CLASS 4A STATE CHAMPIONSHIP

ST. JAMES ACADEMY (8-4) VS. ANDOVER CENTRAL (11-1)

1 p.m. Saturday at Hummer Sports Park, Topeka


ST. JAMES ACADEMY

St. James Academy knew it wouldn't be easy replacing the team's starting quarterback and starting running back from last season's state championship team, the first in the program's history.

St. James started the season 0-4. Now the Thunder are riding an eight-game winning streak into the team's second straight state title game appearance. 

St. James took down Bishop Miege in the state semifinals again, although it was in less dramatic fashion than the 36-35 overtime victory from a season ago. The Thunder took an early three-score lead and never looked back in a 42-19 win over Miege last week.

Before that, St. James Academy needed to knock off an undefeated Basehor-Linwood in the second round, followed up by a 31-7 win over KC Piper in the quarterfinals. 

St. James lost three of its games against semifinalists in 5A and 6A, including a Blue Valley Northwest team that will battle for the 6A state title against Derby. Once the Thunder started rolling, they won each game by at least two touchdowns and averaged a 25.0-point margin of victory throughout their playoff run.

Thunder replaced last year's starting signal-caller Dakota Burritt with Jackson House. The junior quarterback passed for 2,607 yards with 23 touchdowns to four interceptions this season. It's helped having senior Tyler Claiborne at wide receiver. Claiborne leads the team with 13 touchdown receptions and has 987 receiving yards. Junior wideout John Niesen has taken advantage of defenses staying focused on Claiborne, with Niesen racking up a team-high 1,222 receiving yards while adding eight touchdown receptions.

Senior running back Tiave Watts was tasked with replacing the 1,513 yards from LaJames White last year. Watts couldn't fully replicate those numbers, but he helped balance the offense with his 872 rushing yards and 12 rushing touchdowns this season. House picked up the rest of slack, adding another 737 rushing yards and six rushing touchdowns.

St. James will take that offense up against Andover Central as it looks to win the team's second straight state title. The Thunder won a 56-34 shootout with Arkansas City in last year's title game to cap off an 8-4 season.

ST. JAMES ACADEMY THUNDER (8-4)

COACH: Tom Radke (11th year, 69-45)

STATE FINALS HISTORY: 1 state title -- 2020 (4A)

2021 RESULTS

L,28-7 St. Thomas Aquinas
L,42-13 at Blue Valley
L,38-6 at Blue Valley West
L,47-10 Blue Valley Northwest
W,33-13 at St. Pius X (Mo.)
W,42-13 at Blue Valley Southwest
W,37-22 Blue Valley North
W,45-28 at Bishop Miege
W,56-22 Louisburg (P)
W,35-7 at Basehor-Linwood (P)
W,31-7 at KC Piper (P)
W,42-19 Bishop Miege (P)

2021 STATISTICS

TEAM

Points scored: 357 (29.8per game)

Points allowed: 286 (23.8 per game)

Total offense: 4,550 (379.2per game)

Rushing: 1,773 yards (147.8 per game), 22 TDs

Passing: 2,777 yards (231.4 per game), 24 TDs, 5 INTs

INDIVIDUAL

Rushing: Tiave Watts (sr.) 165 carries, 872 yards, 12 TDs; Jackson House (jr.) 136 carries, 737 yards, 6 TDs

Passing: Jackson House (jr.) 191-319, 2,607 yards, 23 TDs, 4 INTs

Receiving: John Niesen (jr.) 60 catches, 1,222 yards, 8 TDs; Tyler Claiborne (sr.) 78 catches, 987 yards, 13 TDs; Tiave Watts (sr.) 23 catches, 152 yards; Finn Burritt (jr.) 18 catches, 163 yards, TD; Callahan Huston (jr.) 15 catches, 149 yards, TD

Tackles: Aidan Janatello (sr.) 103 tackles (68 solo), 5 tackles for loss; Spencer Dohm (so.) 83 tackles (56 solo), 11.5 tackles for loss, 8 sacjs; Wade Spencer (jr.) 74 tackles (58 solo), 21 tackles for loss, 12.5 sacks; Tre Clark (sr.) 69 tackles (48 solo); Holden Artzer (sr.) 54 tackles (34 solo), 3 tackles for loss; Andrew Holton (jr.) 51 tackles (34 solo), 3 tackles for loss; Blake Boydston (jr.) 50 tackles (35 solo), 5 tackles for loss

Takeaways: Holden Artzer (sr.) 6 INTs; Aidan Janatello (sr.) 3 INTs; Blake Boydston (jr.) 2 INTs, 2 fumble recoveries; Tre Clark (sr.) INTs; Jackson House (jr.) 3 fumble recoveries; Finn Burritt (jr.) 2 fumble recoveries; Tiave Watts (sr.) 2 fumble recoveries; Jayden Mabion (jr.) 2 fumble recoveries

Kicking: Malcom Russell (so.) 44-47 PAT, 7-11 FGs
 

ANDOVER CENTRAL
 
Andover Central brought high expectations into the season after a stunning loss to eventual Class 4A runner-up Arkansas City last November. The Jaguars have meant those with ferocity for most of the fall and especially during the 2021 playoffs.
 
Central will play for a state title for the third time in seven seasons. The first two championship games – against Bishop Miege in 2015 (4A Division I) and 2019 (4A) – ended in lopsided losses. Now, the Jaguars face a different opponent, albeit the reigning 4A champion.
 
After avenging the loss to Ark City 35-0 in late October, the Jaguars have averaged 46.8 points in their march through the 4A bracket. Central has posted three shutouts in its last five games, including a 48-0 victory at Wamego, 4A West's No. 2 seed.
 
Already loaded with veteran players in key positions, Central added Kapaun Mount Carmel transfer Kai Kunz this season. The senior quarterback has accounted for more than 2,400 yards and 27 touchdowns, including 18 through the air.
 
Kunz unleashed a tour de force in Central's 42-21 semifinal victory over Buhler, rushing for 127 yards and three touchdowns and passing for 109 yards and another score. His first-quarter touchdown runs of 42 and 78 yards set the tone in a rematch of a September game the Jaguars won 21-19.
 
Running back Ashton Barkdull has backed up an 803-yard junior season with 1,143 yards and 20 touchdowns. The Jaguars average 361.8 yards of total offense behind a talented line led by 274-pound senior Drew Daniels.
 
Coach Derek Tuttle has reached the title game in two of his first three seasons while winning 29 of 34 games. The Jaguars' other championship appearance came under Tom Audley, the only other coach in the Central program's 20-year history.


ANDOVER CENTRAL JAGUARS (11-1)

COACH: Derek Tuttle (3rd year, 29-5)

STATE FINALS HISTORY: 2 runner-up finishes -- 2015 (4A Division I), 2019 (4A)

2021 RESULTS

W,10-6 Newton
W,21-19 Buhler
W,35-13 at Eisenhower
W,41-13 at Goddard
W,51-10 Valley Center
L,21-14 at Salina Central
W,27-20 at Andover
W,35-0 Arkansas City
W,48-0 Wellington (P)
W,49-10 Circle (P)
W,48-0 at Wamego (P)
W,42-21 at Buhler (P)


2021 STATISTICS

TEAM

Points scored: 421 (35.1 per game)

Points allowed: 133 (11.1 per game)

Total offense: 4,342 yards (361.8 per game)

Rushing: 2,477 yards (206.4 per game), 38 TDs

Passing: 1,865 yards (155.4 per game), 18 TDs, 4 INTs

INDIVIDUAL

Rushing: Ashton Barkdull (sr.) 186 carries, 1,143 yards, 20 TDs; Kai Kunz (sr.) 94 carries, 546 yards, 9 TDs; Jackson Rees (sr.) 58 carries, 414 yards, 5 TDs; Jace Rees (jr.) 60 carries, 247 yards, 2 TDs

Passing: Kai Kunz (sr.) 134-204, 1,865 yards, 18 TDs, 4 INTs

Receiving: Cooper Tabor (jr.) 55 catches, 821 yards, 8 TDs; Brock Stupka (sr.) 27 catches, 507 yards, 6 TDs; Evan Ek (sr.) 20 catches, 261 yards, 2 TDs; Ashton Barkdull (sr.) 20 catches, 169 yards, TD

Tackles: Dillon Savage (sr.) 93 tackles (43 solo), 13 tackles for loss, 4 sacks; Noah Garcia (sr.) 61 tackles (36 solo), 3.5 tackles for loss; Nate Peak (sr.) 60 tackles (22 solo), 7.5 tackles for loss, 3 sacks; Kamden Wilson (sr.) 57 tackles (29 solo), 20.5 tackles for loss, 7 sacks; Mason White (jr.) 52 tackles (24 solo); Isaac Sheeran (sr.) 45 tackles (22 solo), 10 tackles for loss, 3.5 sacks

Takeaways: Dillon Savage (sr.) 4 INTs, 2 fumble recoveries; Noah Garcia (sr.) 2 INTs; Cooper Tabor (jr.) 2 INTs; Mason White (jr.) 2 INTs; Kamden Wilson (sr.) 2 fumble recoveries; Mason Sanchez (jr.) 2 fumble recoveries; Bronx Wood (jr.) 2 fumble recoveries

Kicking: Isaac Saye (jr.) 53-57 PAT, 4-9 FGs