By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(All games at 7 p.m.)
CLASS 6A
WASHBURN RURAL (7-2) at GARDEN CITY (7-2)
Washburn Rural senior Branton DeWeese threw for four touchdowns and ran for a TD in last Friday's 36-0 Class 6A playoff victory over Dodge City. [File photo/TSN]
Washburn Rural, the No. 6 West seed, is coming off an 36-0 opening-round playoff win over Dodge City while No. 3 Garden City beat Campus, 35-14.
Rural junior Branton DeWeese threw for 214 yards and four touchdowns, three to junior Titan Osburn, against Dodge City and Rural rushed for 328 yards as a team, including 193 yards on 24 carries from senior Ma'Kenttis Adams.
Rural took control after the Junior Blues' defense came up with a huge goal-line stand while nursing a 2-0 lead late in the opening quarter and Rural held the Red Demons to 80 total yards, including minus-10 yards rushing.
Garden City senior Zack Keosengphet has rushed for 821 yards and 14 touchowns on 155 carries while Caleb Wiese has completed 23 of 40 passes for 478 yards and six touchdowns.
The winner of Friday's Rural-Garden City game will advance to face the second-round winner between 7-2 Derby and 6-3 Lawrence.
CLASS 5A
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (5-4) at MILL VALLEY (8-1)
Shawnee Heights junior Allen Baughman (5) has rushed for 1,432 yards and 20 touchdowns for the 5-4 T-Birds this fall. [File photo/TSN]
Shawnee Heights bounced back from a five-point loss to Leavenworth in its regular-season finale to take a 28-21 playoff win over Lansing, the T-Birds' second win of the year over their United Kansas Conference rival.
Heights, the No. 8 East seed faces a tough test Friday night against Mill Valley, the No. 1 seed in the 5A East. The Jaguars are coming off a 69-0 first-round playoff win over Kansas City-Harmon.
T-Bird junior Allen Baughman rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns on 32 attempts against Lansing and has rushed for 1,432 yards and 20 touchdowns on the season on 207 attempts.
Senior Nick Freeland went 7 of 9 passing for 122 yards and a touchdown last Friday while junior Jacob Malcom caught four passes for 99 yards and a TD. Freeland has completed 45 of 83 passes for 417 yards and a TD.
Junior Alex Dittman leads Shawnee Heights with 66 tackles while Sean Wunder has 59 stops and Jon Scott 54.
Mill Valley senior Hayden Jay has completed 74 of 123 passes for 1,087 yards and 10 touchdowns while senior Hayes Miller has caught 32 passes for 452 yards and five TDs.
Junior Tristan Baker has carried the ball 153 times for 941 yards and 13 TDs.
The Shawnee Heights-Mill Valley winner will advance to play the winner of the game between KC-Sumner (7-2) and Pittsburg (6-3).
CLASS 3A
HAYDEN (8-1) at WELLSVILLE (9-0)
Hayden, which finished second in 3A District 2, opened the playoffs with a 63-8 win over Baldwin while Wellsville remained unbeaten with a 41-8 win over Royal Valley.
Hayden senior Joe Otting, a Notre Dame commit, has been a force on the offensive and defensive lines for the 8-1 Wildcats entering Friday's Class 3A playoff game at Wellsville. [Photo by Sarah Carson/Special to TSN]
Hayden sophomore quarterback Jett Wahlmeier has completed 70 of 99 pass attempts for 1,153 yards and 14 touchdowns while sophomore Jensen Schrickel has caught 27 passes for 577 yards and has scored 14 TDs, six 2-point conversions and kicked 25 extra points.
Junior Finn Dunshee has rushed for 709 yards on 46 carries while senior JC Cummings has 570 yards on 57 attempts. Dunshee has scored 12 touchdowns.
Wellsville junior Willie Dorsey has completed 97 of 154 passes for 1,759 yards and 24 touchdowns while senior Nash Money has 1,142 rushing yards and 20 TDs on 161 carries.
The Hayden-Wellsville winner will advance in the 3A playoffs to face the winner of the second-round playoff game between Galena (7-2) and Columbus (4-5).
CLASS 2A
Rossville junior quarterback Camden Horak has passed for 1,144 yards and rushed for 844 yards entering Friday's playoff game at Nemaha Central. [File photo/TSN]
ROSSVILLE (4-4) at NEMAHA CENTRAL (9-0)
The two-time defending state-champion Bulldawgs, who finished second in 2A District 3, opened this year's playoff bid with a 57-6 win over Minneapolis.
Nemaha Central maintained its perfect season with last Friday's 74-6 win over Pleasant Ridge.
Rossville junior Camden Horak has completed 83 of 143 passes for 1,144 yards and 12 touchdowns and has rushed for 844 yards and 10 TDs on 136 attempts.
Senior Braiden Hensley has rushed for 499 yards and seven touchdowns on 53 attempts while senior Kade Perine has 426 yards and seven TDs on 84 carries.
Nemaha Central senior Brayden Uphaus has completed 62 of 94 pass attempts for 933 yards and eight touchdowns while senior Cooper Hajek has 181 rushing attempts for 1,548 yards and 31 TDs.
The Rossville-Nemaha Central winner will advance to face the winner of the second-round playoff game between Osage City (8-1) and Humdoldt (7-2).
