St. Thomas Aquinas & Bishop Miege roll to impressive wins: Kansas HS football roundup

Here’s a recap of some of the top Kansas high school football action around the Kansas City metro on Friday night...

St. Thomas Aquinas 28, Blue Valley Northwest 14

No matter who’s in the backfield for St. Thomas Aquinas, it’s going to be a tough night for defenses.

The Saints’ leading rusher, Gianni Rizzi, who ran for 175 yards and four scores in the season opener, was sidelined with a hamstring injury. In steps sophomore Cal Arndt, who merely broke off a 188-yard night to help lead Aquinas, No. 5 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, to a 28-14 win over No. 9 Blue Valley Northwest.

But it wasn’t solely Arndt who had all the fun — the Saints scored on all four first-half possessions by four different players. Will Callahan opened the scoring with a 48-yard touchdown, followed by Elzie Slaughter capping a drive with a 10-yard scamper, his second of the season.

After the Huskies (1-1) pulled within 14-7 on a Trevor Garlington 5-yard touchdown catch, Aquinas went to the air from quarterback Aiden Skinner to Joe Loughman for a 31-yard scoring connection and a 21-7 edge. Arndt reached the end zone with just 21 seconds left in the half and Aquinas holding a commanding 28-7 lead.

St. Thomas Aquinas, No. 1 in 810 Varsity’s Kansas Class 4A rankings, will face Blue Valley North (0-2) next week. The Huskies will entertain Blue Valley (1-1).

Spring Hill 36, Tonganoxie 29

Spring Hill let everyone know the Broncos are going to be reckoned with in the Frontier League race on Friday night.

The Broncos improved to 2-0, defeating Tonganoxie 36-29. The Chieftains entered the game at No. 5 in the Kansas Class 4A rankings.

Spring Hill opened the scoring on a 3-yard plunge by senior RB Noah Anderton with 3:13 to play for a 6-0 lead. Tongie (1-1) answered on a 55-yard touchdown strike from quarterback Trevor McGraw to Todd Brown and held a brief 7-6 lead.

The Broncos would own the rest of the half, outscoring the Chieftains 22-3, forcing two turnovers resulting in 14 points and adding a 68-yard TD on an end-around by junior Jackson Torrez to take a 28-10 lead into half.

Tongie surged back after McGraw connected with tight end Tyler Pankey for an 8-yard score, then Colton Brusven broke a 44-yard touchdown run with 9:52 left to pull within 28-23. Brusven broke loose for a 98-yard score for a 29-28 lead with 6:04 left.

Spring Hill finally woke up, engineering a game-winning drive capped by senior Colt McKanna’s 37-yard touchdown at 2:59 left.

The Broncos will face Eudora, No. 3 in Kansas Class 4A, next Friday night, while Tonganoxie will take on Chanute.

Bishop Miege 51, Blue Valley Southwest 28

Blue Valley Southwest was able to knock off one traditional Eastern Kansas League power last week — but couldn’t do so in consecutive weeks.

The Timberwolves, off a 33-19 victory last Friday for their first win in 14 tries vs Blue Valley, fell to Bishop Miege 51-28.

After Southwest rallied from a 21-7 deficit for a 21-21 halftime tie, the Stags (2-0) halted the T-Wolves after intermission. Then David Garcia broke off a 38-yard touchdown run.

Miege cranked up the defense and went to the ground for a long drive, capped by a 6-yard quarterback keeper by Marco Rodriguez and a 35-21 margin. Following a 24-yard field goal, Rodriguez went to the air for a 30-yard scoring strike to Hollis Moeller to break the game open at 44-21.

Rodriguez finished with 245 passing yards and two touchdowns by air, plus another on the ground. Garcia racked up a game-high 202 rushing yards and two scores.

The Stags will take on St. James Academy (0-2) next week, while Southwest faces Blue Valley West (1-1).