Collegiate fights off Scott City

BY BROOKS SEELEY/Eagle correspondent

Published Nov. 15 at 2:25 a.m. | Last updated Nov. 28 at 3:56 p.m.

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• Gallery: 3A quarterfinal playoff football: Wichita Collegiate and Scott City

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During the first two rounds of the Class 3A playoffs, Wichita Collegiate's high-powered offense scored 99 points and, as had been the case all season, didn't need its defense to make a game-ending stop.

The Spartans would need both, and more, to beat Scott City on Saturday.

The offense did its part. Trailing 17-13 with 4:44 left, quarterback Blake Jablonski led the offense on an 11-play, 80-yard drive to get the lead back, 19-17.

"We didn't want it to be over," Jablonski said. "We knew at some time this year, we were going to have to make that drive and we did it."

Then the defense did its part, holding Scott City on its final drive, which ended in a 47-yard missed field goal with 19 seconds left, giving the Spartans a 19-17 win.

Collegiate (12-0) advanced to the semifinals and will play at Norton next Saturday.

"This is awesome, nobody even thought we would get out of the first round and now we're in the final four," Collegiate's Tyler Coughenour said.

Collegiate coach Bill Messamore didn't like his team's three turnovers, but was impressed with the way the Spartans kept their composure.

"Way too many turnovers, too many mistakes," Messamore said. "To make that many mistakes and still beat a great Scott City team is amazing. We never panicked ... everything that went wrong, we still never panicked."

Jablonski, admittedly, didn't have his best game. He threw two interceptions, missed on 10 consecutive passes and made several bad decisions.

But on the last drive, it clicked.

Jablonski found Bryce Cornejo — who finished with 106 receiving yards — twice on the drive for 45 yards, including a third-down conversion early in the drive.

Then Jablonski listened to one of his many other weapons.

"Tyler came in to the huddle and said 'Give it to me, I swear I'll get it, give it to me.' I looked over at Tre (Bailey), but I trusted Tyler big-time and he caught it for the touchdown," Jablonski said.

Then, it was the defense's turn. Scott City drove to Collegiate's 31-yard line with 39 seconds left but no time outs.

As the missed field goal landed in front of the goal line, the defense celebrated.

"It was awesome, we didn't give up or anything, Cornejo said. "Our defense won it for us tonight."

Collegiate's Brett LeMaster was ejected with seven minutes left in the fourth quarter for throwing an apparent punch and may not be able to play in the next game.

Scott City (11-1) 7 3 7 0 — 17 Wichita Collegiate (12-0) 7 3 3 6 — 19

C—LeMaster 5 run (Coughenour kick)

S—Funk 25 pass from Baker (Habiger)

S—Habiger 26 field goal

C—Coughenour 21 field goal

S—Williams 14 run (Habiger kick)

C—Coughenour 14 pass from Jablonski (conversion failed)

Individual Statistics

Rushing—Scott City, Williams 17-73, Kough 6-21, Swan 6-5, Smith 5-15, Baker 3-(-4), Habiger 1-20. Collegiate, Taylor 6-27, Jablonski 4-1, Coughenour 3-6, LeMaster 2-9.

Passing—Scott City, Baker 7-19-96-2, Swan 1-1-30-0. Collegiate, Jablonski 22-40-300-2, Cornejo 0-1-0-0.

Receiving—Scott City, Funk 4-82, Hayes 2-19, Swan 1-22, Strube 1-3. Collegiate, Cornejo 6-106, LeMaster 6-73, Searle 4-47, Taylor 2-34, Coughenour 2-21, Bailey 2-19.