NEWTON – Leoti-Wichita County had trailed throughout the Eight-Man, Division I state championship against Little River before it quickly took a two-score lead in the third quarter.
Little River scored early in the fourth and cut the Indians’ deficit to six points. With 6 minutes, 50 seconds remaining, Wichita County faced a fourth-and-eight from its own 17-yard line. Rain had fallen at a steady pace throughout the game. Wichita County senior quarterback Erhik Hermosillo had never played in these conditions.
The Indians called timeout. In the five-year Brant Douglas era, Wichita County has scored more points per game than any eight-man program. The Indians rarely punt and work on situations, such as fourth down conversions, in practice. Still, Douglas wasn’t sure whether to punt and called it a “tough decision.”
However, Douglas noticed his players “100 percent” wanted to go for the first. They believed and were confident. Hermosillo had a run-pass option, made the right read, and gained nine yards on the right side for the first down.
Four plays later, Hermosillo narrowly converted a fourth-and-five. After a Wichita County penalty, Hermosillo delivered his trademark patient run and burst through the hole for a 50-yard touchdown that effectively sealed the game.
The Indians tacked on another touchdown, but the 54-36 victory at Newton’s Fischer Field pivoted on the two fourth down calls.
“Whole team effort to get that first down, and it kind of exemplifies what we have done all year as a team,” Douglas said.
Three years ago, Wichita County defeated Little River, 74-38, in the state quarterfinals. In 2020, Little River never trailed and beat Wichita County, 70-58, for the Division I state championship. The remarkable contest remains the highest scoring eight-man game in eight-man state annals.
Last season, Wichita County retooled and finished 6-3. Little River lost to Meade in the state title. This season, Little River and Wichita County were preseason No. 1 and No. 2. Saturday yielded another memorable game.
Little River coach Kevin Ayers has 201 career victories and is 4-3 all-time in state games. Once, Ayers looked up at the rain; he called the night “what an atmosphere.” Little River finished 11-2. Afterward, Ayers was emotional when he talked about a senior class that exemplified character on and off the field. Little River recently even counted all the extra practices the Redskin seniors went through because of the playoff runs.
“Two teams out there just battling,” Ayers said. “Just so thankful.”
Wichita County finished 13-0, enjoyed a seven-win improvement from ’21, and captured the first state football championship in school history. Ayers called the Indians “exceptionally well coached.”
“Everything you need to be to be a state champion,” Ayers said.
Erhik Hermosillo was Wichita County’s only remaining starter from the ’20 runner-up team; he started on defense that season. He cleared more than 3,000 yards of total offense in each of the last two seasons. On Saturday, he rushed 28 times for 242 yards. Erhik likens his running style to former NFL running back Le’Veon Bell – patient, patient, then go.
“It was incredible,” Erhik said. “We have never played in the rain like this.”
“Just a great athlete in open space,” Ayers added. “He is so difficult.”
Erhik’s brother Khris, a sophomore, has emerged as a two-way force with his bowling-ball physical style. Khris labeled his style like former NFL power backs Jerome Bettis and Christian Okoye. Khris finished with 16 carries for 82 yards, plus a 65-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the third quarter. Khris recorded a tackle for loss and pass breakup. Erhik rushed for five touchdowns and passed for two.
“We never put our head down,” Khris said. “We knew we were going to have a dogfight, and we had to go through our adversity and we did.”
Like 2020, Wichita County quickly fell behind. Little River came in banged up. Key senior lineman/linebacker Toby Jesseph had suffered a season-ending injury in the quarterfinals. Plus, interior linemen Ruxton Birdsong and Carter Stansbury had both battled injury. Stansbury was a game-time decision and noticeably hobbled during the game. Redskin standout senior Braxton Lafferty also was hurt once late, though missed just a couple snaps. Lafferty rushed 29 times for 142 yards for three touchdowns and tossed a scoring pass.
“We just have to play our game,” Douglas said. “We have talented players and really good skill guys, and they were dinged up, and we had to take advantage of that.”
Lafferty opened the game with a 50-yard touchdown run on the game’s first play from scrimmage. After Wichita County had a bad punt snap, the Redskins quickly led 16-0 in the first quarter. Little River led 22-20 at halftime and 28-20 early third quarter. Douglas wanted Wichita County, like 2020, to calm the nerves.
Then, Erhik scored on runs of three and 19 yards. The second one came with 4 minutes, 36 seconds left in the third quarter. For the first time in six and half quarters, Wichita County had a lead against Little River in a state championship game.
Wichita County had enjoyed big second halves all fall, including against Meade for the district championship and against Hill City in the state semifinals.
“We knew that if we got the lead, we were just going to run away with it, and that proved it right there,” Erhik said.
The Indians led 42-28 after three quarters. Little River closed to within 42-36 early fourth on a six-yard pass to senior Braden Young. On the next drive, the Indians faced its fourth down.
“You wonder, are they really going to dial up?,” Ayers said. “Are they really going to go for it. We stayed in our base defense.”
Erhik Hermosillo knew he was going to keep the ball. The players wanted to seal the win right there.
“We are just looking for a block, and if it’s not there, I just got to make a move and get to the first,” he said.
Douglas said Wichita County doesn’t have that many plays. But the Indians’ tendency is to slow down teams with its formations and motions.
”That helps confuse the defense a little bit, and help get our lead blocker in front, which is what happened on that play, and then Erhik is just so shifty,” Douglas said. “He can make that guy miss to get that first down.”
Ayers believed Little River “did a pretty good job” on covering Hermosillo. But an already elusive runner became more challenging in the elements.
“He got wet, he got slick,” Ayers said.
Three plays later, Wichita County faced another fourth down. This time, Hermosillo’s five-yard run required a measurement to confirm the first.
“This drive is kind of what sealed it for us,” Douglas said.
Then, Hermosillo delivered another long touchdown run that capped a historic season in the rain.
“Made a play and did what a senior leader should do, and I am extremely proud of him,” Douglas said. “Those guys up front made it all possible.”
LEOTI-WICHITA COUNTY 54, LITTLE RIVER 36
Wichita County (13-0): 6 -- 14 -- 22 -- 12 | 54
Little River (11-2): 16 -- 6 -- 6 – 8 | 36
FIRST QUARTER
LR – Braxton Lafferty 50-yard run (Young run) | Little River 8-0
LR – Grant Stephens 2-yard run (Lafferty run) | Little River 16-0
WC – Colton Harbin 6-yard pass from Erhik Hermosillo (run failed) | Little River 16-6
SECOND QUARTER
WC – Erhik Hermosillo 45-yard run (Romeo Terriquez conversion) | Little River 16-14
LR – Lafferty 1-yard run (pass failed) | Little River 22-14
WC – Terriquez 25-yard pass from Erhik Hermosillo (run failed) | Little River 22-20
THIRD QUARTER
LR – Lafferty 7-yard run (pass failed) | Little River 28-20
WC – Erhik Hermosillo 3-yard run (Khris Hermosillo run) | Tied 28-28
WC – Erhik Hermosillo 19-yard run (run failed) | Wichita County 34-28
WC – Khris Hermosillo 65-yard fumble return (Khris Hermosillo run) | Wichita County 42-28
FOURTH QUARTER
LR – Braden Young 6-yard pass from Lafferty (Rylan Konen pass from Lafferty) | Wichita County 42-36
WC – Erhik Hermosillo 50-yard run (pass failed) | Wichita County 48-36
WC – Erhik Hermosillo 9-yard run (pass failed) | Wichita County 54-36
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING:
Little River - Lafferty 29-142, Stephens 9-32, Konen 6-24, Kayston Cox 1-4, Team 1-(-10)
Wichita Co. - Erhik Hermosillo 28-242, Khris Hermosillo 16-82, Wyatt Gardner 2-7
PASSING:
Little River - Konen 6-10, 93 yards; Lafferty 5-7, 30 yards
Wichita Co. - Erhik Hermosillo 3-3, 37 yards
RECEIVING:
Little River - Young 6-62, Andrew Smith 1-41, Stephens 1-11, Konen 1-7, Lafferty 2-2
Wichita Co. - Terriquez 1-25, Harbin 1-6, Gardner 1-6,
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