Smith Center is well on its way to erasing the sting of a rare losing season and returning to the lofty standards that have made it a perennial powerhouse. 

The Redmen have already eclipsed last year’s 4-win total after moving to 5-0 with a 42-21 win over TMP-Marian on Friday in Smith Center. 

 “The kids were awfully disappointed in (last season),” Smith Center coach Mike Rogers said. “They've just worked hard this year. They’ve worked really hard the last three years in the weight room. We've got some really strong kids up front. 

“We feel like our offensive line is our strength, and we eventually wear people out.”

That appeared to be the case on Friday, with Smith Center fighting off a gritty effort from a short-handed TMP-Marian team to pull away after two fourth-quarter touchdowns.

Smith Center’s patented smash mouth running attack paved the way but the Redmen also hit on a couple of timely pass plays, including a 14-yard touchdown pass from Parker Hutchinson to Brady Wilson that gave Smith Center a 28-13 lead with two seconds left before halftime. 

“(Passing) was something we’ve focused on all summer,” Rogers said. “We don’t throw it a lot, but we’re efficient. In every game we’re over 50 percent on passing completions. That’s our goal and we’ve done a good job of meeting that.”

The Monarchs struck first on a 2-yard touchdown run from Carson Liles that was set up by a 77-yard run from Isaac Purinton.

TMP followed it up with a defensive stop but Smith Center seized the momentum back after a 23-yard pick-six from Carson McKelvey. 

“It was a big spark for us,” Rogers said. “Things weren't going very well for us, so that was a big boost.”

The Redmen then turned a 4th-and-1 stop in TMP territory into a 6-yard touchdown from Riley Griffin Powers to take a 12-7 lead. 

After capping the first half with Hutchinson’s touchdown pass to Wilson, Smith Center saw TMP make it a one-possession game late in the third quarter with a Jackson Gillespie’s 8-yard touchdown catch from Grant Nehls.

But, Smith Center broke away with touchdown runs from Brant Wilson and Gannon McCoy in the fourth. 

It was another strong effort from Smith Center’s line. Key cogs up front include Kharson Montgomery, Isaiah Haack, Dominick Kattenberg, Brady Desbien, Mikkel Frydendall and Jonny Schlatter. 

“We have some big, strong kids up front and (TMP was) having a tough time running the ball against us,” Rogers said. “For a team that is multi-dimensional and can run and throw, you’ve got to get one of the things stopped, and I thought we did that with the running game.” 

Rogers said sophomore receivers Carson and Cole McKelvey have helped the Redmen add a new dynamic. 

“They've got some speed that we haven't had for a while,” he said. “We need them to get in there and be playmakers and make catches and make interceptions and make plays for us.”

Rogers, a longtime assistant under legendary Redmen coach Roger Barta, is in his third season as Smith Center head coach. Darren Sasse, who guided the Redmen to titles in 2017 and 2018, is now an assistant. Smith Center has won 10 titles, with eight of them under Barta, who passed away this past summer. 

It’s Smith Center first 5-0 start since 2021. The Monarchs are 2-0 in district play.

The Monarchs, already shorthanded with receiver/defensive back Jacob Seib out with an injury, saw Carson Liles and Grant Nehls split quarterback duties after both fought through injury issues throughout the game. 

HUGOTON WINS THRILLER AGAINST SCOTT CITY 

Hugoton snapped a long losing streak to Scott City in stunning fashion.

Trailing by four and facing a 4th-and-goal at the Scott City 29-yard line, Adrian Adigun caught a pass from Miguel Hernandez in the back of the end zone with 17 seconds left to help the Eagles notch a 17-14 win. 

It snapped Hugoton’s 13-game losing streak to the Beavers and marked its first win over Scott City since 2005.

Hugoton is 5-0 for the first time since 2009. The Eagles travel to Cimarron this week before hosting a showdown with Holcomb in two weeks. 

Scott City (3-1) will host undefeated Holcomb on Friday. 

HAYS KNOCKS OFF ANOTHER 6A POWER 

Hays added a down-to-the-wire win over Junction City to its impressive non-conference resume. 

The Indians grabbed a six-point lead after Zane Viegra converted on a fourth-down pass to Braxton Basgall for a 7-yard TD. 

Junction City drove into Hays territory but the Indians forced a turnover on downs at the 27 to seal it. 

The Indians are 4-1 with the loss coming to Class 6A contender Manhattan, which lost to Junction City on Sept. 26. 

Viegra threw three touchdowns – two to Jarek Purdy – and Holden Lind rushed for 167 yards and a touchdown for the Indians. 

OTHER WESTERN KANSAS FOOTBALL STANDOUTS 

– Liberal moved to 5-0 with a 39-34 win over Garden City. Sophomore quarterback Tevin Cotter completed 26 of 36 passes for 384 yards and five touchdowns, adding 57 yards on the ground, while James Fieser caught 15 passes for 226 yards and three touchdowns. The Redskins have played four straight games on the road with a fifth coming up Friday at Great Bend. “We're a young team that is fun to watch and just plays incredibly hard,” Liberal coach Trevor Powers said of the Redskins. 

– Holcomb rolled to a 53-24 win over Colby. Freshman Ryan Wickwar was 15 of 21 through the air for two touchdowns and 178 yards and added a rushing TD. Senior Luke Thyne had eight receptions for 100 yards and two TDs, while sophomore running back Chasyn Cosner ran for 173 yards and two touchdowns, and Korbin Johnson had 5 carries for 47 yards and two touchdowns as well as three receptions for 41 yards. Holcomb will travel to Scott City for a showdown with the Beavers on Friday. 

–  Plainville quarterback Joey Dintino passed for two touchdowns, ran for a TD and blocked two punts with one returned for a touchdown in the Cardinals’ 56-13 win over Oakley. 

– Weskan’s Karsyn Wright ran for 132 yards and four touchdowns on nine carries and caught two touchdowns in a 64-0 win over Cheylin. 

– Undefeated Great Bend rolled to a 41-0 win over Dodge City. Daxton Minton threw four touchdowns, including two to Notre Dame commit Ian Premer, who also ran for a score. Conner Holladay ran for 103 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries. 

– Tyce Perez threw two touchdowns and rushed for two more in Ulysses’ 26-12 win over Goodland. 

– Tucker Goss ran for 164 yards and a touchdown in Ellsworth’s 54-32 loss to Hillsboro. Carson Jacobs added 104 yards on the ground and threw for three touchdowns. 

– Tanner Horinek scored the go-ahead touchdown and two-point conversion with 33 seconds left in Phillipsburg’s 29-28 win over previously-unbeaten Russell. Horinek finished with 130 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. Russell quarterback Trey Zorn threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns while Walker Middleton caught 12 passes for 135 yards and a touchdown for the Broncos. 

– McCoy Nash ran for 127 yards and four touchdowns in Cimarron’s 48-0 win over Larned. 

– Drake Hosman and Austin Brack had huge nights on the ground in Ellinwood’s 41-13 over South Sumner. Hosman ran for 186 yards and three touchdowns while Brack added 143 yards and two scores. Brack also returned an interception for a touchdown. 

– Central Plains’ Richard Stroud ran for 117 yards and three touchdowns in a 60-0 win over Goessel on Saturday. 

– Zayne Maupin ran for three touchdowns and returned a punt for a touchdown in Sylvan-Lucas’ 58-6 win over Lakeside. 

– South Central’s Easton Huck ran for 151 yards and three touchdowns in a 60-6 win over Macksville. 

– Woodrow Lancaster ran for 167 yards and three touchdowns in Kinsley’s 38-14 win over Spearville. Josh Stuckey added 127 yards and a touchdown on the ground. 

– Drake Webber threw for five touchdowns in Sublette’s 60-0 win over Elkhart. Kade Morales had 128 receiving yards and three touchdowns while Ethan Webber caught two TDs. 

– WaKeeney-Trego’s Jack Conness rushed for 120 yards and two touchdowns in the Golden Eagles’ 54-6 win over Ellis. Conness also returned a punt for a touchdown. 

– Wichita County’s Cashton Young passed for three touchdowns and rushed for two more as the Indians rolled to an 82-14 win over Ness City. Young also had a pick-six. Beau Porter ran for two touchdowns and caught two touchdown passes. 

– Hill City’s Tate Balthazor rushed for 179 yards and three touchdowns and passed for three scores in the Ringnecks’ 62-18 win over St. Francis. Jaxson Smith caught all three of Balthazor’s touchdown passes. 

– Rawlins County’s Dominque Paz ran for 111 yards and three touchdowns in a 56-0 win over Stockton. 

– La Crosse’s Christian Rush ran for 138 yards and passed for two touchdowns in a 58-44 win over Quinter. Rush also returned an interception for a touchdown. Lee Holopirek ran for three touchdowns. 

– Donovan Holloway ran 158 yards and four touchdowns and Tate Tiernan added 138 yards and three scores on the ground in Osborne’s 58-6 win over Pike Valley. Holloway also had two interceptions on defense. 

– Gavin Reece threw for three touchdowns in Hodgeman County’s 59-0 win over Stafford. 

– Wyatt Schmidtberger ran for three touchdowns in Victoria’s 46-0 win over St. John. 

– Case Ashmore ran for 105 yards and three touchdowns in Logan-Palco’s 26-20 win over Dighton. 

– Keegan Nothern ran for 182 yards and three touchdowns in Ingalls’ 62-6 win over Moscow.