Dibble ground game too much for Hennessey

Hennessey made a lot of big plays in its first-round playoff game.

Dibble just made a few more.

The Eagles saw their season come to an end Friday night with a 57-41 loss at home in the opening round of the Class 2A-II playoffs.

After the Eagles fell behind - again - by 14 points in the fourth quarter, they scored two straight TDs and were within a single point.

But the Demons closed out the game with two straight scores to advance to this week’s quarterfinals as Hennessey’s season closed with a 7-4 record.

“It was a wild game,” said HHS head coach Mark Cox, whose team won seven of its last eight games in the regular season to finish second in the district and earned the right to host the first round.

“Our kds made a ton of plays throughout the game to keep us close, but Dibble’s run game is really good. They made a few more plays than we did down the stretch to win the game.”

Hennessey’s big plays included five touchdown passes, three takeaways and even three onside kick recoveries.

Still, the visitors overcame it all thanks largely to quarterback Tucker Skipper and running back Wyatt Malchaski.

The two combined for all of Dibble’s 395 yards and six touchdowns on the ground.

“We had a hard time slowing down those two when they were running the ball,” Cox said.

Malchaski did a lot of his damage - scoring wise, at least - early on while Skipper did so later in the game.

Malchaski scored his team’s first two TDs, which were runs of 3 and 2 yards in the first half.

But Hennessey was answering each call during that stretch.

After Malchaski put his team up with a first-quarter TD run, Beau Vinson hauled in a pass from Levi Ferrell to tie it up.

The Eagles took the lead on Vinson’s second TD, this one a 53-yarder from Brytan Gardner.

After Malchaski’s second TD, Hennessey again reclaimed the lead as Vinson caught his third touchdown of the half.

This time it was an 82yard strike from Ferrell.

Gardner caught a twopoint conversion pass for a 21-14 lead.

That’s when the runheavy Demons went to the air.

They closed the half with two scores as Miguel Partida-Morales and Jackson Mandrell hauled in TD catches of 61 and 16 yards, respectively, from Skipper.

The QB was efficient in completing 7 of 9 passes overall for 140 yards and those two scores.

Malchaski then struck again to open scoring in the second half with his final TD. The back’s 70-yard scamper gave the Demons a 34-21 edge.

Mario Lopez got the Eagles back within a single score with an 18-yard rushing TD to close out the third quarter.

Skipper kept it on the ground in the fourth as his 9-yard rushing TD - plus a two-point pass - put the Demons up 42-28.

Back came the Eagles. Ferrell dropped a pass right over a defender’s arms into the hands of Gardner, who finished off the play for a 25-yard touchdown with 7:50 to play.

Down 42-35, the Eagles then perfectly-executed an onside kick as Alex Gonzalez recovered to give the ball back to the home team.

They capitalized quickly as just a couple plays later, Vinson caught his fourth touchdown of the game.

This one was from 13 yards out with 6:19 to play.

Luis Macias-Montoya’s extra-point attempt was off the mark, but Hennessey was still within a point.

The Eagles tried to surprise Dibble with a fourth onside, but the Demons recovered and the rest of the night belonged to them.

Skipper had rushing TD’s of 7 and 4 yards in the final minutes, giving him five overall touchdowns.

He ran the ball 15 times for 168 yards.

Malchaski’s 24 carries netted 227 yards.

Hennessey did much of its countering through the air.

Ferrell was 19 of 35 for 256 yards and four touchdowns. Gardner accounted for 53 yards with his lone attempt, giving Hennessey 309 through the air.

Vinson had a career night as the sophomore hauled in 10 passes overall for 222 yards and the four touchdowns.

Gardner’s six receptions totaled 64 yards.

Ferrell added 53 rushing yards and Lopez had 41.

Vinson also had a big night on defense, leading the team with nine stops. Ben Smith added seven.

The Demons travel to Vian for this week’s quarterfi nal round.

For Hennessey, the game - and season - offered glimpses of a bright future.

The Eagles’ roster has just two seniors.

“I was extremely proud of our kids for the way they fought throughout the game,” Cox said.