Losing a football game at Hutchinson High probably feels different than at most big-class schools. This is a program that has played in 10 state-championship games – winning seven titles – in the last 12 years, building arguably the greatest football dynasty Kansas has ever seen. Winning is expected. When Hutchinson lost 14-2 at Garden City last Friday, a setback that crimped Hutchinson’s playoff chances, some initially felt like they let the entire city down. That was how senior lineman Austin Fletcher expressed himself on Twitter immediately after the game. “Everybody was disappointed,” senior Marques Tafolla said. “We felt like we let everyone down. The fans, the team.” Coach Ryan Cornelsen was likewise disappointed but said the Salthawks shouldn’t feel like they let everyone down. Yes, the Salthawks are expected to win every week. Yes, the Salthawks blew two opportunities to break open the game by getting to Garden City’s 1-yard line, only to come up empty twice. Cornelsen said, however, the loss didn’t come from laziness. “If we weren’t working hard or not preparing, I would feel we let the community down,” Cornelsen said. “We are all working extremely hard to represent our community, win or lose.” Before anyone writes off this season, it should be noted that the Salthawks have lost district games throughout their dynasty. As a matter of fact, Hutchinson’s last state title – Class 5A in 2011 – came as a district runner-up. In 2004, Hutchinson lost its district opener to Maize. Hutchinson’s main problem has been finishing off drives. The Salthawks haven’t had trouble moving the football all year, but scoring has been a chore at times. “It’s been one little thing here and there,” offensive lineman Cole Young said. “Everyone has to do their job. If we do that, we’ll finish drives and put the ball in the end zone.” Empty drives today against Dodge City will likely result in more disappointment, as Dodge City’s offense is one of the state’s best. The Red Demons are averaging 47.4 points and 489 yards a game. They boast one of the state’s best quarterbacks in Cade Walters, and they also have the Western Athletic Conference’s best running back in Tyler Trent. “The margin for error is very small when you play a team as good as Dodge City,” Cornelsen said. “(Walters) keeps plays alive. We’ve got to pressure him, but we can’t let him find gaps in lanes, because he does a good job of finding those gaps, stepping up and finding guys downfield.” Dodge City will score and score plenty. The fewest points it has scored came in last week’s 52-33 loss to Wichita Northwest. That makes the Hutch offense’s biggest strength – going on lengthy, clock-eating drives – even more important, so long as it scores touchdowns. “We’ve got to finish drives and keep their offense off the field,” Young said. “We have to have those long drives that also result in points.”