Whitko’s Tanner Hughes broke the school’s all-time rushing record Friday night against North Miami. (Archived photo by Nick Goralczyk)

SOUTH WHITLEY – Tanner Hughes was huge Friday night for the Whitko football team when it took on North Miami.

Whitko’s senior tailback hardly had the best game of his career statistically speaking, but Hughes did hit a milestone that he will remember for the rest of his life during the Wildcats 28-0 victory over the Warriors.

Hughes eclipsed Brandon Watterson for the top spot on the school’s all-time rushing list in Friday’s win. Hughes totaled 92 yards on 17 carries to give him 2, 735 career rushing yards as a Wildcat.

It was fitting that the first score of the night came from Hughes. The senior got things going in the first quarter with a score from five yards out, a missed extra point left the ‘Cats with a 6-0 lead. That score would hold into the second quarter.

The Wildcats used a four-play 27-yard drive in the second quarter to go up 14-0 after Hughes’ second score of the night followed by a successful two-point conversion on a pass from Garrett Elder to Will Bumbaugh.

Hughes continued to cause fits for the Warrior defense in the second half as he picked up his third and final rushing score of the evening from a yard out to give Whitko the 21-0 lead. Bumbaugh would add the cherry on top with a rushing score of his own in the fourth quarter. Devin Goggin finished the night going 2-3 on extra-point attempts.

The Wildcats now sit at 5-o in Three Rivers Conference play. Only one other team is undefeated in TRC play and that is Rochester who is also 5-0. Whitko will travel to Rochester next Friday night in a game that will obviously have huge indications in the TRC race. The Zebras and Wildcats shared the TRC crown in 2013 despite Rochester downing Whitko 26-9 in South Whitley. The Zebras have won the past three meeting with Whitko. Friday’s game will kick at 7 p.m.