St. John’s Braxton Alpers had his fingerprints all over the Tigers’ 50-34 homecoming win against Ness City.
The senior quarterback ran for 266 yards and four touchdowns and completed 11 of 19 passes for 127 yards and two scores, adding two receptions for 24 yards.
He was equally impactful on defense, recording 18 tackles, a forced fumble and a highlight-reel interception.
“He is a tough, physical football player on both sides of the ball, and that sets the tone for our team,” St. John coach Scott Krehbiel said. “A lot of good blocking allowed him to get quite a few big runs.”
Alpers has rushed for 435 yards and six touchdowns over the first two games.
The Tigers moved to 1-1, bouncing back from a 28-24 loss to La Crosse in the season opener.
HAYS PASSES ANOTHER TEST
Hays christened its new football stadium with a 21-19 win over Choctaw, the reigning Class 6A Division II champion in Oklahoma.
Holden Lind ran for 180 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries for the Indians.
After Hays built a 21-6 lead, Choctaw fought back to creep within two with 6:32 left. The Yellowjackets then recovered a Hays fumble and drove to the Indians’ 6-yard line before being forced back to 22.
A fourth-down pass fell incomplete in the end zone to seal it.
Tanner Geist recorded an interception and sack for Hays.
Hays also pulled out a thriller in Week 1 with a one-point win against Derby. Up next, Hays will play at Manhattan, which is ranked No.1 in Class 6A.
OTHER WESTERN KANSAS FOOTBALL STANDOUTS
– Conner Holladay rushed for 189 yards and two touchdowns in Great Bend’s 41-20 win over Olathe South. Jaxon Wondra returned an interception for a touchdown. Notre Dame commit Ian Premer had an interception and blocked a field goal attempt.
– Cooper Cranston tied Holcomb’s single-game record with three interceptions in a 50-6 win over Cimarron. Cranston returned one of the picks for a touchdown.
– Wichita County’s Cashton Young had a hand in four touchdowns and recorded three interceptions on defense in the Indians’ 60-0 win over Elkhart. Young ran for 144 yards and three touchdowns and also threw for a score.
– Liberal rallied from a 14-point deficit to earn a 28-21 win over Wichita South. James Fieser caught the game-winning touchdown with 38 seconds left. Fieser has four touchdowns on the season.
– Kinsley’s Josua Stuckey rushed for 278 yards and seven touchdowns in the Coyotes’ 52-6 win over Macksville. Stuckey added 65 passing yards and logged 10 tackles.
– Ellsworth’s Tucker Goss ran for 244 yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries in the Bearcats’ 40-16 win over Republic County.
– TMP-Marian beat Norton for the first time in over a decade, notching a 55-6 victory. Jackson Gillespie scored three touchdowns for the Monarchs. Grant Nehls picked off a pass in the end zone and returned it 100 yards for a score.
– Hodgeman County’s Tyson Younger caught seven passes for 180 yards and four touchdowns in the Longhorns’ 48-6 win over Meade. Ian and Gavin Reece combined for five passing touchdowns.
– Smith Center moved to 2-0 with a 16-14 win over Phillipsburg. The top highlight for the Redmen was a 67-yard touchdown pass from Parker Hutchinson to Cole McKelvey.
– Russell’s Walker Middleton ran for two touchdowns and also caught a TD in the Broncos’ 33-0 win over Oakley. Corbin William recorded three sacks for Russell.
– Braylon Johnson rushed for 275 yards and 15 carries in Moscow’s 57-30 win over Triplains/Brewster.
– Minneola’s Tyson Klotz rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries in the Wildcats’ 36-22 win over Spearville. Levi Lang ran for three touchdowns.
– Colby’s Maxson Smiley threw for four touchdowns and 345 yards in the Eagles’ 34-25 win over Holyoke, Colo. Sean Wederski caught three passes for 114 yards and a touchdown.
– Scott City’s Cayden Couchman rushed for 138 yards and two touchdowns in the Beavers’ 34-6 win over Wray, Colo. Couchman also threw a touchdown pass.
– Lakin’s Alex Robles ran for 170 yards and a touchdown in the Broncs’ 26-8 win over Syracuse.
– Ellinwood’s Austin Brack ran for 133 yards and two touchdowns in the Eagles’ 43-6 win over Herington.
– Plainville’s Draden Puckett ran for 157 yards and 5 TDs in the Cardinals’ 51-7 win over Sacred Heart.
– Lakeside’s Eli Schmitt had a hand in four touchdowns in the Knights’ 34-6 win over Stockton. Schmitt threw for two touchdowns and ran for two more.
– Lincoln’s Xavier Miller caught two touchdowns and ran for another in the Leopards’ 68-0 win over Pike Valley. Quarterback Jeremiah Miller threw two touchdowns and also ran for a pair of touchdowns.
– Sublette’s Jonathan Frose had five touchdowns in the Larks’ 62-6 win over Deerfield. Frose caught three touchdowns from quarterback Drake Webber, ran for a score and returned an interception for a TD.
– Hill City’s Tyler Ashbaugh ran for 146 yards and four touchdowns in the Ringnecks’ 62-26 win over Ellis. Tate Balthazor rushed for two touchdowns and returned an interception for a touchdown. For Ellis, Trent Schartz threw three touchdowns to Ben Byers.
– WaKeeney-Trego’s Ashton Wynn accounted for five touchdowns in the Golden Eagles’ 54-6 win over Hoxie. Wynn threw for three touchdowns and rushed for a pair of TDs. Jack Conness ran for 174 yards and two touchdowns.
– St. Francis’ Lucas Raile threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in the Indians’ 47-0 win over Wheatland-Grinnell. Ethan Graham caught five passes for 113 yards and a touchdown.
– Otis-Bison’s Maddox Firebaugh threw for four touchdowns, three going to Kelson Juno in the Cougars’ 72-32 loss to South Barber.
– Ingalls’ Keegan Nothern ran for 163 yards and four touchdowns on 15 carries in a 52-0 win over Golden Plains. Logan Simon had two interceptions including a pick-six.
– Dominque Paz ran for three touchdowns in Rawlins County’s 52-0 win over Greeley County.
– Tate Foreman threw for three touchdowns in Thunder Ridge’s 38-0 win over Rock Hills.
– Dodge City linebacker Fabian Ortiz had 15 tackles in the Red Demons’ 34-20 loss to Olathe East.
– Wallace County notched its second straight shutout, blanking Quinter 46-0.
– Chase’s Leland Rice rushed for 120 yards in the Kats’ 74-12 loss to Northern Valley.