Holton 49, Santa Fe Trail 16

The Holton Wildcats won their eighth straight game, all by more than 21 points, and rested all their starters the entire second half for the second game in a row after working a 49-0 halftime lead. The Wildcats held visiting Santa Fe Trail to 46 total yards and only two first downs in the first half and also got a defensive touchdown as Garyson Booth returned a fumble nine yards to make it 14-0 in the first quarter.  

Booth broke free on a 68-yard TD run on the second play of the game for the Cats and then Matt Lierz tossed a trio of touchdown passes for the second consecutive contest as he found a wide-open Jackson Bear on tosses of 8 and 20 yards and also hit Booth for a 25-yard TD strike. Jakari Washington added a pair of rushing touchdowns as part of a 35-0 second quarter flury with the Holton defense recovering another fumble and also getting interceptions from Lierz and Ashton Schrick. 

Lierz has now completed 11 passes this season and 9 have gone for touchdowns. Lierz was also perfect on PAT's and is now 48-51 for the season. 

Holton never needed more than two plays on any of their six offensive touchdown drives as the unit is posting 44 points and more than 420 yards per outing. It was the 55th playoff victory for Coach Brooks Barta at Holton and the Wildcats will continue their 25th straight playoff campaign hosting Bishop Ward on Friday night. The Cyclones (7-2) will be a new opponent that Holton has not faced after the beat Perry Lecompton 32-6. 

Santa Fe Trail scored twice in the second half against Holton JV and freshman with Trenton Sleichter breaking a 50-yard TD run and Theron Berckefeldt adding a three-yard TD before the Chargers ended their third straight season with two wins (2-7).