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Top 10 moments of the night: Hayden football upsets Soroco

Hayden senior quarterback Reese Kern looks for an open receiver during a game against Soroco on Friday, Nov. 1 at Hayden.
Shelby Reardon

HAYDEN — With plumes of visible breath coming from either side of the line of scrimmage, the Hayden High School football team squared off with Soroco in a season-finale rivalry game on Friday, Nov. 1. The Tigers pulled off a 38-18 upset of the Rams. It was the first time Soroco lost to Hayden since 2012.

These are the top 10 moments of the night.

No. 1: 4th quarter, 4:37

Senior Hunter Planansky scores his third of the night. He ran 37 yards to pay dirt before senior Reese Kern scored the conversion with a quarterback keeper. The touchdown gave Hayden a 20-point advantage, sealing the 38-18 victory.



“I think that last touchdown sealed it,” Hayden head coach Matt Linsacum said. “I don’t think that it was over until it was over, but that last touchdown kind of sealed the deal for us. Even being up two touchdowns, we weren’t happy with that.”

No. 2: Final

Hunter and Peyton Planansky hug their teammates with tears in their eyes. Hunter has a sticker on the back of his helmet that said CJ 110%. He tries to clear a blemish over the sticker and explains his emotion.



“Last year before wrestling season, our wrestling coach we’ve had since we were 4, 4 years old, he passed away,” Hunter Planansky explained. “It just sucks. It’s been so emotional since then. He used to push us through everything, with weights, trying to get us better. Even football and he wasn’t our coach. … He always used to say give 110% that’s why is says that.”

Hayden senior Hunter Planansky shows the sticker on the back of his helmet that reads, CJ 110%, in honor of his late wrestling coach, Chad Jones, who passed away last year.
Shelby Reardon

No. 3: 3rd quarter, 9:35 

The Tigers opened the second half strong with an 11-yard touchdown run from junior Hunter Slowik. The score put the home team up 22-18, earning them the lead for good.

No. 4: 4th quarter, 6:50

Soroco junior Kody Logan tackles Hayden junior Kyler Campbell during a game on Friday, Nov. 1.
Shelby Reardon

Interception. Hayden junior Kyler Campbell leapt out and got his gloves on a pass intended for Soroco senior Nick Estes with 6:50 left in the fourth quarter. It halted an important drive as the Rams attempted to close a 30-18 gap.

“I think that one pass that went over his head woke him up and that’s how Kyler came up with plays,” Linsacum said. “Until that kind of moment happens, he’s on his heels. Once that happened, he sold out.”

No. 5: 1st quarter, 4:00

On third down, on the doorstep of the end zone, the Rams fumbled the ball. A recovery from Slowik got rid of any chance of Soroco scoring on the drive. Hayden maintained an 8-0 lead.

No. 6: 2nd quarter, 47.3 

Soroco junior Kody Logan gains some yards during a road game against Hayden on Friday, Nov. 1.
Shelby Reardon

Soroco junior Kody Logan followed back-to-back quarterback keeps by Tyler Wixom with a 2-yard scoring rush to put the Rams up 18-14 with less than a minute left in the half. The visitors held the lead going into the locker rooms.

“We were playing like we could and like we know we can. It’s just been a tough two weeks with snow practices,” Soroco head coach Johnny DeCosta said. “That just hurt us a lot. It really did.”

No. 7: 1st quarter, 6:13 

Hunter Planansky collected a 30-yard pass to put the Tigers up early, stunning the Rams. Slowik ran in the conversion to make it 8-0 Hayden just two minutes into the game.

No. 8: 2nd quarter, 3:44

Soroco senior Nick Estes makes a catch during a game against Hayden on Friday, Nov. 1.
Shelby Reardon

Campbell batted away a pass intended for Estes just as it reached his gloves. Campbell was incredible on defense all night. In the first quarter, he tracked down Hayden junior Kody Logan at the 10 yard line. 

No. 9: 4th quarter, 8:37

Hayden senior Hunter Planansky breaks free and scores the opening touchdown during a game against Soroco on Friday, Nov. 1.
Shelby Reardon

Despite Soroco senior Jesse Koler at his feet, Planansky dashed 15 yards into the end zone, extending the Tigers lead to 30-18 with just under nine minutes to play

No. 10: 3rd quarter, 36.4 

After a third-down rush attempt, Slowik went down, again. He was swarmed and as his ankles were trapped underneath him, he was hit head on. Slowik was helped off the field and sat the remainder of the game on the bench. 

At the 5:33 mark of the second stanza, Slowik was lifted and slammed to the ground on the sidelines. He nursed his left hamstring on the sidelines for a few minutes before returning.

“Where he’s dynamic is his speed,” Linsacum said. “He’s hands down the fastest kid on the team. Having him out takes that part of our game away a little bit.”

Hayden 38, Soroco 18
S) 6   12 0 0 — 18
H   8 6   8 16 — 38
First quarter
H — Reese Kern 30 pass to Hunter Planansky, Hunter Slowik rush, 6:13
SO — Kody Logan 2 rush, conversion failed, 11.5
Second quarter
H — Planansky 19 rush, conversion failed, 6:42
SO — Nick Estes 60 pass from Tyler Wixom, conversion failed, 5:44
SO — Logan 2 rush, conversion failed, 47.3
Third quarter
H — Hunter Slowik 11 rush, Kern rush, 9:35
Fourth quarter
H — Planansky 15 rush, Kern rush, 8:37
H — Planansky 37 rush, Kern rush, 4:37

Hayden Tigers football schedule

  • Sept. 7: at Justice, W 68-6.
  • Sept. 13: vs. Simla, L 20-16.
  • Sept. 20: at Gilpin, W 36-28
  • Sept. 27: vs. Plateau Valley, L 20-18
  • Oct. 4: at Vail Christian, L 54-16
  • Oct. 11: at Rangely, L 30-12
  • Oct. 18: vs. West Grand, L 40-0
  • Oct. 26: at Denver Christian, 1 p.m.
  • Nov. 1: vs. Soroco, W 38-18

Soroco football schedule

  • Aug. 31: at South Park, W 34-8
  • Sept. 7: vs. Sangre de Cristo, W 54-14
  • Sept. 13: vs. Justice, W 78-8
  • Sept. 27: vs. Gilpin County, W 58-0
  • Oct. 4: at Plateau Valley, W 50-12
  • Oct. 11: vs. Vail Christian, L 48-12
  • Oct. 18: at Rangely, W 48-34
  • Oct. 25: vs. West Grand, L 44-0
  • Nov. 1: at Hayden, L 38-18

To reach Shelby Reardon, call 970-871-4253, email sreardon@SteamboatPilot.com or follow her on Twitter @ByShelbyReardon.


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