6)
2nd Quarter: SV: Heitschmidt 1 run (Opat run) (4:27) (SV 24-6)
2nd Quarter: BP: Bruner 46 pass from McGinnis (kick failed) (3:39) (SV 24-12)
2nd Quarter: SV: Miller 29 pass from Heitschmidt (Elliott run) (2:10) (SV 32-12)
3rd Quarter: SV: Elliott 9 run (Elliott run) (9:37) (SV 40-12)
3rd Quarter: SV: Elliott 4 run (Fumble recovered in end zone for conversion) (1:01) (SV 48-12)
4th Quarter: BP: Bruner 22 run (kick blocked) (6:56) (SV 48-18)
Final Stats
Smoky Valley
Rushing: Opat 15-100, 2 PAT; Heitschmidt 12-88, 2 TD; Riedel 10-70; Crew Elliott 9-50, 2 TD, 2 PAT; Lochard 4-36; Carlson 3-31; Boughfman 1-9
Passing: Heitschmidt 2-10-36, TD, PAT
Receiving: Miller 1-29, TD; Elliott 1-7; Anderson PAT
Belle Plaine
Rushing: McGinnis 9-28, TD; Bruner 3-22, TD; Zongker 1-6; Cox 1-(-6); Hefley 5-(-9)
Passing: McGinnis 9-11-149, TD, INT
Receiving: Bruner 5-95, TD; Ehrhart 1-19; Lawless 1-14; Zongker 2-11
