Panthers’ season ends with 24-14 playoff loss to Beavers
SCOTT CITY — Struggling to get off the field defensively, the Concordia Panthers were unable to give themselves enough opportunities offensively to knock off Scott City in the opening round of the Class 3A playoffs.
Averaging nearly 60 offensive plays per game going in, the Panthers were limited to just 39 as Scott City controlled the game and the clock.
The Beavers ran 43 plays in putting together four consecutive scoring drives on its way to a 24-14 victory over Concordia Friday night.
“I think in the fourth quarter we ran two plays. I think we ran 11 in the third quarter maybe. We typically run 60 plays per game,” Concordia coach Jordan Echer said. “For some teams you hear them say that sometimes your best defense is your offense, and for them that kind of showed with their ability to chew the clock which really limited us on offense.”
For the second straight year, Concordia’s season ended with a playoff loss at Scott City.
The Beavers downed the Panthers 28-0 in the second round of the playoffs last year.
Concordia finishes up 5-4.
Scott City (6-3) advances to the regional round, and will be on the road to play Riley County (7-1) on Friday night.
Riley County rolled past Smoky Valley, 55-16.
Concordia got the ball to open the game, and got off to a promising start with a 15-yard run by quarterback Wyatt Trost and a 10-yard run by runningback Hunter Schroeder.
Two penalties and a sack led to a Panther punt.
Concordia would get a fourth down stop on Scott City, and got the ball back on its own 37-yard line.
Again backed up because of penalties, the Panthers were facing a first down and 30.
Trost, who finished with 119 yards on 14 carries, would break a 53-yard run.
Three plays later, Trost would have a pass intercepted by Blaine Culp and returned 74 yards for a touchdown.
Scott City was called for a block in the back on the return, and ended up with the ball on its own 49-yard line.
Backed up on first down by a clipping penalty, the Beavers had a third down and 20 when Harrison King completed a 22-yard pass to Culp to keep the drive alive.
“I thought they threw it better than I expected,” Echer said.
It would take Scott City 15 plays to go 51 yards.
Jace Thomas finished off the drive with a 2-yard touchdown run with 9:49 to play in the second quarter.
The Beavers went for two, but Concordia stopped Thomas short and it was a 6-0 game.
The Panthers, as they have throughout much of the season, responded by going 65 yards in 10 running plays.
Trost finished off the drive with a 7-yard touchdown run, his 15th of the season.
Easton Atwood kicked the extra point and it was a 7-6 game with 5:52 left in the first half.
Scott City would get the ball back on its own 20-yard line.
On a third down and nine play, Thomas hauled in a pass from King and raced 56 yards.
Thomas would cap off the 10-play drive with a 1-yard scoring run on fourth down.
Concordia again held Thomas out of the end zone on the two-point conversion attempt, and trailed 12-7.
Starting at its own 35-yard line with 1:40 on the clock, the Panthers would march into Scott City territory.
Atwood was unable to connect on a 39-yard field goal as time ran out in the half.
Scott City got the ball to open the second half, and went 67 yards in eight plays.
Thomas scored his third touchdown on a 3-yard run with 8:08 to play in the third period.
The extra point attempt was no good, and it was an 18-7 game.
Concordia would go three and out and have to punt.
King twice completed passes for first downs on third down plays as Scott City went 59 yards in 11 plays.
Thomas’ fourth touchdown of the game on a 1-yard run put the Beavers up 24-7 with 1:38 left in the third quarter.
Looking to get back into the game, the Panthers would move from its own 23-yard line to the Scott City 11 in eight plays.
On a third down and four play, Trost was stopped short, and Scott City got the ball back on its own 8-yard line with 10:00 on the clock.
After giving up one first down, Concordia would force a punt and ended up with great field position on the Scott City 34.
After being backed up 10 yards because of a holding penalty, the Panthers got a 44-yard touchdown run by Schroeder with 5:45 remaining.
Schroeder carried the ball 11 times for 125 yards.
Atwood’s extra point made it 24-14.
Scott City was able to recover an onsides kick by Concordia at its own 47-yard line.
The Beavers were able to convert twice on third down and run out the clock.
“I think the weirdest feeling is that everybody on our team expected to be practicing next week,” Echer said.
Averaging nearly 390 yards of offense per game, the Panthers were limited to 290 by the Beavers, including 273 rushing.
Trost completed four, all to Alec Francis, of nine passes for 17 yards with an interception.
Class 3A Playoffs
First Round
Girard def. Columbus, 29-18; Prairie View def. Caney Valley, 44-16; Topeka Hayden def. Sabetha, 42-6; Perry-Lecompton def. Rock Creek, 35-22; Burlington def. Parsons, 56-22; Frontenac def. Galena, 25-7; Holton def. Santa Fe Trail, 62-25; Baldwin def. Jefferson West, 55-16; Riley County def. Smoky Valley, 55-16; Scott City def. Concordia, 24-14; Andale def. Larned, 74-7; Clearwater def. Holcomb, 31-15; Southeast of Saline def. Clay Center, 46-8; Marysville def. Colby, 45-21; Cheney def. Halstead, 40-34; Wichita Collegiate def. Pratt, 50-0.
Regionals
Girard (4-5) at Prairie View (7-1), Perry-Lecompton (8-1) at Topeka Hayden (8-1), Frontenac (5-4) at Burlington (8-1), Baldwin (3-4) at Holton (7-1), Scott City (6-3) at Riley County (7-1), Clearwater (7-2) at Andale (8-0), Marysville (4-4) at Southeast of Saline (8-0), Wichita Collegiate (8-1) at Cheney (9-0).