HAYS – Keller Hurla scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with :13 seconds remaining to propel the St. Marys Bears to a 44-41 victory over the Inman Teutons in the Class 1A state championship game on Saturday at Fort Hays State’s Lewis Field.
Hurla’s score capped an impressive 99-yard drive that delivered St. Marys’ (11-2) first-ever state football championship.
The two teams went back-and-forth on Saturday both led by the play-making ability of their standout quarterbacks. Inman’s Tanner Heckel accounted for more than 400 yards of total offense and had a hand in five of the Teutons’ six touchdowns on the day.
Heckel’s third touchdown pass of the afternoon – all to Harrison Brunk – put Inman up 41-38 with 9:28 remaining in the game.
The Teutons (11-2) were again driving late when Heckel was hit at the 1-yard line by St. Marys linebacker Abe Huaracha and the ball was jarred loose. Sophomore Howie Rezac recovered for St. Marys, but the Bears faced the difficult task of driving the length of the field with 2:13 remaining and trailing by three points.
The Bears quickly made their way down the field and into Inman territory. After a pass interference penalty, Hurla hit Nate Hutley inside the 5-yard line. Two plays later, Hurla pushed across what would be the winning score with :13 seconds remaining.
Inman’s last desperation heave was intercepted by St. Marys.
The Bears overcame turnovers on the first play of each half on Saturday. The slow start helped Inman quickly grab a 12-0 lead on a touchdown run by Heckel and the first of Brunk’s touchdown catches from Heckel.
Hurla would answer back quickly for St. Marys with a short scoring run to pull within 12-8, then a 47-yard sprint and his second conversion run that gave the Bears a 16-12 lead.
Hurla then hit Huaracha on a 7-yard touchdown pass as St. Marys seemed to take control with a 22-12 advantage in the second quarter. But Heckel would pull Inman within 22-19 at halftime on a 30-yard run.
St. Marys’ fumbled on the first play of the third quarter leading to Samuel Shober’s 4-yard touchdown run that put Inman up 26-22.
Hurla and the Bears quickly answered with a 28-yard touchdown pass to Hutley putting St. Marys up 30-26 after Hurla’s two-point run.
The teams would trade scores one more time in the third quarter.
Brunk hauled in a 48-yard scoring pass from Heckel to put Inman ahead 33-30, but Hurla would answer right back with a touchdown pass to Huaracha from 28 yards to give St. Marys a 38-33 lead.
From there, Heckel’s final touchdown pass to Brunk put Inman up 41-38 in the fourth quarter and helped set the stage for the late turnover and Hurla’s heroics on the final drive.
Hurla finished his incredible season completing 21 of 33 passes for 403 yards and three touchdowns. He also added 94 yards rushing and three scores on 25 attempts.
Hutley pulled in eight receptions for 153 yards and a touchdown, while Huaracha caught seven for 149 and two scores.
Heckel completed nine of 15 passing for 267 yards and three scores and added 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns. Harrison Brunk caught six for 243 yards and those three scores.
Inman finished as the 1A state runner-up for the second consecutive season after falling 35-6 in last year’s title game.
ST. MARYS 44, INMAN 41
St. Marys (11-2): 0 -- 22 -- 16 -- 6 | 44
Inman (11-2): 12 -- 7 -- 14 – 8 | 41
FIRST QUARTER
Inman — Tanner Heckel 5-yard run (pass failed) – Inman 6-0
Inman — Harrison Brunk 42-yard pass from Tanner Heckel (run failed) – Inman 12-0
SECOND QUARTER
St. Marys — Keller Hurla 1-yard run (Hurla run) – Inman 12-8
St. Marys — Hurla 47-yard run (Hurla run) – St. Marys 16-12
St. Marys — Abe Huaracha 7-yard pass from Hurla (run failed) – St. Marys 22-12
Inman — Heckel 30-yard run (Felix Farnebo kick) – St. Marys 22-19
THIRD QUARTER
Inman — Samuel Shober 4-yard run (Farnebo kick) – Inman 26-22
St. Marys — Nate Hutley 28-yard pass from Hurla (Hurla run) – St. Marys 30-26
Inman – H. Brunk 48-yard pass from Heckel (Farnebo kick) – Inman 33-30
St. Marys — Huaracha 28-yard pass from Hurla (Hurla run) – St. Marys 38-33
FOURTH QUARTER
Inman – H. Brunk 28-yard pass from Heckel (Eli Brunk pass from Heckel) – Inman 41-38
St. Marys – Hurla 1-yard run (run failed) – St. Marys 44-41
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING:
St. Marys: Hurla 25-94, James Rezac 1-14, Brenden Griffin 1-4, Howie Rezac 3-1.
Inman: Heckel 18-137, Shober 9-29, Kellen Schrag 4-4, Josiah Buller 4-3.
PASSING:
St. Marys: Hurla 21-33-3, 403 yards.
Inman: Heckel 9-15-1, 267 yards.
RECEIVING:
St. Marys: Hutley 8-153, Huaracha 7-149, Kasen Gomez 5-74, Howie Rezac 1-27.
Inman: H. Brunk 6-243, Eli Brunk 2-25.
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