Class 4A– Division II
East: No. 1 Columbus (11-0) at No. 4 Holton (8-3)
One Class 4A, Division II semifinal features top-ranked Columbus traveling to Holton to take on the fourth-ranked Wildcats.
Columbus, the only remaining unbeaten team in 4A-II, advanced to the state semifinals with a hard-fought 36-27 win over Santa Fe Trail. The Titans led the Chargers 21-20 after three quarters and added a pair of touchdowns in the fourth to hold off Santa Fe Trail. Jace McDown (6-0, 220) rushed for 186 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Titans.
McDown has been the constant for Columbus this season. The senior running back leads the state of Kansas in rushing with 2,504 yards and has scored 36 rushing touchdowns. McDown averages 227.6 yards per game and 12.3 yards per carry. For his career, McDown has rushed for 5,349 yards and 70 touchdowns.
The Titans as a team average 522 yards of total offense and 52 points per game. The majority of the production has been through McDown on the ground (4,200 rushing yards as a team), but quarterback Trey Robinson has been ultra-effective during his senior season. Robinson began the year with 26 straight completions and to date has completed nearly 76 percent of his passes for 1,489 yards and 17 touchdowns.
His top receiving target has been senior JaVohn Morrill who has 37 receptions for 916 yards and nine scores. He’s also the Titans’ second leading rusher with 387 yards and six touchdowns. Morrill left last week’s win over Santa Fe Trail early in the game with an injury. Keenan Stanley is also a capable receiving threat with 20 catches for 342 yards and six scores.
McDown also leads the Columbus defense with 109 stops, while classmate Ethan Martin adds 92 tackles. The Titans surrender an average of 19 points per game.
On the other sideline, Holton has won six consecutive games and eight of their last nine. The Wildcats opened the season with consecutive losses to Silver Lake (23-22 in OT) and Maize South (20-13). Holton also dropped a 27-13 decision to Nemaha Central in Big 7 Conference play.
Like Columbus, the Wildcats typically keep things on the ground with 93 percent of their offensive snaps resulting in run plays. Holton has rushed for 3,600 yards led by Mason Barta’s (6-2, 205) 895 yards and 14 scores. Will Wright is second on the team with 647 rushing yards. Three other backs -- Justin Pool, Spencer Baum, and Justin Rieschick -- each have between 576 and 501 rushing yards.
Rieschick has thrown for 288 yards and two scores on the season, but has only completed two passes in the playoffs.
Holton advanced to the sub-state semifinal with a 22-7 road victory at Frontenac, a league rival of Columbus. In that game, the Wildcats grinded out 300 rushing yards at a clip of 4.5 yards per carry.
These two schools played in the state quarterfinals a year ago in Columbus with the Titans winning 22-21. Columbus went on to finish as the state runner-up to Andale in the first-ever year of the 4A-II classification.
Holton 26, Columbus 22 (Gilmore)
West: No. 2 Andale (9-2) at No. 3 Holcomb (9-2)
This marks a rematch from the Class 4A-II sub-state game from 2014. Andale won 57-13 and then defeated Columbus, 49-6, in the championship to complete a perfect season and dominant year. Last year’s meeting is the lone game between the two programs in the last decade.
Andale opened 1-2 with a 16-0 loss to Buhler and a 46-45 overtime defeat versus Wichita Collegiate before cruising through the rest of the regular season. However, the Indians have had some trouble in the playoffs. Andale escaped Nickerson, 60-45, and then won at Hugoton, 28-27, in overtime.
Holcomb also took a pair of early season defeats to GWAC foes Ulysses (34-20) and Scott City (15-7) in Weeks 3 and 4, respectively.
The Longhorns, preseason No. 2 in the rankings, has been on a tear in the playoffs with a 48-0 victory versus Concordia and a 55-14 road win versus Wamego, winners of four straight.
The teams are very similar in overall numbers but have different ways of succeeding. Andale has outscored opponents 456-189, while Holcomb has a 411-121 margin. Andale has an edge in strength of schedule. Prep Power Index gives Andale a 1-point edge. The Indians have three state titles, all in the last nine seasons and four sub-state showings, all from 1997-2008.Holcomb has tied the furthest advancement in school history, set in 1994 and last fall.
Holcomb senior quarterback Trey Teeter has paced one of the state’s top passing offenses with 212 passing yards and 176 rushing yards a game. He has enjoyed the best numbers of his career with 141 of 204 passing for 2,265 yards with 30 scores against five interceptions.
Junior Dillon Williams has 103 carries for 800 yards and 12 rushing TDs. He also leads the defense with 114 tackles. Four players have between 26 and 41 receptions and six or seven receiving TDs.
Senior Christian Merz has 44 catches for 981 yards and seven scores. Senior Braden Showalter is one of Kansas’ great ballhawking defensive backs with seven interceptions for 127 interception yards and two fumble recoveries for 10 yards. Holcomb has forced 32 turnovers and is plus-17 in turnover margin.
Of Andale’s seven regular season victories, none were closer than 20 points. Andale barely escaped Hugoton. The Eagles outgained Andale 233-218. Hugoton scored first in overtime and then missed its extra point. Then, Andale scored and converted for the victory.
Andale led 21-13 with 5 minutes, 39 seconds remaining before Hugoton scored with 41 seconds left and tied the score on a 2-point conversion. Andale, known more for rushing than Holcomb, collected 50 carries for 174 yards, though lost the turnover battle.
Tristen Dagenais paced the Indians with 15 carries for 77 yards with a touchdown, and Zach Meyer finished with 21 carries for 72 yards and a pair of scores. Meyer has cleared 1,000 rushing yards in his first season starting. Taylor Richter, in his first year as a starter after he transferred from Hoisington, added 4 of 8 passing with 44 yards. Jeff Ast added a 20-yard reception.
Holcomb didn’t play well, especially offensively, in its two strongest tests versus Ulysses and Scott City. The Longhorns, with arguably their best team in school history, have played much better since Week 4. Holcomb wins and will play for its first state crown.
Holcomb 48, Andale 40 (Nicholl)
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