Friday Fresh Take presented by Subway
On this Friday Playoff edition of the Subway Fresh Take, we’ll recap quarterfinal playoff action from the 11-Man classes as well as the 8-Man state semifinals.
Remember, next time you visit Subway, please thank them for sponsoring Kansas High School Football with Kpreps.com.
Class 6A
Blue Valley 35, Blue Valley North 14 – Blue Valley advanced to the state semifinals with a 35-14 win over Blue Valley North. The Tigers led 14-7 late in the third quarter when Matthew Dercher hit Harrison Van Dyne on a touchdown pass for a 21-7 lead. The Mustangs muffed the ensuing kickoff and Blue Valley recovered. One play later, Dercher rushed for a touchdown to put the Tigers up 21 points. William Evans added a fourth-quarter touchdown run for a 35-7 lead. Dercher threw touchdown passes to three different receivers in the game.
Shawnee Mission East 41, Shawnee Mission North 25 – Last time the Lancers and Indians met, Shawnee Mission East scored 77 points, including 70 in the first half. This meeting, Shawnee Mission North challenged the Lancers before falling 41-25. North cut the East lead to 14-12 late in the first half when Milton Braasch broke a 55-yard touchdown run to extend the Lancers’ lead to 21-12 at the half. The Lancers would score twice more to take a 34-14 lead in the fourth quarter before North pulled to within 34-19. Braasch rushed for his fourth touchdown to make the score 41-19 with under five minutes left.
Derby 40, Hutchinson 7 – Derby rolled to a 40-7 victory over Hutchinson behind a 27-point first quarter. Brody Kooser started the scoring with a short touchdown run after the Panthers blocked a Hutch punt. Dan Dawdy threw touchdown passes to Michael Littleton and Kenyon Tabor and added a short touchdown run to complete the first quarter barrage. Dawdy hooked up with Tabor again in the third quarter in addition to a touchdown pass to Kai Lemons. Dawdy passed for more than 350 yards and four scores, while Tabor had more than 200 receiving yards. Hutchinson limited Derby to 42 rush yards on 24 attempts. The Panthers held the Salthawks to 215 yards of total offense, all on the ground.
Lawrence Free State 17, Washburn Rural 14 – Sophomore Kameron Lake drilled a 40-yard field goal with 1:42 remaining to send Free State to a 17-14 victory over Washburn Rural. The Junior Blues had one last possession, but Free State’s Jay Dineen recovered a Rural fumble to seal the win. The Firebird defense was dominant on Firday night holding the Washburn Rural offense to 68 yards of total offense and no points. Rural scored on an 80-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Cody Ladson and a pick-6 by Tyler Cummings. Zion Bowlin and Jax Dineen each rushed for touchdowns for the Firebirds. Bowlin rushed for a game-high 162 yards.
Class 5A
Mill Valley 28, St. James Academy 14 – Cameron Young rushed for two touchdowns in the second half to lift defending-champion Mill Valley to a 28-14 victory over St. James Academy. The Jaguars and Thunder were tied at 14 at halftime before a Mill Valley interception set up Young’s first touchdown run that gave the Jags a 21-14 lead. Young scored again late in the game to ice the win for Mill Valley. Quarterback Brody Flaming rushed for a touchdown and threw a touchdown pass to Ben Hartman in the first half.
St. Thomas Aquinas 57, Topeka Seaman 21 – Aquinas played a great first half in building a 37-7 lead and rolling past Seaman, 57-21. Drew Hicks led Aquinas with 130 yards rushing and two scores, while quarterback Will Swanson passed for more than 200 yards and two scores. Swanson also rushed for a pair of touchdowns. The Saints rushed for more than 350 yards in the game.
Goddard 28, Wichita Heights 14 – Goddard shut out Wichita Heights in the second half and scored 21 points after halftime to defeat the top-seeded Falcons, 28-14. Heights led 14-7 at halftime, but the Lions tied the game in the third quarter on a Blake Sullivan touchdown run. Kody Gonzalez and Sullivan each added touchdown runs in the fourth quarter to provide the difference for the Lions. Sullivan rushed for more than 200 yards in the game and three scores.
Great Bend 28, Valley Center 24 – Top-ranked Great Bend scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to overtake Valley Center, 28-24. Josh Roeser scored on a short touchdown run with less than nine minutes remaining to put Valley Center up 24-14. Great Bend responded with a long touchdown drive capped by a 3-yard Jacob Murray touchdown run. The Panther defense then forced a punt, and Great Bend took the lead with a little more than 4 minutes left on a 54-yard touchdown pass from Murray to Bryce Lytle. Jensen Randall sealed the Panther win with a late interception of Hornet quarterback Wyatt Lange. Murray passed for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns in the win.
Class 4A, Division I
Basehor-Linwood 48, Ottawa 14 – Basehor-Linwood scored two touchdowns in each of the first two quarters to build a 28-6 lead in cruising to a 48-14 win at Ottawa. Eric Scott started the scoring for the Bobcats, but Ottawa answered to pull within 7-6. Zack McKnight’s touchdown run put Basehor-Linwood up 14-6. Chase Rollo added a pair of second-quarter touchdowns to push the lead to 28-6. Ottawa muffed the second-half kickoff leading to another Rollo score a few plays later. Quarterback Justin Phillips later hit Rollo on a touchdown pass for his fourth score of the game.
Bishop Miege 49, Louisburg 6 – Louisburg was within reach of Bishop Miege at halftime, but the Stags scored four touchdowns in the second half in winning 49-6. Miege took a 22-0 lead before Louisburg’s Grant Harding scored on a 7-yard run to pull within 22-6 at halftime. Louisburg nearly got closer before halftime as Harding hit Korbin Hankinson on a long pass play that put the Wildcats at the Miege 5-yard line with 5 seconds in the half. Miege quarterback Carter Putz threw two touchdown passes to Jafar Armstrong and two more to Landry Weber.
Buhler 24, Mulvane 14 – The Crusaders scored 17 consecutive points in the second and third quarters in topping Mulvane, 24-14. After Mulvane scored first, Buhler’s Ethan White hit Dalton Smyres on a long touchdown pass and Braden Rose connected on a field goal for a 10-7 halftime lead. The Crusaders added a Dalton Brown 57-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to go up ten points. Keaton Shoemaker pulled Mulvane within 17-14 after three quarters, but Brown broke a long touchdown run to give Buhler a two-score lead. Brown rushed for 285 yards in the win. Buhler advances to the semifinals to take on Maize South. The Crusaders gave the Mavericks their only loss of the season, 21-14 back in Week 4.
Maize South 35, McPherson 27 – Maize South defeated McPherson for the second time this season in advancing to the Class 4A, Division I semifinals. The Mavericks scored 21 consecutive points in the fourth quarter to turn a 20-14 deficit into a 35-20 lead. Quarterback Ethan Richardson’s 1-yard touchdown run put the Mavericks in the lead. Richardson scored two rushing touchdowns and passed for 120 yards. Andrew Bliss added a rushing touchdown and Max Domnick returned an interception for a touchdown to complete the Mavericks’ fourth-quarter scoring.
Class 4A, Division II
Topeka Hayden 40, Girard 12 – Hayden jumped out to a 33-0 halftime lead in rolling past Girard, 40-12. Tomas Stringer rushed for more than 100 yards and two touchdowns as the Wildcats racked up more than 350 yards on the ground. Isaiah Fisher led Girard with 134 yards rushing and both Trojan touchdowns.
Holton 32, Frontenac 28 – Holton scored all 32 points in the fourth quarter in shocking top-ranked Frontenac, 32-28. Tyler Price scored on a 1-yard run with 13 seconds remaining to give Holton the lead. Frontenac quarterback Brandon Mlekus completed a long pass past midfield on the final play, but time ran out on the Raiders. Frontenac led 21-0 heading into the fourth quarter. Spencer Baum’s touchdown run cut the lead to 21-8, and the Raiders muffed the ensuing squib kick which led to a Price touchdown to make it 21-16. Mlekus then fumbled on Frontenac’s next play setting up another Baum touchdown and a 24-21 Holton lead. Frontenac answered with a long drive and an Austin Madl touchdown run to lead 28-24. Holton then went on a 21-play, 84-yard drive the ended when Price crossing the goal line with 13 seconds left. Baum rushed for 180 yards to lead the Wildcats, while Mlekus rushed for 140 yards and passed for 145 for Frontenac.
Holcomb 44, Wichita Collegiate 29 – Defending champion Holcomb outscored a good Wichita Collegiate team 44-29 to advance back to the 4A-II semifinals. Holcomb grabbed a 14-0 lead after the first quarter and carried a 14-7 lead into halftime. The two teams alternated touchdowns in the second half with all four Holcomb touchdowns coming on Dillon Williams runs. Williams rushed for 193 yards and four scores in the win. Collegiate pulled to within 36-29 on a Cody McNerney touchdown pass to Cooper Root mid-way through the fourth quarter, but Williams scored again with 5 minutes remaining as the Longhorn’s regained their two-score lead. Holcomb advances on to host Pratt, the team that defeated the Longhorns 31-28 back in Week 8.
Pratt 38, Smoky Valley 6 – Pratt rolled into the semifinals with a 38-6 win over fellow Central Kansas League member Smoky Valley. The Greenbacks got on the board early as Travis Theis sprinted 80 yards for a touchdown on Pratt’s first play. Landon Studer hit Hunter Kaufman on a long touchdown pass, and Kaufman added a touchdown run as Pratt took a 21-6 lead. Theis scored again in the second quarter and Noah Myears added a field goal for a 31-6 halftime lead. The Greenbacks added a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Pratt will travel to Holcomb in the semifinals despite defeating the Longhorns 31-28 in district play earlier this season.
Class 3A
Nemaha Central 42, Wellsville 14 – Nemaha Central went to the air in beating Wellsville 42-14. Senior quarterback Ryan Hasenkamp passed for 250 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Thunder. Nemaha Central led 22-6 at halftime and expanded that lead to 35-6 heading into the fourth quarter.
Rossville 67, Caney Valley 31 – Rossville scored 21 points in the first quarter and 33 more in the second quarter in rolling past Caney Valley, 67-31. Jacob Bradshaw rushed for 369 yards and three touchdowns on only ten carries to lead the Bulldawgs. Rossville rushed for more than 560 yards in the game. Caney Valley rushed for 260 yards in the game led by Baylor Mechiori’s 115 yards and two touchdowns.
Hoisington 49, Garden Plain 8 – Hoisington scored 14 points in each of the first three quarters in cruising to a 49-8 win over Garden Plain. The Cardinals rushed for more than 460 yards in the game led by Cameron Davis’ 223 yards and three touchdowns. Hoisington held the Owls to 110 rushing yards on 36 carries and forced three turnovers.
Hesston 38, Phillipsburg 26 – Trailing 14-12 at halftime, Hesston’s Zach Vogt returned the second-half kickoff 85 yards for a touchdown to take the lead. Phillipsburg answered with a John Gower touchdown run to regain a 20-18 lead mid-way through the third quarter. The Swathers answered with a Parker Roth touchdown run and a 76-yard touchdown pass from Zach Esau to Cameron Cox to lead 32-20. Kirk Coomes’ touchdown run in the fourth quarter pulled the Panthers to within 32-26, but Esau answered by returning a Phillipsburg fumble 35 yards for a touchdown and the 38-26 lead. Esau passed for 250 yards and two scores. Phillipsburg rushed for more than 360 yards in the game, but the Panthers saw their 18-game winning streak come to an end.
Class 2-1A
Troy 46, Lyndon 19 – Troy pulled away from Lyndon in the second half to defeat the Tigers for the third consecutive season. The Trojans led 14-7 at halftime, but extended that lead to 39-7 before the Tigers got back on the board. Leading 14-7 in the third quarter, Brody Winder returned an interception for a touchdown and a 22-7 lead. Troy then recovered an onside kick and added an Alex Martinez field goal for a 25-7 lead. Cuttar Huss later added a long punt return for a touchdown at the end of the third quarter. Huss also rushed for two touchdowns in the game.
St. Mary’s Colgan 29, Washington County 20 – Colgan led 22-8 nearing the end of the third quarter and was driving deep in Washington County territory when a fumble ignited the Tigers. Washington County took over at the Colgan four yard line drove the length of the field and scored on a Jerrod Hoover touchdown run to pull within 22-14. The Panthers answered two minutes later with a 9-yard touchdown run by Max Wilson for a 29-14 lead. The Tigers added a touchdown pass from Hoover to Carson Talkington with 4:34 left to pull within 29-20, but could not get any closer. Colgan grabbed an early lead on a 98-yard touchdown pass from Billy Dickey to Jeremiah Buche. Washington County took an 8-7 lead on a Hunter Kier touchdown run, but Dickey’s pass to Alex Brown put Colgan up 15-8. Dickey added a 1-yard run late in the second quarter for a 22-8 lead. Dickey passed for 220 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the night. Kier led Washington County with 143 yards on 25 carries.
Plainville 49, Republic County 0 – Plainville jumped out to a 21-0 lead after the first quarter and cruised to a 49-0 win at Republic County. It was the Cardinals’ second win over the Buffaloes with Plainville winning 58-28 earlier in the season. The Cardinals advance to the state semifinals where they will host Smith Center. Plainville defeated Smith Center 20-16 in the season-opener. This is Plainville’s first semifinal appearance since 2011 when the Cardinals lost 13-6 to La Crosse.
Smith Center 42, La Crosse 20 – Smith Center pulled away late for a 42-20 win over La Crosse. The Redmen led 21-14 at halftime and by that same score late in the third quarter. La Crosse fumbled at the Redmen 4-yard line when driving for the tie, and Trace Haven broke an 85-yard touchdown run to put Smith Center up 28-14. Jasey Woods pulled the Leopards to within 28-20 on a touchdown run early in the fourth quarter, but Smith Center would answer with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns.
8-Man, Division I
Osborne 62, Burlingame 16 – Osborne used a big night from its backfield duo in rolling to a 62-16 win over Burlingame. Cullen Grabast rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns and threw a pair of touchdown passes in continuing to play for the injured Justin Burch. Denton Schurr added 108 yards and two scores on the ground. The Bulldogs grabbed control in the first half in taking a 34-8 lead. Osborne forced four Burlingame turnovers in the game.
St. Francis 36, Spearville 30 – One of the most anticipated games of the year lived up to its billing. St. Francis ended Spearville’s 24-game winning streak with a 36-30 victory sending the Indians to their first state title game in school history. The Lancers led 16-8 at halftime and had the half end with the ball at the St. Francis 2-yard line. Quinton Cravens tossed a long touchdown pass to tie the game at 16 mid-way through the third quarter. Cravens added a short touchdown run late in the third quarter to give the Indians’ their first lead at 22-16, and another early in the fourth for a 28-16 advantage. Spearville pulled to within 28-22 on a touchdown pass from Kolby Stein to Kyler Stein. Cravens answered with another rushing touchdown and a 36-22 lead. Spearville scored with just over a minute remaining to pull within 36-30. The Lancers then covered the onside kick and appeared to score with 19 seconds left on a touchdown pass, but the play was called back due to a holding penalty. Spearville had three touchdowns negated by penalties on the night.
8-Man, Division II
Hanover 48, Pike Valley 0 – Hanover posted its fifth shutout of the season by blanking Pike Valley 48-0. Hanover jumped out to a 28-0 lead at halftime. Will Bruna rushed for a pair of scores and threw a touchdown pass to Adam Zarybnicky. The Wildcats advance to their third consecutive state championship game with the last two coming in Eight-Man, Division I.
Dighton 40, Sharon Springs-Wallace County 32 – The Hornets led 20-0 after the first quarter, 28-0 at halftime and 34-0 midway through the third quarter when the Wildcats made a big comeback. Sharon Springs-Wallace County closed to within one score with 12 seconds left. However, its onside kick went right to Dighton senior standout Dylan Foos. Foos finished with six catches for 91 yards and three scores. Dighton quarterback Tyler Lingg had 172 passing yards with six scores against one interception. Wallace County senior quarterback Levi Johnson rushed for 142 yards and passed for 131. He threw two scores to Seth Johnson and rushed for another. Seth Johnson returned a kickoff 74 yards that closed the gap to 34-8. Dighton is in its first state title game in school annals and defeated Wallace County for the second time this year. The Wildcats went 8-4 and lost in the sub-state championship for the third consecutive season.
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