On this playoff edition of Around the Brackets, we’ll recap regional action from Friday night.
Class 6A
Gardner-Edgerton 49, Shawnee Mission Northwest 28 – Gardner-Edgerton advanced to the state quarterfinals with a 49-28 victory over Shawnee Mission Northwest. The Blazers defeated the Cougars 49-27 last month. After falling behind by a touchdown twice in the first half, Teven McKelvey rushed for two scores and threw a touchdown pass to Gage Gulley to give the Blazers a 21-14 lead at the break. McKelvey added four more touchdown runs in the second half as Gardner-Edgerton took control. The junior quarterback finished with six rushing touchdowns and one passing touchdown.
Blue Valley North 56, Shawnee Mission South 21 – Blue Valley North cruised to a 56-21 victory over Shawnee Mission South on Friday, and one step closer to defending their 6A title. Quarterback Graham Mertz threw three touchdown passes and ran for a fourth score. The Mustangs scored 28 points in each half – leading 28-7 at intermission. Amauri Pesek-Hickson rushed for more than 150 yards and score three times for the Mustangs.
Shawnee Mission East 23, Olathe East 20 – Shawnee Mission East moved on to the state quarterfinals with a 23-20 win over Olathe East. The Lancers led 16-0 at halftime before the Hawks added two scores in the third quarter to pull within 16-12. Shawnee Mission East would answer with a touchdown late in the quarter to regain a 23-12 lead. Olathe East added a score in the fourth quarter, but could not get any closer. The Lancers will once again get Olathe North. SM East held off the Eagles 35-28 back in Week 6.
Olathe North 50, Olathe South 13 – Olathe North scored in each quarter in throttling rival Olathe South. The Eagles led 30-7 at halftime on the strength of two touchdowns each from Arland Bruce, IV and Daymonn Sanchez. Olathe South’s score came on a kickoff return for a touchdown. Sanchez would return the favor by returning the second half kickoff 85 yards for a score and a 36-7 lead. Bruce’s third touchdown pushed the lead to 43-7.
Derby 54, Dodge City 7 – Undefeated Derby quickly went up 21-0 on Dodge City by the end of the first quarter, led 28-0 at halftime and 48-0 late in the third quarter. Derby extended the lead to 54-0 with 9:29 left in the contest. Hunter Igo completed 8 of 11 passes for 190 yards and three scores and rushed 15 times for 91 yards and a pair of TDs.
Topeka High 56, Washburn Rural 21 – Topeka High didn’t struggle this week. The Trojans scored the game’s first seven touchdowns in leading 49-0 in the second quarter before Washburn Rural scored. Jacqez Barksdale led Topeka with 214 rushing yards and two scores and a touchdown reception. Ky Thomas added 165 yards on the ground and two scores, while Da’Vonshai Harden contributed 142 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
Lawrence Free State 51, Haysville Campus 27 – Free State rushed for more than 315 yards in pulling away from Campus, 51-27. The Firebirds led 30-14 at halftime and eventually led by 30 points twice in the second half. Jax Dineen lead Free State with 164 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Malik Berry returned at quarterback and passed for 133 yards and three scores. Keenan Garber caught a touchdown pass from Berry and returned a interception 55 yards for the Firebirds first touchdown.
Manhattan 36, Wichita West 25 – Manhattan built a 29-12 halftime lead and held off Wichita West, 36-25. Kevontae McDonald led the Indians ground game with 133 yards and three scores. Sophomore quarterback Dane Aschenbrenner also passed for 120 yards and a score to provide balance.
Class 5A
St. Thomas Aquinas 56, Topeka Seaman 14 – Aquinas scored 42 points in the first half in rolling past Seaman, 56-14. The Saints rushed for 507 yards in the victory, let by Tank Young’s 148 yards on nine carries. Nine different Saints carried the ball in the game with six different backs scoring touchdowns. Only Charlie McCormick scored multiple times as part of his 42 yards rushing. Seaman senior Sam Payne led his team with 76 yards rushing on 14 attempts
Mill Valley 24, St. James Academy 7 – Mill Valley scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to pull away for a second victory over the Thunder this season. The Jaguars won the earlier meeting 14-13 back in Week 2. Junior back Tyler Green rushed for 142 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Mill Valley offense. Jordan Preston passed for 67 yards and a score and added 53 yards on the ground. Thunder quarterback Jack Moellers passed for nearly 250 yards but was intercepted two times.
De Soto 38, Shawnee Heights 17 – De Soto scored three touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull away from Shawnee Heights, 38-17. Keegan Sturdy rushed for a score and caught a touchdown pass from Jackson Miller as the Wildcats led 17-10 at halftime. That same score remained for the entire third quarter until Aaron Mackay connected with Sturdy on a 70-yard scoring pass for a 24-10 lead in the middle of the fourth quarter. After a T-Bird turnover, Tyson Priddy added a touchdown run for a 31-10 advantage. Shawnee Heights would respond with a long pass play to stay within two scores, but Priddy would help the Wildcats respond with a late touchdown for the final margin.
Olathe West 49, KC Schlagle 15 – It’s been quite a season of firsts for Olathe West. The Owls, in their first varsity season, have picked up the first win in school history, the first playoff win, and now are in the state quarterfinals as an 11-seed. Olathe West beat KC Schlagle, 49-15 on Friday to advance to a game against De Soto next week. The Owls fell behind early in the second quarter, but Brendon Bolden returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown and Schlagle led 8-7 at halftime. The Stallions took a 15-7 lead in the third quarter before Olathe West scored the game’s next 42 points. Gavan McDaniel rushed for a touchdown, and then Zac Krause’s touchdown pass to Caden Barnard gave the Owls the lead for good. Krause then threw a long touchdown pass to Connor Delong to make it 28-15. Another McDaniel touchdown run make it 35-15, and a pick-6 by Bolden extended the lead to 42-15.
Wichita Northwest 56, Emporia 21 – After holding a 21-7 halftime lead, Wichita Northwest scored five touchdowns after intermission to eliminate Emporia, 56-21. Raegan Jones rushed for a pair of scores and threw a touchdown pass to Zion Jones in the first half for the Grizzlies. Jones threw two more touchdown passes in the third quarter, and Roy Johnson added two touchdown runs in the final period for the final margin. Jones rushed for 146 yards and passed for 169 yards. Breece Hall led the Grizzlies with 146 yards on 16 attempts.
Bishop Carroll 52, Salina Central 14 – Carroll scored 21 unanswered points in the second quarter and led Salina Central, 42-14 at halftime. Carroll led 21-14 after the first quarter with a 65-yard scoring run from Jackson Kavanagh and a 65-yard touchdown pass to Ben Driver. Kavanagh’s score came on the game’s second play. Salina Central standout running back Taylon Peters did not play due to injury. The Mustangs went 7-2 after 18 straight losses and completed the largest turnaround in program annals. Carroll gets a rematch with Wichita Northwest. In Week 1, Northwest defeated Carroll, 23-22, on a last-second field goal.
Maize 35, Maize South 0 – Maize overpowered Maize South for its first win in three tries against its nearby rival. The Eagles outgained Maize South, 416-281. Known for its excellent pass defense and third/fourth down play, Maize’s top-ranked defense held the Mavericks to 7 of 18 passing for 44 yards. Quarterback Caleb Grill delivered another big game with 17 of 26 passing for 277 yards and three TDs. Maize South was 4 of 19 on third/fourth down plays. Maize South had more plays, 61-52, but Maize has allowed the opponent more snaps in multiple wins this season.
Great Bend 31, Kapaun Mt. Carmel 7 – Great Bend scored early on a 41-yard run just 80 seconds into the contest. Kapaun fumbled on its own 27-yard line, and the Panthers kicked a 29-yard field goal for a 10-0 advantage with 5:56 left in the first quarter. Kapaun’s Christian Werne tallied a two-yard scoring run to cut the deficit to 10-7 two seconds into the second quarter. Great Bend missed a 33-yard field goal, but Kapaun missed a 38-yarder. The Panthers scored in the second half on scoring runs of six, one and two yards. Great Bend moved to 4-0 all-time versus the Crusaders, and 2-0 in the playoffs.
Class 4A
Louisburg 48, KC Piper 0 – Louisburg turned in a stellar defensive effort in shutting out Piper, 48-0. Madden Rutherford scored on two short touchdown runs in the first half as the Wildcats built a 28-0 lead. Rutherford added a 50-yard touchdown sprint in the third quarter and tossed an 80-yard touchdown pass to Brandon Cooper in the fourth quarter for Louisburg. Piper had scored 115 points in the past two games, but couldn’t push the ball across the goal line on Friday night. Louisburg defeated the Pirates 28-21 during the regular season.
Bishop Miege 49, Pittsburg 20 – Bishop Miege scored two touchdowns in the final five minutes of the second quarter to pull away from Pittsburg as part of a 49-20 victory. The Stags led 21-13 in the middle of the second quarter when Sam Pedrotti connected with Phillippe Wesley on an 8-yard touchdown. The Stags added a Brison Cobbins touchdown run in the final 30 seconds of the first half. Pedrotti hit Hudson Bentley on a 40-yard touchdown in the third quarter and Cobbins added his third rushing touchdown in the fourth quarter. Cobbins finished with 167 rushing yards to go along with his three scores, and also caught a touchdown pass. Pedrotti passed for 207 yards and four scores. Pittsburg’s Ty Roark passed for 243 yards and two scores. Dylan White led the Purple Dragons with three catches for 173 yards and two scores, and also added an 87-yard touchdown run after dropping the snap on a punt attempt.
Basehor-Linwood 31, Fort Scott 14 – Basehor-Linwood scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull away from Fort Scott, 31-14. The Bobcats led 17-7 at halftime and 17-14 entering the fourth quarter. Quarterback Dylan Mussett passed for 206 yards and a touchdown. The Bobcats rushed for 239 yards on the night led by Mason McDaniel’s 115 yards and Nolan Ford’s 105 yards. This marked the final game in the career of Fort Scott coach Bob Campbell. Campbell led the Tigers to a record of 186 wins and 63 losses in his 23 seasons.
Paola 35, Tonganoxie 13 – Paola scored 14 points in the third and fourth quarters to turn a 13-7 halftime deficit into a 35-13 victory over Tonganoxie. Connor Hasz rushed for three touchdowns as the Panthers took the lead mid-way through the third quarter. Paola then scored on a halfback pass from Garrett Williams to Cobin Gant to take a two-score lead early in the fourth quarter. Seth Richmond completed the scoring with a touchdown pass to Evan Peuser. Tonganoxie was led by senior running back Korbin Riedel who carried 29 times for 136 yards and a score. Riedel finished the season with 1,531 rushing yards and 17 scores.
McPherson 48, Ulysses 17 – McPherson scored the game’s first 40 points in eliminating Ulysses, 48-17. Jace Kinnamon rushed for 186 yards and four touchdowns for the Bullpups. Senior quarterback Kyler Hoppes completed 16 of 25 passes for 198 yards and two touchdowns. McPherson led the Tigers 48-3 at halftime before substituting in the second half.
Arkansas City 28, Coffeyville 6 – Ark City defeated a second-straight higher seed in moving into the 4A quarterfinals. The Bulldogs led Coffeyville 7-6 at halftime, but Cevin Clark’s short touchdown run in the third quarter increased their advantage to 14-6. After a Coffeyville fumble, Ark City scored again on a 25-yard touchdown run from Isaac Abrams. Abrams rushed for 160 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the game.
Wellington 14, Buhler 7 – Wellington defeated Buhler, 14-7, improved to 8-2 and moved into the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2004. The Crusaders, 0-9 two years ago, broke a 7-7 tie in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run from Michael Ledbetter. He completed 13 of 25 passes for 163 yards with a 26-yard touchdown pass to De’Andre Washington. Wellington’s defense limited Buhler to 35 carries for 80 yards. Washington recorded nine catches for 127 yards.
Goddard 21, Andover Central 7 – Goddard broke a 7-7 halftime tie with a touchdown pass from Kyler Semrad to Blake Mitchell in the third quarter. The Lions would later add a touchdown on a short Dhimani Butler touchdown run to eliminate Andover Central, 21-7. Semrad also connected with Mitchell on the Lions’ first-half touchdown in the back of the end zone. Goddard won the earlier meeting with the Jaguars, 17-16 in overtime.
Class 3A
Galena 27, Frontenac 7 – The rematch was much closer than the first meeting won by Galena, 47-0. Kooper Lawson rushed for a pair of touchdowns as the Bulldogs led 14-0 at halftime. JC Shelton then added a touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to push the Galena advantage to 20-0. Frontenac’s lone score came shortly after as quarterback Jake Beckmann connected with Brendan Ishimura on a long touchdown pass to pull within 20-7. Shelton would later add a scoring run to increase the lead back to three scores.
Marysville 36, Topeka Hayden 14 – Marysville built a 20-7 halftime lead in cruising to a 36-14 win over Topeka Hayden. Junior running back Atreyau Hornbeak rushed for 210 yards and two scores to lead the Bulldogs to victory. Brandon Schroedl also hit Jacob Backus on a third-quarter touchdown pass that pushed to lead to 28-7 and completed a string of four consecutive touchdowns by Marysville in the game. Schroedl passed for 188 yards in the game with Backus having 56 receiving yards and Hornbeak adding 79 yards on four catches including a long touchdown for the Bulldogs’ first points of the night.
Parsons 38, Prairie View 23 – Parsons scored in each quarter in winning at Prairie View, 38-23. DaQuan Johnson threw a touchdown pass to Davonte Yates and caught three touchdown passes from Gage Friess in the victory. Friess threw four touchdown passes in the game with the other going to Patrick Loadholtz. Prairie View quarterback Justin Scott rushed for two scores to lead the Buffaloes.
Sabetha 26, Perry-Lecompton 8 – After Sabetha won a 35-33 classic earlier this season, the Blue Jays turned to their defense on Friday in beating Perry-Lecompton, 26-8. The Kaws took the early lead on a Colton Mallonee touchdown catch from William Welch. Sabetha would answer in the second quarter a Gabe Garber hit Ryan Stapleton on a touchdown pass to pull within 8-7. Joe Gruber late would add a touchdown run for a 14-8 lead, and Braden Cox connected on a field goal at the end of the first half for a 17-8 lead. Cox accounted for all the scoring in the second half – returning an interception for a touchdown and kicking another field goal late in the fourth quarter. Sabetha rushed for 178 yards in the game led by Joe Gruber’s 73 yards. Garber passed for 171 yards on the night. Perry-Lecompton senior Dalton Kellum ended his high school career with 81 rush yards on 16 attempts, while Mallonee caught ten passes for 120 yards.
Smoky Valley 22, Hesston 14 – Smoky Valley moved to 10-0 and won its most games since 1992 with its second victory versus rival Hesston this year. After a 28-0 win back in Week 4, the Vikings earned a 22-14 victory on Friday night. The Vikings had a big 462-214 margin in total yards but had five turnovers. Kord Elliott and Tim Lambert, Jr. combined for 63 carries for 365 yards, including 231 yards from Elliott.
Pratt 33, Colby 16 – Colby led undefeated Pratt, 8-7, at the end of the first quarter, but Pratt turned the game around with a 26-8 run and earned a 33-16 victory. Travis Theis scored on runs of 29 and 10 yards and threw a 35-yard TD pass to Brett Winsor. Kaden Blankenship had scoring runs of five and 39 yards. Colby (8-2) enjoyed its best season in more than 14 years, and the Greenbacks moved to 10-0, its best start since a 13-0 state championship year in 1995.
Andale 66, Chapman 22 – Andale scored multiple touchdowns in each quarter in eliminating Chapman, 66-22. The Indians rushed for 389 yards in the game led by sophomore Eli Rowland’s 158 rushing yards. Ethan Baalmann, Noah Meyer, and Mac Brand each rushed for two touchdowns for the Indians. Rowland and Easton Hunter also added scoring runs for Andale.
Scott City 34, Beloit 7 – Scott City defeated Beloit for a second time this season. The Beavers won 34-7 at home in this meeting after winning at Beloit, 55-12, a few weeks ago. Wyatt Hayes rushed for five touchdowns as the Beavers built a 34-0 lead after halftime. Hayes finished with 194 yards on the ground to go along with his five scores.
Class 2A
Humboldt 30, Osage City 6 – Humboldt's lead on Osage City was just 8-0 at halftime, but the Cubs scored three more times in the second half to move on to the state quarterfinals. Osage City pulled to within 8-6 in the third quarter before Dagen Goodner’s touchdown provided a little breathing room. Conor Haviland rushed for two scores in the game and Goodner added a touchdown pass for the Cubs.
Rossville 21, Maur Hill-Mount Academy 14 – Rossville built a 21-7 halftime lead and stopped a Maur Hill fourth-down pass attempt in the end zone late in the game to preserve a 21-14 victory. The Bulldawgs were led by senior quarterback Garrett Carver’s 195-yard rushing game with two touchdowns. Trevor Johnson provided the other Rossville score on a 29-yard touchdown run. Maur Hill quarterback Jack Caudle passed for 300 yards and a touchdown, and added a rushing score. Raven receiver Tate Vowels caught ten passes for 170 yards, while Parker Mispagel had four catches for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Silver Lake 63, McLouth 12 – Silver Lake rolled past McLouth for a second time this season. Senior quarterback Mason Griffin passed for 315 yards and six touchdowns as the Eagles remained unbeaten and set up a Mid-East League showdown with Riley County next week. The Eagles defeated the Falcons 31-12 earlier this season for a 22nd consecutive time.
Riley County 33, Southeast of Saline 14 – Riley County avenged a 23-21 loss to Southeast of Saline in district play and won 33-14 behind 19 unanswered points in the second half. Keaton Koenig broke the tie with a five-yard scoring run, Mikey Waggoner scored from one yard out, and Garrett Harmison tallied a two-yard scoring run. Jaxon Gebhardt led Southeast of Saline with 21 of 37 passing for 164 yards. Both teams are 8-2.
Hutchinson Trinity 16, Garden Plain 7 – Trinity Catholic defeated Garden Plain for a second time this season. The Celtics won the earlier meeting 20-7, and this one was a similar defensive battle. Garden Plain took an early lead as Matt Pauly returned the game’s opening kickoff 80 yards for a touchdown. That lead would stand up until late in the third quarter when Trinity’s Aaron Guerrero intercepted a Garden Plain pass and returned it for a touchdown. The Celtics connected on the two-point conversion from Kaleb Hammeke to Isaac Miller to take on 8-7 lead. In the fourth quarter, Hammeke scored on a 5-yard run and again hit Miller on the conversion for a 16-7 lead. We mentioned the defensive struggle, Trinity Catholic finished with 148 yards of total offense to Garden Plain’s 131 total yards.
Hoisington 41, Cimarron 18 – Hoisington ended Cimarron’s season for the fourth time in five years. The Cardinals led 34-12 at the end of three quarters as Wyatt Pedigo scored four times. Pedigo, Hoisington’s standout running back, was banged up last week against Sterling. Hoisington led 27-12 at halftime. Hoisington reached the quarterfinals for the fifth time in school history.
Conway Springs 21, Chaparral 14 – Conway Springs moved to 10-0 with its second win versus Chaparral this season. Three weeks ago, Conway Springs beat the Roadrunners, 53-23. This time, Zach Mercer opened the scoring with a 69-yard run for a 7-0 lead. Chaparral tied the game at seven on a fourth-and-goal pass from the 1-yard line from Jake Burke to Quinton Pfaff. Collin Koester scored for the Cardinals for a 13-7 halftime lead. Down seven, Chaparral had a chance to even the game late, but Conway Springs’ defense held.
Phillipsburg 41, Lakin 0 – Phillipsburg led Lakin, 14-0 at the end of the first quarter and 27-0, with 56 seconds remaining in the first half en route to a 41-0 home victory. Treylan Gross caught a touchdown pass and rushed for another score as the Panthers scored four time sin the first half. The No. 1-ranked Panthers moved to 10-0, and Lakin, off its first playoff win since 1999, ended the season at 8-2.
Class 1A
St. Mary’s Colgan 45, Hillsboro 20 – Colgan dominated in the first half in building a 31-0 lead in rolling past Hillsboro. Cade Simmons rushed for two scores and threw two touchdown passes to Cal Marquardt in the opening half. Connor Price, playing offense for the first time this season due to multiple Panther injuries, added a touchdown run just before half. Simmons added two more rushing scores in the second half. Brooks Gardner scored a pair of touchdowns for the Trojans on a touchdown run and a reception from Jorge Hanschu. The Trojans then added a Hanschu touchdown run with :15 seconds remaining against the Colgan subs. Colgan played without 4-5 key players due to injury.
Jackson Heights 35, Valley Heights 20 – Jackson Heights built a three-score lead and held off Valley Heights to advance. Cable Wareham threw three touchdown passes for the typically ground-oriented Cobras. Running back Cooper Williams followed his big offensive line for two more rushing scores.
Olpe 52, Pleasanton 8 – Olpe scored three times in the first quarter in ending a strong season for Pleasanton. The Eagles led 21-0 after one quarter and 37-0 at halftime. Colby Hoelting rushed for a touchdown and hit his brother Camden on a touchdown pass in that first quarter.
Centralia 41, Troy 18 – Centralia defeated Troy for a second time this season, although this time the Panthers didn’t need a pair of late touchdowns to come out on top. Isaac Gore rushed for four touchdowns in the game and Kamble Haverkamp added two more as the Panthers won their eighth straight game.
Smith Center 56, Sacred Heart 7 – Smith Center rolled over Sacred Heart, 56-7, for the second big win versus the Knights this year. Smith Center held Sacred Heart to 55 yards of total offense. The Redmen forced five turnovers. Ethan Peterson and Colby Benoit each tallied three scores. The game had a running clock in the second half.
Sedgwick 20, Meade 2 – Sedgwick and Meade both struggled through a defensive battle that saw the Cardinals lead 6-0 at halftime thanks to an 85-yard touchdown pass from Hooper Schroeder to Kale Schroeder. After a penalty led to a Meade safety, Schroeder hit Mason Lacey on a 20-yard pass for a 13-2 lead. Sedgwick later score on a Hooper Schroeder touchdown run. Schroeder passed for 166 yards and two scores, while adding 64 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Plainville 31, Ell-Saline 28 – Tanner Copeland kicked a game-winning field goal as Plainville defeated Ell-Saline, 31-28, at home. Copeland, one of the state’s top kickers and an all-state 2-1A pick last fall, made the 37-yard attempt with four seconds left. Last year, Plainville defeated Ell-Saline in double overtime in the second round of the playoffs. Ell-Saline tied the game at 28 on a 10-yard run from quarterback Nick Davenport with 3:29 remaining. Ell-Saline led most of the contest, including 21-14 with 9:05 left in the third quarter.
Elkhart 53, Inman 10 – Elkhart rolled past Inman, 53-10 thanks to a big night from senior quarterback Lane Whisennand. Whisennand completed 10 of his 14 pass attempts for 283 yards and a touchdown, and added 160 rushing yards and four scores on the ground. Elian Prieto hauled in four receptions for 230 yards and a score and rushed 93 yards and two scores.
Class 8-Man, Division I
Argonia-Attica 42, Udall 36 – Argonia-Attica outscored Udall 24-14 in the second half in advancing to the state quarterfinals with a 42-36 win. The Titans lost 22-14 to the Eagles earlier this season. Blake Harnden passed for 116 yards and a touchdown and added 91 yards rushing in the game. Masen McDaniel and Mason Miller each rushed for a pair of touchdowns for the Titans. Udall led 22-18 at halftime before A&A scored the only points of the third quarter to take a 26-22 lead.
Solomon 30, Madison 26 – Solomon outscored Madison 24-6 in the second half of a 30-26 road victory. The Gorillas took advantage of four Madison turnovers in the game. Madison led 20-6 after a pair of Ryan Wolgram touchdown runs. Solomon would respond after halftime and take a 22-20 lead. But Austin Watts hit Nasun Wasson on a long touchdown pass to put Madison back up, 26-22 in the middle of the fourth quarter. Solomon quarterback Braden Neilson then scored the game-winning touchdown on a short scoring run with around four minutes left.
South Central 48, Central Burden 0 – South Central rolled to a big victory over Central Burden. The Timberwolves score 40 first-half points in taking control. Quarterback Chayde Snyder passed for 143 yards and three touchdowns and added 97 yards rushing and two more scores. Ethan Jellison completed his only pass attempt for a 55-yard touchdown. Gage Girk had two receptions totaling 118 yards and two scores. Eli Jellison also had two touchdown receptions totaling 50 yards.
Canton-Galva 74, Burlingame 26 – Canton-Galva outscored Burlingame 30-6 in the third quarter to eliminate the Bearcats, 74-26. The Eagles led 44-20 at halftime behind and got a huge performance from quarterback Landon Everett. Everett passed for 144 yards and three scores and rushed for 205 yards and six touchdowns on the night.
Central Plains 50, Ness City 0 – In Week 1, Central Plains needed two late touchdowns to beat Ness City, 30-14. This time, the Oilers rolled in a game that was over at halftime. The 10-0 Oilers have posted eight straight shutouts. Alex Hickel had a 33-yard touchdown run, and Lawson Oeser scored twice. Myles Menges had a rushing touchdown, a 60-yard pick-six and a 48-yard touchdown pass.
Hoxie 22, Clifton-Clyde 20 – Hoxie upset undefeated Clifton-Clyde, 22-20, in a road game. The Indians led 16-0 at halftime and scored on a long touchdown run with 6:23 left for the final margin. Clifton-Clyde closed the gap to 16-12 in the middle of the third quarter. Hoxie, the defending Eight-Man, Division I state champions, moved to 9-1, and Clifton-Clyde finished the year at 9-1.
Hodgeman County 76, Spearville 48 – Hodgeman County scored three times in the fourth quarter to turn a 54-42 lead after three, into a 76-48 win over Spearville. Eli Salmans had a huge night for the Longhorns in rushing 33 times for 305 yards and six touchdowns. Isaac Salmans added 101 yards and three scores on 19 attempts. And passed for 76 yards and a score. Hodgeman County defeated Spearville 54-8 earlier this season.
St. Francis 30, Victoria 12 – St. Francis moved to 10-0 and eliminated 7-3 Victoria with a 30-12 home win versus the Knights. Sainty led 30-6 at halftime. Victoria scored with 6:06 left in the game for the only points of the second half. St. Francis led 6-0 at the end of the first quarter and bumped the advantage to 14-0 before freshman quarterback Grant Schoenrock threw a TD pass with 6:37 left in the first half to cut the margin to 14-6. However, St Francis quickly answered and made the score, 20-6.
Class 8-Man, Division II
St. Paul 80, Centre-Lost Springs 50 – Adam Albertini rushed for 335 yards and nine touchdowns as the Indians outscored Centre, 80-50. St. Paul will now make the long trip to top-ranked Hanover next week. Albertini has rushed for 2,149 yards on the season with 53 touchdowns.
Hanover 78, Frankfort 30 – Top-ranked Hanover defeated Frankfort for a second time in three weeks. The host Wildcats led 34-14 at halftime and exploded for 38 points in the third quarter to lead 72-30 heading into the final quarter. Carter Bruna rushed for 183 yards and five touchdowns for Hanover. Daiken Stallbaumer rushed for 124 yards and three touchdowns, and passed for 178 yards and two more scores. Garret Dalinghaus led Frankfort with 163 yards rushing and a score.
Waverly 62, Southern Coffey Co. 14 – Jake Newton rushed for 195 yards and two scores as Waverly knocked out Southern Coffey County for a second time this season. The Bulldogs won the earlier meeting 58-28. Drew Pyle passed for 180 yards and rushed for 100 more yards in the win. Southern Coffey County’s Dawson Leimkuhler finished his strong senior season with 130 yards on the ground.
Axtell 80, Mankato-Rock Hills 30 – Axtell outscored Rock Hills 50-30 in the first half, then shut out the Grizzlies 30-0 in the second half to win 80-30. Axtell, known for its dynamic passing combination of quarterback Quinn Buessing and receiver Hunter Koch, went to the ground in beating the Grizzlies. Buessing rushed for 236 yards and three scores and passed for 113 yards and two more scores. JJ Hart added 91 rushing yards and two scores and caught a touchdown pass from Buessing. Koch had two receptions for 49 yards and a score. Dereck Gillett passed for 187 yards and three scores for Rock Hills, while Rylee Whelchel had six receptions for 129 yards and two scores.
Osborne 66, Sylvan-Lucas Unified 20 – Osborne led Sylvan-Lucas, 22-12, at intermission and then easily defeated the Mustangs, 66-20, for its second win of the year against Sylvan-Lucas. Osborne recorded 488 yards of total offense. Senior Darnell Holloway completed 8 of 10 passes for 144 yards and two scores. He rushed 15 times for 179 yards and a pair of TDs. Junior Darrien Holloway delivered 11 carries for 102 yards and four scores. Freshman Mason Schurr had 10 carries for 63 yards and a TD for the Bulldogs (9-1). Kade Miller and Darrien Holloway caught scoring passes.
South Barber 60, Stafford 14 – After picking up the schools’ first-ever playoff victory last week, Stafford had very little answer for South Barber. Trevor Rooks threw four touchdown passes in the second quarter as South Barber pulled away from a 22-8 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Dighton 52, Northern Valley 6 – Dighton, with just nine players, led Northern Valley, 28-0 midway through the second quarter, 36-6 at halftime and cruised to a 52-6 victory. Blair Hoffman rushed for 106 yards and three scores, while his twin brother Dalton has more than 180 total yards with a rushing score and two touchdown catches. Blair Hoffman also added three touchdown passes and 120 passing yards. The Hornets improved to 8-2 on the season.
Otis-Bison 66, Hutchinson Central Christian 52 – The wild contest went just a shade under three hours. Central Christian ran 101 plays for 496 yards. Otis-Bison had all 405 yards on the ground and recorded just 35 snaps. Otis-Bison quarterback Anton Foust, who has averaged 15.7 yards a carry this season, finished with 19 rushes for 291 yards and seven scores. Seth Hoopingarner had 14 carries for 114 yards and two TDs. He tallied touchdowns on three straight offensive plays. However, standout Central Christian junior quarterback Caleb Lambert - son of former Sterling College head coach Chuck Lambert – had a massive game with 29 of 49 passing for 277 yards with three scores against one interception. He rushed 39 times for 144 yards and five scores. Otis-Bison’s offensive line play and 2-point conversion defense (Central Christian was 2 of 8) proved the difference. Otis-Bison trailed 14-8 after the first quarter and led 36-28 at halftime. Central Christian opened the second half with recovering back-to-back onside kicks and pulled to within 36-34 at one point
6-Man Football
Weskan 55, Pawnee Heights 38 – Weskan scored three times in the second quarter to build a 35-18 halftime lead. The Coyotes maintained that advantage in the second half in knocking the defending 6-Man champion Tigers out of contention for a repeat title.
Golden Plains 71, Ashland 46 – Golden Plains handed Ashland its first loss of the season and knocked out the 6-Man South champions, 71-46. Nolan Ritter scored three touchdowns in the first half and Caleb Korte added another as the Bulldogs led 28-13 at the break. Ritter added three more touchdowns in the second half as the Bulldogs advanced to an all 6-Man North final against Weskan. Weskan defeated Golden Plains 52-46 during the regular season.
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