By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
FRIDAY NIGHT'S GAMES
CLASS 3A
SANTE FE TRAIL (11-0) at HAYDEN (11-0)
Connor Hanika, Hayden
Mason Becker, Hayden
Sante Fe Trail, the No. 2 Class 3A East seed, will face No. 1 East seed Hayden Friday night, with the winner moving on to the Class 3A state championship game. Hayden, which is shooting for its third straight trip to the 3A state final, is coming off a 43-29 state quarterfinal win over Jefferson West while Sante Fe Trail advanced with a 28-26 win over Holton. Hayden senior quarterback Connor Hanika has completed 97 of 158 passes for 1,614 yards and 22 touchdowns with just one interception while senior Kade Mitchell has rushed for 941 yards, caught 21 passes for 463 yards and has scored 21 total TDs. Mitchell did not play in the second half last week after a first-half injury. Wildcat senior Jackson McGivern has carried the ball 63 times for 420 yards while recording 72 tackles (45 solo) on defense with seven tackles for loss. Senior Jude Krentz leads Hayden with 102 tackles (53 solo) and six tackles for loss while rushing for 354 yards on 57 attempts. Senior Xander Blasing has 74 stops and seven tackles for loss and has caught 22 passes for 280 yards while senior Makhi Kidd has caught 27 passes for 286 yards. Junior Mason Becker has carried the ball 18 times for 234 yards, caught nine passes for 292 yards and is perfect on extra-point kicks on the year. Logan Power leads the Wildcats with five pass interceptions. The winner of Friday's game will move on to the state championship game at 6 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28, at Hutchinson Community College to face the winner of Friday's game between No. 1 West seed and defending state champion Andale (11-0) and No. 2 West seed Rock Creek (11-0). Andale advanced with a 57-7 quarterfinal win over Pratt while Rock Creek took a 14-7 win over Cheney. Game time: 7 p.m.
Xander Blasing, Hayden
Jackson McGivern, Hayden
Jude Krentz, Hayden
CLASS 1A
ROSSVILLE (10-1) at JACKSON HEIGHTS (11-0)
Canann Mitchell, Rossville
Cameron Miller, Rossville
Rossville, the No. 4 Class 1A East seed, is coming off a 27-20 road quarterfinal win over No. 1 East seed and prevously-unbeaten St. Mary's Colgan in Pittsburg, while No. 2 East seed Jackson Heights advanced with a 21-14 win over No. 6 East seed Riverside. Rossville senior quarterback Canann Mitchell has completed 101 of 152 passes for 1,474 yards and 16 touchdowns with just one interception and has rushed for 921 yards and 17 TDs on 117 attempts. Senior Cameron Miller has 32 catches for 523 yards and eight TDs while senior Jack Donovan has 36 grabs for 437 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Conner Bush has rushed for 656 yards and 10 TDs on 61 carries while senior Andre Johnson leads the Bulldawgs with 112 tackles (60 solo). Junior Charlie Chance has registered 46 stops (38 solo), including 14.5 tackles for loss. Jackson Heights senior quarterback Drake Mellies has completed 81 of 129 passes for 1,517 yards and 19 TDs and has carried the ball 119 times for 1,385 yards and 24 TDs. Cobra senior Austin Zeller has 32 pass receptions for 539 yards and nine touchdowns while freshman Tatum Eisenbarth has 599 rushing yards and seven TDs on 50 attempts. Rossville rallied for a 42-38 quarterfinal win over Jackson Heights in 2024. The winner of Friday's game will move on to the state championship game at 1 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28, at Hutchinson Community College to face the winner of Friday's game between No. 1 West seed Sterling (11-0) and No. 2 West seed Smith Center (11-0). Sterling advanced to the semifinals with a 44-42 win over Hutchinson Trinity while Smith Center topped Moundridge, 22-14. Game time: 7 p.m.
Jack Donovan, Rossville
Andre Johnson, Rossville
