NEODESHA — Trailing by 26 points at halftime, Neodesha would never recover in a 45-6 loss to Belle Plaine in a Class 2A-District 5 contest last Friday at Bluestreak Stadium.
NHS, which was coming off a 26-20 home win over Douglass one week earlier, moved to 1-4 overall and 1-1 in District 5. The Bluestreaks will next travel to Eureka on Oct. 11 for another key district matchup. The Tornadoes are 3-2 overall and 2-0 in the district following a 35-8 victory over Douglass last week.
Neodesha was limited to just 107 total yards against the visiting Dragons, who remained unbeaten on the season at 5-0 overall.
Belle Plaine led 6-0 after one quarter following a 43-yard touchdown pass from Luke Baker to Eli Wiseman. But the Dragons opened things up before halftime with three second-quarter touchdowns — an 18-yard pass from Baker to Austin Hilton, a 56-yard run by Wiseman and a five-yard scamper from Baker.
Up 26-0 at the intermission, BPHS put the game well out of reach with three more scores in the third quarter. Baker scored from two yards out, and Caleb Steele following with a 17-yard scamper into the end zone. Later in the period, Tim Bible picked off a Neodesha pass and returned it 48 yards for a score.
NHS avoided the shutout in the fourth quarter with a 62-yard scoring strike from Mayson Ellis to Toby Curtis. Ellis completed 3-of-6 passes for 96 yards, with Curtis having two of those catches for 71 yards.
Belle Plaine racked up 333 total yards, including 229 on the ground and 104 through the air. Wiseman had a game-high 133 yards rushing on eight carries.