By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
After graduating several talented senior off last season's 8-3 team and losing returning standout running back Kaden McKinney in the opening game for an extended period with an injury, Seaman football has had to rely on several newcomers to step up this fall.
Junior quarterback Cale Ketter threw for five first-half TDs in Seaman's 61-0 UKC win over Topeka West Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Sophomore Quentin Moravec rushed for 196 yards and two TDs in Seaman's 61-0 UKC win over Topeka West Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
A couple of those first-year varsity starters, junior quarterback Cale Ketter and sophomore Quentin Moravec, filled that bill in a big way Friday night, leading the way as the Vikings picked up up their first win of the season in a 61-0 United Kansas Conference romp past Topeka West at Hummer Sports Park.
Ketter completed 12 of 15 passes for 278 yards and five first-half touchdown passes while Moravec carried the ball 17 times for 196 yards and a pair of TDs.
Ketter set the stage for the night with his first-half TD barrage as the Vikings opened up a 34-0 first-half cushion.
"I counted up the first two and then I didn't lose track, but I just stopped thinking about it and just played ball after that,'' Ketter said.
Senior tight end Noah Kobuszewski caught a 78-yard TD pass in Seaman's 61-0 UKC win over Topeka West Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Ketter, 6-foot-1, 170 pounds, connected with junior Josh Brown for 18 and 32-yard scores and also hit senior Noah Kobuszewski for a 78-yard touchdown, junior Coy Barta for 27 yards and senior Jayden Evans for 39 yards as Seaman got back on track after losses to Piper and Shawnee Mission East to open the season.
"It feels great,'' Ketter said. "We had a rough couple of weeks, but we all know the team and I love these guys to death and we just keep coming back every week and getting better every week. Tonight's a great confidence boost and we've just got to carry it into next week.''
Moravec, 6-foot, 180, scored touchdowns on 39 and 44-yard runs and was just under the 200-yard mark for the night.
"I just want to thank the guys on the line for helping me through all of this,'' Moravec said. "I also want to thank Kaden for building me up to this point and getting me to where I am right now.
"I would not be in this situation without him. He taught me so much over the summer and I just want to thank all the coaches, the O-line, Kaden and everybody. I want to thank this whole organization.''
Seaman coach Jared Swafford said that the Vikings' performance Friday night was a good start to helping the team accomplish what it wants to this fall.
"These guys want to continue the tradition of what we've built over the last couple of years,'' Swafford said, "I think they've learned from those (older) guys and want to build off those guys and now want to create their own legacy and continue to put their own stamp on what we do.
"There's no doubt we lost some really good football players, but we have really good football players stepping in and gaining more and more experience every week and I'm really proud of where we're at.''
Seaman (1-2, 1-1 in the UKC) will be at home next Friday to host Kansas City-Turner while Topeka West (0-3, 0-3) will host Lansing in a Thursday night contest at Hummer Sports Park.
SEAMAN 61, TOPEKA WEST 0
Seaman (1-2, 1-1) 20 14 13 14-- 61
Topeka West (0-3, 0-3) 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Seaman -- J. Brown 18 pass from Ketter (kick failed)
Seaman -- Kobuszewski 78 pass from Ketter (Hayes kick)
Seaman -- Barta 27 pass from Ketter (Hayes kick)
Seaman -- Evans 39 pass from Ketter (Hayes kick)
Seaman -- J. Brown 32 pass from Ketter (Hayes kick)
Seaman -- Moravec 39 run (Hayes kick)
Seaman -- Moravec 44 run (kick failed)
Seaman -- N. Brown 10 pass from Noel (Hayes kick)
Seaman -- Noel 15 run (Hayes kick)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing -- Seaman: Moravec 17-196, Piper 7-30, Villines 5-11, Noel 3-20. Topeka West: Webb 15-49, Williams-Brown 3-14, Wilkie 1-2.
Passing -- Seaman: Ketter 12-15-0, 278 yards; Noel 1-1-0, 10. Topeka West: Wilkie 11-22-1, 48.
Receiving -- Seaman: Kobuszewski 3-98, Evans 3-74, J. Brown 3-61, Barta 1-27, Becker 1-13, N. Brown 1-10, Moravec 1-6. Topeka West: Munganga 3-24, Webb 3-7, Lassiter 1-10, Emerson 2-10, Williams-Brown 1-(minus)-3.
Punting -- Topeka West: Phillips 4-32.5.
