By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
With his team trailing 20-13 late and facing 4th-and-13 from its own three-yard line in Friday's game with Liberal, Ulysses coach Jason Kenny had a decision to make.
Instead of going conservative, the Tiger coach decided to put it all on the line.
"We considered punting the ball out of there and using our timeouts to get the ball back," Kenny said. "But we would have had to punt into a strong wind. So we decided to go for it and see what happens."
With about two minutes remaining in the game, Kenny wasn't necessarily going for the score in one play. But that's what he got.
Running a crossing pattern on a bootleg, Vincent Orosco latched onto a pass from quarterback Trey Adams and raced about 65-yards for the score to pull the Tigers within 20-19. Now all Ulysses had to do was kick the extra point and tie the score, right? Not so fast.
Earlier in the game Kenny's holder was injured and the Tigers still had that stiff wind to deal with. So, again, the Tigers rolled the dice. Andrew Anderson scored the winning points on the conversion when he ran off tackle and secured the 21-20 triumph.
"I hope this gives the kids a boost," Kenny said on the miraculous turn around. "It just goes to show that you have to keep playing. Sometimes crazy things happen in high school football."
Stonebraker Wins 100th
Tanner Vinson and Evan Myers and the rest of their teammates wasted little time in getting Salina South head coach Ken Stonebraker his 100th win at the school.
Vinson gained 217 yards of total offense and scored three times, while Myers ran for two scores and threw for two more. Myers split time behind center with Mike Stratton, in getting his coach to the century mark.
"I may look back on it down the road, but I didn't really want to make a big deal about it," Stonebraker told the Salina Journal Online about the milestone. "I think really what it points to is I've been around here for a while."
Stonebraker is set to step down from his head coaching position at the end of the year so he can concentrate on his responsibilities as the school's athletic director.
Gun Slinger Roop
Moscow quarterback Taylor Roop completed 13-of-19 passes Friday in shredding the Balko (OK) secondary for 338 yards and seven touchdowns. Roop completed 13-of-19 passes in the 72-22 onslaught over the Bison.
The scores went for 5, 68, 35, 75, 36, 40 and 19 yards. Tony Granillo hauled in four of the scoring passes totaling 151 yards of real estate. He had 174 yards in receiving in the win.
Stuffed Trojans
Nickerson stuffed Hillsboro's conversion attempt in overtime to seal a 31-30 win over the Trojans. Last year Nickerson finished the season with a 3-8 mark, while Hillsboro came into this year's contest sporting a No. 7 ranking in one preseason poll.
Nickerson stopped four conversion attempts in regulation as well. The Panthers forced a wide kick, broke up two passes and stuffed another attempt on a conversion run.
Wildcats Rush Over Lincoln in 33-point Win
Moundridge nearly had a trifecta Friday in a 39-6 blasting of Lincoln. The Wildcats rushed for 380 yards in the win and had three players either go over the century mark, rushing the football, or nearing it.
Eric Loganbill reached triple digits by rushing for 117 yards on 15 carries and scored three touchdowns. Jayson Kaufman and Jake Janzen added 95 and 92 yards on the ground respectively.
Dold Scores Five Times in Garden Plain Win
Logan Dold had a hand in five scores Friday in Garden Plain's 49-14 victory over Douglass. Dold ran his way to 186 yards and three touchdowns. Then on 7-of-9 passing, the senior threw for another 175 yards and a pair of scores.
Cardinal(s) Rule
Three Eudora backs topped the century mark in the Cardinal's 55-14 trouncing of Osawatomie. Travis Clarke (138), Ben Katzenmeier (107) and Ryan Fisher (104) rushed for 349 yards collectively and combined to score seven touchdowns.
Other Top Rushing Performances
Elliott Spechtenhauser and Trevor Hamm rushed for 155 and 151 yards respectively in leading Peabody to a 21-12 win over Inman. Hope's Tyler Tracy and Lucas Hicks rushed for 154 and 146 yards respectively and three scores a piece in a 72-8 win over Wakefield. Chase County's Brian Palermo rushed for 270 yards on 15 carries and scored four touchdowns. Humboldt's Sam Morris tallied 221 yards on 21 carries and three scores. Elwood's Cullen Miller rushed 26 times for 219 yards and scored twice. Clinton Weldin, of Colony Crest ran the ball 18 times for 217 yards and four scores. Jordan Fields led Arkansas City with 232 rushing yards. Huldon Tharp had 207 yards rushing for Mulvane. JaVon Williams led Olathe East to a 24-7 win over Shawnee Mission East by rushing for 248 yards on 24 carries and scored a touchdown.
Other Top Passing Performances
Remington's Cole Cherryholmes threw for 246 yards on 14-of-28 passing and a touchdown. He also ran for 33 yards and a score in leading his team to a 22-7 win over Canton-Galva. Corbin Stanley led Columbus to a 46-21 win over Iola by throwing for 247 yards on 15-of-21 passing and three touchdowns. He also rushed seven times for 49 yards and a score. Clint Cornejo connected on 18-of-26 passes for 215 yards and a touchdown. Dodge City's Kale Pick threw for 253 yards. Matt Redeker, of Olpe, passed for 223 yards. Bishop Ward quarterback John Oropeza hit on 15 of 20 passes for 208 yards and a score in a 21-19 loss to Mill Valley.
Other Top Receiving Performances
Andrew McNary caught six passes for 136 yards and scored a touchdown in Remington's 22-7 win over Canton-Galva. Ellis' Daniel Gottschalk caught seven passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns. Tommy Smith caught passes equaling 101 yards for Hartford. Brett Soft caught 162 yards in passes for Maize. Vincent Orosco had 142 yards receiving. Dodge City's Brayton Maier had 127 yards receiving. Kyler Reed had 125 yards receiving for St. Thomas Aquinas. Ashland's Eric White was credited with 115 yards receiving. Adam Bezdek had 109 yards receiving for Andover. Columbus' Justin Pillar had 105 yards receiving. Byron Williams caught three passes for 114 yards and a pair of touchdowns in Bonner Springs' 26-6 win over Basehor-Linwood.
