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CLASS 1A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

ROSSVILLE (11-1) VS. STERLING (12-0)

1 p.m. Friday at Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson

MITCHELL, DAWG TEAMMATES READY TO MAKE OWN MARK IN ROSSVILLE’S CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

When Rossville captured its last state championship, Canann Mitchell was right there on the sidelines.

Not as a player for the Bulldawgs. The senior quarterback was merely an eighth-grader when Rossville finished off an undefeated season in 2021 with a 35-12 win over Beloit, the program’s second straight Class 2A state championship and fifth in an eight-year span.

Instead, Mitchell served as a ball boy for the 13-0 2021 team and just being a part of it made him hungry for his shot.

“Just seeing them after they won the game come together and cheer and everything, that was big for me,” Mitchell said. “I always told my dad, I wanted one of them since I was little watching all of them.

“It would be awesome to bring one home for this town.”

It’s taken the duration of his high school career to get there, but Mitchell will get that chance.

Rushing for one touchdown and throwing for two more – including a 20-yarder to Cael Hogan midway through the third quarter, Mitchell led Rossville to a 21-18 win over previously unbeaten Jackson Heights in last week’s muddy Class 1A semifinal. It marked the second straight week the Bulldawgs had taken down an undefeated team, also knocking off St. Mary’s Colgan 27-20 in the quarterfinals.

In Friday’s 1 p.m. state championship game in Hutchinson, the Bulldawgs face another team seeking a perfect season as Sterling comes in with a 12-0 mark after winning a 14-6 defensive battle with fellow unbeaten Smith Center in its semifinal contest.

“It never gets old,” Rossville coach Derick Hammes said of reaching the title game – the sixth of his 13-year tenure at Rossville. “We’re looking forward to it. It’s in Hutchinson and we’ve got good memories there. Our folks will travel well and the bottom line is, this group of kids have done a great job of buying in and trusting the process. They just deserved a chance.”

Indeed, Rossville has very fond memories of Hutchinson as the first three state championships in program history came there, Former All-Stater Tucker Horak led the Bulldawgs to back-to-back Class 3A crowns in 2014 and 2015 and then Jacob Bradshaw took over at quarterback the next year and delivered the three-peat in 2016.

When Rossville dropped to 2A, Torrey Horak guided the Bulldawgs to back-to-back titles in Salina.

Whether in the stands as a young Dawg for the first three or on the sidelines as a ball boy for the last two, Mitchell took it all in. And as a quarterback himself, he intently watched how past Bulldawg signal callers handled the moment.

“They were leaders; that’s what a Rossville quarterback has to be,” Mitchell said. “You’ve got to lead your team and they were big-time leaders so that’s what I try to do.”

A quarterback throughout his career, Mitchell didn’t take over the position for Rossville until this year, losing out a tight competition the past two years with Taysom Horak, who led the Bulldawgs to the state semifinals last year before a 22-9 loss to Centralia ended his bid to join his older brothers in leading the Bulldawgs to the state finals.

And even going into this year, Mitchell was locked in a battle with sophomore Landen Lewis for the starting job. But once he won it, he took the reins and has led Rossville to its best season since 2021.

He’s thrown for 1,578 yards and 18 touchdowns while getting intercepted just once and completing 65.5% of his passes. A dual-threat in the mold of past Rossville QBs, Mitchell also is the leading rusher with 1,013 yards and 18 touchdowns.

“His sophomore and junior year, it could have been him because he was in a legit quarterback battle,” Hammes said. “But he is a kid that trusted the process and what we had in store for him and he deserves all the success he’s having.”

Surrounded by a multitude of playmakers like seniors Conner Bush (685 rushing yards, 10 TDs), Andre Johnson (357 rushing yards, 11 TDs), Cameron Miller (523 receiving yards, 8 TDs) and Jack Donovan (453 receiving yards, 3 TDs) and sophomore Lewis (392 rushing yards, 5 TDs), there wasn’t much questioning the firepower Rossville had at its disposal this season.

The question facing the Bulldawgs, however, was would they have room and time to operate. Rossville graduated its entire offensive line from a year ago.

But the starting five of senior Caleb Lehman, juniors Easton Webb and Charlie Chance and sophomores Jordan Martinek and Cooper Meyer, not only have come together to become a serviceable unit, but one Hammes said has been a huge key to this year’s success.

“You could make an argument on some nights it’s the strength of our football team,” he said. “I think looking back to the first three games, it was going to be how fast was that going to happen? But I thought those kids really progressed this summer and Dan Schneider’s been my offensive line coach each year since I got here and he just does a great job with those kids up front. That was a key for us, getting those kids to gel because we had some pieces on the perimeter that were pretty good.”

The group did gel quickly and allowed Rossville to somewhat flip the script from a year ago on its start to the season. After going 0-3 to start last season, Rossville came out of its pre-district slate this season with a 2-1 mark – its only setback a 56-28 loss to an undefeated Nemaha Central team playing for the Class 2A state title this weekend.

Those early tests, plus ones from previous seasons when Rossville had the likes of Hayden and Holton the schedule, have battle-tested the Dawgs, preparing them for the rigors this postseason has served up.

After fighting off Colgan on the road, Rossville was again on the road for the semifinals, returning – for the lack of a better phrase – to the scene of the crime from a year ago when the Bulldawgs pulled off a miraculous 42-38 win over Heights after trailing 38-21 with five minutes left in the game.

Hammes knew the Cobras would be hungry for revenge in Friday’s rematch.

“We knew we’d get their best shot,” Hammes said. “The big thing we talked about was that we handled the emotion of the game. We knew they would bring it and be ready for us and they certainly were.”

After Mitchell opened the scoring with a 51-yard scoring run and then answered a 60-yard TD run by Heights quarterback Drake Mellies with a 10-yard TD pass to Horgan, Rossville saw the Cobras build an 18-14 lead as Mellies capped two second-quarter drives with TD runs of 1 and 3 yards.

“He is a winner,” Hammes said of Mellies, who ran for 167 of Heights’ 266 yards in the game. “From what I saw on film, I would call his number, too.”

But in the second half, the Bulldawgs were able to repeatedly stuff Mellies and Heights. Mitchell hit Horgan for the game-winner with seven minutes left in the third period and the defense did the rest, coming up with a game-clinching interception by Cale Horak in the final 40 seconds after Mellies had broke a pair of nice runs to give Heights a chance.

“I thought both teams played extremely hard,” Hammes said. “They’re a very good ball club and we had to dig deep to get it done. The difference for us is we settled in at halftime and defensively we did a much better job and contained them.”

The win erased some of the sting from last year’s semifinal loss to Centralia – really the first time the Bulldawgs had come up short in that situation after its breakthrough season in 2014. In each of its five previous semifinal appearances before last year, Rossville had won and gone on to win that state title.

To come up short last year was a tough pill to swallow.

“For us, it was that we missed a really good opportunity because you get that far in the playoffs and come up short, you don’t always get those opportunities,” Hammes said. “I think it was more that than a battle cry of sorts in the offseason. We just wanted to put some things together in the offseason. It was a work in progress to get to this point but now that we’re here, we’re excited for the opportunity.”

ROSSVILLE BULLDAWGS (11-1)

COACH: Derick Hammes (13th year, 125-29)

STATE FINALS HISTORY: 5 state championships – 2021 (2A), 2020 (2A), 2016 (3A), 2015 (3A), 2014 (3A); 1 runner-up finish – 1992 (3A)

2025 RESULTS

W,28-27 OT Silver Lake
W,40-34 at St. Marys
L,56-28 Nemaha Central
W,69-0 at Maranatha
W,55-6 Mission Valley
W,49-14 at Cair Paravel
W,36-22 at Olpe
W,49-6 Wabaunsee
W,71-0 Mission Valley (P)
W,53-18 Jefferson County North (P)
W,27-20 at St. Mary’s Colgan (P)
W,21-18 at Jackson Heights (P)

2025 STATISTICS

TEAM

Points scored: 526 (43.8 per game)

Points allowed: 221 (18.4 per game)

Total offense: 4,643 yards (386.9 per game)

Rushing: 3,006 yards (250.5 per game), 51 TDs

Passing: 1,637 yards (136.4 per game), 18 TDs, 1 INT

INDIVIDUAL

Rushing: Canann Mitchell (sr.) 139 carries, 1,013 yards, 18 TDs; Conner Bush (sr.) 69 carries, 685 yards, 10 TDs; Landen Lewis (so.) 47 carries, 392 yards, 5 TDs; Andre Johnson (sr.) 55 carries, 357 yards, 11 TDs; Jack Donovan (sr.) 26 carries, 315 yards, 4 TDs.

Passing: Canann Mitchell (sr.) 109 of 164, 1,578 yards, 18 TDs, 1 INT.

Receiving: Cameron Miller (sr.) 32 catches, 523 yards, 8 TDs; Jack Donovan (sr.) 38 catches, 453 yards, 3 TDs; Cael Horgan (jr.) 14 catches, 191 yards, 2 TDs; Landen Lewis (so.) 8 catches, 157 yards, 2 TDs; Andre Johnson (sr.) 6 catches, 119 yards, 1 TD; Cale Horak (so.) 6 catches, 112 yards, 2 TDs.

Tackles: Andre Johnson (sr.) 119 tackles (64 solo), 2 tackles for loss, 1 sack; Conner Bush (sr.) 99 tackles (34 solo); Kelton Lacock (jr.) 63 tackles (21 solo); Charles Chance (jr.) 49 tackles (39 solo), 14.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks; Landen Lewis (so.) 38 tackles (24 solo), 4 tackles for loss, 1 sack; Cale Horak (so.) 34 tackles (18 solo), 3 tackles for loss; Caleb Thomas Lehman (sr.) 33 tackles (22 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss; Easton Webb (jr.) 32 tackles (19 solo), 1 tackle for loss; Jack Donovan (sr.) 29 tackles (24 solo), 2 tackles for loss; Eden Thompson (sr.) 22 tackles (20 solo), 6 tackles for loss; Cael Horgan (jr.) 21 tackles (16 solo).

Takeaways: Cameron Miller (sr.) 4 INTs, 1 fumble recovery; Cale Horak (so.) 3 INTs; Conner Bush (sr.) 2 INTs; Dalen Dick (so.) 2 INTs; Kelton Lacock (jr.) 2 fumble recoveries; Creed Wood (so.) 2 fumble recoveries; Cael Horgan (jr.) 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery; Andre Johnson (sr.) 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery.

Kicking: Austin Dohrman (so.) 38 of 49 PATs.

STERLING TAKES OLD SCHOOL APPROACH TO TRY TO REPLICATE YESTERYEAR

The sign stands at the corner of Fourth and Cleveland next to Sterling’s football practice field.

It highlights the school’s state championship history from tennis to track, and from forensics to football.

The latter sits a few rungs from the top and celebrates the Black Bears’ Class 2A championship team of 1982. It’s the lone state football title in Sterling’s history. The white space on the sign invites additional ink.

“These past couple weeks, (assistant) coach (Eric) Saiz has taken us to that sign and tells us how we need to see a great opportunity,” Sterling quarterback Logan Isaac said.

If you look closely enough, you can see a team from a bygone era in this year’s Black Bears. With a punishing running game and a hard-hitting, opportunistic defense, Sterling has blended high-scoring blowouts and recent nailbiters into a 12-0 season that will culminate in a Class 1A championship game against Rossville on Friday in Hutchinson.

The Black Bears have some championship pedigree, winning the school’s second 2A boys state basketball title in March. And while football has had its moments since Gary White’s ’82 team won a district title before carving a playoff path through Moundridge, Sedan, Stanton County and Clifton-Clyde, none has been bigger than this.

“We’ve had a ton of community support,” said Sterling coach Brent Schneider, an SHS alum. “They’ve really bought in and we had great crowds at our playoff games. A lot of people came down to the field to congratulate the kids. It’s been really fun.”

With just seven seniors, Sterling doesn’t field a large veteran group, but it is experienced. None more so than halfback Zane Farney, who enters his high school finale with 6,433 career rushing yards and 87 rushing touchdowns.

A starter since his freshman season, Farney has been part of a core group that contributed to a 4-5 season in 2022 and subsequent 6-4 campaigns prior to this fall. In 12 games this season, Farney has run for 2,047 yards and 39 touchdowns.

“When we get Zane going, it just opens up a lot more,” Isaac said. “But when Zane isn’t getting big plays, any one of us can step up.”

That fact has kept Sterling’s dream season in motion.

The Black Bears fought off Heart of America League and district counterpart Hutchinson Trinity 44-42 in the quarterfinals, with Farney drawing the brunt of the Celtics’ defensive attention. With Farney limited to 56 yards on 17 carries, Isaac ran 11 times for 128 yards and two touchdowns, while their classmate Wyatt Newberry added seven carries for 120 yards and a score.

Offense was harder to come by for Sterling in Friday’s semifinals against Smith Center. The Black Bears finished with 160 total yards, but Farney ran for 65 yards and two touchdowns in a 14-6 victory.

“He’s getting about nine guys trying to take him away,” Schneider said. “We’ve leaned on some of our other skill guys. Logan has had some really long runs and so has Wyatt and Jace (Darnauer).”

The Black Bears’ dedication to the run has gone to greater extremes this season. After throwing 56 passes in 10 games as a junior, Isaac has thrown just 17 times this season.

His lone completion against Smith Center, a 30-yarder to sophomore Jacob Lewis, set up Farney’s second touchdown that gave Sterling a 14-0 halftime lead.

“I think it’s just because we’ve been so dominating running the ball we haven’t really needed to throw,” Isaac said. “I kind of like that. It’s showing people you don’t have to throw 50 times a game to put up 50 points.”

That offensive mindset contrasts with the defensive prowess of Sterling’s ’82 championship team. The Black Bears have scored 43 or more points eight times this season. The 1982 team gave up 49 points all season.

Still, the connection between Sterling’s heroes of yesteryear and today are strong. Two of Schneider’s assistants, Andy Ball and Chad Bennett, had fathers – Monte Ball and Jeff Bennett – who played on the 1982 team. Monte Ball was Sterling’s head coach from 1991-2005.

“I think it’s a big deal,” Schneider said. “I think they understand that and have even more since it’s kind of become a reality. It helps that we’ve done this in basketball. We’re not looking at something that’s way out there now and we can’t achieve it.”

STERLING BLACK BEARS (12-0)

COACH: Brent Schneider (7th year, 35-33)

STATE FINALS HISTORY: 1 state championship – 1982 (2A)

2025 RESULTS

W,47-6 Sedgwick
W,27-15 at Moundridge
W,60-47 Inman
W,43-8 at Ellinwood
W,47-10 Medicine Lodge
W,46-20 at Conway Springs
W,75-33 at South Sumner County
W,34-12 Hutchinson Trinity
W,63-6 Herington (P)
W,53-14 Marion (P)
W,44-42 Hutchinson Trinity (P)
W,14-6 Smith Center (P)

2025 STATISTICS

TEAM

Points scored: 553 (46.1 per game)

Points allowed: 219 (18.3 per game)

Total offense: 4,483 yards (3736 per game)

Rushing: 4,257 yards (354.8 per game), 73 TDs

Passing: 226 yards (18.8 per game), 3 TDs, 0 INTs

INDIVIDUAL

Rushing: Zane Farney (sr.) 188. Carries, 2,047 yards, 39 TDs; Wyatt Newberry (sr.) 74 carries, 1,034 yards, 14 TDs; Jace Darnauer (jr.) 41 carries, 435 yards, 7 TDs; Logan Isaac (sr.) 56 carries, 403 yards, 10 TDs; Deryn Maxwell (jr.) 22 carries, 201 yards, 2 TDs.

Passing: Logan Isaac (sr.) 8 of 17, 209 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT.

Receiving: Wyatt Newberry (sr.) 5 catches, 152 yards, TD.

Tackles: Jacob Lewis (so.) 156 tackles (95 solo), 15 tackles for loss, 3 sacks; Cameron Morris (jr.) 98 tackles (48 solo), 3 tackles for loss; Wyatt Newberry (sr.) 98 tackles (62 solo), 8 tackles for loss; David Myers (so.) 90 tackles (49 solo), 7 tackles for loss; Deryn Maxwell (jr.) 74 tackles (41 solo); Zane Farney (sr.) 61 tackles (33 solo), 2 tackles for loss; Maddox Link (jr.) 43 tackles (19 solo), 4 tackles for loss, 3 sacks; Tucker Haas (jr.) 43 tackles (15 solo), 5 tackles for loss; Kevin Ploutz (sr.) 39 tackles (11 solo), 4 tackles for loss; Jace Darnauer (jr.) 38 tackles (20 solo); Logan Isaac (sr.) 38 tackles (21 solo), 4 tackles for loss, 2 sacks; Landon Aguilera (jr.) 33 tackles (21 solo); Cale Thomas (sr.) 32 tackles (18 solo), 3 tackles for loss; Nolan Wellman (so.) 29 tackles (16 solo), 2 tackles for loss; Derek Krone (jr.) 24 tackles (16 solo), 5 tackles for loss, 4 sacks; Duell Kizzar (so.) 23 tackles (12 solo), 2 tackles for loss; Kipton Smith (fr.) 22 tackles (14 solo).

Takeaways: Jacob Lewis (so.) 5 fumble recoveries, 1 INT; Wyatt Newberry (sr.) 4 INTs; Zane Farney (sr.) 2 INTs, 2 fumble recoveries; Deryn Maxwell (jr.) 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery; Jace Darnauer (jr.) 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery; David Myers (so.) 1 INT, 1 fumble recovery; Brad Gillespie (sr.) 2 fumble recoveries.

Kicking: Lane Weigel (so.) 49 of 62 PATs.

🏈 Class 1A state championship preview: Sterling vs. Rossville