Rockhurst and St. Thomas Aquinas certainly have given fans exciting games in the last few years. Friday stood out as another thriller.

For the third straight year, the two powerhouses needed overtime to decide the winner in the series that renewed in 2022. In this rendition, the Hawklets answered an Aquinas touchdown in overtime, then converted on a two-point conversion to walk off a 36-35 winner on Friday night.

The Hawlets, ranked No. 5 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, rallied late, taking over at the Aquinas 35 with 6:16 left, down 28-21. But an 11-play drive, which needed two fourth-down conversions, led to a Garrett Miller four-yard strike on the right side of the end zone to fellow junior Blake Thomas on fourth down for a 28-28 tie with 2:18 left.

Rockhurst (6-1) held the Saints and actually attempted a field goal in the final seconds, but Aquinas blocked the attempt. 
Aquinas opened overtime with a Cal Arndt two-yard touchdown for a 35-28 lead. The senior tailback finished with 229 rushing yards and four touchdowns in the contest

But again on fourth down at the two, Rockhurst's Cash Lewandowski scored his third touchdown of the night for a 35-34 deficit. After both teams took timeouts, Miller rolled right for a pass off his back foot from the 14, which floated and was caught by Warren Robertson for the game-winning score. The Hawklets flooded the end zone after the walkoff win.

Both teams swapped scores all night, including a 60-yard bomb from Miller to Tristan Johnson for a touchdown, then another Miller to Robertson two-point conversion for a 22-15 Rockhurst lead with 5:22 left in the first half.

But Aquinas capped a drive before halftime, as sophomore quarterback Luke Bernhardt lobbed  a 25-yard pass to junior Jack Lambert, who caught the contested pass for a touchdown and a 22-21 lead with :16 left in the first half.

Rockhurst won at Aquinas in 2023, 45-44, with a blocked PAT to seal the win. Aquinas won last year, 14-13, at Rockhurst.
Rockhurst will travel to Liberty North next Friday, while the Saints will play at Blue Valley Northwest.