Andover Central 49, Bishop Miege 42

Maddox Archibald and Andover Central dealt Bishop Miege a hand it hasn’t drawn in a state title game since 2012 – a losing one.

The Jaguars broke loose in a back-and-forth shootout for a 49-42 win in the Kansas Class 4A championship on Saturday in Emporia. The title marked the first football crown in Andover Central’s history.

The Stags, trying to become the first team in Kansas history to win a title with a losing mark, took a 35-28 lead on Tyren Jackson’s fourth touchdown reception of the game with 11:25 left. Jackson finished with 225 receiving yards and the quarter of scores.

But the Jaguars countered back, as neither team led by more than a touchdown until the final 1:15. A Logan Taggart five-yard touchdown reception from Jace Jefferson tied the game at 35-35 after a 13-play, 81-yard drive. Then after a stop, Archibald scored on a three-yard rush through the middle for a 42-35 lead.

“They played their hearts out," stated Andover Central head coach Derek Tuttle. "I just thank the good Lord we get to work with such a nice group.”

Miege drove near midfield, but couldn’t pick up the first down. Then Archibald broke free for a 38-yard run down the left sideline to cap a 341-yard, four-touchdown day on the ground.

Bishop Miege did pull to 49-42 on a Jeremiah Johnson 12-yard touchdown reception from Marco Rodriguez, the fourth touchdown pass for the quarterback. But the onsides kick was recovered by Andover Central to seal the win.

The title marked the first time a public school won the Class 4A state title since Buhler’s title in 2013. Since then, Bishop Miege (7), St. James Academy (2) and St. Thomas Aquinas (1) accounted for the state championships in Kansas Class 4A.