Class 6A
The biggest surprise in 6A on Friday night was the Shawnee Mission Northwest Cougars eliminating Shawnee Mission West 14-10. With the win the Cougars (6-4) avenged a 37-13 loss to the Vikings in week two. SM Northwest will take on Olathe East in next Friday’s Sectional Round.
Olathe East rallied from a 16-0 deficit to slip by Lawrence Free State 20-16. It was the Hawks’ second win over the Firebirds this season as they shut out Free State 17-0 in week six.
Defending champion Olathe North broke open a 28-21 game with Shawnee Mission North to advance 48-21.
Manhattan stifled a late Derby rally with a Jordan Nelson kickoff return for a touchdown right after the Panthers had pulled within 34-28 in the fourth quarter. The Indians won 47-28 and advanced to the sectional round where they will travel to Dodge City for a match-up of unbeatens. The Red Demons handled Haysville Campus, 42-14.
Class 5A
Blue Valley and Bishop Miege was circled on our map as having the potential to be the best first-round game in the state and it sure lived up to that billing. The Tigers built a 35-14 second-half lead before Miege came storming back behind two Max Shortell touchdown runs sandwiched around a Shortell scoring pass to Tre’ Parmalee. After the second of Shortell’s touchdown runs, Miege elected to go for two and the win, but the two-point conversion pass failed and the Tigers advanced with a 35-34 win.
Two Centennial League schools who took a beating in the regular season both advanced to the sectional round in 5A. Shawnee Heights outscored Mill Valley 56-30 behind a big night from Donnie Lockhart, and Topeka Seaman held on for a 24-20 road win at previously once-beaten Lansing.
Heights’ reward is a trip to Gardner-Edgerton next week to try and shut down Starling and the Blazers. Gardner-Edgerton shutout Bonner Springs 70-0 on Friday night.
Are the Hutchinson Salthawks beginning to look vulnerable? After pummeling traditional power Salina Central 60-7 earlier this season, the Salthawks had to outscore the Mustangs 55-42 to advance to the second round. They’ll travel to Emporia next week to take on the Spartans – 29-12 winners over Kapaun Mt. Carmel.
McPherson kept rolling with a 42-19 win over Alex Bontz and the Andover Central Jaguars. The Bullpups will travel to Bishop Carroll next Friday as Alan Shuckman’s Eagles throttled Great Bend 49-13.
Class 2-1A
Oskaloosa executed their game plan to perfection in the first half, grinding the clock and playing keep-away from St. Marys Colgan. At the half, the Bears trailed Colgan 7-6 and had run 35 plays to the Panthers 12. In the second half, however, Colgan began to find its rhythm under emergency-quarterback Andy Farmer and the Panthers pulled away, 40-6.
Colgan will take on another set of Bears next week as St. Marys will travel to Pittsburg after dispatching of Washington County 46-12 behind a huge night from Dorian Sills-Berry.
In the other half of the east bracket, Centralia and Olpe held up their end of the deal in setting up a really good match-up in Olpe next Friday. The Panthers opened their title defense by beating Onaga for the second time this season, while Olpe rolled past Valley Falls 35-6.
Probably the biggest surprise in Class 2-1A from Friday night was how low scoring the Ell-Saline and Sacred Heart game turned out to be. The Knights has averaged over 40 points per game in their last five contests, while Ell-Saline has scored 82 points in the two games since Tate Omli’s return. The Cardinals won a defensive battle on Friday night, 14-3.
Stanton County traveled north and put it to an Ellis team decimated by injuries. The Railers were missing as many as six starters and the Trojans took advantage for a 52-7 win. The playoff win was the first for the Trojans since 2003.
In the bottom half of the west bracket, Meade continued to roll by eliminating Atwood-Rawlins Co. 47-7, and LaCrosse shutout a 3-6 Moundridge team 30-0. The Buffaloes (9-1) and Leopards (10-0) will hook up in the sectional round next Friday night in LaCrosse.
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