By The Hays Daily News

The Victoria High School football team saw one of its best players return in a win Friday night in Eight-Man Division II, District 7 action. Running back Dalton Dreiling, who had not played since the season opener, came back Friday to rush for 122 yards and a touchdown in the Knights' 54-32 win against Dighton in Victoria. The Knights led 20-6 after one quarter, getting a big game from junior quarterback Sam Ottley. Ottley carried the ball 11 times for 92 yards, and competed 7 of 13 passes for 146 yards and two touchdowns. He also had a rushing score. The Knights move to 4-3 overall and 2-1 in district play, sitting second behind Otis-Bison. The Cougars rolled past Western Plains on Friday, 46-0, to move to 6-1, 3-0. Senior standout Dylan Wissman rushed for 107 yards and two scores for Otis-Bison.

La Crosse, the top-ranked Class 2-1A team in the statewide media poll, was trailing 8-0 after the first quarter at Sterling, but scored 26 points in the second quarter to take control and win 42-28 to move to 7-0, 2-0 in Class 2-1A, District 5. Senior Levi Morss rushed for 153 yards on 22 carries, and sophomore quarteback Jack Garcia passed for 206 yards and a pair of scores in the effort.

One TD reception went to senior Kip Keeley, who caught three passes for 61 yards. Taylor Yohe also had three catches for 119 yards.

One of the Class 3A's best matchups lived up to its billing in Beloit as the Trojans stayed unbeaten with a 32-27 win in District 14 play against previously unbeaten Phillipsburg. The Panthers struck first in the game, and had a 13-6 lead after the first quarter, and led 27-26 at halftime. The Trojans scored the only TD of the second half to set the final margin. At one point, Phillipsburg led by 15 points before the Trojans trimmed the lead by halftime. Beloit (7-0) travels to Norton (6-1), a 42-20 winner in district play against Minneapolis. Phillipsburg hosts Minneapolis.

At WaKeeney, injured quarterback Koltyn Ratliff returned to the lineup for unbeaten Ness City, the top-ranked team in Eight-Man Division I, as the Eagles defeated WaKeeney-Trego, 52-6. Dalton Gantz rushed for 132 yards on 13 carries, and Ratliff added 44 yards on seven touches. He also completed two passes, one for a score in the win. Ness City (7-0) travels to unbeaten Atwood-Rawlins County (7-0) on Friday for likely a district-clinching matchup. Hoxie (3-2, 2-1 district) and Quinter (3-4 1-2) remain in the hunt in that district after a 66-30 win against Hill City. Hoxie plays at Quinter on Friday before hosting Rawlins County in Week 9.

At St. Francis, Ellis' Gage Younger rushed for 148 yards on 18 carries, but it wasn't enough as St. Francis scored two fourth-quarter TDs to pull away and claim a 38-22 win in Class 2-1A, District 7. Ellis dropped to 3-4, 1-1 in district play, and St. Francis moved to 3-4, and 1-2 in the district. Ellis has Decatur Community (3-4, 1-1) and Oakley (5-2, 3-0) remaining on its schedule.

In Plainville, the Smith Center Redmen took a step toward a 2-1A, District 6 title, edging the Cardinals, 23-22. Smith Center (4-3, 3-0 district) now has won three straight since a loss to Phillipsburg, all have come in district play.

Are high school summaries

Victoria 54, Dighton 32

Dighton (2-5) 6 20 6 0 -- 32

Victoria (4-3) 20 22 6 6 -- 54

Victoria -- Ottley 14 run (run failed).

Victoria -- N. Dreiling 27 blocked punt return (D. Dreiling run).

Dighton -- Kuhlman 4 run (run failed).

Victoria -- Ottley 31 run (run failed).

Dighton  -- Alinar 55 reception (run failed).

Victoria --  Hobbs 3 pass from Ottley (run failed).

Dighton -- Kuhlman 1 run (run failed).

Victoria -- Dome 14 run (Ottley run).

Dighton -- Alinar 23 reception (pass good).

Victoria --  Roth 18 pass from Ottley (Ottley run).

Victoria -- D. Dreiling 54 run (run failed).

Dighton -- Mulville 26 reception (run failed).

Victoria -- Roth 1 run (run failed).

Ness City 52, Trego 6

Ness City (7-0) 16 22 14 x -- 52

WaKeeney-Trego (3-4) 0 6 0 x -- 6

Ness City -- Flores 26 run (Ratliff run)

Ness City -- Flores 26 run (Flores run)

WaKeeney-Trego -- Ghumm 23 pass from Griffith (run fail)

Ness City -- Ratliff 15 run (Gantz run)

Ness City -- Gantz 40 run (Frusher pass from Ratliff)

Ness City -- Flax 43 run (run fail)

Ness City -- Frusher 9 pass from Ratliff (Ratliff run)

Ness City -- Frusher 2 run (no PAT attempt)

Natoma 72, Palco 28

Natoma (2-6) 20 10 12 30 -- 72

Palco (0-7) 6 0 14 8 -- 28

Natoma -- Meiers 40 run (pat failed).

Natoma --  Meiers 2 run (run good).

Natoma -- Meiers 57 punt return (run good).

Palco --  Newell 15 run (pass failed).

Natoma -- Meiers 30 field goal.

Natoma -- Masters 3 run (pat good).

Natoma -- Raat 10 pass from Hazlett (run failed).

Palco -- Newell 65 run (run failed).

Palco -- Newell 12 run (run good).

Natoma -- Meiers 22 run (pat failed).

Palco --  Knipp 16 pass from Newell (run good).

Natoma -- Meiers 45 run (pat good).

Natoma -- Frye 19 pass from Hazlett (pat good).

Natoma --  Chanbray 9 run (pat good).

Natoma -- Team safety.

La Crosse 42, Sterling 28

La Crosse (7-0) 0 26 8 8 -- 42

Sterling (1-6) 8 12 0 8 -- 28

Sterling -- Galyon 11 run (pass good).

La Crosse -- Morss 29 run (Keeley pass from Garcia).

Sterling -- Galyon 35 run (pat failed).

La Crosse -- Morrs 4 run (kick failed).

Sterling -- Galyon 2 run (pat failed).

La Crosse -- Keeley 89 kickoff return (pat failed).

La Crosse -- Keeley 29 pass from Garcia (pat failed).

La Crosse -- Garcia 35 run (Morrs run).

La Crosse -- Yohe 30 pass from Garcia (Jay pass from Garcia).

Sterling -- Galyon 5 run (run good).

Beloit 32, Phillipsburg 27

Phillipsburg (6-1) 13 14 0 0 --  27

Beloit (7-0) 6 20 6 0 -- 32

Scoring plays not available

Thunder Ridge 54, Cheylin 0

Cheylin (3-4) 0 0 x x -- 0

Thunder Ridge (6-1) 30 24 x x -- 54

Thunder Ridge -- Rietzke 25 run (Lowe run)

Thunder Ridge -- Lowe 34 run (PAT fail)

Thunder Ridge -- Yoxall 52 run (Lowe run)

Thunder Ridge -- Reed 4 pass from Krueger (Rietzke run)

Thunder Ridge -- Team safety

Thunder Ridge -- Yoxall 54 run (Lowe run)

Thunder Ridge -- Lowe 30 run (Rietzke run)

Thunder Ridge -- Rietzke 50 punt return (PAT fail)

Oakley 16 Decatur Community 6

Oakley (5-2) 8 6 0 8 -- 16

Decatur Community (3-4) 6 0 0 0 -- 6

Decatur -- Anderosn 56 run (PAT fail)

Oakley -- Llewellyn 19 pass from Herl (Macias run)

Oakley -- Macias 2 run (Llewellyn pass from Herl)

Rock Hills 50, Lakeside 6

Lakeside (2-5) 0 6 0 0 -- 6

Rock Hills (6-1) 20 16 6 8 -- 50

Rock Hills -- Bruckelman 58 run (Cosand run)

Rock Hills -- Cosand 31 run (PAT fail)

Rock Hills -- Cosand 17 run (PAT fail)

Lakeside -- Kresin 1 run (PAT fail)

Rock Hills -- Cosand 45 pass from Copple (Cosand run)

Rock Hills -- Cosand 42 run (Cosand run)

Rock Hills -- Dean 37 run (PAT fail)

Rock Hills -- Cosand 77 run (Walter pass from Brockelman)

Northern Valley 64

Stockton 14

Stockton (2-5) 6 8 0 0 -- 14

Northern Valley (6-1) 8 14 22 20 -- 64

Stockton -- Williams 6 pass from Beougher (run fail)

Northern Valley -- Baird 20 run (Baird run)

Stockton -- Beougher 64 run (Lowry pass from Beougher)

Northern Valley -- Chandler 1 run (Chandler run)

Northern Valley -- Baird 17 run (run fail)

Northern Valley -- Baird 41 punt return (Bryant run)

Northern Valley -- Baird 60 run (Chandler run)

Northern Valley -- Chandler 1 run (pass fail)

Northern Valley -- Chandler 12 run (run fail)

Northern Valley -- Chandler 6 run (Cole pass form Chandler)

Northern Valley -- Bryant 3 run (no PAT)

Otis-Bison 46

Western Plains 0

Otis-Bison (6-1) 16 14 16 x -- 46

Western Plains (2-5) 0 0 0 x -- 0

Otis-Bison -- Hoffman 55 run (Wissman run)

Otis-Bison -- Wissman 1 run (Wissman run)

Otis-Bison -- Wissman 34 run (run failed)

Otis-Bison -- Wissman 40 pass from Urban (Wissman run)

Otis-Bison -- Hoffman 57 run (Urban run)

Otis-Bison -- Bartonek 8 run (Urban run)