It may have been Senior Night for the SM East football team — but the team’s senior starters didn’t see much action on the field.

The Lancers trounced Harmon 83-0 in the opening game of district play Thursday that had SM East subbing in reserves shortly into the second quarter.

An outsized, outnumbered and outmatched Harmon squad simply couldn’t keep up with the Lancers from the first snap. Alec Dean failed to rope in a pass from quarterback Gunnar Englund on the first play of the game, but running back Wyatt Edmisten broke free on the next play for a 40 yard run that put SM East up 7-0 after 19 seconds. The Lancers defense quickly forced a Harmon three-and-out, and Englund connected with Jackson Gossick on the first play of the ensuing possession to make it 14-0.

The Lancers would go on to score four times on the first six offensive plays they ran. SM East led 35-0 after the first quarter.

The Lancers starters sat soon into the second quarter, but the second string offense added another four touchdowns to make it 63-0 at the half.

SM East, which went with mainly third team players in the second half, went on to score three second half touchdowns, including a short goal line run by offensive lineman Jackson Lovelace. SM East scored on every possession of the night and missed just one of its 12 extra point attempts.

Just 20 players dressed for Harmon, and the toll of playing both offense and defense for many of the Hawks showed quickly. The exhausted group was out of gas midway through the second quarter.

The win breaks the school record for margin of victory that had been set by the 1966 Lancers squad when it beat SM West 64-6.

The 83 points scored is the most by any team in Sunflower League history going back to 1951. The previous record for most points scored was set by Olathe North in its 2009 season opener against Leavenworth, when the Eagles won 71-0.

It’s not the first time winless Harmon has been blown out this year – though it is the widest margin. The Hawks lost 8-70 in their season opening game against DeSoto, 0-52 against Washington, and 12-55 against Atchinson.

SM East will face Wyandotte in week two of district play next week. Wyandotte and SM North open their district play tonight at SM North District Stadium.

(H/T to Kevin Booker for the historical stats).