CHENEY — Concluding the season on the road in southern Kansas in the week-nine/bracket game of the 3A football playoffs, the Concordia High School football team fell to Cheney 36-10.
Neither team could get its offense going early. Concordia failed on a fake punt deep in their own territory on their opening drive, but the Concordia defense kept the Cardinals out of the end zone and forced a field goal, which Cheney made to go up 3-0 early in the first. On the second Concordia drive Drake Blochlinger got thrown into the end zone, but a personal foul penalty saved the Panther drive. An Ayden Krier end-around pass to Kale Schroeder put the Panthers on the Cheney 34-yard line. A Blochlinger pass to Ryker Wildeman put the Panthers on the Cardinal 10-yard line, which set up a 25-yard Parker Jackson field goal to tie the game at 3, which is how the first quarter would end.
Cheney started the second quarter with a drive with a fumble on a first and goal on the Panther 4-yard line, which Parker Jackson recovered and returned to the Panther 38-yard line. In just one play, Jackson found the end zone on a 62-yard reception from Blochlinger to put the Panthers up 10-3. Cheney tried to retaliate on the following drive and from the Panther 47-yard line exploded for a big gain, but Burke Kindel punched the ball out and the Panthers recovered the ball on the 6-yard line.
On the second play of the drive a holding call was made on Concordia in the end zone, so the Panthers were given a safety to make it a 10-5 Concordia lead. The Cheney offense would finally have a long and clean drive to score a touchdown to go up 12-10. After an interception ended the Panthers’ drive, Cheney with 1:07 to go got into field goal range and made a 41-yard field goal to end the first half, leading 15-10.
After receiving the opening kick of the second half Cheney fully snatched the momentum, scoring in three plays with a 63-yard touchdown to go up 22-10. The Panthers couldn’t retaliate and were forced to punt after a three-and-out. Cheney marched down the field, but after a bobbled snap on a field goal attempt the Panthers recovered the ball on the 28-yard line. After another three-and-out, the Panthers were forced to punt the ball again. The Panther defense stood strong and forced a turnover on downs in four plays. On the second play of the following Panther drive, Cheney intercepted a pass and returned it 62 yards for a pick six to go up 29-10 late in the third quarter.
Cheney scored once again to start the fourth quarter and would coast for the rest of the game, running out the clock and ending Concordia’s season.
Blochlinger went 12-29 passing for 185 yards and a touchdown, with 4 interceptions. Krier went 2-2 passing for 36 yards. Krier led in receiving yards with 96 yards on 7 catches. Jackson had 71 yards and a touchdown on 2 catches, and Schroeder had 35 yards on 1 catch. Braytin Hake led in tackles with 12, including 2 for losses. Krier had 10 tackles, with Jackson and LeDuc each having 9.
