By GARRETT WELLBROCK
Tiger Media Network
STOCKTON — Hill City High School head football coach Travis Desbien couldn’t have asked for much more from his team Friday night.
From the opening drive to the final whistle, the Ringnecks executed exactly as he hoped — dominant, disciplined and decisive.
“I’m proud of the way our team played,” Desbien said. “I thought everyone was prepared to the best of their ability last week, and it showed in our execution. I challenged the team to force turnovers, and I think we did excellently in that regard, forcing seven in half of a football game.”
Hill City forced six interceptions and recovered a fumble, rolling to a 78-0 victory over Stockton that ended at halftime due to the 45-point mercy rule. The win improved the Ringnecks to 6-1 overall and kept them unbeaten in district play heading into a title showdown next week against Oberlin-Decatur Community.
The Ringnecks’ defense set the tone early. After Stockton turned it over on downs to open the game, Tyler Ashbaugh capped Hill City’s first drive with a 6-yard touchdown run.
From there, it was all Hill City. Shawn Morris scored on his first carry of the season from 21 yards out, Tate Balthazor added a 12-yard touchdown run, and Slade Rohr broke loose for a 19-yard score before returning an interception 25 yards for a touchdown to make it 38-0 after one quarter.
The second quarter brought more fireworks. A botched Stockton punt turned into a fumble recovery in the end zone by Koby Keiswetter, and Hill City’s secondary continued to dominate, turning five more interceptions into points.
Ryan Budig and Rohr each returned picks for touchdowns, while Balthazor connected with Rohr on a 37-yard scoring strike. Budig also broke loose for a 43-yard rushing touchdown as Hill City piled up 309 yards on the ground.
Desbien said the performance came at a perfect time.
“It was also great to get to rest some guys going into a significant district championship game against Oberlin,” Desbien said. “It allowed us to get some guys some valuable varsity experience that will pay dividends in the future.”
Hill City’s stars led the way once again. Budig rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns, adding a pick-six. Balthazor threw for 46 yards and a touchdown, ran for 48 and another, and picked off three passes defensively. Rohr scored three total touchdowns and returned an interception for a score, while Ashbaugh and Chase Bell each added rushing touchdowns.
For Stockton (0-7), it was another challenging night. But head coach Justin Basart emphasized progress over the scoreboard.
“Our record might not show it, but our team is playing well,” Basart said. “They’re pushing through, not giving up and learning to finish — just like in life.”
With the win, Hill City sets its sights on a district championship showdown with Decatur Community, a matchup Desbien knows will test his team’s toughness and focus.
“This week will be a big test for us,” he said. “Oberlin presents a tough challenge because their backfield might be the most explosive and powerful we’ve seen all year. We have our work cut out for us and are looking forward to the challenge.”
Hill City (6-1, 4-0 District 8) will host Decatur Community on Friday for the district title. Stockton (0-7, 0-4 District 8) will travel to St. Francis in search of its first win since 2020.
This story was written as part of INF 322: Sports Writing, a course in the Department of Informatics at Fort Hays State University.