SALINA, Kan. – With cold and wet conditions resulting in a slick field, most would have thought Holton would have the advantage over Holcomb in the Class 4A, Division II title game at Salina’s District Stadium Saturday afternoon.
Add in that Holcomb senior quarterback Trey Teeter’s first pass was easily picked off and it seemed even more likely.
But Holcomb clamped down on Holton’s powerful running game throughout the afternoon and Teeter completed several big passes as the Longhorns captured their first state title in school history with a 21-0 victory over the Wildcats, breaking open a hard-fought defensive contest behind Teeter’s strong arm and a little luck.
“Our kids have gone through a lot,” second-year Holcomb head coach Kent Teeter said of his Longhorns, who finished the season 11-2. “We got the semifinals last year in football and so … these kids … that’s been their goal since Day 1.”
In fact, both teams were a little bit of a surprise to reach this year’s title game as both were expected to be rebuilding a little after suffering losses in the state playoffs last season.
Holcomb lost to Ulysses and Scott City in weeks three and four, while Holton dropped its first two games and was 2-3 through the first five games. But Holcomb reeled off eight straight wins and Holton had seven straight entering the title tilt, and both teams avenged losses in last year’s playoffs by pulling off upsets in this year’s semifinals. Holcomb upset defending champion Andale 26-13 last week and Holton shocked Columbus with a last-minute score and two point conversion for a 23-22 victory.
Both teams struggled to move the ball early on, as Holton first two possessions ended with a punt and a turnover on downs and Holcomb’s drives ended with a punt and an interception.
But Holcomb got its passing game going on its third drive. Teeter, the Longhorn’s senior quarterback, connected on a 31-yard pass to Christian Merz to open the drive, and later converted a crucial 4th-and-4 with a 25-yard pass to Brandon Stegman to the Holton 2. Dillon Williams’ 2-yard run at the 7:55 mark of the second quarter gave Holcomb a 6-0 lead.
“Last week, it was really windy, and our kids hate the wind even more than the cold and the sleet,” Coach Teeter said. “We just said ‘that’s who we are; we’re just gonna make it work.’ We found a way tonight to do it.”
And that they did, as they continued with the balanced attack they have had all season, getting 150 yards through the air and 128 on the ground.
Meanwhile, the run-dominant Wildcats could just never get it going, as they averaged barely three yards per carry (56 carries for 178 yards) and had only 13 yards through the air.
Senior Mason Barta, who came in averaging almost 6 yards per carry and just shy of 1,000 yards on the season, was held to 70 yards on 20 carries by the stubborn Longhorn defense
“They had a very good defense,” Holton head coach Brooks Barta said. “We struggled to run versus them and eliminating that part of our game is a big key.”
The game was special for both coaches, as their senior sons were critical parts of their team’s success this season.
“It was a special game and the fact that Coach Barta had a senior son and I had a senior son … that’s special in itself,” Coach Teeter said. “The community here has just taken in our family.”
The closest the Wildcats came to punching it in was late in the first half, but their drive ended at the Holcomb 10 when senior quarterback Justin Rieschick just missed senior tight end Kaden Brandt in the end zone as time expired.
“We just needed one more big play,” Barta said … “We had our chances and you have to give them credit.”
Holcomb dominated the third quarter, scoring twice, and ironically it was their running game that got them going. Stegman escaped for a 42-yard scamper to the Holton 23 on the first play from scrimmage of the second half. Six plays later, the Longhorns were in the end zone again, but it wasn’t without a little luck, as a 4th-and-goal pass from Teeter went off the hands of Holton’s Will Wright … and right into the waiting arms of Braden Showalter.
“It’s better to be lucky than good sometimes,” Coach Teeter said.
After Holton was forced to punt on their next drive, Holcomb wasted little time, despite having to start on their own 17. Stegman was stopped for no gain on the first play, but then Teeter hit Merz for 21 yards, Stegman picked up three on the ground, and Teeter hit a wide-open Showalter for a 59-yard run-and-catch to give the Longhorns an insurmountable 21-0 lead.
“They throw the ball really well,” Coach Barta said. “We were in good coverage position, but they were just able to make some big plays.”
Holton would have the ball two more times, but both drives ended in turnovers on downs, as Barta dropped to 3-4 in state championship games.
As for the Longhorns, they’re 1-0, and are hoping to start a similar tradition in southwest Kansas.
“It’s history in the making,” Coach Teeter said. “When we ended the year (last year), we walked away from the Andale game a little bit disappointed that we didn’t play better.”
“When we got here, I knew they weren’t just happy with being here … and they proved it.”
HOLC (9-4) 0-0-0-0 -- 0
HOLT (11-2) 0-6-15-0 -- 21
Scoring summary:
Second quarter
HOLC-D. Williams 2 run (run failed), 7:45, 0-7
Third quarter
HOLC-Showalter 7 pass from Teeter (pass good), 9:32, 0-14
HOLC-Showalter 59 pass from Teeter (kick good), 3:07, 0-21
Team Statistics
HOLT HOLC
First downs 12 11
Rushes-yds 56-178 28-128
Passing 13 150
Total offense 191 278
Fumbles (number-lost) 1-0 2-0
Penalties-yds 1-15 2-10
Punts-yds 4-126 3-88
Kickoffs-yds 1-25 4-152
3rd down conversions 6 of 15 3 of 9
4th down conversions 3 of 6 2 of 2
Individual statistics
Rushing-HOLT: Barta 20-70, Baum 19-44, Pool 9-38, Rieschick 7-23, Zeller 1-3; HOLC: Stegman 13-80, Merz 1-23, Williams 8-15, Teeter 3-9, Tichenor 2-4, Team 1-(-3)
Passing-HOLT: Rieschick 1-3-0, 13 yards, 0 TDs; HOLC: Teeter 6-9-1, 150 yards, 2 TDs
Receiving-HOLT: Brandt 1-13; HOLC: Showalter 2-66, Merz 2-52, Stegman 1-25, Vancleave 1-7
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