YATES CENTER, Kan. – The Yates Center Wildcats made history Friday night, shutting out Central-Burden 48-0 to earn the program’s first home playoff victory since 1983. The win was especially significant for the Wildcats, as a playoff victory had never before been recorded on the field where Friday night’s game was played.
Yates Center opened the scoring on its first possession with a 45-yard touchdown run from Marcus Cummings, then continued to build its lead throughout the first quarter. Gavin Busteed connected with Colton Burkholder for a 33-yard touchdown before adding four rushing scores of his own. The Wildcats took a 36-0 lead into the second quarter, and the game ended at halftime under the mercy rule.
The Wildcats put together 299 yards of total offense on just 23 plays, averaging 13 yards per play. Busteed finished with 106 rushing yards and four touchdowns, while also throwing for 42 yards and two scores. Cummings added 141 rushing yards and a touchdown, giving him 184 yards of total offense.
Defensively, Yates Center held Central-Burden to just 105 total yards and four first downs. Jeremiah Jones continued to show why he is considered one of the top linebackers in the country, leading the Wildcats with 14 tackles, forcing three fumbles and recovering one. Karter Westerman added a sack and 2.5 tackles for loss, while Cummings and Burkholder each came away with an interception.
The Yates Center crowd packed the stands for the historic night, and the celebration continued after the game with a fireworks show following the early finish. The Wildcats now turn their attention to next week, when they travel to Clifton-Clyde for the next round of the eight-player Division I playoffs.
