Class 6A
Wichita Heights used an efficient passing game to build a 21-0 halftime lead en route to a 35-3 win over Garden City. Heights quarterback Matt Reed completed 5 of 7 passes for 122 yards and three touchdowns. Kenneth Iheme led the Falcon ground attack with 80 yards and a touchdown, and also had a 61-yard touchdown catch. The Falcons advanced to the state semifinals and a rematch with Derby, who they defeated 49-35 in Week 9.
Derby outscored Manhattan 21-7 in the second half to upset the second-ranked Indians 39-28. Despite missing as many as seven starters in the game due to injury, Derby was able to advance thanks to a strong defense that shut down the Manhattan rushing attack. The Panthers held Manhattan to just 56 yards rushing on 35 attempts—including limiting Ty Suggs to 19 yards rushing on 13 carries. Back-up quarterback Kellen Sims threw for 161 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 210 yards and another score for the Panthers. Tyler West added 142 yards rushing and three scores for Derby. Manhattan quarterback Dakota Harwood threw for 235 yards and a pair of long touchdown passes to Trey Campbell who caught three balls for 161 yards.
Olathe East used a 28-point second quarter to build a 34-10 halftime lead in routing Shawnee Mission West, 46-16. John Blazevic, Kendall Kelly, and John Kelsh each rushed for touchdowns in that second quarter, and the defense got involved with a fumble return for a score. Kelly added a second touchdown run in the second half for the Hawks. Brett Sterbach led the Vikings with two touchdown runs.
Olathe South rushed for more than 530 yards in beating Shawnee Mission East, 55-42. The Falcons built raced out to a 28-7 lead in the first quarter on three Jordan Ward touchdown runs. Olathe South’s lead would be 35-21 at halftime, and grew to 55-28 before the Lancers tacked on a couple of late touchdowns to pull within the final margin. Ward finished with 290 yards rushing and five touchdowns on 26 attempts – 237 of his yards came in the first half. Dakota Collins threw for 272 yards and three scores for Shawnee Mission East. Senior Elliot Faerber caught nine passes for more than 100 yards and two touchdowns in his final game. Adam Lowe led the Lancers with 140 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
Class 5A
Top-ranked Blue Valley edged second-ranked Bishop Miege 24-21 – the exact same result and score from the regular season meeting. This time Blue Valley built a 17-7 lead behind a Kyle Zimmerman touchdown pass to Sean Skaggs, a Justin Fulks touchdown run, and a 22-yard field goal from Austin Johnson. Miege would pull within 17-14 at the half after Tre’ Parmalee caught a touchdown pass from Montel Cozart. Fulks scored his second touchdown in the third quarter as the Tigers increased their lead to 10, but Cozarts short touchdown run pulled the Stags back within a field goal. Driving last in the game at the Tiger 40, Miege picked came up a half-yard short on fourth-and-17 and the Tigers were able to run out the clock. Fulks finished with 141 yards rushing to go along with his two touchdowns runs. Cozart threw for 224 yards and a touchdown for Miege. Parmalee had seven catches for 115 yards and a score, while Quanzee Johnson added 102 yards rushing – including an 80-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.
Emporia scored took a 7-0 lead, but Bishop Carroll scored the next 40 points in a 40-7 win. The Eagles got 95 yards rushing and two touchdowns from John Linnebur, and Zeke Palmer threw for 163 yards and a score. Palmer also added 54 yards on the ground and a touchdown. Emporia was led by Derek Gifford who rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown.
Hutchinson advanced to the state semifinals behind a big night from Ja’Mon Cotton. The Salthawk running back carried 18 times for 231 times and three touchdowns as Hutchinson beat Kapaun Mt. Carmel 42-14. Cotton also caught a touchdown pass in the first half as Hutch built a 28-7 lead. Jake Bean led Kapuan with 89 yards rushing and two touchdowns. Hutchinson will try to get back to the state championship game with a win over Bishop Carroll in the semis. Carroll has defeated the Salthawks two straight times, including a 32-24 victory earlier this season.
Traevohn Wrench rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries as Gardner-Edgerton shutout Shawnee Heights 32-0. The Trailblazers built an 18-0 halftime lead on two scoring runs from Wrench and a Jared Hobby 1-yard run. Hobby would add two touchdown passes to Marcus Williams in the second half to seal the win. Hobby threw for 120 yards in the game. The sophomore Wrench has now rushed for 612 yards and nine touchdowns in his first two playoff games. Shawnee Heights was led by Cole Foster who threw for 171 yards.
Class 4A
Paola advanced to the state semifinals for the third consecutive season with a 35-21 victory over upstart Blue Valley Southwest. Tyler Henness rushed 28 times for 217 yards and four touchdowns, and Tanner Staats added 135 yards and a score on 17 carries for the Panthers. Paola built a 14-0 lead before Drew Tommelein returned a Panther fumble for a touchdown to pull Southwest within 14-7 at the break. Henness wrapped three second-half touchdown runs around two scoring runs by Blue Valley Southwest quarterback Aaron Ramsey. Paola will travel to Eudora as the representative from the east side of 4A will be from the Frontier League for the second consecutive season.
Eudora held on for a 20-13 road win over Chanute. The Cardinals led 12-7 at halftime and extended that lead to 20-7 in the third quarter on Gabe Cleveland’s third touchdown run. Chanute would pull closer in the fourth quarter on an 11-yard touchdown run by junior quarterback Brock Gilmore. Facing a fourth-and-six at the Eudora 15-yard line with 1:30 left to go, Gilmore’s pass was caught but the receiver was ruled out of the end zone and Eudora held on for the 7-point win. Cleveland led the Cardinals with 215 yards rushing to go along with his three scores. Chris Pyle added 100 yards rushing for Eudora. Gilmore threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Sam Son for Chanute’s other score.
Rose Hill made the most of their long trip out to Ulysses; taming the Tigers in a 56-14 win. Rocket quarterback Derrick Decker rushed for 251 yards and two scores on 19 carries as Rose Hill built a 28-14 halftime lead before shutting out the Ulysses in the second half. Junior running back Jonny Pearson added 161 yards and three scores for Rose Hill. The Rocket defense held Ulysses to just 121 yards on the ground led by Armando Sandoval’s 95 yards on 15 carries.
Top-ranked Topeka Hayden advanced to the 4A semifinals with a 21-14 road victory over second-ranked Buhler. The Wildcats broke a 7-7 halftime tie with a 26-yard touchdown pass from Grant Arnold to Brogan Berry in the third quarter. Hayden would extend its lead early in the fourth quarter on a short touchdown run by Arnold. Buhler pulled within a score with less than three minutes to go as Chandler Shantz hit J.P. Lohrentz on a 19-yard strike, but Shantz was later intercepted to seal the win for Hayden. Tanner Fisher led the Crusaders with 139 yards rushing on 12 carries. Arnold threw for 150 yards and two touchdowns for Hayden. The Wildcats were led on the ground by Jason Tetuan and Zack Weekley with 86 and 71 yards, respectively.
Class 3A
Second-ranked Conway Springs won the Saturday showdown with top-ranked Scott City 39-21. The Cardinals used a stifling defense and strong rushing attack to build a 26-8 halftime lead. Scott City’s ground game was limited to just 71 yards on 29 attempts, but quarterback Brett O’Neil threw for 261 yards to keep the Beavers close. Brian Doffing rushed for 149 yards and four touchdowns for Conway Springs, and Cory Misak added a game-high 171 yards rushing with one score. Scott City’s Colborn Couchman scored from 1-yard out in the fourth quarter, but was limited to just 21 yards rushing on 15 carries on the day.
Beloit raced out to a 20-8 lead at Garden Plain before Joey Capul led the Owls back. Capul rushed for 205 yards and scored six touchdowns to advance Garden Plain into the state semifinals and a rematch with rival Conway Springs. After a two-year absence, Garden Plain reached the substate game for the seventh time in the past nine seasons. Sophomore quarterback Peyton Vetter led Beloit with 123 yards on the ground and a touchdown, while throwing for 91 yards and three scores. Beloit took a 28-22 lead into halftime before Garden Plain outscored the Trojans 28-6 in the second half.
Defending champion Silver Lake won a defensive battle at Galena, 26-6. The Eagles led 7-0 at halftime and extended that lead to 13-0 in the third quarter before Galena’s Nick Sivert hit Chad Shepherd on a 16-yard touchdown pass to pull the Bulldogs within 13-6. Silver Lake would answer with a short Dailin Kruger touchdown run to lead 19-6. Kruger threw for 94 yards in the game, but was intercepted three times. Colby Haverkamp led the Eagles with 110 yards rushing. Galena managed just 94 yards of total offense on the night.
Rock Creek cashed in a late touchdown to eliminate Caney Valley, 16-8. Logan Miner led the Mustangs with 122 yards rushing and two touchdowns on 32 carries. Miner’s touchdown run on fourth down with under two minutes to go proved to be the winning score. Caney Valley drove into Rock Creek territory, but Nick Newton was intercepted at the goal line to seal the game. Newton led the Bullpups with 87 yards rushing on 13 carries.
Class 2-1A
St. Mary’s Colgan rolled to a 59-14 victory at Doniphan West by scoring on their first three offensive plays. The Panthers scored touchdowns on the first play after three consecutive Mustang punts to build a 21-0 lead. Christian Smith broke free for a 46-yard touchdown run on Colgan’s first play, and Sam Gilbert hit Jesse Newcomb on an 86-yard touchdown pass to on Colgan’s second possession. Zach Smith also broke a 54-yard TD run before Doniphan West freshman quarterback Tristan Speer hit Marc Ellis on a 60-yard touchdown pass to pull within 21-6. Zach Smith rushed nine times for 115 yards and two touchdowns, while Christian Smith added 114 yards and two scores on his nine carries. Speer threw for 158 yards and two touchdowns for Doniphan West. The Mustangs single-wing produced only 39 yards rushing.
Centralia rolled to a quarterfinal win over Riverside 52-18. The Panthers exploded for 30 points in the first quarter to buy the Cyclones. Senior quarterback Michael Glatczak carried 14 times for 241 yards and three touchdowns for Centralia. Glatczak also threw for 92 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Panthers carried a 44-6 lead into halftime. The Panther defense held Riverside running back Timmy Miller to 32 yards rushing on 12 carries. Derek Nold threw two touchdown passes and rushed for a third score for the Cyclones.
LaCrosse knocked off top-ranked and defending champion Meade 21-12 to advance to the state semifinals. The Leopards trailed only 12-7 at halftime thanks to a fourth down stop of Meade at the LaCrosse 4-yard line. LaCrossse quickly took control in the third quarter on a touchdown run form Austin Webs. Tayler Stull added another touchdown run in the third quarter to put the Leopards up two scores. Meade, out of its element and forced to pass, threw three interceptions. Quarterback Tayler Stull rushed for 159 yards and a touchdown to lead LaCrosse. Meade was led by junior running back Trevin Wiens who rushed for 108 yards and a touchdown, but carried only four times in the second half due to injury. LaCrosse will travel to Plainville in the state semifinals. The Leopards beat the Cardinals 14-8 in district play during the regular season.
Plainville won a defensive battle 6-0 over Stanton County to advance to the state semifinals. Cardinal quarterback Kyle Becker scored on a 1-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter, and the Plainville defense made those points stand up. Stanton County drove to the Plainville 4-yard line in the fourth quarter, but the Cardinals stuffed Trojan QB Brett Kendrick on fourth-and-one to preserve their slim lead. Stanton County other penetration into Plainville territory in the fourth quarter stalled out at the 34-yard line.
Class 8M-I
South Gray edged Osborne 42-38 in a wild game that featured five lead changes and some of eight-man’s best backs. The two teams traded leads in the first half as South Gray scored late in the second quarter on a Coulter Croft touchdown run to lead 20-16 at the break. Osborne opened the third quarter with a 39-yard touchdown run by quarterback Ethan Slothower to give the Bulldogs a 24-20 lead. South Gray would respond with two touchdown runs from Croft to give the Rebels a 34-24 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Osborne pulled to within 34-30 as Damon Schurr hit Kenton Ubelaker on a halfback pass, but once again Croft would respond with a touchdown run to build a 42-30 Rebel lead. Schurr pulled Osborne to within 42-38 with a short touchdown run, but Osborne’s final attempt at the lead resulted in an interception at the goal line. Croft and Wyatt Slaven each rushed for 186 yards for South Gray. Croft scored four touchdowns, while Slaven added two scores. Slothower rushed for 85 yards and two scores to lead Osborne, while Schurr rushed 18 times for 78 yards and two touchdowns. Slothower threw for 103 yards, but was intercepted two times. Ubelaker had 104 yards receiving for the Bulldogs.
Top-ranked Madison turned their showdown with second-ranked Lakeside-Downs into a rout with a 24 point second quarter en route to a 52-6 win. Kole Schankie rushed for 149 yards and a touchdown to pace the Bulldogs. Schankie also threw a touchdown pass to Dallas Thompson. Madison quarterback Collin Kile left the game with an injury and Tyler Williams stepped in under center and rushed for two touchdowns and threw for a third score. Lakeside standout running back Miles Thomas was held to 38 yards on nine carries. Quarterback Alex Renken threw for 72 yards and the only score for the Knights. Madison will try and repeat as state champions when they take on the South Gray Rebels in Newton on Saturday.
Class 8M-II
Baileyville B&B reached the state title game for the fourth consecutive season with a 42-20 road win over South Haven. The Falcons built a 28-12 halftime lead thanks to three Mitch Engelken touchdowns. Engelken rushed for 69 yards and two scores, and had a touchdown catch in the game. B&B was led by senior fullback Cody Heiman who rushed for 152 yards and two second-half touchdowns. South Haven quarterback Austin Showman threw for 214 yards and Blake Wilkey rushed for 55 yards and a score. The Cardinals finished the season with a 11-1 recored.
Thunder Ridge defeated Otis-Bison for the second time this season and earned a spot in the Eight-Man, Division II state championship game. The Longhorns built a 24-0 lead in the first half before Otis-Bison stormed back to pull within 32-20 in the third quarter. Thunder Ridge would respond with three consecutive scores to go up 54-20 and punch their ticket to the title game. Joel Struckhoff rushed for 210 yards and five touchdowns to lead Thunder Ridge, while Trevor Lowe added 137 yards and a score. Trevor Keller threw two touchdown passes and rushed for a third score to lead the Cougars. Patrick Piper also rushed for a touchdown for Otis-Bison.
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