By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
If Topeka West goes on to have a breakout 2021 football season, the Chargers will no doubt remember Friday night's 36-32 Centennial League road win at Emporia as the impetus.
After trailing 7-6 at the end of the first quarter, Topeka West rallied to take a 14-10 halftime lead and a 28-16 advantage through three quarters before surviving Emporia's late-game rally to even its record at 1-1.
Tyrell Reed
Malachi Berg
Juniors Malachi Berg and Tyrell Reed both had big games for the Chargers, who bounced back from a 45-6 season-opening loss to Washburn Rural.
Berg accumulated more than 350 yards of total offense, throwing for one touchdown and running for a second TD, while Reed topped the 100-yard rushing mark and ran for three TDs, including a 55-yard run that proved to be the difference in the game.
The Chargers survived a huge passing game from Emporia quarterback Cam Geitz, who threw for all four of the 0-2 Spartans' touchdowns.
ROSSVILLE 56, ROCK CREEK 14 -- The defending Class 2A state champs rolled to their second win of '21, jumping out to 31-7 halftime cushion and putting the 0-2 Mustangs away with a 25-point third quarter.
Bulldawg senior quarterback Torrey Horak ran for a 16-yard touchdown and threw for a 49-yard TD to junior Kade Perine and a 30-yard TD to senior Corey Catron.
Torrey Horak
Corey Catron
Catron also scored on a 2-yard run while senior Kaden Brown had a 44-yard pick six for the Bulldawgs and scored on a 6-yard run.
The Bulldawgs also achieved a rare feat at the high school level, with junior Pedro Arantes kicking four field goals, connecting from 27, 27, 25 and 28 yards. Arantes also kicked four extra points to finish the night with 16 points.
CAIR PARAVEL LATIN 50, WICHITA HOME SCHOOL 0 -- Cair Paravel rolled to its second straight win of the season, putting the game away with a 44-point first half.
The Lions took a 14-0 first-quarter advantage and then put the Warriors away with a 30-point second quarter.
Carter Brian
Senior quarterback Carter Brian completed 10 of 14 passes for 167 yards and three touchdowns while sophomore Evan Will rushed for 77 yards and three TDs on five carries and senior Noah Hastert caught three passes for 61 yards and a TD and registered six tackles with a sack.
ATCHISON 47, HIGHLAND PARK 36 -- Junior Tre Richardson and the Scots put together a valiant effort to end a seven-year losing streak, but Atchison rallied late to extend Highland Park's streak to 58 straight losses.
Tre Richardson
Richardson scored three early touchdowns to stake Highland Park to an 18-0 lead and the Scots led 24-14 after Richardson's fourth TD and 24-21 at the half before 1-1 Atchison overtook the hosts at Hummer Sports Park.
SILVER LAKE 29, ST. MARYS 28 -- Silver Lake passed its second straight tough test to open the season, rallying for a 29-28 win over St. Marys.
St. Marys led 6-0 at the end of the opening quarter before Silver Lake rallied for a 21-14 halftime advantage.
The Bears entered the fourth quarter with a 22-21 lead, but the Eagles pulled out the victory with a touchdown and 2-point conversion.
BONNER SPRINGS 35, SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 34 -- The T-Birds have been in both of their opening two games to the very end, but fell to 0-2 with a 35-34 heartbreaker Friday night at Wetter Field.
Shawnee Heights has now lost its two games by a total of just 8 points, with the T-Birds falling 20-13 to Leavenworth in their season-opener.
