Senior lineman Nathan Rios blocked and recovered a punt in the third quarter of Sumner Academy’s 28-0 loss to Pittsburg in the 5A KSHSAA playoffs. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
by Brian Turrel
The Sumner Academy Sabres concluded the 2022 season with a 28-0 5A regional playoff loss to the Pittsburg Dragons. A bone-chilling rain soaked players and fans, with a gusty wind and temperatures at 40 degrees and under at game time.
The Dragons dominated from the opening drive, marching confidently down the field with big gains from running back Wyatt Rink for an early touchdown.
Sabres speedy running back Antonio Harrison, averaging over 200 yards per game coming into the contest, was stymied by the Pittsburg defense, which clogged the middle and prevented Sumner’s offensive line from sealing the edge. Harrison was more often than not met in the backfield by Dragons’ defenders.
The visitors repeated their drive twice more in the first half, opening up a 20-0 lead, but Sumner’s defense denied a fourth score at the end of the second quarter, making tackles for short yardage and running out the clock.
Sumner got a great punt to back Pittsburg up on its second half opening drive, and a bad snap and defensive stop forced the Dragons to punt.
Sabres senior Nathan Rios made the play of the game on the Dragons’ fourth down, busting through the line to block the punt. Rios recovered the loose ball on the Pittsburg 9-yard line to set up Sumner’s best scoring chance of the game, but the offense was not able to convert the opportunity to points.
Pittsburg scored again in the fourth quarter, with a two-point conversion to give a 28-0 final margin.
Sumner Academy finishes the season with a 7-3 record. The Sabres finished third in the Meadowlark League at 4-2, behind Atchison (6-0) and Highland Park (5-1).
In the 4A playoffs, the Piper Pirates beat previously undefeated Chanute 48-47 in a double overtime thriller. The Pirates were down by 14 with five minutes left in regulation, but a perfectly executed onside kick from Zane Busick gave his team the opportunity for a late comeback.
The Pirates, now 7-3, are scheduled to play the sectional championship game at Bishop Miege next Friday.
In the 3A playoffs, Bishop Ward was blanked 56-0 on the road by the Holton Wildcats. The Cyclones finish the season at 7-3.
Senior running back Antonio Harrison carried the ball. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior tight end Javeare Akande made a block to open a hole for junior running back Deavon McWashington. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior quarterback Camron Johnson was caught in the backfield. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
The Sumner offensive line set up for a snap. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Junior Marco Contreras broke a tackle and made good yardage on a kick return. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
The Sumner cheerleaders did their best to stay dry in the soaking rain. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
The No. 5 Kansas City Current’s historic 2022 campaign concluded Saturday night with a 2-0 loss to the No. 2 Portland Thorns in the National Women’s Soccer League Championship in Washington, D.C.
Thorns forward and 2022 NWSL MVP Sophia Smith opened the scoring with a goal in the fourth minute, and Portland doubled its advantage with an own goal scored in the 56th minute. Current goalkeeper A.D. Franch recorded five saves in the contest.
“All losses at this stage in the season are tough to manage,” head coach Matt Potter said. “But, again, I point to the way the group just still tried to carry the cause for the people in the stands, to represent Kansas City in the appropriate manner. I couldn’t be prouder for that.”
Making its fourth all-time appearance in an NWSL Championship, a seasoned Thorns squad used its experience in the early going to take a 1-0 lead.
After a few early Portland chances were blocked by Kansas City’s defense, the Thorns sprung a counterattack after a Current turnover in the fourth minute. Forward Rocky Rodriguez sent a long ball forward that Smith ran on to, and she evaded Kansas City’s back line to set up a one-on-one opportunity against Franch. Smith dribbled around Franch and slotted the ball into an empty net to open the scoring. Smith nearly doubled Portland’s lead 10 minutes later, but her curling effort from inside the penalty area went just wide.
Kansas City began to grow into the match following Smith’s near goal in the 14th minute and started to apply pressure on Portland’s back line. The team’s best chance of the opening half and the match came in the 34th minute. After winning a foul near midfield, Current midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta took the ensuing free kick quickly and pushed the ball out wide to defender Hailie Mace. Mace lobbed a cross to the back post to fellow defender Kate Del Fava, who met the ball with her head and looped a header over the head of Thorns goalkeeper Bella Bixby. However, the effort narrowly sailed over the crossbar to keep the match at 1-0.
The Current continued to push for an equalizer as the first half wore on. Midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta had a shot from outside the penalty area blocked in first-half stoppage time which led to a Current corner, but nothing came of the opportunity and Portland maintained a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.
Smith again nearly doubled Portland’s lead in the opening seconds of the second half after racing through Kansas City’s back line and firing a shot at goal, but Franch stood tall to make the save. Unfortunately, Kansas City’s defense was breached minutes later with a goal that secured Portland’s championship. In the 56th minute, Portland midfielder Yazmeen Ryan raced down the right side of the pitch and sent a dangerous low cross to the center of the penalty area. As Franch dove to punch the cross away, defender Addisyn Merrick attempted to clear the ball. The two collided, and the ball snuck past Franch and into the goal to double the Thorns’ lead.
Franch, making her fourth appearance in an NWSL Championship, made several important saves over the last 30-plus minutes to help keep the match at 2-0. Most notably, Franch soared to make an incredible diving stop to pick a strike from Thorns midfielder Hina Sugita out of the top corner in the 71st minute. Offensively, Kansas City went with a more attacking look after going down 2-0, but an extra forward on the pitch wasn’t enough to spark a comeback. Portland won the match and the 2022 NWSL title 2-0.
“I love this team because of the love we have for each other,” midfielder Lo’eau LaBonta said as she reflected on the season in her post-game press conference. “It hurts because Kansas City showed up for sure and we played for them…the future is so bright for this team, and we turned it around. I don’t think anyone will sleep on this team anymore.”
Despite the defeat, the Current had an incredible season in 2022 that saw it make history both on and off the pitch. Kansas City made the semifinals of the 2022 NWSL Challenge Cup for the first time in franchise history, recorded the second-longest unbeaten streak (13 matches) in NWSL history and went on a historic postseason run that concluded with the team’s first-ever appearance in the NWSL Championship.
Community Impact Award
At halftime, the National Women’s Soccer League in partnership with Nationwide announced that the Kansas City Current and Global FC are the recipients of the 2022 Nationwide Community Impact Award, a season-long, community-focused initiative that promotes community partners and local service projects chosen and led by each NWSL club. In addition to the award, Global FC will receive $25,000 to support their organization’s efforts, using soccer to bridge socioeconomic disparities between communities through the formation of an inclusive sports culture.
Senior left tackle Camden Beebe dropped back to pass on a trick play in the third quarter of Piper’s 35-14 win over Tonganoxie. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
by Brian Turrel
The Piper Pirates defeated the Tonganoxie Chieftains 35-14 Friday evening at Piper Stadium. The Pirates overcame an early deficit to win their first round game in the 4A KSHSAA playoffs.
The teams traded long but unfruitful drives to start the game before the Chieftains got on the board with two minutes remaining in the first quarter on a touchdown pass from Talon Langford to Isaiah Holthaus.
The Pirates weren’t able to answer back on the following drive, intercepted by Langford who was on as a defensive back. A Holthaus reception put the Chieftains into the red zone, but the Piper defense held, forcing the visitors into an unsuccessful 30-yard field goal attempt.
Having averted a two-score disadvantage, Piper’s offense moved quickly down the field, with the help of a pass interference call on the Chieftains. Poised near midfield, Piper quarterback Logan Ladish extended a play by scrambling to his right and connecting with receiver Colin Vigil near the goal line for a touchdown.
Level at 7-7, the teams again traded drives around midfield. As the clock wound down to the half, Piper coach John Black called a timeout with one minute remaining to give his team one more chance to score.
The Pirates didn’t need the whole minute. On the first play, Mason L’Heureux hauled in a Ladish pass and sprinted to the end zone for a 78-yard touchdown and a 14-7 halftime lead.
Piper kept the momentum going in the third quarter. With just three minutes gone, a Ladish run to the Tonganoxie 11-yard line set up a touchdown run from Freddie Eskridge.
After forcing a punt from the Chieftains, Piper had its most effective drive of the night. Pinned at their own 11-yard line, the Pirates drove past midfield with first-down catches from L’Heureux and Che’ Clemons and a 13-yard run from Terrel Anderson.
Miguel Martin capped the drive with a 34-yard touchdown, getting good blocking up front and bursting through the middle of the line into open space.
An unlikely pass on Piper’s next drive got the student section on its feet when left tackle Camden Beebe took a Ladish handoff and dropped back to pass. Beebe hit Vigil at the Tonganoxie 40-yard line for a 35-yard completion.
After the game, Beebe, committed to Kansas State next year, talked about the play.
“We were practicing it all week,” the Piper senior said, “and I was throwing fifty-plus. The lights got to me and I got a little scared back in the pocket and just kind of threw it up there. It had a lot of hang time, but definitely wasn’t my best pass. But you know — perfect pass completion, so I can’t complain about that.”
Tonganoxie clawed back a touchdown in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard Langford sweep. The Chieftains’ onsides kick was recovered by Piper, setting up a short field for the home team.
Zane Pudenz got Piper into the red zone, breaking several tackles before being dragged down at the Tonganoxie 14-yard line. Aaron Henson cashed in with a 2-yard touchdown run for the final score, pushing the pile with a second effort to get to the end zone.
Clemons shut down Tonganoxie’s last gasp drive with an interception on the Piper 12-yard line.
Piper, now with a 6-3 season record, will travel to Chanute to face the undefeated and top-seeded Chanute Blue Comets in the regional playoff round.
In other football post-season action, Sumner Academy defeated Topeka West 47-42 in the 5A playoffs, the Academy’s first playoff win since 2010. The 7-2 Sabres will play host to the 6-3 Pittsburg Dragons at Schlagle Stadium next Friday at 7 p.m.
Bishop Ward beat Perry LeCompton 32-6 in the 3A playoffs. The 7-2 Cyclones will travel to Holton to take on the Wildcats next Friday.
The Wyandotte Bulldogs closed out their season with a 56-6 loss at Olathe Northwest in the 6A playoffs.
The Washington Wildcats lost to Pittsburg on the road 42-8 in the 5A playoffs, finishing with a 3-6 record.
In the 5A playoffs, Turner lost at second-seeded De Soto 49-0, and Harmon lost at top-seeded Mill Valley 69-0, wrapping up winless seasons for both squads.
In 4A games, Bonner Springs lost to Louisburg 48-0, ending the season at 2-7. Schlagle lost 42-6 to Chanute, wrapping up at 1-8.
Sophomore defensive back Che’ Clemons grabbed an interception to put an end to Tonganoxie’s last drive. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Junior running back Zane Pudenz was pursued by a pack of Chieftains, breaking multiple tackles on a long 4th quarter run. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior receiver Colin Vigil hauled in a 35-yard pass from Camden Beebe. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior running back Miguel Martin sprinted to the end zone in the third quarter. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Sophomore Aaron Henson took a handoff from senior quarterback Logan Ladish. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior quarterback Logan Ladish released a short pass to sophomore receiver Che’ Clemons. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior offensive lineman Cameron Rogers set up in a three-point stance. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
The Piper marching band performed at halftime. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
The Piper cheerleaders performed along with the marching band for the school fight song. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior receiver Mason L’Heureux secured the ball on a 78-yard touchdown reception. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior receiver Colin Vigil caught a 52-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
Senior receiver Colin Vigil tiptoed on the sideline on a first quarter reception. (Photo copyright 2022 by Brian Turrel)
