Friday night’s semifinal matchups leaves a chance for the defending state champions to repeat in Class 6A, 5A and 3A, while new faces will be featured in next Saturday’s 4A and 2-1A title games.
In what may have been the state’s wildest game Friday night, Rose Hill held off Topeka Hayden 40-29 in Class 4A. The Rockets dominated early, take a 23-0 lead in the first half. The Wildcats got on board to make 23-7 at halftime. Rose Hill kicked a field goal on its opening possession of the second half to make it 26-7. After that, Hayden scored 22 straight points to make it a 29-26 game in the fourth quarter. However, Rose Hill showed resiliency to answer back with a 55-yard TD pass and then another late score to knock off a Hayden team that was ranked No. 1 for most of the season.
In the other 4A game, Eudora defeated Paola for the second time this season. This time, the Cardinals defeated the Panthers 13-10. In a defensive battle, Eudora scored first to take a 7-0 lead. Paola’s Tanner Staats responded with a 64-yard TD run to tie the game at 7. The Panthers later took the lead in the fourth quarter when Luke Wilson kicked a 34-yard field goal to make it 10-7. The Cardinals took a 13-10 lead when running back Chris Pyle scored on a 19-yard rush with five minutes left.
Eudora will now face Rose Hill on Saturday in Salina for the 4A state championship. Neither team made it to the title game last year. Louisburg, last year’s champion, lost earlier in the playoffs.
Another top-ranked team was ousted in 2-1A as Centralia overpowered St. Mary’s Colgan 24-10 in a game where the momentum turned early. After Colgan forced Centralia to a three-and-out on the opening drive, Colgan drove down to Centralia’s 3-yard line. However, a fumble gave the ball back to Centralia. The Panthers of Centralia capitalized when Michael Glatczak scored on a 92-yard TD run on the very next play. A two-point conversion made it an 8-0 game. Centralia eventually took a 16-0 halftime lead. But Colgan did make it a game. Running back Christian Smith scored on a 6-yard run early in the third quarter and Austin Barone kicked a 31-yard field goal to cut the lead to 16-10. However, that was as close as Colgan would get.
On the other side of the 2-1A bracket, LaCrosse defeated Plainville 13-6 in a rematch of district foes. Plainville got on the board first with a 30-yard TD run by Harrison Gilliland in the first quarter. The Leopards’ Tayler Stull responded with a 19-yard TD run to take a 7-6 lead. The score remained that way until Stull scored on a 9-yard TD at the 6:14 mark of the fourth quarter. Plainville’s only two losses of the season were to LaCrosse.
Centralia will face LaCrosse on Saturday in Hays for the 2-1A state championship. There will be a new state champion as Meade, the 2010 winner, was upset in the semifinals.
Wichita Heights has a chance to defend its 6A crown after beating Derby 34-14. The Falcons will be going to the state championship game for the third consecutive season after falling to Olathe North in 2009 and beating Olathe North in 2010.
This time, Wichita Heights will face Olathe South after South defeated Olathe East 38-21. Olathe South beat Olathe East for the second time this season as the Falcons also beat the Hawks 36-18 in district competition.
Heights will take on Olathe South on Saturday in Topeka for the 6A title game.
Blue Valley – Stilwell beat Gardner-Edgerton for the second time this season in Class 5A. This time, Blue Valley pulled out a 34-14 win. After Gardner-Edgerton lost 40-6 in the first meeting, the Trailblazers were pulling out all the stops to win the rematch. After Gardner-Edgerton scored on its opening possession, the Blazers recovered the ball on an onside kick.
However, they were unable to score when Blue Valley made a stop on fourth down. The Tigers’ quarterback Kyle Zimmerman led them to a 20-7 lead at halftime. Zimmerman led the way with his feet and his arm to give the Tigers a chance to defend it state championship.
Hutchinson also advanced in 5A by beating Bishop Carroll 29-21 Friday night. The Salthawks earned revenge after falling 32-24 to Bishop Carroll earlier this season. It was a reverse of the 2010 season as Hutch beat the Eagles in districts then lost in the semifinals. In this year’s game, Hutch’s Lucas Munds rushed for about 180 yards and three TDs with starter Ja’Mon Cotton missing much of the game because of a hamstring injury.
Blue Valley will face Hutchinson on Saturday in Emporia for the 5A state championship.
The 3A title game will be a rematch of the 2010 championship as Silver Lake and Conway Springs will face again in Hutchinson.
Silver Lake, the defending 3A champion, had to rally to beat Rock Creek 14-13 in order to make a return appearance. Rock Creek took a 13-0 lead after TD runs by Ben Commerford and Logan Miner. Silver Lake didn’t score until the third quarter with Peter Pfannenstiel scored on an 87-yard kickoff return. The Eagles then took the lead in the fourth when Evan Burdiek scored on a 4-yard run.
Conway Springs earned revenge over Garden Plain with a 38-14 win Friday night. Garden Plain beat Conway Springs 19-13 earlier this season.
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