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Kerns, defense lead Hutchinson-Trinity past Plainville in 1A playoff opener
By GARRETT WELLBROCK
HUTCHINSON — For Hutchinson-Trinity Catholic Head Coach Jordan Bell, Friday night’s 20-0 playoff win over Plainville was about physicality, field position, and execution — three hallmarks of postseason football.
“The game against Plainville was a tough game against a quality, well-coached team,” Bell said. “Our defense and special teams did a tremendous job giving our offense short fields on our scoring drives. It was a tight, physical playoff game.”
The Celtics’ formula worked to perfection. Behind a defense that recorded six sacks and a ground attack led by senior Luke Kerns, Hutchinson-Trinity (7-2) methodically controlled the tempo in the opening round of the Class 1A State Playoffs, shutting out a Plainville team that had been searching for consistency all season.
Kerns scored all three of the Celtics’ touchdowns, finishing with 91 rushing yards on 18 carries. His first came midway through the opening quarter on a 4-yard plunge, capping a seven-play, 52-yard opening drive. After both teams exchanged punts, Trinity’s special teams swung the momentum — Isaac Hammersmith blocked a Plainville punt, and the Celtics recovered deep in Cardinal territory.
Five plays later, Kerns powered in from the 2-yard line, and a two-point conversion on a reverse to Kaid McElgunn made it 14-0 in the second quarter.
Plainville showed a spark late in the half when quarterback Joey Dintino hit Davyn Willeford for 42 yards down to the Trinity 15. But a botched snap two plays later ricocheted off a motion man, and Bentyn Chastain pounced on it for the Celtics — a pure example of Plainville’s night.
The Cardinals (3-5) moved the ball at times but struggled to finish drives, going 0-for-9 on third downs and failing to score on two red zone trips.
“Our season has been full of ups and downs,” Plainville Head Coach Alex McMillian said before the game. “We’ve battled through adversity and injuries, but we continue to fight each and every game. We’ve seen glimpses of our potential and truly feel like we haven’t played our best ball yet.”
Despite that fight, Trinity’s defensive line — led by Lucas Griffith, who tallied 6 sacks — proved relentless. Griffith’s third sack of the first half ended a promising Cardinal drive, and two more in the fourth quarter sealed the shutout.
Hutchinson-Trinity’s final score came early in the fourth when Kerns bounced outside for a 15-yard touchdown, his third of the night. The Celtics finished with 189 total yards, converting 4-of-9 third downs and going 3-for-3 in the red zone.
Now, the Celtics prepare for a tougher test on the road.
“We have a tough matchup in our next playoff game against Republic County,” Bell said. “It’s always difficult to play on the road in the playoffs. They’re 8-1 with their only loss to a 2A school, and they’re playing with a lot of confidence.”
For Plainville, the loss ends a season that began with high expectations but was marred by inconsistency. For Hutchinson-Trinity, it’s another step forward — a statement win built on defense, discipline, and doing the little things right.
Bulldogs end on high note, build momentum for next season
By KYLER ROWDEN-STUM
QUINTER – The Quinter Bulldog football team finished its season the way most teams hope for – with a win and a vision for the future. After a year of growth, grit, and developing young talent, the Bulldogs closed out the 2025 campaign with a 42-36 victory on their home field against Hoxie on Thursday, setting the tone for what’s to come.
Bulldog Head Coach Cody Corwin said the biggest story of the year was how the team came together.
“It took a while, but the boys all bought in and they loved every part of this,” Corwin said. “We had to fill a couple of spots after seniors graduated last year, but we returned a bunch, and all those kids really took leadership to a whole new level. With three or four freshmen seeing the field pretty constantly, we needed that leadership — and they delivered.”
For Corwin, ending the season with a win carries extra weight.
“Ending on a win is always the easiest going into the next seven months,” he said. “You have a good taste in your mouth. Both Kale (Hargitt) and Colt (Werth) were voted captains by the team — it doesn’t take long to see why. Those two set the standard every week.”
That leadership showed on the field, especially from senior Hargitt, who played his final game as a Bulldog.
“It was emotional,” Hargitt said. “Was it a game we should have been in? Maybe not, but we battled. Hoxie’s a great team, you’ve got to give them their flowers. Still, I wouldn’t want to end it any other way — winning on my home field, with my teammates sending me out right.”
Hargitt said this season was just the beginning of what’s next for Quinter athletics — not just in football, but across the board.
“We’re returning almost our whole basketball team, too,” he said. “This freshman class is talented, and once December rolls around, we’ll be firing on all cylinders. We’re a team to look out for.”
Werth, a junior for the Bulldogs, echoed the energy and optimism of the locker room after the final whistle.
“We knew Hoxie versus Quinter is a big rivalry,” Werth said. “We came out fired up, hit them hard early, and knew we couldn’t let them hang around. At halftime, we decided to finish it — and we did.”
Looking ahead to next fall, Werth already has his eyes set on the offseason.
“We’re only losing one senior, and we’ve got those freshmen turning into sophomores — that’s huge,” he said. “We’re all going to hit the weight room hard this summer. Everyone’s excited. Everybody’s buying in.”
Corwin said that buy-in is exactly what fuels his optimism for 2026.
“As cliché as it sounds, we just want to come out every day and get better,” he said. “We finished last year with 10 kids on the roster. This year, we ended with 15. Things are moving in the right direction.”
With momentum building, a growing roster, and the core of the team returning, Quinter’s future looks bright. The Bulldogs may have closed one chapter, but as Corwin puts it – the story is just beginning.