Believe it or not, we are now past the mid-point of the 2016 high school football season. Week 5 has come and gone and with it two top-ranked teams went down on Friday night. We also have district play underway in both 8-Man classes and beginning in Class 2-1A.
Let’s take a look at several of the outcomes that caught our attention from Friday night.
Silver Lake wins the War, ends Rossville’s 32-game win streak
Entering Friday’s game, the last team to beat the Rossville Bulldawgs was their rivals from Silver Lake. Rossville’s last loss came 27-13 to the Eagles in the Class 3A semifinals in November of 2013.
On Friday the second-ranked Eagles traveled to No. 1 Rossville and ended the Bulldawgs’ 32-game winning streak with a 36-28 win.
Silver Lake jumped out to a 22-0 lead before Rossville would pull to within 22-7 at halftime. The Bulldogs got a Jacob Bradshaw touchdown run in the third quarter to tighten the score to 22-14.
Silver Lake would expand the lead with a third quarter touchdown, then quarterback Dalton Dultmeier’s 8-yard scoring run on the first play of the fourth quarter put the Eagles in control 36-14.
But it wasn’t going to be that easy.
Rossville responded immediately with a long touchdown pass from Jacob Bradshaw to Cole Shumacher to pull within 36-21.
Then Silver Lake began to have trouble hanging on to the ball.
An Eagle fumble gave Rossville the ball at the Silver Lake 29-yard line. Bradshaw made an incredible “Horak-ian” run to get the Bulldawgs inside the five-yard line. Dawson Hammes scored two plays later to pull Rossville to within 36-28.
On Silver Lake’s next possession, Dultmeier scrambled around and lost the ball. The fumble set Rossville up in plus territory at the Eagle 36-yard line. This time, Silver Lake’s defense stiffened and forced the Bulldawgs into an incompletion on fourth down.
Silver Lake sustained a long drive down to the Rossville 20-yard line, but the Eagles again turned the ball over. This third gift gave Rossville the ball at their own 20 with three minutes remaining.
But again the Eagle defense forced the Bulldawgs to turn it back over on downs.
Aquinas scores late to hand Mill Valley its second consecutive loss
With 9:42 remaining in the game, St. Thomas Aquinas looked to be in control. The Saints had just turned two Mill Valley fumbles into touchdowns and built a 33-19 lead.
But the defending 5A champs would rally behind a pair of Cameron Young touchdowns; the second coming with just 2:06 remaining. The Jaguars’ two-point conversion left the game tied at 33.
Aquinas wasted little time. The Saints scored on a 35-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Will Swanson to Joseph Clune to take a 40-33 lead with 1:26 remaining.
Mill Valley marched down field and had a chance. With six seconds remaining, quarterback Brody Flaming heaved a ball into the end zone that Aquinas knocked away. But Aquinas was flagged for a personal foul on the play, giving Mill Valley an untimed down.
Flaming’s pass to Ben Hartman was off-the-mark and Aquinas survived.
The Saints built an 18-6 lead in the first half and led 18-13 at halftime.
Things do not get any easier as the Jaguars travel to Bishop Miege next week.
Derby runs away from Carroll, 49-13
Derby turned its marquee matchup with Bishop Carroll into a laugher. Class 6A’s top-ranked Panthers scored in each quarter and shutout Carroll in the second half en route to a 49-13 win.
Quarterback Dan Dawdy hit Kenyon Tabor on a 45-yard touchdown pass and Brody Kooser added a 29-yard touchdown run to put the Panthers up 14-0.
Carroll would respond with a Braden Howell touchdown pass to pull within 14-6.
The teams would exchange touchdowns. Kooser scored on a short run for Derby, and Gage Gottschalk scored on a 1-yard run for the Golden Eagles to make the score 21-13 Derby.
Kooser then returned the ensuing kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown and a 28-13 halftime lead.
The second half belonged to Derby as Dawdy rushed for a touchdown and threw a second touchdown pass to Tabor. Tabor added a third touchdown reception from Hunter Igo.
Clifton-Clyde outscores Herington to remain unbeaten
In the Kpreps Fan’s Choice for Game of the Week, Clifton-Clyde topped Herington 50-36 to remain atop the District 3 standings in 8-Man, Division I.
Herington jumped out to a 12-0 lead and remained in front for much of the first half. Clifton-Clyde took advantage of special teams in blocking a Railer punt and converting it into points late in the second quarter. The Eagles led 20-18 at halftime.
The lead grew to 28-18 in the third quarter before the Eagles stretched it back out to 34-24. Herington answered in one-play to pull within 34-30. Clifton-Clyde expanded its lead to 42-30 late in the third quarter, and 50-30 mid-way through the fourth.
Caleb Charbonneau rushed for four touchdowns, while Drake Steinbrock added a pair of scoring runs for the Eagles.
Dodge City rallies in second half to beat Wichita South
It was a tale of two halves in Dodge City as Wichita South built a 19-0 lead at halftime only to see the Red Demons storm back to win 35-19.
Dodge City quarterback Dawson Williams broke a long touchdown run in the third quarter to get the Red Demons on the board. Shortly after, Clay Carpenter returned a Wichita South fumble for a touchdown.
Williams would add another touchdown run early in the fourth quarter to put Dodge City up 21-19. South fumbled on their first play of the ensuing drive and Carlos Rojas returned the fumble for a Dodge City score.
Williams added his third touchdown later in the quarter.
South took advantage of Dodge City turnovers in the first half to built their three-score advantage. Titan quarterback Evan Kruse threw a long touchdown pass to A.J. Hopper to open the scoring. Dodge City fumbled on the ensuing drive and South’s Payton Collins returned the fumble for a touchdown.
The Titans scored late in the half after another Dodge City fumble.
Hoisington tops Pratt in battle of undefeated CKL teams
Hoisington scored in each quarter in picking up a key Central Kansas League win in a game that both teams entered without a loss.
Hunter Hanzlick rushed for three consecutive touchdowns to expand the Cardinals’ lead from 13-7 in the second quarter to 32-7 in the fourth quarter.
The Cardinals rushed for more than 325 yards on the night led by Cam Davis’ 130-yard effort.
Pratt’s second touchdown came in the final minute of the game.
Big second half lifts Maize South over Mulvane
Corey Minks rushed for a touchdown and hauled in an Ethan Richardson touchdown pass to help Maize South rally from a two-score deficit to beat Mulvane, 38-35.
Jayden Price rushed for two touchdowns and passed for another as Mulvane built a 21-9 halftime lead.
But the Mavericks scored a pair of touchdowns out of the locker room to take a 24-21 lead in the third quarter. Richardson threw a touchdown pass to Bradyn Wiens and then gave his team the lead on a short touchdown run.
Price and Mulvane answered right back as the Wildcat quarterback broke a 65-yard touchdown run for a 28-24 lead.
Minks’ two touchdowns put Maize South up 38-28 in the fourth quarter before Pricce threw a touchdown pass to Dalton Blaine.
Price passed for 215 yards and three touchdowns while adding 175 yards rushing and two scores.
Hutchinson Trinity tops Ell-Saline in defensive battle
Hutchinson Trinity scored with less than a minute to go to top Heart of America League rival Ell-Saline, 8-0.
The game remained scoreless until 39 seconds left in the fourth quarter when Adam Sattler broke free for the game’s only touchdown.
Trinity improved to 4-1 on the season, while the Cardinals dropped to 3-2.
Santa Fe Trail scores late to top Wellsville
Santa Fe Trail likely wrapped up the Pioneer League title by rallying late to beat Wellsville, 26-21.
Charger back Peyton Newton scored with 16 seconds left on the clock to give his team a 26-21 lead. Newton finished with 222 yards rushing and a pair of touchdowns on the night.
Santa Fe Trail held leads of 12-0 in the first half and 20-8 at halftime. Wellsville scored a pair of touchdowns to take a 21-20 lead with 3:27 remaining. The Chargers regained the lead on Newton’s touchdown run with 16 seconds left.
Trajen Smith led Wellsville with two passing touchdowns and another on the ground.
Washington County holds off Jackson Heights for big district win
Washington County held off Jackson Heights, 22-14, in a key game in 2-1A District 2.
The Tigers scored a pair of touchdowns in the first half and converted their two-point attempts in taking a 16-6 halftime lead.
Jae Eaton rushed for a pair of touchdowns to lead the Tigers, while Wyatt Olberding and Mason Thomas each scored for the Cobras.
Tonganoxie tops Lansing by a touchdown
Tonganoxie improved to 4-1 on the season with a 28-21 win over Lansing.
The Chieftains scored twice in the third quarter to take a 28-14 lead, and held on for the win. Jordan Brown rushed for 134 yards and two touchdowns to lead Tonganoxie.
Tongy rushed for 250 yards on the night.
Mason Beach tossed a 50-yard touchdown pass to Mac Thompson that turned out to be the deciding score.
Lansing quarterback Dylan Jenkins tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Jalen Douglass.
Top-ranked Holcomb rallies in 4Q to win at Colby
Holcomb trailed the Colby Eagles 13-7 entering the fourth quarter on Friday night. The defending 4A-II champs then scored three touchdowns to defeat the Eagles, 27-13.
The Longhorns’ Conner VanCleave caught a pair of touchdowns in the final quarter from Trey Gilbert. Brandon Stegman later added a short touchdown run to complete the scoring.
Use your Facebook account to add a comment or start a discussion. Posts are subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook name, photo & other personal information you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment.
