Kelly Donohoe sat in the Peve Stadium press box long before his Blue Springs Wildcats would play host to arch-rival Rockhurst on a balmy Friday night that didn’t feel at all like football weather.

“The team that makes the fewest mistakes – and comes up with a big play or two – is going to win this game,” said Donohoe, who seemed prophetic as Wildcats defensive back Azaiah Bello scored on a 92-yard interception return and Niko Manning picked up a late fumble to secure a hard-fought 21-14 win over the Hawklets.

The Wildcats went into the fourth quarter leading 21-0 – on Michael Warmack’s 21-yard run, Chase Donohoe’s 60-yard strike to Tre’ Wheaton and Bello’s pick-six – but saw that lead dwindle to 21-14 as Rockhurst scored on a 37-yard run by quarterback Derek Green and a 47-yard fumble return by Matt O’Keefe.

O’Keefe fought Wildcats quarterback Chase Donohoe for the ball after a low snap and rumbled into the end zone to make it a one-score game with 3:56 left.

The Wildcats then went three-and-out and Josh Dodge punted the ball to the Rockhurst 21.

Behind the savvy play of Green, the Hawklets marched to the Blue Springs 44-yard line. Green, though, fumbled the ball away on a handoff and Manning picked it up to secure the win with 41 seconds left.

“Man, I knew we were going to come up with another big defensive play,” Manning said as he was swarmed by his teammates after the non-conference win, which gave the No. 4 state-ranked Wildcats a 4-2 overall record.

“We worked to hard to let them come back and win this game. The offense, the defense, the special teams – we all hung in there and got the big win.”

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