Football Playoffs

Class 6A

First Round

Nov. 7

Olathe North 22, Olathe East 15

Rock Creek's offense may be one of the most unique, but it worked against Andover on Saturday. The Mustangs defeated Andover 39-12 in the second round of the Class 4A football playoffs.

Andover converted two Rock Creek turnovers into scores in the second quarter and trailed 16-12 at half. But Rock Creek had its best drive of the game to open the second half.

The Mustangs went on a 17-play drive that took nearly nine minutes. Converting five third downs, quarterback Kegan Rawhouser found Dustin Miner in the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown pass and a 24-12 lead.

"We controlled the ball, which is kind of what we are all about, just grinding it out," Rock Creek coach Mike Beam said.

Quarterback Aaron Hansen fumbled the snap on Andover's next possession and Rock Creek recovered at the 49-yard line.

St. Mary's 22, Sunrise 16

SM -- Simonton 10 pass from Moats (Moats run)

SM -- Jacobs 23 run (Kaiser run )

S -- Fager 30 pass from Westerfield (Sands run)

Over the past five weeks, Kapaun Mount Carmel played well, winning four football games and barely losing to Bishop Carroll.

The Crusaders appeared to be peaking, which was perfect timing considering they opened the Class 5A playoffs Friday night by hosting McPherson.

But that run ended with a 35-17 loss to McPherson (9-1) at Cessna Stadium. McPherson plays host to Carroll next Friday in a quarterfinal game.

"We were very positive about this game, but we just didn't bring our 'A' game," said Kapaun coach Dan Adelhardt, whose team finished 4-6. "We fumbled on a reverse snap and they were in great position.

Football Playoffs

Class 6A

First Round

Nov. 7

Olathe North 22, Olathe East 15

If there was any question as to how Derby was going to rebound after its first loss last week, it was answered emphatically.

The Panthers scored the first 37 points on the way to a 44-25 victory at Goddard in the first round of the Class 6A football playoffs Friday night.

"They were hungry," Derby coach Brandon Clark said. "They know what it feels like to lose now and they didn't like it much. They responded well."

Aaron Wilson led the Panthers with 114 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 17 carries.

Wilson hurt his ankle last week in Derby's loss to Heights and it was uncertain how much he would be able to contribute against Goddard.

Panic or patience?

When things aren't going well, one usually shows up.

Both may have made appearances this season for the football teams at Goddard and Kapaun Mount Carmel, who were a combined 1-11 before winning their districts and advancing to the state playoffs.

Kapaun (4-5) plays host to McPherson at Cessna Stadium in Class 5A while Goddard (3-6) hosts Derby in Class 6A.

Goddard was in unfamiliar territory three weeks ago, sitting at 0-6 headed into Class 6A-District 8.

A 2-7 record itself isn't much to be proud of. But attached to North High's football program, there's a different perspective.

North is advancing to the Class 6A playoffs for the first time since 2003. And while many don't agree with a playoff system that allows teams with losing records to get in ahead of teams with winning records, Coach Tom Beason doesn't feel any remorse.

The Redskins advanced to the playoffs by defeating Campus 41-15 in the final game of the regular season. Campus, South and North finished tied at 1-2 in the district, but North won the playoff spot after a series of tie-breakers. It plays a first-round game tonight at unbeaten Junction City.

"Sure we had to have the moon and the stars align just right," Beason said. "But we knew what we had to do. It was a rather unorthodox way of getting in, but do you think any other coach is going to just give up his team's playoff spot? No way."

When you look at North's season, it's remarkable the team had enough players willing to finish the season, let alone make the playoffs.

Bishop Carroll is the top seed on the western half of the Class 5A football playoff bracket. But the Eagles didn't pull a weak first-round opponent.

Instead, the Eagles will play host to Salina Central (5-4) at 7 tonight.

"So much for being a 1 seed," Carroll coach Alan Schuckman said. "It's going to be a big challenge."

Salina Central has won three of fourafter opening the season 1-2.

But the Mustangs have had close losses. They fell to Derby by one point and to Blue Valley and Salina South by seven. Their one bad loss was 71-24 to Hutchinson.

BISHOP CARROLL FOOTBALL

Johansen, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound senior at Bishop Carroll, has 930 receiving yards and has helped the Eagles to the Class 5A playoffs. The Eagles (8-1) play host to Salina Central (5-4) tonight.

How did you get into football?

"I started playing in second grade... I grew up in a household that loved football. My dad played in high school, my uncle and friends played football. It was natural growing up for me.... In little league, I used to play all over -- quarterback, wide receiver and running back. I started focusing on wide receiver when I was a freshman."

What do you love about being a wide receiver?

Andover football's 9-1 record and nine-game winning streak is pretty much how senior running back Jason Hoover envisioned his team playing this season.

"I felt we're a step better than last year, all over, but especially on offense," said Hoover, whose team will play host to Rock Creek (8-2) at 2 p.m. Saturday.

Coach Mike Lee had high expectations, as well, but he was unsure about this team.

"There were so many variables," he said. "We knew we'd have to play sophomores and we didn't know how it would turn out. We have a left guard that's a senior that has never played football. We have a tackle next to him, a junior, that's been a JV guy.... we have a sophomore starting at center."

Lee was confident in Andover's returners, including quarterback Aaron Hansen and Hoover.

Football Playoffs

Class 6A

Friday's first-round games

All games 7 p.m.

Olathe North (7-2) at Olathe East (9-0)

Wichita Collegiate tried to rebound from 2007's 5-5 football season by strengthening its defense. Personnel changes were made as the emphasis shifted from an offensive focus to one on defense.

"We actually de-emphasized our offense," Collegiate coach Bill Messamore said Tuesday night. "We wanted to make ourselves into a team that could stop the run.

"But in our biggest game of the year, we couldn't get it done."

Collegiate gave up 349 rushing yards as Conway Springs defeated the Spartans 40-21 in the first round of the Class 3A playoffs.

It was the first loss for Collegiate (9-1), Class 3A's third-ranked team. Conway Springs improved to 8-2 and will play the winner of the Halstead-Southeast-Saline on Saturday.

Keaton LaBanca ran for two touchdowns, Cole Blair passed for two more and Andover Central's defense shut down El Dorado's running game in Central's 34-7 victory in the first round of the Class 4A football playoffs Tuesday afternoon in Andover.

LaBanca rushed 25 times for 164 yards. He had a 4-yard touchdown run in the first quarter and a 1-yard score in the third quarter.

Blair started the scoring with a 25-yard TD pass to Ben Minnihan in the first quarter. He also hit Jeff Page with a 6-yard scoring pass in the fourth quarter.

AC-- LaBanca 4 run (kick blocked)

Rushing

Andover's offense wasted no time taking care of Mulvane in the first round of the Class 4A football playoffs Tuesday night.

The Trojans scored on five of their first six possessions in the first half en route to defeating the Wildcats 57-29.

"We were really hot," Andover coach Mike Lee said. "All week we talked about getting off to good start and being effecient on offense."

Senior running back Jason Hoover led the way for the Trojans (9-1), scoring two touchdowns in the first half and rushing for 134 yards on 18 carries. Hoover finished with 20 carries for 145 yards and two touchdowns.

It was Hoover's first game back after missing two games with a stress fracture in his right foot.

Class 6A Rushing

Rushing

When running back Demarcus Robinson started practicing with the Northwest football team as a freshman two years ago, his mother asked that he not play varsity football.

"With me being mommy, I didn't want him to get hurt," Linda Johnson said. "I was kind of scared for him to play varsity."

Northwest coach Weston Schartz respected that, although Robinson approached his mother late that year and asked if he could play. He played in two games, finishing with 35 yards on 11 carries.

He's rarely been off the field since.

Robinson, a junior, has 1,810 rushing yards on 248 carries and has helped lead Northwest to an 8-2 record and the quarterfinals of the Class 6A playoffs. Northwest plays at Derby (9-1) at 7 tonight.

COREY HARP

ANDALE FOOTBALL

Harp is a linebacker who just happens to play running back for the Andale Indians. Harp's play on both sides has helped lead the two-time Class 4A defending champions to a 10-1 record and a matchup against Rock Creek (9-2) tonight in Manhattan.

1. So I hear you like to eat. What's your favorite restaurant?

We go to McDonald's every day. We get stuff off the $1 menu. My favorite is the McChicken sandwich. I can eat quite a few. We used to have a competition, but we haven't had one this year.

What does it mean to be one of the City League's best Class 6A football teams?

Tonight, we find out.

When Heights hits the road to Junction City and Northwest goes to Derby, not only are they playing to continue their seasons, but they are also playing for the pride of the league.

No City League team has advanced to the semifinals of the 6A playoffs since West in 2001.

That says all you need to know about the competitiveness of the City League's 6A teams compared to the rest of the state.

With Nick Garcia in his backfield, McPherson football coach Tom Young felt pretty good about his team's prospects for duplicating 2007's breakout 9-2 season.

Young appreciated Garcia's combination of speed, power and strength, in addition to his ability to break tackles, juke defenders and outrun opponents.

And then, midway through the season, Garcia suffered his third anterior cruciate ligament tear. His season was over; surgery is scheduled for December.

Yet even without Garcia, here's McPherson at 9-1 and playing host to Bishop Carroll (9-1) tonight in the quarterfinals of the Class 5A playoffs.

"We had a really good (junior varsity) team that lost one game the year before, and the freshmen were undefeated," Young said. "We knew we had some talent coming up."

Garden Plain put on a miracle finish to remain unbeaten and advance to the Class 3A football semifinals, beating host Scott City 20-17 Friday night.

Trailing 17-6 with 1:50 remaining, Garden Plain was inside the Scott City 5-yard line and failed to score.

Scott City took over but the Owls held and the Beavers had to punt. Jacob Lies blocked the punt and Jacob Puetz fell on the ball for a touchdown with 1:35 remaining.

Garden Plain tried an on-sides kick but failed to recover.

Owl defenders were told to strip the ball, and they did just that on Scott City's second play.