Much like WEEK #2 vs El Dorado, WEEK #3 vs Rose Hill turned out to be a game of two halves. 

(0-2) Rose Hill would find the end zone first, scoring at the 5:16 mark of the first quarter but failing on it's attempt for a point after. The (2-0) Crusaders weren't able to muster any points until just seconds before the end of the 2nd qtr. Wellington with less than a minute left in the half, lost the ball on a punt return, giving possession immediately back to the Rockets with another opportunity to cash in before the break. The cash register would indeed ring but not for the Rockets. On the next play from scrimmage, Junior Michael Ledbetter intercepted a Rocket pass and returned it 56 yards to tie the score at 6. Karsten Gill's PAT attempt hit the right upright and bounced out - halftime score Rose Hill 6 Wellington 6. If you'll recall, the Crusaders scored for the first time in the final seconds of the 2nd qtr vs El Dorado last week, neither first half as productive as the subsequent 2nd halves would be.

After the break, both the Rockets and the IRONDUKES would find paydirt in quarter 3, the latter on a 2 yd run. by Junior Joe Ybarra, his 7th TD in just 3 weeks. Karsten Gill nailed the PAT, a feat he and his holder Zander Vargas and center Gage Cunningham have demonstrated will happen far more often than not, as this young season progresses towards the mid-point.  Wellington's scoring was not over...Ybarra scored his 8th TD on another 2 yd run and then a 73 yd TD pass from Cade Phelps to DeAndre Washington sealed the deal, returning the Rockets to their launch pad with an 0-3 start for their season. There were multiple personal fouls called during the game, 3 against the Rockets, 1 against the Crusaders. All totaled , Rose Hill was flagged for 80 yds in penalties, Wellington 50. The Crusaders forced the Rockets to punt the ball 9 times on the evening.

Joe Ybarra was the leading rusher for the Crusaders, carrying the ball 26 times for 114 yds and 2 TD's - a result of the efforts of the line and his own ability to find daylight and move the ball forward. QB Cade Phelps was 8 for 21 yds, Deyton Araujo 2 carries for 5 yds. Isaac Hilt had 2 carries for 4 yds. Phelps completed 5 of 13 passes for 113 yds. All of those completions byJunior DeAndre Washington including the 73 yd, 4th qtr deal-sealer. Total offense for the home town boys was 257 yds. Trayson Probst punted the ball 5 times for 164 yds (33 yd avg) and Karsten Gill went 3/4 with PAT's. The Rockets did win the FIRST DOWN category, 14-11 over the Crusaders.

GAME ACTION PICS vs ROSE HILL 091517

A great start for the Crusaders but a tough road ahead...next Friday the IRONDUKES travel to Andale to take on the 3-0 Indians under their head coach Dylan Schmidt, who was former head coach for Wellington during the Fall 2011 season, the last time the Crusaders downed the Indians. Week #5 will bring Wichita Collegiate to Sellers Park and then Week #6, road-trip deluxe to Scott City, 4 or 5 hours to our WEST. Just an observation, the trip the Crusaders took to Gravette, Arkansas almost 10 years ago was about 40 miles closer than this upcoming Week #6 trek westward to Ron Bakerville. 

Beginning Week #7 (district play) the Crusaders travel east a short distant to Winfield, seeking redemption for last year's controversial loss to the Vikings. Week #8 and Week #9 will be here at HOME vs Mulvane (Homecoming) and Ulysses (Senior Night) respectively. And then a place we haven't been since 2010, post-season could possibly await? The Vikings, the Wildcats and the Tigers are all that stands in the way -  GO BIG RED!!

OTHER AREA SCORES
Andale 48 Mulvane 20
Buhler 41 Collegiate 21
El Dorado 25 Clearwater 21
Derby 60 Maize 28
McPherson 38 Winfield 14
Chaparral 70 Belle Plaine 28
Conway Springs 54 Douglass 00
Argonia-Attica 54 Flinthills 08
Sedan 46 Oxford 00
Udall 62 South Haven 16