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Miege Tops DeSoto, Back to Championship

By Adam Drovetta, 810 Varsity, 11/17/17, 11:30PM CST

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Stags overcome Wildcats start, return for 4th straight title game

Putz Sets Kansas Career Passing Yardage Mark

For about 17 minutes, it looked like an upset was brewing in the Class 4A Division I sub-state match up. DeSoto used power football and a Bishop Miege turnover to jump out to a 17-7 lead with 7:45 left in the first half.

It did not take long for the momentum to shift back to Miege. The next five minutes and change set the tone for the remainder of the game as the Stags scored 28 unanswered points on their way to a 56-24 rout, and advance to their fourth straight Class 4A-I state title game.

Jack Barger got things started for the Wildcats. The DeSoto senior scored on a 10-yard touchdown run.

Miege answered quickly when senior quarterback Carter Putz ran it in from 28-yards out to tie things up at seven apiece.

After Ethan Rodriguez nailed a 42-yard field goal, Wildcat senior Trevor Gress returned a fumble all the way down to the Miege 20. A few plays later, senior Leo Oplotnik took in a two-yard touchdown and the Wildcats were up 10 at 17-7.

“We knew they were going to come out and play that way. They’re a great football team. Their game plan was incredible,” said Bishop Miege head coach Jon Holmes.

Just a few seconds later, that game plan was shredded as Stag sophomore running back Brison Cobbins took off for a 74-yard score.

It did not take long for the Stags to find the end zone again. Senior Jasir Cox picked off a pass from Bryce Mohl and ran it back for a touchdown. Miege was up 21-17. The Stags never relinquished the lead.

“We’ve had teams able to [score quickly] but never the way we have [this season]. We can hit it with the run, we can hit it with the pass,” said Holmes. “We see Carter Putz making plays, Quinn Schieber, Peyton Hamrick, and then you’ve got Brison and Cameron Clark.”

Miege’s embarrassment of riches was on full display for the remainder of the game. Cobbins scored again later in the second quarter and Clark bolted out for a 61-yard touchdown with two minutes left before halftime. The Stags were up 35-17 going into the locker room.

Cobbins finished with 206 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

DeSoto senior Zach Titus came out strong for the Wildcats in the second half. Titus picked off Putz on Miege’s first drive of the second half and returned it to the ten-yardline. Barger scored his second touchdown of the night a few plays later and the Wildcats were back within 11.

But that did not last long. Putz hit Daniel Jackson for his first touchdown pass of the game to open Miege’s lead back to 18.

Putz finished the night with 260 yards on 8-of-14 passing and three touchdowns. Oh yeah, and a state record.

In the fourth quarter, Putz hit Jackson for a 69-yard touchdown to become the all-time leading passer in the history of Kansas high school football, passing Shawnee Mission North’s Will Schneider at 8,901 yards.

“I kind of had an idea. People had been talking on the sideline. I tried not to listen, but it kind of goes in the back of your head,” said Putz.  

The win gives Putz and his teammates the chance to play for an unprecedented fourth consecutive state championship.

“There’s definitely pressure, but that kind of pushes us to work hard each and every week…so we can ultimately be undefeated at the end of the season,” he said.

The Stags will take on undefeated Andale for the state championship in Topeka on Saturday, Nov. 25. The game can be seen live at 1 pm on 810Varsity.com

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