By SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
STERLING, Kan. — For the first time since the program’s 1982 state championship season, Sterling finds itself one win away from playing for a title. The unbeaten Black Bears, now 11-0, will host another 11-0 power on Friday night when Smith Center comes to Smisor Stadium for a 7 p.m. Class 1A state semifinal kickoff, renewing a matchup that has not been played since 2013.
Sterling reached the semifinals after surviving a wild 44-42 quarterfinal win over Trinity Catholic, a game unlike anything the Black Bears had seen all season. Trinity limited standout running back Zane Farney to 49 yards, hit Sterling for back-to-back kickoff returns for touchdowns to open the second half and nearly forced overtime with a late score inside the final minute. Sterling never trailed by more than eight, but needed every bit of its depth and poise to hold on.
“We knew it was going to be a dogfight,” head coach Brent Schneider said. “They came with a great plan, took Zane out of the game better than anyone has, but our other guys stepped up. Logan had a great game, Wyatt had a great game, and nobody flinched after giving up two kick returns. A lot of teams would check out when that happens. Our kids did not.”
Quarterback Logan Isaac shouldered a big part of the load with 127 rushing yards, including a 54-yard touchdown immediately after Trinity’s first kick return. Wyatt Newberry added 123 yards and a 63-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter, and Sterling even found points when offensive lineman Derek Krone recovered a fumble in the end zone. It was the type of game where Sterling had to lean on every phase of its offense, something Schneider said his team embraces.
“Zane is such a selfless player,” Schneider said. “He was not complaining. He carried out every fake knowing he was going to get tackled because that is the job. That is who our guys are. Everybody does what is needed to make the offense work.”
The win also kept Sterling at home for a fifth straight week, a benefit of earning the No. 1 seed and taking care of business throughout district play. Schneider said the atmosphere last week was the best he has seen in his time as a player or coach, and he expects the same Friday, even with the threat of winter weather.
“It is a great honor to still be home,” he said. “The crowd last week was unbelievable. The kids treat it like business as usual, but the community is fired up. And I do not think a little weather is going to keep anyone away.”
If Sterling wins, the title game in Hutchinson is only a short drive away. The Black Bears know it is close, but Schneider said they have been careful not to let that reality distract them.
“We know it is right there,” he said. “But you cannot look ahead. Not with who we are playing.”
Smith Center brings one of the state’s most physical rushing attacks and is coming off a 22-14 win over Moundridge in a game that was not decided until the final play. The Redmen put together 80- and 97-yard touchdown drives, leaned on their dual-threat quarterback and a bruising offensive front, and made a game-saving defensive stop in the end zone on the final snap.
“They are the most physical team we have played, and we have played some physical teams,” Schneider said. “They remind me of Conway Springs. They get a lot of bodies to the point of attack. They run their quarterback hard. They are really sound. We pride ourselves on being physical too, so I think we will be the most physical team they have played as well.”
Moundridge is the lone common opponent between the two teams. Sterling beat the Wildcats 27-15 in Week 2, while Smith Center outlasted them last week. Schneider said there is limited value in the comparison because of how early Sterling faced them, but noted his team’s schedule has prepared them for a matchup like this.
“We have played some really big, really physical fronts,” he said. “Ellinwood, South Sumner and Conway Springs all try to get a lot of bodies to the point of attack. Those games helped us. I think that matters now.”
Farney has put together an exceptional season, rushing for 1,982 yards on 171 carries and averaging 11.6 yards per attempt. He has scored 37 touchdowns and topped 100 rushing yards in 10 of 11 games. He's currently at 6,368 rushing yards over his four years, averaging 8.1 yards per carry and 85 rushing touchdowns. He has rushed for over 100 yards in 27 of his 40 total games as a Black Bear.
Newberry has added 1,017 rushing yards on 67 carries, averaging 15.2 yards per attempt. He has 14 touchdowns and six games with more than 100 yards.
For Schneider, the formula Friday night is simple. Run the ball inside, stop Smith Center from doing the same and avoid the mistakes that can swing a possession in a game where both teams are comfortable controlling the clock.
“Take care of the football, try to force a turnover and make every possession count,” he said. “They are going to eat the clock. We cannot waste opportunities.”