Aquinas, Olathe North, Basehor-Linwood survive and advance in Kansas football playoffs

Leave it to Bishop Miege’s rival to halt the Stags’ quest for a state-championship repeat in Kansas high school football.

St. Thomas Aquinas threw cold water on the Stags Friday night, handing Miege a 14-7 loss at Dixon Doll Stadium.

The Saints (7-3) flipped the script from the teams’ first encounter, a 19-7 loss in which Aquinas was saddled with injuries. This time Aquinas was at full strength while Miege nursed injuries to tailback David Garcia and top wideout Teryn Jackson, and lost its kicker to duty at the state soccer tournament.

Bishop Miege (8-2) looked to thwart the Saints early after a punchout on an Aiden Skinner run. Jack Baird returned the ball into the red zone, but Aquinas blocked an ensuing field-goal attempt. The ball skipped to midfield, where it was scooped up by senior defensive end Owen Charlton. A long run later, he was in the end zone for a 7-0 Saints lead.

The Saints employed some trickery from the Stags’ 18 just before halftime. A play that started as a reverse put the ball in the hands of Skinner, who lobbed a TD pass to senior receiver Joe Loughman.

Bishop Miege eventually got on the board with Marco Rodriguez’s pass to Cole Wofford. That made it 14-7 with 10:50 left.

The Stags had their chances late but went four-and-out from the Saints’ 9 with 7:28 left. Miege got it back one final time, but Aquinas held.

The Saints will face Basehor-Linwood next week at St. Thomas Aquinas.

Olathe North 35, Blue Valley West 14

Olathe North moved on to the Kansas Class 6A state quarterfinals with a win against Blue Valley West at the Olathe District Activity Center.

The Eagles (9-1) built a 28-7 halftime lead on two touchdowns from senior running back TJ Porter and an 80-yard kick-return TD by Aiden Bruce. The Eagles kept their 21-point edge in the second half as the teams traded touchdowns.

The Eagles’ red-zone defense was strong. Blue Valley West’s offense, led by quarterback Tate Nagy and top receiver Crew Myers, was able to move the ball well between the 20s. But not in the red zone.

Nagy was sacked six times and BV West was 2-of-8 on red-zone possessions. Sophomore Nate Gunderson led the Eagles’ defense in both tackles and sacks.

Blue Valley West ends its season at 4-6, while Olathe North will play host to Blue Valley next Friday in a quarterfinal showdown between historic 6A powers at ODAC.

Basehor-Linwood 22, Louisburg 20

Louisburg’s dream season ended in haunting fashion Friday night.

The Wildcats, who entered the weekend 9-0, lost at home in the second round of the Kansas 4A playoffs. Louisburg seemingly played catch-up all night and just couldn’t get past the Bobcats.

Basehor-Linwood built an early 16-7 lead, but Louisburg scored shortly before halftime when Declan Battle completed an 18-yard touchdown pass to a diving Conley Hovee.

The Bobcats opened the second half by driving from their own 41 to the Louisburg 24. Facing fourth and 5, Brady Van Donge fired a pass to Caleb Scott at the 5. Scott spun to elude a defender and walked into the end zone for a 22-14 Basehor-Linwood lead.

Louisburg would put together a 17-play drive, with Ashton Moore finishing it with a nine-yard TD on third and goal. But the two-point conversion attempt failed and the Wildcats drew no closer.

Basehor-Linwood (7-3) visits St. Thomas Aquinas next Friday night in the state quarterfinals.

For playoff brackets, stats, recaps, online broadcasts and more, visit 810Varsity.com.