By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Coming off back-to-back losses and playing its second straight game without injured senior quarterback John Hoytal, Washburn Rural was looking to get back on track in Friday's Class 6A West playoff opener against Wichita South in Bowen-Glaze Stadium.
And a quick start on both sides of the ball was just what the doctor ordered as the No. 7-seeded Junior Blues rode a 21-0 first-quarter lead to a 37-0 shutout over the visiting Titans.
Washburn Rural junior Jadyn Baum rushed for just under 200 yards and three touchdowns in Friday's 37-0 Class 6A playoff win over Wichita South. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
Washburn Rural junior Jadyn Baum (right) celebrates a touchdown with teammate Peyton Goehring in Friday's 37-0 Class 6A playoff win over Wichita South. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
"We knew coming into it that we were going to have to rely offensively on the run game and we knew the defense was going to have to set the tone and kind of shorten the field for us,'' Washburn Rural coach Steve Buhler said. "Offensively, I think the kids did a really nice job of doing what we've been working on as far as the game preparation.
"Win and advance. We didn't get a chance to do this last year, to move on in the playoffs, so the kids were excited about what they're doing and we get that feeling we had two years ago and three years ago and we get that hunger back about trying to go deeper into the playoffs.''
With Friday's win Washburn Rural improved to 6-3 and advanced to a second-round 6A matchup at No. 2 seed Wichita Northwest, 8-1 on the season.
Offensively, Rural junior running back Jadyn Baum soared past the 1,000-yard rushing mark for the season with 182 yards on 15 attempts while the Junior Blues' defense pitched the shutout while limiting the 3-6 Titans to 53 total yards.
Junior Ryker Petersen intercepted a pass to set up Washburn Rural's first touchdown in Friday's 37-0 Class 6A playoff win over Wichita South. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
An interception by Rural junior Ryker Petersen ended Wichita South's game-opening drive and led to an 8-yard Baum touchdown run with 8:30 left in the first quarter (Ryan Austin kick).
The Junior Blues recovered a South fumble on the Titans' ensuing possession and Rural found the end zone four plays later on Baum's second 8-yard TD of the night (Austin kick) to put the hosts up 14-0 at the 6:47 mark of the first.
Senior TJ Minikwu (right) celebrates a touchdown with teammate Kellan Roth in Friday's 37-0 Class 6A playoff win over Wichita South. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
With just 12 seconds remaining in the quarter Washburn Rural senior TJ Minikwu scored on a 5-yard run (Austin kick) to hike the Junior Blues' lead to 21-0.
The pace slowed in the second quarter but the Junior Blues took a 27-0 lead midway through the quarter on a 17-yard TD strike from junior Gavin Vantuyl to senior Nate Selm (kick failed).
Baum scored his third touchdown of the night on a 46-yard gallop (Austin kick) with 2:05 left in the third quarter and Austin capped Rural's scoring early in the fourth stanza with a 25-yard field goal.
Next up for the Junior Blues is next week's road test at Wichita Northwest, which advanced with a 57-14 win over Campus Friday night.
"They're exceptional,'' Buhler said of the Grizzlies. "You get to this round and everybody on the West side is so good and so well-rounded everything's going to be a dogfight and you have to be willing to play four full quarters and keep your nose in it the whole time.''
WASHBURN RURAL 37, WICHITA SOUTH 0
Wichita South (3-6) 0 0 0 0 -- 0
Washburn Rural (6-3) 21 6 7 3 -- 37
Washburn Rural -- Baum 8 run (Austin kick)
Washburn Rural -- Baum 8 run (Austin kick)
Washburn Rural -- Minikwu 5 run (Austin kick)
Washburn Rural -- Selm 17 pass from Vantuyl (kick failed)
Washburn Rural -- Baum 46 run (Austin kick)
Washburn Rural -- Austin 25 FG
INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS
Rushing -- Wichita South: Johnson 5-15, Logue 6-9, Metcalf 1-5, Morales 1-4, Peters 1-0, Rosko 1-(minus)-2, James 3-(minus)-5, Kirk 6-(minus)-11. Washburn Rural: Baum 15-182, Minikwu 16-70, Vantuyl 7-34, Lone 7-(minus)-3, Stevens 1-(minus)-9, Chooncharoen 4-(minus)-10, Team 1-(minus)-15.
Passing -- Wichita South: Logue 4-13-1, 47 yards; Johnson 3-10-1, 3. Washburn Rural: Vantuyl 7-14-0, 38 yards.
Receiving -- Wichita South: Johnson 3-43, Rojas 1-5, Sanders 2-2, Peters 1-(minus)-2. Washburn Rural: Selm 5-33, Minikwu 1-3, Roth 1-2.
Punting -- Wichita South: Sanders 7-31-3; Johnson Johnson 1-24.0. Washburn Rural: Vantuyl 5-34.6.
