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Late Missouri Western TD spoils Ichabods' fourth-quarter comeback, 27-24
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
A determined fourth-quarter comeback gave Washburn University a late lead, but Missouri Western delivered the final blow as the Ichabods dropped a 27–24 MIAA road decision on Saturday.
Sophomore linebacker JC Heim registered 15 tackles in Saturday's 27-24 Washburn MIAA loss at Missouri Western. [File photo/TSN]
After the Griffons took a 27-24 lead with 1:44 to go, the Ichabods took over at their own 20 and converted four third-down conversions to reach the Griffon 13 with 14 seconds left, but an incomplete pass on first down and an intentional grounding on second down forced a 10-second runoff as the Ichabods were without any more time outs, ending the game with a three-point loss for the second week in a row.
Missouri Western controlled the opening quarter and was first on the board when Brandon Hall capped an 11-play, 71-yard drive with a 14-yard touchdown run at the 6:28 mark.
Washburn responded with a drive of its own, as Aidan Battle drilled a 28-yard field goal to make it a 7-3 game with 2:06 remaining in the first quarter.
The Ichabods then grabbed their first lead in the second quarter thanks to a defensive spark.
After Jordan Finnesy forced a fumble that Kamble Haverkamp recovered at the Griffon 27, quarterback Logan Madden connected with Weston Ropp on a 13-yard touchdown strike for a 10–7 advantage with 5:24 left before halftime.
Missouri Western answered just before the break with a 33-yard Latrell Armstrong field goal to send the game tied 10–10 into the locker room.
Missouri Western pushed back in front in the third quarter behind Armstrong's 44-yard field goal and Hall's second rushing touchdown, a 33-yard burst that extended the lead to 20-10 heading to the fourth. Hall finished with 130 rushing yards as part of the Griffons' 215-yard team ground effort.
Keller Hurla entered at quarterback and engineered a 75-yard scoring drive early in the fourth stanza, finding Henry Mohrmann for a 10-yard touchdown to pull the game back within 20-17.
On the next possession, Finnesy swung momentum again with a 43-yard interception return to set up Hurla's one-yard keeper that put Washburn back on top 24–20 with 10:55 remaining.
Karys Deiter, G'Honi Montgomery the Dan Key Farmers Agency Rising Stars of the Week
- Details
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Silver Lake sophomore volleyball standout Karys Deiter and Highland Park junior football standout G'Honi Montgomery have been selected by the Dan Key Farmers Insurance Agency as the Rising Stars of the Week.
The Dan Key Agency will recognize top Shawnee County underclassmen throughout the bulk of the 2025-2026 school year.
Here's a brief look at the recent accomplishments of Deiter and Montgomery.
Karys Deiter, Silver Lake
KARYS DEITER, Silver Lake
Deiter has helped lead Silver Lake volleyball to a 44-1 record and 35 straight victories as the Eagles have advanced to the Class 3A state semifinals Saturday in Hutchinson.
Deiter and Silver Lake captured 3A regional and sub-state championships last week to garner the No. 1 seed for the state tournament.
The Eagles opened their bid for Silver Lake's 10th state title with three straight-set pool play victories on Thursday to claim the Pool I crown and move into the semifinals.
G'Honi Montgomery, Highland Park
G'HONI MONTGOMERY, Highland Park
A running back, Montgomery rushed for 292 yards and five touchdowns on just 14 carries, averaging 20.9 yards per carry, in last Friday's 42-30 road victory at Kansas City-Washington.
With the win over the previously-unbeaten Wildcats, the 6-2 Scots earned the Meadowlark Conference championship.
Montgomery has now rushed for 633 yards and nine touchdowns on 55 attempts in five games entering Friday's Class 5A playoff game against De Soto.
Scots see star-crossed season end with 49-16 Class 5A playoff loss to De Soto
By TODD FERTIG
TopSports.news
A 2025 football season full of disappointments, challenges and triumphs for Highland Park came to a close Friday.
The Scots fought from start to finish, but were ultimately defeated by De Soto 49-16 at Hummer Sports Park in the opening round of the Class 5A East playoffs.
Junior G'Honi Montgomery returned a kickoff 90 yards for a touchdown and also rushed for 76 yards in Highland Park's 49-16 Class 5A playoff loss to De Soto. [Photo by Rex Wolf/TSN]
The Scots’ only two losses in the regular season were contests forfeited as the fallout of a fight in the third game of the year. But they bounced back to vanquish rival Atchison, then to knock off undefeated Kansas City-Washington to claim the Meadowlark Conference title.
For a program on the rise, there was plenty to be proud of. The lopsided defeat to De Soto didn’t define the Scots’ season, coach Jermaine Monroe said.
“When you plan a whole summer, you don’t expect or plan for those things to happen. But that adversity, I think it just made us stronger,” Monroe said. “We became a stronger team during that break. We put way more focus on our sportsmanship. And we knew that, together, we were going to stand together as a family throughout any situation.”
Highland Park was the higher seed, but faced a team with an identical 6-2 record and which features a no-frills, straightforward attack. The Wildcats bolted to a 14-0 lead in the first period before the Scots could get their offense in gear. The home team began moving the ball late in the first period, but failed to reach the end zone and fell into a 28-0 hole.
Junior G’Honi Montgomery electrified the crowd when he took a pitch on a reverse on a kickoff and raced 90 yards for the Scots’ first score. Highland Park trailed 28-8 at halftime, but showed it was still in the fight by stopping De Soto on back-to-back possessions.
Late in the fourth period, Rayshon Pollard produced another Highland Park highlight on a 78-yard scoop-and-score.
But in the end, the Wildcats pounded out 316 yards on the ground to just 45 in the air.
“We haven’t faced a lot of opponents who run a smashmouth offense like that,” Monroe said. “They stay true to like six plays. We knew exactly everything they were going to run. Our boys knew it, but just to be able to stay on the field with a team that could sustain that for the whole game, it’s just a different grind that we’ve got to get used to.”
Montgomery led the Scots with 76 yards on 14 rugged carries. The Scots mustered just 45 yards passing and 88 yards rushing. But Monroe was pleased with the effort.
“Our boys fought to the end,” Monroe said. “The playmakers who we expect to make plays made plays. Our line did a great job, opened up some holes for our running backs. And our defense, the heart they left on the field, they gave everything they had. The boys never gave up. And the sportsmanship of both teams … that’s the type of stuff that I’m going to remember.”
DE SOTO 49, HIGHLAND PARK 16
