Class 4A
Is there any doubt as to what is the deepest league in 4A? All four remaining teams on the eastern side of the bracket are from the Frontier League.
League champion Louisburg reached the quarterfinals by outscoring Chanute 56-35, Baldwin outgunned KC Sumner Academy 56-36, DeSoto beat KC Piper 34-15, and Paola shutout Matt Bromley and Independence, 28-0. Next Friday, DeSoto will travel to Louisburg in a rematch of week five’s game won 28-7 by Louisburg. Baldwin will be at Paola where they won 32-14 to open the season back in early September.
The west side of 4A stayed true to form as the top-ranked Topeka Hayden Wildcats rolled past Mulvane to set up a quarterfinal showdown with Buhler. The Crusaders opened up a 7-6 game at halftime and pulled away from previously unbeaten Abilene, 39-7.
The game will mark the third consecutive year that the Crusaders and Wildcats have met in the playoffs. Hayden has won the previous two meetings, 35-21 in the state semifinals last fall, and 37-13 in the 2008 quarterfinals. Like the two previous meetings, this game will be played in Topeka.
Holton advanced into the quarterfinals by building a 14-0 halftime lead in beating traditional power Andale, 21-8. The loss marks Andale’s earliest departure from the playoffs since 2004 when Goodland eliminated the Indians 41-13 in the second round. Holton will advance to take on the Ulysses Tigers who ousted Hesston, 47-21. The Tigers will make the 375-mile trek to Holton next Friday night in hopes of their first state semifinal appearance since 2007.
Class 3A
While long thought to be the most competitive classification this season, the western side of 3A really proved its depth on Saturday as three teams pulled off what many would consider as upsets.
It started earlier in the afternoon when Hutchinson Trinity used a smothering defense to dethrone defending champion Wichita Collegiate. The Spartans’ offense was virtually non-existent in the first half as the Celtics built a 23-0 halftime lead and won 26-8.
As the afternoon progressed, perhaps another unexpected development began to take place as Smith Center jumped out to a 20-0 lead on second-ranked Scott City. Not that the Redmen winning football games is unexpected, but they certainly put together their most complete game of the season on Saturday.
Scott City would challenge within 20-14 at halftime, and eventually take their only lead at 21-20 in the third quarter. The two teams would be tied at 28 before the Redmen grabbed a 34-28 lead and forced a three-and-out on the Beavers’ ensuing possession. Smith Center would then do what it does best in driving the length of the field, eating up nearly 8 minutes off the clock, and putting the game out of reach with a touchdown and two-point conversion with 1:30 left. Scott City would tack on a late score with 30 seconds remaining, but could not come up with the onside kick.
Finally, Beloit and Norton played a classic under the lights with the Trojans coming out on top, 42-35. Trojan Coach Greg Koenig rolled the dice by going for a fourth-and-one on from their own 11-yard line. The result of the play was an 89-yard touchdown run that gave the Trojans a two-score advantage. Norton would quickly strike back and eventually take a 35-34 lead before the Trojans would punch in the winning score with around two-and-a-half minutes to go. Norton threw an interception in the closing seconds to see their season end at 9-1.
Top-ranked Conway Springs advanced by beating arch-rival Garden Plain for the second time this season. The Cardinals led 6-0 at halftime before pulling away for a 20-6 win. Conway Springs will now travel to Smith Center next Friday, while Hutchinson Trinity will visit Beloit.
On the East side, the Wellsville Eagles took advantage of multiple Neodesha turnovers and routed the Blue Streaks 55-12. Wellsville advances to the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2003 and will travel to Silver Lake to take on the Eagles. Silver Lake rolled past MEL rival Riley County, 42-18.
Another MEL teams is still alive as Rossville opened up a 40-8 lead and cruised to a 40-22 win over Effingham-Atchison County. The Bulldogs are on to the quarterfinals for the second consecutive year where they will host the Caney Valley Bullpups.
Caney Valley rolled past three-win Southeast-Cherokee 47-7 after leading 22-7 at halftime. Prior to Saturday night, the Bullpups had lost their last three second-round appearances.
Class 8M-I
The semifinals in Division I will come down to a pair of games featuring league rivals and rematches from district play.
Thought to be the clear-cut favorite in Division I, the Pretty Prairie Bulldogs saw their season come to an end 50-40 at home to Osborne. The Osborne Bulldogs used a backfield full of sprinters to race past Pretty Prairie in a game that went back-and-fourth several times.
Osborne advances to the state semifinals to take on Mid-Continent League rival Hill City. The Ringnecks slipped past Jetmore-Hodgeman County 26-20 on Saturday. Osborne handed Hill City its only loss of the season, 50-38 in district play. Meanwhile the Bulldogs have won nine straight games since a week two loss to Mankato-Rock Hills.
On the east side, Madison advanced by slowing down Central Burden’s high-flying passing attack, 58-12. They will face Lyon County League rival Lebo who outscored Colony Crest 50-40 on Saturday night. Madison shutout Lebo 46-0 in week seven this season, but Lebo has since had several kids impact players return from injury that missed that game.
Class 8M-II
As expected it will be an all Twin Valley League semifinal in the east as Baileyville B&B and Hanover will try to top their overtime classic from week six. B&B routed previously unbeaten Centre-Lost Springs 58-12, while Hanover overcame an early 14-8 deficit to rally past Caldwell 52-28.
On the west of the bracket, Otis-Bison traveled to the extreme northwest corner of the state and rolled past Cheylin 51-6 in a match-up of unbeatens. The Cougars, whose high powered offense was ousted in the second round by Quivira Heights last season, advance to the state semifinals where they will host Ashland. The Blue Jays held off Thunder Ridge 28-22
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