Hampshire nails down Big Northern East title

After starting the season 0-3, the Whip-Purs are conference champions.

Hampshire won its sixth straight game and completed a 'Pur-fect' run through the Big Northern East by thrashing Marengo, 34-7, in Marengo Friday night.

Joe Moore scored 2 touchdowns, and Caleb Kendrick, Bo Price, and A.J. Sabate also scored for Hampshire (6-3, 5-0).

"It feels good because those guys feel good," said Hampshire coach Dan Cavanaugh, nodding toward the players celebrating on the field behind him.

"They should. They never quit, they never complained, they never lost faith in themselves."

Lightning and heavy rain delayed the start more than 90 minutes, but once the game started, Hampshire struck like lightning. The Whips took just 5 plays and 1:41 to score. A 23-yard run by Moore and a 27-yarder by Ron Laramie set up Moore's 3-yard scoring run.

Six minutes later, the Whips struck again. This time Kendrick did the honors from 4 yards out. A 36-yard pass from Evan Brenner to Price made it 21-0 at halftime. Price came back for the ball, then spun and outran the defense to the end zone.

Hampshire's defense ran its string of scoreless quarters to 7 before the Indians (1-8, 0-5) broke through in the final period. The Whips bent but didn't break against a Marengo team missing its best running back, Robby Gaines.

Quarterback Scott Donley shifted to tailback and accounted for 162 rushing yards. He scored the Indians' only TD on a 57-yard scamper after Moore's second TD had made it 27-0.

The Whips answered with Sabate's 29-yard run straight up the middle.

Hampshire amassed 295 yards on the ground with a well-balanced attack. Moore finished with a team-high 78 yards on 16 carries. Laramie added 62 yards, Kendrick had 55, and Rob Tiojanco added 38.

Brenner passed just 6 times, but completed 4 for 77 yards.

The Whips took care of the ball on the muddy field. They fumbled only once, on the game's penultimate play.