Friday night lights: Kansas high school football highlights from around the KC metro
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Louisburg doubled down on big play-calls and hit the jackpot at Tonganoxie on Friday night.
In a battle of two of Kansas’ top Class 4A high school football teams, Louisburg stayed undefeated with a thrilling 30-29 road win.
Trailing 29-22 late in the fourth quarter, the Wildcats (6-0) faced a second-and-26 at their own 41-yard line. Quarterback Declan Battle dropped back and threw deep to Caden Caplinger, who hauled in the pass at the Tonganoxie 30, then skated down the sideline for a 59-yard touchdown.
That made it 29-28 Tonganoxie with 5:39 left. Louisburg opted to go for two, and got it: Battle rolled right and fired left to a wide-open Conlee Hovey to put the visitors ahead 30-29 — the final margin. Tonganoxie drove to the LHS 32 on its final drive, but a fourth-down pass sailed long and the Wildcats ran out the clock.
The game started out with Louisburg scoring on its first two drives for an early 14-0 lead. The Chieftains fired back when senior running back Colton Brusven broke off a 72-yard TD run to make it 14-7. The teams would trade scores into halftime for a 22-15 Louisburg lead.
Tonganoxie (4-2) got rolling in the third quarter, with Trevor McGraw finding Todd Brown and Owen Schmidt for big gains to set up two more Brusven TDs.
Louisburg looks to stay atop the Frontier League at home next week against Ottawa (3-3), while Tongie plays host to Eudora (3-3).
Bishop Miege 19, St. Thomas Aquinas 7
It wasn’t a high-scoring thriller as usual, but Bishop Miege won’t complain.
The Stags halted rival Aquinas Friday night to stay atop the Eastern Kansas League and improve to 5-1 overall. The teams split games last year by scores of 29-26 (Aquinas) and 38-28 (Miege).
Bishop Miege, No. 7 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, got on the board early after blocking a Saints punt on the opening possession. Five plays later, quarterback Marco Rodriguez hit wideout Teryn Jackson for a two-yard touchdown pass and an early 7-0 lead.
Aquinas (4-2) couldn’t muster much on offense for most of the game with its two leading rushers, Gianni Rizzi and Calin Arndt, out with injuries. Miege held the Saints scoreless for a 10-0 lead.
A Miege drive to open the second half got to the Aquinas 3-yard line. But Dillon Marshall batted a fourth-down pass to halt the threat.
After tacking on a field goal, Miege sealed the game when Jack Baird picked off Skinner for a 33-yard touchdown return and 19-0 advantage. Blake O’Brien rushed for a Saints touchdown, but Miege eventually ran out the clock.
Rodriguez finished with 155 yards through the air, while Jackson hauled in 12 passes for 86 yards.
Bishop Miege will play host to Blue Valley West (3-3) next week, while St. Thomas Aquinas visits Blue Valley (3-3).
Basehor-Linwood 28, Lansing 25
It was a snoozefest through three quarters, but Lansing and Basehor-Linwood broke out the late-game fireworks.
Lansing broke a 13-13 tie with 7:50 left on a 1-yard touchdown plunge by quarterback Dalton Jorgensen.
Basehor-Linwood turned to the passing game: A 31-yard toss from Brady VanDonge to Brody Torkelson helped set up the Bobcats at the LHS 26. After picking up a fourth-and-3, VanDonge hit Torkelson in the middle of the end zone for a 20-19 lead with 5:02 left.
Lansing (2-4) came back with a 35-yard strike from Jorgenson to Lexton Grafke. That put Lansing at the Basehor-Linwood 9. But perhaps Lansing scored too quickly, as two plays later Caden Howell tallied his second TD of the game for a 25-20 lead with 3:11 left.
Basehor-Linwood drove quickly to midfield before facing a third-and-9 with 1:33 left. VanDonge threw a 20-yard pass to Kaleb Scott. On another third-and-9, this time with 39 seconds left, VanDonge found Nate Martin for a gain of 17.
The next play iced it: VanDonge lobbed a ball to Martin in the back-right corner of the end zone. That was the game-winning touchdown.
Basehor-Linwood (4-2) will play host to Seaman (3-3) next Friday, while Lansing (3-3) takes on defending 6A state champion Manhattan (5-1).
For scores, stats, recaps, rankings, broadcasts and more, visit 810Varsity.com.
