By Blake Chadwick
After trailing 7-0 to visiting Hays, the Maize Eagles took over and didn’t look back.
The Eagles got the ground game going with three first-half rushing touchdowns from Daeshaun Carter and Tayveon Williams.
After leading at the half 21-9, Maize was in cruise control as they beat Hays 42-9 to advance to the Class 5A title game for the second straight season.
Maize will play Mill Valley, which is in a title game for the fourth straight year and has won five of the past seven 5A titles.
Kingman won a double-overtime thriller 28-22 over SE-Saline to clinch their first state berthin 50 years.
Nolan Freund scored the game-winning touchdown.
The Class 2A state championship game is set with Kingman versus Nemaha Central, who are both unbeaten.
Andale (12-0) won its 50th straight game, beating Clay Center 36-0 to advance to the 3A title game against Holton. Andale will be playing for its fourth straight title.
Owen Eck had 170 rushing yards and two touchdowns for Andale, while teammate Cody Parthemer had 147 yards and two touchdowns.
Derby lost the first game of the year to Manhattan – and then lost its last game as the Indians outscored the Panthers 21-7 in the second half to get the 28-23 win and advance to their first state title game since 2001.
Derby had played in seven straight title games.
The Panthers started backup quarterback Braxton Clark because senior quarterback Brock Zerger broke his fibula in the quarterfinal win over Washburn Rural. Clark and running back Dylan Edwards helped the Panthers take a 16-7 lead into halftime.
But Derby used three more quarterbacks in the second half, finishing with Edwards there. He scored a touchdown late to get within five, but the Manhattan defense shut down the Panthers.
Edwards finished with 136 rushing yards and three touchdowns, and Clark completed 7 of 10 passes for 137 yards.
Manhattan will face Gardner-Edgerton in the Class 6A championship game.
Inman beat Conway Springs 23-6. Conway Springs’ Brayden Kunz had 116 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Inman’s Tanner Heckel had 83 rushing yards and two touchdowns.
Little River (11-1) advanced to its third straight title game by beating Burlingame 48-0.
Canton-Galva fell to Axtell 36-32 in 8-Man II
McPherson lost 33-16 to Wamego.
Scores
Class 6A
Gardner-Edgerton 56, Olathe Northwest 7
Manhattan 28, Derby 23
State title matchup: Gardner-Edgerton (9-3), Manhattan (12-0), Saturday, Nov. 26 at Welch Stadium, Emporia
Class 5A
Maize 42, Hays 9
Mill Valley 63, BV Southwest 0
State title matchup: Maize (12-0) vs. Mill Valley (11-1), Saturday, Nov. 26 at Carnie Smith Stadium, Pittsburg
Class 4A
Bishop Miege 38, St. Thomas Aquinas 28
Wamego 33, McPherson 16
State title matchup: Miege (10-2) vs. Wamego (12-0), 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26 at Hummer Sports Park, Topeka
Class 3A
Holton 48, Topeka Hayden 17
Andale 36, Clay Center 0
State title matchup: Andale (12-0) vs. Holton (11-1), Saturday, Nov. 26 at Gowans Stadium, Hutchinson
Class 2A
Kingman 28, SE-Saline 22 2OT
Nemaha Central 30, Sabetha 14
State title matchup: Nemaha Central (12-0) vs. Kingman (12-0), 1 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 26 at Salina
Class 1A
Inman 23, Conway Springs 6
St. Marys 46, Centralia 16
State title matchup: Inman (11-1) vs. St. Marys (10-2), 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26 at Lewis Field, Hays
8-Man Division I
Leoti 76, Hill City 0
Little River 48, Burlingame 0
State title matchup: Leoti (12-0) vs. Little River (11-1), Saturday, Nov. 26 at Fischer Field, Newton
8-Man Division II
Axtell 36, Canton-Galva 32
Thunder Ridge 58, Dighton 12
State title matchup: Axtell (12-0) vs. Thunder Ridge (11-1), 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 26 at Fischer Field, Newton
6-Man
Ashland 78, Cheylin 34
Cunningham 60, Waverly 12
State title matchup: Ashland (10-1) vs. Cunningham (12-0), 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 26 at Dodge City
