By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
The Shawnee Heights T-Birds agonized over letting their Homecoming game slip away Friday in a wild shootout. De Soto made up a 14-point deficit in the final eight minutes to win 50-48, leaving the T-Birds lingering on the field dazed and disappointed afterward.
Shawnee Heights senior quarterback Aiden Scott threw for 607 yards and three touchdowns in Friday's 50-48 loss to De Soto. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
Shawnee Heights senior AJ Gallegos caught 14 passes for 218 yards and a TD in Friday's 50-48 loss to De Soto. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The contrasting styles of the teams produced a frenetic outburst of offense. Shawnee Heights filled the air with passes that covered 607 yards, while De Soto pounded its way to 333 yards rushing.
The T-Birds held a 48-34 advantage with 7:55 remaining, but let the Wildcats regain the momentum on an 80-yard scoring pass on the very next play. De Soto scored a game-tying touchdown with 1:53 remaining and rushed for a two-point conversion to take the lead.
Shawnee Heights’ last chance was thwarted by a Wildcat interception with 1:00 left.
Following the game, T-Bird coach Jason Swift stood at midfield, hands on his head, trying to express his pride in his team, and the disappointment he shared with them.
“I don’t think I could be prouder of the kids,” Swift said. “They left it all out on the field tonight. One play on either side of the ball, or on special teams, could have been the difference in the game.
“So, it’s hard. (De Soto is) a good football team. But I thought we played our best football tonight.”
The T-Birds dipped to 1-4 on the season with the loss. Swift said the team feels it let a big opportunity slip away against an opponent who is contending for a United Kansas Conference title.
“I’m heartbroken for them,” Swift said. “We had a chance. We had the kids in the position to win, but we didn’t finish them. Our kids never quit for one second, and that’s what you’ve got to love about them. It’s their resiliency, and they’re going to come back next week and we’re going to go on.”
The offensive numbers produced by both teams are staggering.
Shawnee Heights quarterback Aiden Scott threw for 607 yards on 31 completions. A.J. Gallegos, crowned Homecoming king prior to the game, caught 14 passes for 218 yards. Tyren Parker hauled in six passes for 171 yards. Kicker Camden Granado nailed field goals of 30 and 29 yards and blasted several kickoffs out of the back of the end zone.
Swift said it’s hard to celebrate the outstanding performances in defeat, but said they should not be overlooked.
“Some of the plays we make, they’re going to remember for the rest of their lives,” Swift said. “Just phenomenal. It’s not routine plays. It’s plays where their heart and determination makes the great catch, makes the great run, or makes that great stop. That’s something they need to be proud of.”
The T-Birds could have wilted when De Soto’s Christian Dickinson took an option pitch 80 yards on the game’s opening play. But the home team responded to take the lead 9-6 at the end of the first period. After trailing 18-9 at halftime, the T-Birds traded scores with the visitors for the next 12 minutes, with De Soto leading 34-33 after three periods.
Shawnee Heights then scored 15 unanswered points to start the fourth period. But another one-play, 80-yard scoring drive let the Wildcats back in it. The T-Birds were unable to milk the clock, giving the ball back to De Soto with 5:50 remining. The ensuing Wildcat drive allowed the visitors to take the lead for the last time.
De Soto quarterback Ben Parks led the way with 77 yards and three touchdowns rushing. He also completed seven of eight throws for 216 yards.
DE SOTO 40, SHAWNEE HEIGHTS 48
De Soto (4-1, 4-1) 6 12 8 24 -- 50
Shawnee Heights (1-4, 1-3) 9 0 24 15 -- 48
De Soto – Dickinson 80 run (kick failed)
Shawnee Heights – Purvis 1 run (kick failed)
Shawnee Heights – Granado 30 field goal
De Soto – Parks 7 run (kick failed)
De Soto – Whiddon 43 pass from Parks (kick failed)
Shawnee Heights – Granado 29 field goal
Shawnee Heights – Owens 36 pass from Scott (Granado kick)
Shawnee Heights – Purvis 8 run (Granado kick)
De Soto – DeArmond 45 pass from Parks (Morton run)
Shawnee Heights – Gallegos 12 pass from Scott (Granado kick)
De Soto – Parks 5 run (Parks run)
Shawnee Heights – Kamanda 39 pass from Scott (Coffman from Scott)
Shawnee Heights – Purvis 11 run (Granado kick)
De Soto – DeArmond 45 pass from Parks (Whiddon run)
De Soto – Parks 5 run (Whiddon run)
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing – De Soto: Dickinson 6-68, Parks 11-77, Morton 11-63, Rogers 8-28, Armond 2-11, Tjaden 14-114. Shawnee Heights: Purvis 15-27, Scott 3-14, Labrador 3-5.
Passing – De Soto: Parks 7-8-0 216 yards. Shawnee Heights: Scott 31-48-2 607 yards.
Receiving – De Soto: Dickinson 1-19, Whiddon 3-62, DeArmond 3-135. Shawnee Heights: Owens 5-85, Williams 4-25, Parker 6-171, Gallegos 14-218, Purvis 1-3, Kamanda 2-105.
Punting – De Soto: Hughes 2-32.0. Shawnee Heights: Granado 1-35.0.
