The Rockhurst senior-laden team was certain to end its series with Bishop Miege with a win.

The Hawklets won the cross-state showdown with a 21-14 win over the Stags, a year after Miege beat Rock.

Rockhurst, ranked No. 8 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, asserted their ground game early with runs of 19 yards by senior Aidan Ryan and 20 yards by senior Tommy Coppinger before  senior quarterback Ethan Hansen connecting to fellow senior Maeson Tunley for a 32-yard touchdown pass by the left pylon for a 7-0 lead.

On the ensuing drive, an 11-play, 64-yard drive was capped by a Coppinger 9-yard barreling up the middle, and a 14-0 lead, which Rockhurst took into halftime.

Miege, ranked No. 7 in the Top 25, held strong and then with 6:56 at the Rockhurst 32, quarterback Marco Rodriguez faked a handoff then quick hit Hollis Moeller in the left flat, who raced inside the 10, and broke two tackles to find the end zone, and a 14-7 deficit.

The Hawklets answered right back on a 7-play, 67-yard drive, capped by a Hansen keeper to the right side for a 21-7 edge.

Miege had one more trick left, as a pitch to running back David Garcia resulted in a quick 19-yard heave to the end zone for a wide open Peter Gibson, and a 21-14 Hawklet lead with 11:56 left.

Miege had another chance when Rockhurst fell short on a fourth-down attempt at the Miege 18.  But the Stags couldn't muster a drive, punted to the Hawklets with 7:45 left.  After two penalties set Rockhurst back at its own 15, the Hawklets proceeded to methodically run out the clock from there on out.

Rockhurst (4-1) will travel to No. 4 St. Thomas Aquinas (4-0), while Bishop Miege will face Blue Valley (2-2) next Friday.