A showdown of two top 10 teams in Kansas lived up the billing.
Spring Hill, ranked No. 10 in the 810 Varsity Kansas Class 5A rankings, won a 31-28 classic on Friday night over Eudora, No. 3 in the Kansas Class 4A ranks.

The Broncos (3-0) and Cardinals traded blows, namely with Spring Hill’s Colton McKanna going beserk with 168 rushing yards and all three Broncos touchdowns en route to a 21-14 lead at intermission.

Eudora answered right after halftime, as Adrion Seals took a pitch 40 yards for a touchdown to even the game at 21-21. Spring Hill stepped up again with a touchdown for a 28-21 lead early in the fourth, then a huge defensive stop as safety Holden Lough picked off Eudora, and returned the interception to the Cards 42. McKanna then broke off a 27-yard run, but oddly lost a shoe during the run. With McKanna out, Spring Hill settled for a field goal – and a 31-21 lead.

The Cardinals (2-1) went on a long drive capped by a Kole Manley quarterback sneak to pull to 31-28 with 3:49 left. A failed Eudora onsides kick attempt gave Spring Hill the ball, which McKanna then ripped off two first downs to seal the win.

Spring Hill will face the No. 4-ranked team in Class 5A, Blue Valley Southwest next Friday, while Eudora will entertain Ottawa.
 

Lawrence escaped an upset scare, to say the least.

The Lions, No. 18 in the Metro and No. 8 in Kansas Class 6A in the 810 Varsity rankings, pulled out a 31-28 win in double overtime against Shawnee Mission East.

Entering the fourth quarter tied at 14-14, the Lancers’ Jack Reeves opened the period with an inside handoff and broke loose to the outside for a 37-yard run to lead, 21-14.

East looked to be driving again to close it down, but a pass from midfield was picked off by Lawrence safety Zander Thomas, who was off to the races for a 74-yard touchdown return, and a 21-21 tie.

LHS quarterback Banks Bowen opened the scoring in overtime with a 10-yard draw for a score, and a 28-21 margin. But the Lancer countered with a 6-yard pass from Pearcy on a rollout to Reeves to force a second overtime. 

East opened the second extra stanza, but missed on a pass to the right side of the end zone, then hooked a 26-yard field goal attempt to the left. Lawrence’s Andrei Lefort got his chance at a 27-yard field goal, and connected for the 31-28 win. 

The Lancers (0-3) opened up a 14-0 lead on Lawrence’s home field after touchdown runs from Luke Peary and Nate Phillips. Reeves led the Lancers with 106 rushing yards. 

A clash of the only two Kansas Class 4A state champions over the last decade, was over by half.

Bishop Miege, state champs in 2014-19 and 2022, throttled St. James Academy, 48-7, Friday night at Dixon Doll Stadium. The Stags, ranked No. 7 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, capitalized off seven turnovers by the Thunder. 

St. James pulled to 14-7 in the second quarter, after a Ben Wheeler 23-yard pass to John Tujague put the Thunder at the 1. Two plays later, a Wheeler sneak got St. James within a score. 

But from there, Miege went to work. The Stags capped a scoring drive to start the quarter with a 4-yard pass from quarterback Marco Rodriguez to Hollis Moeller with just 4:37 left in the half.

Following a turnover, Rodriguez then lofted a 34-yard bomb down the right side to a wide open Teryn Jackson, and a 28-7 halftime cushion. 

David Garcia piled on two rushing touchdowns, while Rodriguez also scored on the ground, to cap the Miege scoring in the second half.

Bishop Miege (3-0) will travel to Rockhurst (3-1) in a battle of area powers and two teams in the 810 Varsity Top 10 next Friday.

The Thunder won the state title in 2020 and 2021, but now are 0-3 for the season.