HUTCHINSON – The Cheney Cardinals seemed to be unphased by the driving snow at Hutchinson’s Gowans Stadium. After forcing Topeka Hayden to a three-and-out on its first possession, the Cardinals didn’t open with conservative play-calling due to the weather.
Instead, junior quarterback Josh Burdick began by hitting standout receiver Jackson Voth on a short pass that Voth raced down the sidelines for a big gain to the 16-yard line. On the next play, Burdick hit Drew Tolar on a 16-yard touchdown pass for a quick 7-0 Cardinal lead.
While many teams in the state seemed to have only a portion of their playbook available due to the slick, snowy conditions, Burdick passed for 227 yards and threw four touchdown passes as Cheney claimed the 3A state championship with a 34-7 win over Topeka Hayden.
It is the first state football championship in Cheney school history.
Topeka Hayden (12-1) tied the game at 7-7 early in the second quarter on a 39-yard wheel route from sophomore quarterback Connor Hanika to classmate Kade Mitchell.
Cheney (13-0) wasted no time regaining the lead.
Tolar hurdled a Wildcat defender and returned the ensuing kickoff 88 yards for a touchdown. The PAT missed wide and Cheney held a 13-7 lead.
That lead remained until early in the fourth quarter when Burdick lofted a 55-yard touchdown pass over the defense to Tolar. Grady Kuehn’s extra point gave the Cardinals a 20-7 lead with 9:31 remaining.
The Cardinals then surprised Hayden with an onside kick. Cheney would again shortly after as Burdick hit Colter McDaniel on a 15-yard touchdowns pass to take control, 27-7, with 7:28 left in the game.
Burdick would late ice the game away with a second touchdown pass to McDaniel, this one from seven yards out.
Tolar caught five passes for 115 yards and two scores to go along with his pivotal kick return. Voth had a team-high nine receptions for 76 yards.
Cheney managed just 33 net rush yards on 16 attempts.
Hayden was led by Hanika who passed for 74 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted twice. Hanika was starting just his third game of the season after junior starter Jett Wahlmeier went out with an injury in an early-round playoff game.
The Cheney defense limited Hayden to 46 yards rushing on 35 attempts. In his third game back from injury, Finn Dunshee rushed 11 times for 32 yards.
Hayden finished as state runner-up in football for the fifth time in school history. The Wildcats won state football championships in 1998, 2004, and 2008.
Cheney completed a remarkable unbeaten season that included a pair of come-from-behind victories over four-time defending champion Andale, and a field goal on the final play to edge Clay Center in the playoffs.
Cheney 34, Topeka Hayden 7
Cheney (13-0): 7 – 6 – 0 – 21 | 34
Hayden (12-1): 0 -- 7 – 0 – 0 | 7
Scoring Summary:
First quarter:
9:38 | Cheney – Drew Tolar 16-yard pass from Josh Burdick (Grady Kuehn kick), Cheney 7-0
Second quarter:
9:41 | Hayden – Kade Mitchell 39-yard pass from Connor Hanika (Mason Becker kick), tied 7-7
9:28 | Cheney – Drew Tolar 88-yard kickoff return (PAT kick failed), Cheney 13-7
Fourth quarter:
9:31 | Cheney – Drew Tolar 55-yard pass from Josh Burdick (Grady Kuehn kick), Cheney 20-7
7:28 | Cheney – Colter McDaniel 15-yard pass from Josh Burdick (Grady Kuehn kick), Cheney 27-7
1:13| Cheney – Colter McDaniel 7-yard pass from Josh Burdick (Grady Kuehn kick), Cheney 34-7
TEAM STATISTICS
CHENEY HAYDEN
Rushing 16-33 35-46
Passing (Comp-Att-INT) 19-30-1 12-22-2
Passing Yards 227 74
Total yards 260 120
First Downs 10 8
Turnovers 1 3
Punts-Avg 5-33.2 5-26.4
Penalties 4-50 2-20
Time of Possession 21:43 26:17
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING:
Cheney – Tre’ Black 4-17; Voth 7-15; Burdick 2-6; Levi Self 1-2
Hayden – Dunshee 11-32; Broderick Desch 11-29; Jensen Schrickel 3-9; Dom Ridley 2-7
PASSING:
Cheney – Burdick 19-30-1-227
Hayden – Hanika 12-21-2-74; Dunshee 0-1-0-0
RECEIVING:
Cheney – Voth 9-76; Tolar 5-115; McDaniel 3-22; Gavin Maas 2-14
Hayden – Dunshee 6-23; Schrickel 4-18; Mitchell 1-39; Treyton Tetuan 1-(-6)
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