The game of the night took place in Derby as top-ranked Hutchinson and the second-ranked Derby Panthers battled to the final minute before the Salthawks prevailed 29-28.
The Salthawks got to the Derby 1-yard line with 58 seconds remaining and trailing 28-21. Hutchinson quarterback Trevor Turner dove in from a yard out to pull the Salthawks within 28-27. After a timeout, Hutchinson coach Randy Dreiling decided to go for the two-point conversion and the win, and Turner delivered with the run to give Hutch a 29-28 lead.
Derby’s last minute drive ended in an interception and the Salthawks advanced to their ninth state championship game in the past ten seasons.
Turner threw for more than 180 yards and a touchdown, while adding 85 yards and two scores on the ground.
Hutchinson will take on Shawnee Mission West in the 6A state title game in Topeka next week. The Vikings avenged their only loss of the season by blasting Lawrence Free State 48-21. SM West took advantage of several Free State special teams mistakes in scoring 41 consecutive points.
With West leading 7-6, Ben Lake picked up a muffed Free State punt attempt and returned it for a short touchdown run to give the Vikings a 14-6 lead. Joey Reed added two field goals around A.J. Verdini’s second touchdown pass to give the Vikings a 27-6 lead at halftime.
Andre Maloney returned the opening kickoff of the second half 82 yards for a touchdown and the rout was on for Shawnee Mission West. The Vikings advanced to the 6A state title game for the first time since 2006 when they lost to Hutchinson 21-14.
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In Class 5A, Bishop Carroll used a key interception by Anthony Troilo late in the second quarter to take control and eventually knocked out Salina South 45-21. Carroll turned Troilo’s interception of South’s Justin Stonebraker into a 28-yard field goal as the half expired and a 24-14 lead.
Carroll came out in the third quarter and appeard to be poised to take control of the game, but Zeke Palmer was intercepted in the end zone by Salina South given the Cougars new life.
Salina South’s ensuing drive ended deep in Golden Eagle territory and Carroll began a 21-point fourth-quarter onslaught with Palmer’s second touchdown pass to Matt Denning of the night.
Bishop Carroll will face Bishop Miege in the 5A state championship game in Emporia. The Stags avenged a 27-24 loss to St. Thomas Aquinas in Week 9 by defeating the Saints 9-7 on Friday night.
Miege scored first on a 43-yard touchdown pass from Montel Cozart to Michael Murphy to give the Stags a 6-0 lead at halftime.
Miege kicker Collin Carter added a 24-yard field goal in the fourth quarter for a 9-0 lead.
That lead held until under 2:30 remaining in the game when Aquinas struck on a short touchdown run by Cole Pickert, but that’s all the closer the Saints would get.
Miege, despite being 7-5 on the season and a district runner-up, will play for a 5A state title.
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Eudora advanced to their second straight state championship game in Class 4A with a 21-7 win over KC Piper. Gabe Cleveland scored on a short touchdown run as time expired in the first half to give the Cardinals a 14-7 lead.
Quarterback Andrew Ballock added a short touchdown run in the second half, and Eudora’s defense made it stand up in the 14-point win.
The Cardinals scored two touchdowns off of three Pirate turnovers in getting coach Gregg Webb his 11th state championship game appearance.
Eudora will take on top-ranked Holton in the 4A state title game. The Wildcats traveled to Mulvane and beat the host Wildcats 28-6.
Holton rushed for nearly 280 yards on the night and made a 14-0 first quarter lead stand up with their stout defense.
Cameron Karn led the Wildcats with 125 yards rushing and two touchdowns.
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Silver Lake beat Rossville for the second time this season, and for the sixth time in the past 10 years in the 3A Sub-State semifinal game.
This time it was the Eagles scoring in non-conventional ways to bury the Bulldogs. Blake Baird returned an interception for a touchdown, and Pete Pfannenstiel returned a kickoff 90 yards for another score as the Eagles built a 28-14 halftime lead.
Silver Lake held Rossville to just 71 yards rushing in the game, while the Eagles put up nearly 260 yards on the ground.
Silver Lake will take on No. 2 Scott City in the 3A state title game. The Beavers outscored Beloit 42-26 to advance to the title showdown with the Eagles at Hutchinson next weekend.
Dalton Buehler rushed for more than 200 yards on the night, but his kickoff return for a touchdown sewed up the win for the Beavers after Beloit had pulled to within 35-26.
After trailing Beloit 18-14 at halftime, Brett O’Neil hit Tyler Hess for a touchdown pass in the third quarter to give Scott City the lead for good.
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Centralia won its 21st straight game with a 34-14 win over previously unbeaten Lyndon. The Panthers used an early fumble return for a touchdown by Sam Steinlage to build a two score lead.
The Centralia offense gashed a Lyndon defense that had put up ridiculous numbers all season to the tune of more than 400 yards rushing.
Steinlage rushed for more than 160 yards and a touchdown, while J.T. Rosine led Centralia with 217 yards rushing and three scores.
Centralia will try and win their third state championship in the past four years as they take on the Meade Buffaloes.
Meade cruised past top-ranked La Crosse 34-12 at home.
Trevin Wiens broke a 76-yard touchdown run early in the game to set the tone. La Crosse got within 7-6 after Levi Morss run, but Meade would answer with touchdown runs from Chris Hardaway and Jett Little to take a 20-6 lead.
La Crosse cut the lead to 20-12 at halftime on a touchdown run by Kip Keeley, but Hardaway added a pair of second-half touchdowns to send the Buffaloes back to the 2-1A state title game. Meade won the state title back in 2010.
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