From the Capital Journal:
Tucker Horak put on another show Friday night and made state history in the process.
Rossville rolled into the Class 3A championship game behind Horak’s seven touchdowns and 410 yards of total offense in the Bulldawgs’ 49-0 semifinal victory against Wellsville.
Horak ran for 263 yards and threw for 147 yards to become the first player in state history to rush for 2,000 yards and throw for 2,000 yards in the same season.
“It’s a pretty good feeling to be the only one to do that,” said Horak, who now has 2,704 yards rushing and 2,047 yards passing this season. “There’s not another group of guys I’d want to share this win. Honestly, there’s probably not another group of guys who could help me get that.”
Rossville (13-0), the defending 3A champion with a 27-game winning streak, will play Wichita Collegiate (13-0) for the 3A title next Saturday at Hutchinson. Collegiate defeated Halstead 21-0 Friday night.
Horak rushed for four touchdowns and passed for three more. He had TD runs of 70, 18, 10 and 18 yards and had passing touchdowns of 10, 34 and 43 yards.
The Dawgs finished with 475 yards of total offense behind the offensive line of Zach Jensen, Chayne Hulbert, Tyler Sage, Gabe Marney, Kole Davoren and Jackson Reeves.
“That was a Rossville show,” Rossville coach Derick Hammes said. “It’s a team deal, it really is. Our kids blocked really well. Tucker is a special kid, but he’d be the first to tell you it’s a team deal here at Rossville.”
Horak scored on a 70-yard run on the game’s second play and it was all Rossville after that. Rossville scored on all five of its possessions in the first half and both possessions in the third quarter before the Bulldawgs’ backups finished with a running clock in the fourth quarter.
“Our front five showed up,” Horak said. “They came to play. When they show up to play, it makes it easier for all of us.”
Horak was 10-for-10 passing. He had two touchdown passes to Cole Schumacher of 10 and 43 yards and had a 34-yard TD pass to Jacob Bradshaw. Schumacher had five catches for 73 yards.
Wellsville finished 10-3, outscoring its previous eight opponents 383-34, but never could get it going Friday night. Wellsville turned the ball over on downs five times and fumbled a kickoff return that led to Rossville’s fourth touchdown. The Eagles never got closer than the 30-yard line until they got to the 25 on their final drive as time expired.
“We played a great football game, and that was a good team,” Hammes said. “What our kids were able to do through their preparation and effort tonight, and beat a good team like that, says a lot about our kids.”
Rossville, which beat Scott City 21-14 in the 3A title game last season, is one win away from back-to-back state championships.
“That was the goal from the beginning of the year,” Horak said. “To get this win takes a big weight off our shoulders. It’s what we’ve been going for all year. It’s a great feeling to get back.”
Zachery Strawn led Wellsville with 69 yards rushing on 15 carries.
Wellsville (10-3) 0 0 0 0 — 0
Rossville (13-0) 14 21 14 0 — 49
Ross — Horak 70 run (Nascimento kick)
Ross — Schumacher 10 pass from Horak (Nascimento kick) Ross – Bradshaw 34 pass from Horak (Nascimento kick)
Ross — Schumacher 43 pass from Horak (Nascimento kick)
Ross — Horak 18 run (Nascimento kick)
Ross — Horak 10 run (Nascimento kick)
Ross — Horak 18 run (Nascimento kick)
GAME IN FIGURES
Well Ross
First downs 15 20
Rushes-yards 45-186 36-328
Passing yards 43 147
Total offense 229 475
Passing 7-18-0 10-10-0
Fumbles-lost 3-1 0-0
Punts-avg. 2-31.5 0-0
Penalties-yards 8-70 6-60
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
RUSHING — Wellsville: Strawn 15-69, Winton 9-56, Dougan 16-30, Smith 3-26, Williams 1-3, See 1-2. Rossville: Horak 18-263, Hammes 8-40, Cavanaugh 4-20, Balch 3-5, Roduner 1-5, Gfeller 2-(minus 5).
PASSING — Wellsville: Dougan 7-18-0, 43 yards; Smith 0-1-0, 0. Rossville: Horak 10-10-0, 147.
RECEIVING — Wellsville: Strawn 3-19, Williams 2-16, Winton 1-4, Breithaupt 1-4. Rossville: Schumacher 5-73, Roduner 3-35, Bradshaw 1-34, Hammes 1-5.