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Kpreps takes you Around the Brackets to recap first-round playoff action from Thursday & Friday night.
Class 6A
VIEW: 6A BRACKET
6A – EAST
1-Blue Valley Northwest 68, 8-Olathe South 31 – Blue Valley Northwest earned a 37-point win versus Olathe South in a game that was 28-24 at halftime before the Huskies pulled away with a 33-0 third quarter. Northwest has its most wins since 2009. Grant Stubblefield finished with 27 carries for 232 yards and four TDs. Mikey Pauley accounted for five touchdowns, including two on the ground and three touchdown passes. Nick Cusick caught two touchdowns from Pauley. Northwest finished with 624 total yards, including 476 rushing, and was plus-three in turnover margin.
4-Olathe North 49, 5-Olathe Northwest 13 – Olathe North used a 21-0 third quarter to pull away from Olathe Northwest and defeat the Ravens for the second time this season. Noah Palmer passed for 188 yards and three touchdowns – two to Jacob Parrish who caught four for 94 yards. Joshua Parrish hauled in Palmer’s other touchdown pass among his 46 yards receiving. Aquantez Love scored twice on the ground for the Eagles. Olathe North defeated Northwest 35-13 back in Week 8.
7-Blue Valley West 35, 2-Blue Valley 28 – Blue Valley West outscored Blue Valley 28-7 in the second half to eliminate the second-seeded Tigers, 35-28. Quarterback Gage Roach rushed for a touchdown and threw a touchdown pass to Jack Ratigan in the third quarter to even the game at 21-21. Jaguar running back Sage Huffman then scored his second rushing touchdown early in the fourth quarter to put the Jaguars up 28-21. Blue Valley would answer mid-way through the fourth as Michael Solomon scored from 23 yards out to knot the game at 28. But Blue Valley West would respond again. Huffman capped his 168-yard rushing effort with his third touchdown run with less than two minutes to go to give Blue Valley West the 35-28 victory. Roach added 102 yards on the ground and passed for 150 for the Jaguars.
6-Shawnee Mission Northwest 63, 3-Olathe West 28 – After surrendering a 22-point lead in a 39-34 loss to Olathe West earlier this season, Shawnee Mission Northwest exploded for 63 points to ensure the Owls couldn’t catch them. The Cougars started the scoring with a big play on special teams as Mason Clark recovered a blocked punt in the end zone for a 7-0 lead. The Cougar offense was paced by Malik O’Atis who rushed for 140 yards and scored five touchdowns on the night. Blake Reeder added 179 yards passing for the Northwest offense, including a long touchdown strike to Jack Meylan.
6A – WEST
1-Derby 63, 8-Wichita East 26 – Derby remained unbeaten by overwhelming Wichita East with a steady dose of Dylan Edwards. Edwards rushed for four touchdowns, caught a touchdown pass, and returned a punt for another score as the Panthers pulled away for a 63-26 win. Edwards’ touchdown run from 8 yards out with :01 second remaining in the first half gave the Panthers a 35-12 lead.
5-Lawrence Free State 42, 4-Washburn Rural 10 – Free State shut down Washburn Rural in winning 42-10 on the road. The Firebird defense limited Rural to less than 200 yards of total offense on the night. Washburn Rural scored on a kickoff return from Robby Bolin in the first quarter that tied the game at 7. Jet Dineen rushed for 185 yards and three scores for Free State. The Firebirds led 21-7 at halftime and scored three more touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game away. Dash Cleveland added 95 yards rushing and a score for the Firebirds.
2-Manhattan 38, 10-Gardner-Edgerton 35 – Grant Snowden connected on a game-winning field goal on the game’s final play to propel Manhattan to a 38-35 win over 10-seed Gardner-Edgerton. Offensively, Manhattan was led by senior running back Vinny Smith, who rushed for 172 yards and four TDs on 24 carries. Quarterback Keenan Schartz added 148 rushing yards and 67 through the air.
6-Lawrence 38, 3-Junction City 21 – Lawrence went on the road and eliminated third-seed Junction City, 38-21. The Lions scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to extend a 17-14 lead to 31-14 and take control. Shance Wilkerson rushed for this third touchdown of the game to put the Lions up 10, then Brayden Heck’s short scoring run made the lead 31-14. Quarterback Truman Juelsgaard led the ground game with 122 yards and a touchdown, while Wilkerson added 79 yards. Juelsgaard also passed for 129 yards on the night. Lawrence advances to take on another Centennial League opponent in Manhattan on Friday.
Class 5A
VIEW: 5A BRACKET
5A – East
1-Mill Valley 42, 8-Shawnee Heights 7 – Defending-champion Mill Valley scored three touchdowns in the third qurater to pull away from Shawnee Heights in a 42-7 victory. The Jaguars led 14-7 at halftime before Hayden Jay threw a pair of touchdown passes in the third quarter to extend the lead. Jay passed for 237 yards and four touchdowns on the night and he added a rushing score. Reice Kennedy led the Jaguar ground game with 104 yards and Kendrick Jones caught two touchdown passes.
12-Blue Valley Southwest 44, 4-Topeka Seaman 37 – Blue Valley Southwest rallied from a big deficit and edged Topeka Seaman for a second consecutive season. Seaman led this game 37-23 in the third quarter before the Timberwolves began a run of 21 straight points. Dylan Dunn’s touchdown pass to Jacob Laurie with :14 seconds remaining broke a 37-37 tie and propelled Southwest to the quarterfinals. Blue Valley Southwest beat Seaman 27-21 in the playoffs last season.
7-St. Thomas Aquinas 35, 2-Spring Hill 7 – St. Thomas Aquinas scored three touchdowns in the first quarter in cruising to a 35-7 win at Spring Hill. Quarterback Maxxwell Ford rushed for a pair of touchdowns in the opening quarter and Sean Carroll added his first of three scores on the night. Carroll finished with 139 yards and three touchdowns on the ground, while Gianni Rizzi added 78 yards rushing. As a team, Aquinas rushed for 388 yards. The Saints defense held Spring Hill to 145 total yards including negative 48 net yards rushing. Zach Knowlton finished his brilliant season with 103 yards and a touchdown on three catches for the Broncos. Spring Hill again played without quarterback Fletcher Pankey.
6- De Soto 31, 3-Pittsburg 0 – De Soto went on the road and turned in a dominating performance at Pittsburg, 31-0. The Wildcats took a 14-0 lead in to halftime on the strength of touchdown runs by brothers Ethan and Tyler Schultze. Tyler broke a long touchdown run in the third quarter to give De Soto a 21-0 lead. The Wildcats later added a field goal and a Bryson Brummer touchdown run to complete the scoring.
5A – West
1-Kapaun Mt. Carmel 37, 8-Maize South 21 – Dylan Hamilton opened the scoring with a long touchdown pass to Isaac Schmitz for the Crusaders. Kapaun Mt. Carmel led 10-0 after the first quarter and 23-7 at halftime. The Crusader lead increased to 37-14 after three quarters. This marked the first ever meeting between KMC and Maize South. KMC has its best playoff showing since ’13.
4-Wichita Northwest 66, 5-Salina Central 21 – Wichita Northwest delivered another dominant effort in a 45-point victory versus Salina Central. Northwest has averaged 53.7 points per game. Northwest led 19-14 after the first quarter and 39-21 at halftime. Senior Geremiah Moore had 24 carries for 223 yards with five touchdowns. Northwest ran 53 plays for 486 yards. Moore was a perfect 5 of 5 for 55 yards with two scores. Northwest beat Salina Central, 68-12, last season. Those are the only two matchups the teams have ever had. Northwest has reached the 5A state title game the last three years and has won seven in a row this season. The Grizzlies get a rematch with City League rival Kapaun. In Week 3, Kapaun beat Northwest, 34-17.
7-Hays 18, 2-Andover 6 – Hays High improved to 8-2 and advanced to the state quarterfinals for the third time in school history, first since 1995. The Indians received 190 rushing yards and three rushing TDs from senior quarterback Jaren Kanak, a Clemson commit. Gavin Meyers paced the defense with three sacks, and Iden Baalman forced a key fumble. Kanak scored on a three-yard run inside the final two minutes of the first half. He tallied a 35-yard run in the third quarter and a 24-yard run in the fourth. HHS will play an 11th game for the third time in school history.
3-Maize 28, 6-Bishop Carroll 21 – Maize used another big performance from junior quarterback Avery Johnson in a seven-point victory versus Bishop Carroll. Maize was 0-4 all-time versus Carroll. Carroll led 7-0 after the first quarter, and the game was tied at 14 after three quarters. Maize outscored Bishop Carroll, 14-7, in the fourth quarter. Quarterback Avery Johnson rushed for the game-winning score from 18 yards out. Johnson, with multiple Power 5 offers, completed 12 of 19 passes for 143 yards. He rushed 13 times for 163 yards and four TDs. Maize outgained Bishop Carroll, 381-306.
Class 4A
VIEW: 4A BRACKET
4A East
8-St. James Academy 35, 1-Basehor-Linwood 7 – Defending-champion St. James Academy forced five turnovers in defeating No. 1 Basehor-Linwood, 35-7. The Thunder defense came up with five interceptions on the night. Quarterback Jackson House passed for 254 yards and three touchdowns, including 165 yards and two scores to John Niesen on eight receptions. Tyler Claiborne added 61 yards receiving and a score and rushed for an early touchdown. Zach Sisemore added another 100-yard game to his resume for Basehor-Linwood, finishing with 106 yards on 25 attempts.
5-KC Piper 27, 4-Paola 21 – Senior quarterback Blake Porter rushed for three touchdowns and passed for another as the Pirates beat Paola for the first time since 2016. Porter threw for 267 yards. His leading receiver was Colin Vigil with 10 catches for 162 yards. Paola beat Piper 24-19 in the regular season. It was the final game for Paola head coach Mike Dumpert who announced his plans to retire along with long-time assistant Steve Gorsuch after this season. Dumpert posted a 188-57 record during his 23 seasons as head coach at Paola. Jovanni Blackie completed his stellar career at Paola with 174 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
10-Bishop Miege 33, 2-Chanute 21 – Bishop Miege scored a pair of touchdowns in the second quarter to take a 20-7 lead and held off a strong Chanute team, 33-21. Miege scored on the opening drive of the game on a touchdown pass from Mac Armstrong to Rohan Putz to lead 6-0. Chanute answered for its only lead on a Ty Leedy scoring run. Armstrong would then hit Putz for a 35- yard score and Jaylen Burch added a 1-yard touchdown before half. After a scoreless third quarter, Chanute scored on an Eric Erbe touchdown pass to Kam Koester to pull within 20-14. Miege responded less than two minutes later as Armstrong hit Christian Bowen-Webb for a 27-yard touchdown pass for a 27-14 lead. Erbe’s touchdown sneak mid-way through the fourth quarter pulled the Blue Comets within 27-21, but Burch capped the scoring with a 6-yard toss play with under three minutes to go. Burch rushed for 108 yards and two scores, while Putz was exceptional with nine catches for 145 yards and two scores. Putz also had a 34-yard punt return that set up one of the Stags touchdowns. Leedy ran tough for Chanute adding 127 yards to his season total.
6-Eudora 50, 3-Atchison 7 – Eudora dominated the entire second-round contest against third-seeded Atchison, winning 50-7. Gage Hayden rushed for three touchdowns to lead the Cardinals, while Octavius Lyles added two more rushing scores. Hayden also tossed a touchdown pass to Adrion Seals in the game. Brayden Beerbower and freshman Errol Siemon also rushed for scores.
4A West
1-Buhler 59, 9-Winfield 20 – Buhler beat Winfield for the second time this season. In the first meeting, Buhler beat Winfield, 18-7. This time, the Crusaders behind another big game from running back Sam Elliott and quarterback Bradley Neill. Passing-wise, Neill finished 8 of 10 for 198 yards and three TDs. Elliott rushed for 143 yards and four touchdowns, per the Hutchinson News. Senior Tanner Tustian finished with three catches for 78 yards and a TD.
4-Mulvane 18, 5-McPherson 16 – Mulvane beat McPherson for the second time this year after a 22-12 regular season victory. The Wildcats have a seven-win improvement from last year and is 8-2 with eight straight victories. McPherson led a good portion of the first meeting before the Wildcats came back. This time, Mulvane led 6-0 with 38 seconds left in the first quarter after a touchdown run from Mason Ellis. Ellis added another TD run early in the second quarter for a 12-0 lead. Mulvane bumped the advantage to 18-0 with 9:37 left in the game when Mason Ellis tossed a TD pass to Ian Comer. Hunter Seier picked off a key pass midway through the fourth quarter. McPherson outgained Mulvane in both games this year. Mulvane continued its excellent pass defense with 17 of 35 passing for 207 yards with a TD and an interception. Ellis finished with 25 carries for 116 yards and two TDs. Trent Moses, who has significantly bettered Mulvane’s defense since he came out for football this year, finished with 13 tackles, six TFLs and four sacks.
2-Wamego 34, 7-Augusta 7 – The Red Raiders are now on a nine-game winning streak after dropping the season opener to Concordia in four overtimes. In Friday’s win over Augusta, quarterback Hayden Oviatt ran for three touchdowns and passed for two more. He finished with 175 yards on the ground and 115 more through the air. Wamego will host Andover Central in this week’s quarterfinal round.
3-Andover Central 49, 6-Towanda-Circle 10 – Andover Central dominated Towanda-Circle in a 39-point victory. The Jaguars have won four in a row and have an average score of 33-11. Senior Kai Kunz had another highly efficient game with 17 of 19 passing for 201 yards with three TDs against one interception. Junior Jace Rees recorded 12 carries for 53 yards. Central’s defense recorded six TFLs, picked off three passes and recovered a fumble. Andover Central moved to 10-0 versus Circle since ’04. Circle finished 6-4, its best record since 2001.
Class 3A
VIEW: 3A BRACKET
3A EAST
Frontenac 31, Galena 6 – Frontenac went on the road to Abbey Field and knocked out CNC League rival Galena, 31-6. Collin McCartney gave the Raiders an early lead on a short touchdown run, but Galena would answer as Brett Sarwinski hit Dawson Mooney for a score. Frontenac led 14-6 at halftime. The Raider defense came up with three interceptions in the second half – two by Mario Menghini – to set up touchdowns as they pulled away for a 31-6 victory.
Rock Creek 28, Topeka Hayden 21 – Dalton Whitworth threw two touchdown passes to Ethan Burgess as Rock Creek won at Hayden, 28-21. Hayden led 13-7 at halftime, but Rock Creek took a 14-13 lead in the third quarter on a Jaydon Winans touchdown run. Hayden would answer with a long touchdown sprint from J.C. Cummings to go back on top 21-14. Whitworth would then hit Burgess in stride as he pulled away from the defense to tie the game at 21. With about three minutes remaining, Whitworth hit Burgess on the right side, he made the defender miss, and raced to the end zone for what proved to be the winning score.
Girard 32, Parsons 13 – Girard beat Parsons, 32-13. The Trojans are 10-0 and continue their best season since 1999. Girard rushed for 368 yards, per the Parsons Sun. All of the points were scored in the first three quarters. Girard led 13-7 after the first quarter and Parsons tied the game at 13 with 8 minutes, 9 seconds left in the second quarter. Then, Luke Niggemann threw an 18-yard TD pass to Brecken Troike for a 20-13 lead with 5:35 left in the first half. Alex Coester scored on a TD run with 50 seconds remaining in the first half. Coach Jeff Schibi had an impressive turnaround at Parsons with a 7-3 season. Parsons won a playoff game for the second time in 45 years this year.
Holton 41, Perry-Lecompton 0 – Holton ended Perry-Lecompton’s bid for a third-straight 3A state title game with a 41-0 shutout. Garyson Booth and Matt Lierz each rushed for early touchdowns as the Wildcats built a 14-0 lead. Lierz then returned a punt 70 yards for a touchdown for a 21-0 and Booth reversed field for a 12-yard touchdown and a 28-0 halftime lead. Holton then added a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter to complete the scoring.
3A WEST
Concordia 30, Riley County 14 – Concordia lost, 48-7, to Riley County for the district title. However, Riley County missed standout quarterback Trey Harmison because of injury. The Panthers improved to 8-2, and 8-0 when they tally at least 30 points. Concordia has a three-win uptick from last year. Senior Keyan Miller rushed 21 times for 191 yards, including a 67-yard run and a touchdown. Senior Cav Carlgren tossed a pair of TD passes. Senior Aidan Poore ran back an interception for a score. Junior Stryker Hake picked off two passes and is Concordia’s all-time leader in career interceptions.
Andale 51, Holcomb 0 – Defending-champion Andale rolled into the quarterfinals with a dominant 51-0 performance over Holcomb. The Indian defense shut down Holcomb’s passing attack limiting Kaden Johnson to 14 of 23 passing for 77 yards and an interception. Holcomb finished with minus-9 net yards rushing on 11 attempts. Andale rushed for 320 yards led by Jonah Meyer’s 121 yards and a touchdown. Gage Prosser added 97 yards and a score on the ground on ten carries.
Southeast of Saline 52, Chapman 6 – Southeast of Saline continued its dominant season with a 52-6 win over Chapman. The Trojans got another huge night from quarterback Luke Gebhardt. Gebhardt completed 16 of 24 passes for 232 yards and six touchdowns. He also added 60 yards on the ground. Southeast of Saline will take on unbeaten Cheney in the quarterfinals next week.
Cheney 21, Wichita Collegiate 3 – Cheney defeated Wichita Collegiate by 18 and won its tenth game for the first time in school history. The teams combined for 125 plays for 354 total yards in a defensive-minded contest. Cheney is 19-1 since the start of last season with its lone loss to Wichita Collegiate. Cheney’s defense limited Collegiate standout quarterback Wesley Fair to 6 of 24 passing for 52 yards for zero touchdowns against two interceptions. He also rushed 18 times for 43 yards. Collegiate had no rush longer than nine yards. Cheney led 7-0 after the first quarter when Luke Grace caught a 23-yard TD pass. Collegiate closed to 7-3 at halftime when Jack Duarte kicked a 34-yard field goal. In the third quarter, Jack Voth returned a punt 50 yards for a score. Harrison Voth finished 13 of 25 passing for 202 yards with a TD.
Class 2A
VIEW: 2A BRACKET
2A EAST
Riverton 28, Osage City 22 (OT) – The Rams topped Osage City in overtime and advanced to the quarterfinals for the first time since 2008. Osage City built a 14-0 halftime lead before the Rams got things going in the second half. Derek Larison has returned from an injury and rushed for a short touchdown run. The Rams scored twice in the fourth quarter to get the game tied at 22 and Riverton then prevailed in overtime. The Ram defense held Osage City to 64 rush yards on 22 attempts. Riverton improved to 8-2, which is the school’s most wins since it went 12-1 and fell in the semifinals to Silver Lake.
Rossville 32, Nemaha Central 12 – Rossville won its 23rd straight game by rallying past Nemaha Central, 32-12. The Bulldawgs have outscored teams, 49-8. Senior Corey Catron again spelled injured Torrey Horak at quarterback. Catron completed 11 of 19 passes for 149 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Catron finished with 30 carries for 105 yards and three scores. Horack returned to the field for the first time since being injured in the Silver Lake game. He played some on defense and caught a 21-yard pass from Catron.
Wellsville 49, Humboldt 8 – Wellsville running back Nash Money finished with 11 carries for 244 yards and six scores. He has rushed 174 times for 1,497 yards and 29 rushing TDs. Wellsville has an average margin of 44-6. Senior offensive lineman Eddie Lopez (6-5, 315) has significant MIAA interest, including from Emporia State, and junior Kaleb Green has enjoyed a big year. Senior Jake Berg has enjoyed a nice year after he came over from Baldwin. Wellsville led Humboldt 28-0 after the first quarter and 42-0 at halftime. Overall, Wellsville ran 31 plays for 445 yards. Senior Cruz Farley finished with six tackles, 2.5 for loss.
Silver Lake 51, St. Marys 36 – Silver Lake held off St. Marys for the second time this year. The Eagles defeated St. Marys, 29-28, in Week 2. Silver Lake has won 19 in a row against the Bears dating back to 2004. Silver Lake led 14-8 after the first quarter and 28-24 at halftime. The Eagles scored a lone TD in the third quarter, and outscored St. Marys, 15-12, in the fourth quarter. Brogan Renfro delivered four rushing touchdowns and a receiving score for the Eagles.
2A WEST
Hillsboro 41, Chaparral 14 – Hillsboro built a 33-0 lead and cruised to a 41-14 win over Chaparral. Matthew Potucek passed for 243 yards and two score and rushed for 112 yards and two more scores for the Trojans. Duncan Duell had 104 yards receiving and a touchdown for Hillsboro. Wyatt Drouhard passed for 114 yards and two scores to finish his remarkable season for Chaparral.
Beloit 51, Cimarron 6 – Beloit, a 2A semifinalist in 2020, cruised into the quarterfinals. Benson Berndt rushed 20 times for 212 yards and five scores. Beloit led 22-0 after the first quarter and 35-0 at halftime.
Kingman 28, Garden Plain 21 – Kingman won its ninth straight game with its 28-21 victory versus Garden Plain. Kingman defeated the Owls, 10-7, in district play earlier this season. The Eagles have reached the quarterfinals for the first time since 1999. Those are the deepest advancements in school history since a state runner-up showing in 1972. Garden Plain senior running back Reed Adelhardt finished with 36 carries for 231 yards and two scores. Garden Plain delivered 411 yards of total offense, but committed three turnovers.
Thomas More Prep 36, Hoisington 27 – TMP has won its first playoff games since a state semifinal showing in ’02. The Monarchs played an impeccable first half and built a 26-6 lead. Kade Harris returned a kickoff for a score. Hoisington closed to 26-20 and then 33-27 after a one-yard touchdown run by Legend Robinson. However, Jace Wentling kicked a key 37-yard field goal to make the margin two scores. Harris finished with 13 carries for 146 yards and two scores. Five players finished with double-digit tackles. TMP was 0-8 versus Hoisington since ’04. This year, Hoisington had won eight straight after a Week 1 loss to Pratt.
Class 1A
VIEW: 1A BRACKET
1A EAST
Olpe 35, Jackson Heights 0 – Olpe rolled to another shutout and has now only allowed 12 total points this season. The Eagles have shut out eight of their nine opponents this season. Olpe has defeated Jackson Heights twice the season – each by an identical 35-0 score. Last season, Olpe also defeated Jackson Heights 35-0 during the regular season and 53-0 during the playoffs.
Jefferson Co. North 48, Troy 8 – Jefferson County North beat Troy for the second time this season after a 22-12 win in district play. Troy led 8-0 before the Chargers scored 48 straight points. Caleb Worthington rushed 18 times for 127 yards and three scores.
Centralia 41, Valley Heights 0 – Centralia rolled over Valley Heights with a 41-0 shutout victory. The Panthers are 12-1 in the last 13 meetings versus Valley Heights. Centralia has won six straight in the series. The Panthers beat Valley Heights, 41-16, back in Week 4. The Panthers will play host to Lyndon in the quarterfinal round. Centralia beat Lyndon, 26-0. Last year, Centralia beat Lyndon 48-17 during the regular season before Lyndon eliminated the Panthers 26-14 in the quarterfinal round.
Lyndon 44, Wabaunsee 33 – Lyndon pulled a bit of a surprise upset versus Wabaunsee, previously ranked fifth in Class 1A. Lyndon 16-14 after the first quarter, 30-20 at halftime, 38-27 following three quarters. The Tigers intercepted a pair of Charger passes and limited the Wabaunsee ground game to 26 rush yards on nine attempts.
1A WEST
Inman 54, Oakley 16 – Inman led 38-0 after three quarters before Oakley tallied 16 points in the fourth quarter. Inman has allowed just 34 points all season. Jace Doerksen and Dawson Mannebach combined for 17.5 tackles. The first touchdown came on a two-yard pass from Doerksen to Kendyn Blank. Tanner Heckel and Doerksen each had short rushing touchdowns in the first half. In the third quarter, Doerksen tossed a pair of touchdown passes. Blank recorded two tackles for loss, Mannebach and Grant Thimmesch one apiece.
Conway Springs 27 Plainville 14 – After a scoreless first quarter, Conway Springs struck first on an 85-yard punt return for a touchdown by Izic Billups. Brayden Kunz then rushed for a pair of touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass from Billups as the host Cardinals built a 27-0 lead over the visiting Cardinals. Kyle Werner and Anders Dewey added touchdown runs to pull Plainville within the final margin. Kunz rushed for 159 yards and two scores for Conway Springs, while Billups passed for 91 yards. Ethan Hamilton led Plainville with 125 yards on the ground.
Sedgwick 33, Ell-Saline 6 – Sedgwick defeated Ell-Saline for a second time this season. Lance Hoffsommer passed for 159 yards and a touchdown and rushed for more than 100 yards and two more scores to lead the Cardinal offense. Sedgwick will take on Smith Center in next week’s quarterfinal round.
Smith Center 56, Whitewater-Remington 6 – Smith Center rolled over Whitewater-Remington in a 50-point win. The Redmen have at least seven straight years of eight wins. In six of those years, Smith Center has captured at least nine wins. This marked the first all-time meeting versus Whitewater-Remington.
Class 8-Man, Division I
VIEW: 8M-I BRACKET
8M-I EAST
Sedan 34, Chase County 26 – Sedan erased an early 14-0 deficit and scored immediately after two, fourth-down stops in the second half to top Chase County, 34-26. Mitch Budke’s 27-yard option keeper gave the visiting Bulldogs a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. After Sedan scored on a Brec Long touchdown run, Brock Griffin added a touchdown to push Chase County’s lead to 20-6. Sedan responded as Long broke a 37-yard touchdown run and a then hit Jeremiah Prince on a 44-yard scoring pass to lead 22-20 at halftime. In the third quarter, Sedan stuffed Budke on 4th-&-2 at midfield and on the next play Long connected with Isaiah Smilko wide-open for a 37-yard score and a 28-20 lead. Shortly after, Sedan again stopped Budke on fourth down. The next play, Long went 32 yards on a QB draw for a touchdown and a 34-20 lead. Chase County pulled within one score and had the ball back late, but Prince sealed the victory with a late interception of Budke.
Canton-Galva 66, Clifton-Clyde 20 – Canton-Galva dominated Clifton-Clyde and its strong defense with a 46-point victory. Canton-Galva led 24-12 after the first quarter and 38-20 at halftime. Canton-Galva outscored Clifton-Clyde, 22-0, in the third quarter. Garrett Maltbie completed 9 of 11 passes for 193 yards and four TDs. He rushed 18 times for 153 yards and four scores. Tyson Struber delivered eight catches for 179 yards and three scores. Canton-Galva delivered 452 yards of total offense. Struber also had a five-yard TD run. Canton-Galva, which won the state title in 2019, is into the quarterfinals for the fourth straight year.
Madison 56, West Elk 6 – Madison pulled away for a 56-6 win over West Elk thanks to a big night from Bryson Turner. Turner rushed for 313 yards and five touchdowns – the shortest of which was 39 yards. He also hauled in a touchdown reception from Casey Helm.
Little River 42, Burlingame 26 – Little River held off a quality Burlingame team in a 16-point victory. The defending state champion Redskins bumped its winning streak to 18 games. Little River trailed 14-0 at the end of the first quarter. The teams were tied at 20 at halftime. Little River scored eight points in the third quarter and 14 in the fourth quarter. Braden Young scored on rushing TDs of one, 56 and 20 yards in the second quarter. In the third quarter, Rylan Konen delivered a 23-yard TD pass to Braxton Lafferty. Then, Lafferty scored on a two-yard run, and Konen tallied an eight-yard TD run. Little River outgained Burlingame, 356-191. Young and Lafferty both exceeded 100 yards in total offense. Konen completed 9 of 13 passes for 154 yards.
8M-I WEST
Goessel 50, Macksville 16 – Macksville responded to an early Goessel score with a Ryan Kuckelman touchdown to take an 8-6 lead in the first quarter, but it was short-lived. Jake Flaming returned the ensuing kickoff 74 yards for a touchdown and the Bluebirds never looked back as part of a 50-16 victory. Flaming’s return started a run of 30-consecutive points for Goessel to build a 36-6 advantage. The Bluebirds were aided by forcing four Macksville turnovers on the night. Grant Bryant rushed for 148 yards and four touchdowns to lead Goessel, while Jake Wiens added 114 yards and a score.
Meade 54, WaKeeney-Trego 6 – Meade dominated a high-octane WaKeeney-Trego squad that had scored at least 42 points in every contest. The Buffaloes have won 12 straight contests, second-most in eight-man football behind Little River. Meade has an average score of 50-9 this season. Senior Torren Haynes completed 5 of 5 passes for 138 yards and three scores. Meade delivered 15 rushes for 234 yards and four scores. Haynes notably rushed five times for 165 yards and three TDs. Junior Grayden Stapleton recorded four catches for 131 yards and three TDs. Senior Korben Clawson delivered 11 tackles.
La Crosse 58, Argonia-Attica 56 – La Crosse lost to Argonia-Attica in Week 10 last season. This year, the Leopards won their eighth straight in a thrilling finish. Caden Morgan found Gage Burk for the game-winning TD pass with a second left. A&A had taken the lead with 44 seconds left. The Titans led 20-8 after the first quarter, 26-20 at halftime and 40-34 after three quarters. Sophomore Caden Morgan delivered 11 of 21 passing for 186 yards and three scores. Senior Colby Stull had another huge game with 27 carries for 278 yards and four scores. A&A senior quarterback Xander Newberry finished his great career with 236 passing, 92 rushing and six TDs accounted for. Stull cleared the rare 5,000-yard plateau and stands at 5,059 career rushing yards.
Hill City 68, Hoxie 48 – Hill City beat Hoxie for the second time this year. The teams collectively tallied more than 100 points in both contests. Hill City won 61-40 in the first meeting. The Ringnecks have the second-most wins in school history. They have averaged 52.5 points per game and has won seven straight games. Tight end/safety Derek Keith and guard/linebacker Ayden Nickelson were the team’s players of the game. Hill City led 14-8 after the first quarter and 28-20 at halftime. Sophomore Aiden Amrein completed 14 of 22 passes for 318 yards with four TDs against one interception. Amrein had 20 rushes for 82 yards and two scores. Junior Kaleb Atkins delivered 18 carries for 117 yards and two TDs. Amrein has now accounted for 46 touchdowns after he missed a sizable chunk of his freshman year with injury. He has 2,591 yards accounted for this season.
Class 8-Man, Division II
VIEW: 8M-II BRACKET
8M-II EAST
Waverly 54, Marais des Cygnes Valley 14 – Waverly used a big third quarter to pull away from Marais des Cygnes Valley, 54-14, and advance to the quarterfinals round. The Bulldogs led 16-0 at halftime, but extended that lead with 24 points in the third quarter for a 40-8 lead heading to the fourth. Damian Foster rushed for four touchdowns and caught a touchdown pass from Ben Meehan for Waverly. Meehan and Koy Myers also rushed for touchdowns for the Bulldogs. Waverly will host No. 1 Axtell in the next round.
Axtell 52, Hanover 26 – Top-ranked Axtell knocked out defending-champion Hanover, 52-26, on the strength of a 16-0 fourth quarter. Hanover scored consecutive touchdowns within a minute of game time as Emmitt Jueneman and Keagan Dimler each rushed for short touchdowns mid-way through the third quarter to pull the Wildcats to within 28-26. Axtell would score the next three touchdowns to pull away. First Eli Broxterman broke an 11-yard run for a 36-26 lead. Isaac Detweiler then threw touchdown passes to Evan Buessing and Broxterman in the fourth quarter. Detweiler passed for 142 yards and two scores and added 201 yards rushing and three touchdowns. Hanover again played without quarterback Braelen Stallbaumer.
Lebo 50, St. Paul 0 – Lebo scored four times in the first quarter and ended the game at halftime, 50-0, over St. Paul. Kyle Reese rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns and passed for two more scores to lead the Wolves. Luke Davies caught a touchdown pass and returned interception for another score.
Thunder Ridge 58, Frankfort 8 – Thunder Ridge and Frankfort were tied 8-8 after 1Q before the Longhorns pulled away for a 50-point win. Dylan Bice rushed for 212 yards and four touchdowns on 14 attempts. Bice also added 91 yards passing on the night, but the Longhorns scored all eight touchdowns on the ground. Olin Brown added three rushing scores and finished with 60 yards on nine carries. Thunder Ridge also defeated Frankfort 60-12 earlier this season.
8M-II WEST
Victoria 58, Caldwell 52 – Victoria never trailed and held off Caldwell, 58-52, in a game that essentially came down to the final play of the contest. The Knights led 36-14 late in the first half. Caldwell finished the first half with a touchdown and scored a pair of TDs to open the second half to tie the game at 36. The teams alternated scores before Carson Werth caught a line drive nine-yard TD pass for a 50-44 lead. Then, Grant Schoenrock delivered a 35-yard TD run for a 58-44 lead. Caldwell scored on a six-yard run from Brody Perkins and made the two-point conversion to cut the margin to 58-52. Then, Victoria had a turnover on downs at the Caldwell 20. On their last possession, the Bluejays advanced inside Victoria territory and narrowly missed a long pass to Dawson Bristor. On 4th-and-10, Seth Schwien forced a quarterback hurry on Keiondre Smith and an incomplete pass. Smith completed 12 of 21 passes for 312 yards and four TDs. He also rushed 27 times for 83 yards and a score. Caldwell outgained Victoria, 493-328. However, the Knights recovered four fumbles, including a scoop-and-score by Schoenrock. Werth delivered 24 carries for 181 yards and three scores and returned a kickoff 54 yards for a TD. This marked Caldwell’s last football game before they form a co-operative agreement with Sumner County’s South Haven.
Dighton 52, Quinter 22 – Dighton pulled away from Quinter with a 22-6 final quarter to eliminate the Bulldogs, 52-22. After a scoreless first quarter, the Hornets carried a 14-8 lead into halftime and extended that lead to 30-16 after three quarters. Quinter had defeated Dighton 36-22 back in Week 2 of the regular season.
South Barber 20, Norwich 12 – South Barber avenged an early-season loss to Norwich (26-24) with a 20-12 playoff win on Friday. The Chieftains took an 18-6 lead into half time thanks to a Briggs Jewell touchdown pass right before halftime. South Barber found tough running against the stout Norwich defense managing 135 rush yards on 55 attempts. Jewell passed for 151 yards and two scores and added a touchdown run as well.
Wheatland-Grinnell 53, Bucklin 22 – Bucklin fumbled on the first play of the game and Wheatland-Grinnell quickly turned it into points for an 8-0 lead. That turned out to be the only score of the first quarter, and the Thunderhawks lead was 14-0 at halftime. Wheatland-Grinnell got things going in the second half as Isaac Mendez had a huge night. Mendez rushed for 246 yards and five touchdowns and added 93 receiving yards and a score. Trey Vincent passed for 350 yards and two scores, while Jett Vincent had five catches for 137 yards and Ryan Heier added 94 yards and a touchdown on nine catches.
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