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By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
Rossville claimed a regional championship and punched its ticket to the Class 1A quarterfinal round with a 53-18 pounding of Jefferson County North Friday at Rossville.
Rossville senior quarterback Canann Mitchell ran for four touchdowns and passed for a TD in the Bulldawgs' 53-18 Class 1A playoff win over Jefferson County North. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The game couldn’t have started better for the home team. Jefferson County North fumbled the opening kickoff, giving Rossville the ball at their opponents’ 32-yard line. Three plays later, Rossville senior quarterback Canaan Mitchell tossed to Andre Johnson for a 7-0 lead less than a minute into the contest.
The Bulldawg defense didn’t permit a first down until late in the first period. When the Cougars finally penetrated the Rossville red zone, linebacker Cael Horgan picked off a pass to squelch the threat.
“They gave us the ball back early and the possession part early in the football game was important for us,” Rossville coach Derick Hammes said. “I thought our defense did a good job. We had some red zone stops, so they did a good job overall with the tackling, getting off the field and everything. So, I’m proud of that side of the ball.”
Rossville extended the lead to 33-0 before finally giving up a touchdown on the final play of the half.
(Getting the turnover) was big, because that’s a momentum changer at the very beginning of the game,” Mitchell said. “We came out hot. Our offense is good, so if we stop everyone on defense, we can roll.”
Rossville pumped in two quick touchdowns in the third period to remove any doubt about the outcome. They did surrender two late scores, but coasted to the 35-point win.
Mitchell led the way on the ground and through the air. He rushed for 147 yards on 21 carries and also completed 11 of 13 throws for 181 yards. He ran for four touchdowns in addition to the scoring pass to Johnson.
“(Mitchell) toughed it out. He had a bruise. I don’t think it was anything serious,” Hammes said. “His effort was good. They committed to stopping the run and that kind of brings the quarterback run game into it for us, so he had a good night.”
“I’ve always been good at passing, but in this offense, we run a lot. It takes a lot of the pressure off when the defense (shuts down the opponent) like that,” Mitchell said. “My linemen allowed me time to pass, so all props to them.”
Rossville senior Andre Johnson scored three touchdowns in the Bulldawgs' 53-18 win over Jefferson County North Friday night. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Rossville senior Jack Donovan had a big rushing and pass receiving night in Friday's 53-18 Class 1A playoff win over Jefferson County North. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Johnson followed up his touchdown reception with 18 and 24-yard scoring runs. Providing an additional spark to the offense was Jack Donovan. He hauled in five passes for 48 yards and rushed for 69 more yards on four carries. Conner Bush pounded out 52 tough yards to help Rossville control the ball and consume the clock.
Rossville improved to 9-1, but the road gets significantly tougher next week. The Bulldawgs earned a trip to Pittsburg to face perennial powerhouse St. Mary’s-Colgan, the top seed in the East bracket. The Panthers have yet to surrender a point in the playoffs.
“We don’t know a lot about them until we dig into the film. But you want to be playing this time of the year, and these kids have put a lot of hard work in,” Hammes said. “So, they deserve the chance to play a good football team and see what we can get done.”
ROSSVILLE 53, JEFFERSON COUNTY NORTH 18
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Hayden's Kade Mitchell fumbled on his first carry of Friday's home Class 3A regional playoff game against Wellsville.
But that would be the only negative of the night for the 5-foot-9, 180-pound senior star, who powered the 10-0 Wildcats to a 42-0 win over the Eagles with four touchdowns and more than 100 yards rushing and receiving.
Hayden senior Kade Mitchell scored four touchdowns on the night -- two rushing and two receiving -- as the Wildcats advanced to the Class 3A quarterfinals with a 42-0 win over Wellsville. [File photo/TSN]
"You just have to stay level-headed,'' Mitchell said of the fumble. "I knew my guys have got me, they're going to back me up. I trusted them all night and it's all thanks to them. They picked me up right away and I love these guys.''
Hayden led 21-0 at the half, with Mitchell scoring all three touchdowns for the Wildcats.
After the two teams traded turnovers on their first two possessions, Mitchell capped an 8-play, 80-yard drive with a 36-yard TD run (Mason Becker kick) with 3:37 left in the opening quarter after the Wildcats got an interception from junior Logan Power.
After Wellsville had a TD wiped out by a holding penalty on its ensuing possession, Becker came up with Hayden's second interception of the game, ending the Eagles' scoring threat.
Six plays later Hayden senior quarterback Connor Hanika found a wide-open Mitchell for a 62-yard TD (Becker kick) at the 7:45 mark of the second quarter.
"I was a little free and Connor threw a great ball and I just had to walk in,'' Mitchell said. "It was a great night, it was fun.''
Then, after a Wellsville punt Hanika and Mitchell hooked up again, this time for a 63-yard score (Becker kick) with 2:01 left before halftime.
Wellsville (6-4) drove into the red zone twice in the opening half but came up empty both times.
Senior Jackson McGivern scored from 4 yards out (Becker kick) to put Hayden up 28-0 midway through the third quarter and senior Jude Krentz scored on a 9-yard scamper 28 seconds into the fourth stanza (Becker kick).
Mitchell then put the capper on his big night with a 68-yard run (Becker kick) to account for the final margin.
Hayden senior quarterback Connor Hanika threw for 211 yards and two touchdowns Friday night as the Wildcats improved to 10-0 with a 42-0 Class 3A playoff win over Wellsville. [File photo/TSN]
Mitchell rushed for 131 yards on just seven carries and caught three passes for 149 yards while Hanika completed 10 of 13 passes for 211 yards and the two TDs to Mitchell.
Krentz added 72 rushing yards on seven totes.
"Wellsville's a good team,'' Hayden coach Bill Arnold said. "They came out and they played hard. I think we had a situation where maybe some of our formations messed them up a little bit and we got some good mismatches out there.
"I was pleased with our kids' effort. I thought Jackson McGivern played a heck of a game on defense and played really well. It was a team effort. We're not going to be bigger than anybody up front, but we do play hard and that's what I like about this group.''
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The 2025 All-Shawnee County boys cross country team: Front row, from left -- Clayton Fink, Washburn Rural; Jaxson Adams, Washburn Rural; Henry Laubach, Washburn Rural; Nick Newkirk, Hayden; Connor Baldwin, Hayden. Back row, from left -- coach Matt Swedlund, Washburn Rural; Brooks Kehoe, Washburn Rural; Duke Graf, Washburn Rural; Max Esquibel, Shawnee Heights; Brody Anderson, Seaman; Conner Bloom, Seaman. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Class 6A state champion Washburn Rural put five runners, including three repeaters on the 2025 boys All-Shawnee County cross country team.
Washburn Rural senior Brooks Kehoe is a three-time all-county first-teamer while sophomores Clayton Fink and Henry Laubach are also repeat first-teamers after helping the Junior Blues win the state team title by a single point (100-101) over Blue Valley.
Rural sophomores Jaxson Adams and Duke Graf are first-time All-Shawnee County honorees.
Washburn Rural coach Matt Swedlund was named the county boys coach of the year, sweeping the county girls and boys coach of the year awards.
Seaman two-time city and United Kansas Conference individual champion Brody Anderson is a three-time all-county pick while Hayden senior Connor Baldwin and Shawnee Heights senior Max Esquibel are two-time picks.
Seaman junior Conner Bloom and Hayden sophomore Nick Newkirk round out the first team, selected by local coaches.
All-Shawnee County boys capsules:
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The 2025 All-Shawnee County girls cross country team: Front row, from left -- Reese Beardslee, Washburn Rural; Emily Graf, Washburn Rural; Clara Dillon, Washburn Rural; Alyson Hinck, Washburn Rural; Sofia Harper, Hayden. Back row, from left -- coach Matt Swedlund, Washburn Rural; Kenzie Maddox, Washburn Rural; Morgan Munson, Washburn Rural; Brynn Spencer, Seaman; Ryin Miller, Seaman. Not pictured: Ali Gerber, Silver Lake. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Five first-team repeat selections headline the 10-member 2025 All-Shawnee County girls cross country team.
Leading the way are four-time all-county pick Ryin Miller of Seaman and three-time selections Emily Graf of Washburn Rural, Sofia Harper of Hayden and Brynn Spencer of Seaman along with repeat honoree Kenzie Maddox of Washburn Rural.
Spencer, a junior, finished a county-best 16th in the Class 5A state meet.
Earning first-team all-county honors for the first time are Silver Lake junior Ali Gerber, Washburn Rural sophomore Reese Beardslee and Junior Blue freshmen Clara Dillon, Alyson Hinck and Morgan Munson.
Washburn Rural coach Matt Swedlund was named the girls Shawnee County coach of the year after his Junior Blues captured the city team championship and were the only county girls school to qualify for state as a team.
All-Shawnee County girls capsules:
REESE BEARDSLEE, Washburn Rural -- Beardslee, a sophomore, earned her first All-Shawnee County first-team honor after placing fifth individually in the city meet for the team-champion Junior Blues, 11th in the Centennial League, 17th in Class 6A regional competition and 50th at state. Beardslee had a five-kilometer personal-best of 19 minutes, 57 seconds.
CLARA DILLON, Washburn Rural -- A freshman, Dillon posted an eighth-place finish in the city meet for the team-champion Junior Blues before finishing 18th in the Centennial League meet, 21st in Class 6A regional competition and 62nd in the state meet. Dillon had a five-kilometer personal-best of 21 minutes, 43 seconds.
Ali Gerber, Silver Lake [Submitted photo/Silver Lake cross country]
ALI GERBER, Silver Lake -- Gerber, a junior, earned All-Shawnee County first-team honors for the first time after receiving honorable mention as a sophomore. Gerber placed sixth in a Class 3A regional meet to earn an individual berth for last Saturday's state meet at Rim Rock Farm and placed 35th at state with a five-kilometer time of 21 minutes, 21.43 seconds.
EMILY GRAF, Washburn Rural -- A three-time first-team All-Shawnee County pick, Graf garnered the individual championship in the city meet for the team-champion Junior Blues before finishing eighth in the Centennial League, fifth in a Class 6A regional meet and 30th at state. Graf clocked a season-best five-kilometer time of 19 minutes, 10 seconds.
SOFIA HARPER, Hayden -- Harper, a junior, is a first-team All-Shawnee County pick for the third straight season. Harper posted a seventh-place individual finish in the city championships, placed 16th in the Centennial League meet and 12th in Class 4A regional competition to earn a state berth. Harper was 44th at state and had a season-best five-kilometer time of 20 minutes, 22 seconds.
ALYSON HINCK, Washburn Rural -- The Washburn Rural freshman was the individual runnerup in the city meet for the team-champion Junior Blues and placed sixth in the Centennial League, eighth in Class 6A regional competition and a team-high 25th in the state meet. Hinck posted a season-best five-kilometer time of 19 minutes, 37 seconds.
KENZIE MADDOX, Washburn Rural -- Maddox, a senior, is a first-team All-Shawnee County repeater after receiving honorable mention as a sophomore. Maddox finished fourth this fall in the city meet before placing 14th in the Centennial League, 16th in a Class 6A regional and 49th in the 6A state meet. Maddox has a personal-best time of 18 minutes, 47 seconds.
RYIN MILLER, Seaman -- A three-time Class 5A state medalist and four-time All-Shawnee County first-team pick, Miller only competed in one meet as a senior due to injury, but finished third in the United Kansas Conference behind two all-staters despite no training since July 3rd. Miller finished second in Class 5A as a junior after a third-place finish as a sophomore. Miller, who has won five state titles in track, has a personal-best five-kilometer time of 16minutes, 32 seconds.
MORGAN MUNSON, Washburn Rural -- A freshman, Munson placed sixth in the city meet for team-champion Washburn Rural before placing 10th in the Centennial League meet, ninth in Class 6A regional competition and 51st in the state championships. Munson had a season-best five-kilometer time of 20 minutes, 10 seconds.
BRYNN SPENCER, Seaman -- A three-time All-Shawnee County first-team selection, the Seaman junior finished third in the city meet, second in the United Kansas Conference, sixth in Class 5A regional competition and 16th at state for her second straight state medal. Spencer clocked a five-kilometer season-best of 19 minutes, 26 seconds.
ALL-SHAWNEE COUNTY GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY
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By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Washburn Rural sophomore cross country standout Henry Laubach and Seaman junior cross country standout Brynn Spencer have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2025-2026 school year.
Here's a brief look at the recent accomplishments of Laubach and Spencer over the past week.
Henry Laubach, Washburn Rural [Photo by Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports]
HENRY LAUBACH, Washburn Rural
Bouncing back from an injury, Laubach finished a team-high 22nd individually in last Saturday's Class 6A cross country meet at Rim Rock Farm, helping lead Washburn Rural to the state team championship.
Laubach posted a five-kilometer time of 16 minutes, 40.66 seconds to lead a strong pack performance for the Junior Blues, who won the team title by a one-point margin (100-101) over runnerup Blue Valley.
Laubach is a two-time All-Shawnee County honoree.
Brynn Spencer, Seaman [Photo by Mac Moore/Lawrence Sports]
BRYNN SPENCER, Seaman
Spencer earned her second straight Class 5A state medal in last Saturday's state meet at Rim Rock Farm, placing 16th individually.
Spencer, who had placed 18th as a sophomore, clocked a five-kilometer time of 19 minutes, 26.82 seconds and was the lone Shawnee County runner to earn an individual state medal (top 20).
The Seaman athlete is a three-time All-Shawnee County honoree.
