From CJOnline
HUTCHINSON — It’s just another week.
That’s the message Rossville football coach Derick Hammes has preached to his team from the start of the season. Set a routine, follow it, and win or lose move on to the next game.
“We tried to establish that a long time ago,” Hammes said. “We just emphasize that process that if we do the things the right way each week when you do have a big football game there’s a business-as-usual atmosphere.”
But this isn’t just another week. This is a week where Rossville is coming off arguably the biggest win in program history, a 21-14 victory over rival Silver Lake in last Friday’s Class 3A state semifinals — something the Bulldawgs had never done.
That makes this week an even bigger game, another opportunity to do something no other Rossville football team has ever done and that’s win a state championship.
At 1 p.m. Saturday, No. 1 Rossville (13-0) will meet No. 2 Scott City (13-0) at Hutchinson’s Gowans Stadium for the Class 3A state title. The only other time the Bulldawgs have played for a championship, it ended with a 3-0 loss to Hesston in the 1992 3A title game.
“We definitely understand what’s on the line,” Hammes said, “and there’s definitely an excitement among the players to see if we can get this done.”
Clearing last week’s hurdle was obviously huge for the Bulldawgs. Eight times in the previous 12 years, Rossville had made it to the brink of championship weekend. Eight times in the previous 12 years, Silver Lake had blocked that path and made the trek to the title game.
Following Friday’s win, several Bulldawg players fell to their knees, partially in exultation and partially in relief after the victory was secured on Thatcher Horak’s 85-yard touchdown run with two and a half minutes left in the game.
It was a victory the program had waited a lifetime for.
“Ever since I can remember, honestly,” Bulldawgs senior Corbin Horak said.
Such victories demand so much focus and energy that a letdown is natural. Only there’s no time for that with Scott City just as big of a test in Saturday’s final.
Hammes doesn’t believe there’s a danger of it happening, either.
“I think our group has a combination of experience and confidence and that’s huge,” Hammes said. “Number one, through the experience factor, they’re not going to let it happen. And they have the confidence in their ability and each other that we’re going to prepare and do everything necessary to win that next game like we have all year.
“The fact that we had (beaten Silver Lake) in two other regular-season games helps us a lot. If this would have been our first victory, it might be a different story. But the fact that we had some recent success against those guys really helped in that game and should help in moving on to the next one.”
While Rossville is making its first trip to the finals in more than 20 years, Scott City is back in the championship game for the second time in three years. The Beavers captured the 2012 state title with a 28-21 overtime victory over Silver Lake in Hutchinson.
In fact, Hutchinson has become sort of a home away from home for the Beavers. In addition to the 2012 football crown, the Scott City boys basketball team won three straight 3A state basketball titles from 2011-13 at the Hutchinson Sports Arena, which is right across the parking lot from Gowans Stadium.
“We’ve been very fortunate to go there so many times,” said Scott City coach Glen O’Neil, who coaches both sports. “It helps with the sense of being comfortable with what they’re going to see on Saturday. They’ve been there before and the basketball kids have been there a number of times. Being in Hutchinson it’s pretty familiar. But at the same time, once you get between the lines, it doesn’t matter where you are.
“It is a sense of comfort, but we know Rossville can knock that sense of comfort right out of us.”
Scott City earned its spot in the title game with a 20-14 overtime win over Halstead in the semifinals. The Beavers’ path has been littered with tough outs — undefeated Norton in the second round and powerhouse Wichita Collegiate in the quarterfinals — after a demanding regular season that included the likes of 4A Division II semifinalist Holcomb and perennial playoff contender Ulysses.
“We’ve had a tough schedule, and we’ve seen a different variety of offenses that has prepared us for whatever we might see,” O’Neil said. “The guys have had to come in every Monday and had to get ready for a different wrinkle — a spread, a wing-T, a power I. They know they’ve got to bring their thinking caps to prepare.”
Rossville’s path, meanwhile, has been equally as tough. After cruising in the playoff opener against Pleasant Ridge, the Bulldawgs have knocked off three straight teams with traditions as rich as any in the state in recent history. Wins over Centralia, Colgan and Silver Lake in three straight weeks gave Rossville victories over programs that have combined for 18 state titles, including 10 since 2000 with a total of 23 title game appearances in that same span.
“We recognize that Scott City, Conway Springs, Beloit and the teams out west have been tough for a lot of years and then it’s been mostly Silver Lake and Rossville on the east side,” Hammes said. “Then you put two tradition-rich programs that moved up from 2-1A in Centralia and Colgan and you’ve got to face one in the regular season, and then for a second time in the playoffs. And you go up against (Colgan coach) Chuck Smith and all the games he’s won and then coach (C.J.) Hamilton and your rival (Silver Lake). I think we’ve had an extremely challenging road to get to where we’re at and we’re awfully proud of what we’ve accomplished. Now we’re ready to see if we can take it one more game.”
Both teams have potent offenses led by outstanding quarterbacks.
Rossville junior Tucker Horak has run for 1,878 yards and 26 touchdowns on just 135 carries (13.9 ypc), breaking his own school record for single-season rushing yards. He’s also passed for 1,595 yards and 22 touchdowns, completing 74.6 percent of his passes.
His counterpart, Trey O’Neil, is the lone holdover starter from the 2012 title team and has completed 68.5 percent of his passes for 1,868 yards and 21 touchdowns, while throwing just two interceptions.
Both have plenty of weapons around them as well. Thatcher Horak has run for 981 yards and 14 touchdowns while also adding 531 yards receiving and eight touchdown grabs. Nick Reesor adds 476 yards rushing and 10 touchdowns, while Christian Roduner (524 yards, 6 TDs) and Corbin Horak (385 yards, 3 TDs) are also threats in the passing game.
Scott City features a pair of 1,000-yard rushers in Cooper Griffith (1,181 yards, 18 TDs) and Wyatt Kropp (1,051 yards, 17 TDs). Brett Meyer (598 yards, 7 TDs) and Sloan Baker (562 yards, 7 TDs) are O’Neil’s top targets.
“If you look at them offensively, they throw a lot at you in terms of schemes and formations,” Hammes said of the Beavers, who have racked up 576 points, second only to Rossville’s 656 in 3A. “You have to be on top of your game so you can handle those things. ... You’re defending a team that can run the ball very deliberately and then you’re defending a team that can spread you out. Most nights, you’re defending a team that can really run the ball or a team that can pass it. With these guys, they have the ability to do both and do both within a series of plays. That’s a challenge.”
