First a blackout, then the knockout as the undefeated South Callaway Bulldogs cast out another high-profile opponent.
After waiting out a power outage that delayed the start by almost an hour, third-ranked South Callaway ensured that its unprecedented playoff run would continue by suppressing fourth-ranked East Buchanan 21-8 in a Class 2 quarterfinal showdown between Bulldogs on Friday night.
A week after roughing up seventh-ranked and previously unbeaten Lafayette County (Higginsville) 41-6 for the District 7 title, South Callaway (13-0) ended East Buchanan's season at 12-1. South Callaway's defense held East Buchanan's no-huddle, quick-tempo offense 42 points below its season average and also forced four turnovers, all interceptions.
"What an amazing example of how well they played; they just keep rising to the occasion," South Callaway head coach Tim Rulo said. "Our theme is raise our level and they keep doing it, and that's phenomenal."
South Callaway will now move on to the state semifinals for the first time in school history and will be on the road again when it travels to Palmyra next Friday night. The Panthers (9-4) advanced after surprising sixth-ranked Lutheran North 14-7 in quarterfinal play Saturday afternoon in Palmyra.
"We're excited and we're enjoying this moment, and this experience, and we're just going to keep battling," Rulo said. "We're just excited that we're going to still play."
With temperatures tumbling into the low 20s, the prelude to Friday night's quarterfinal matchup wandered into bizarre territory. South Callaway players were warming up on the field around 5:30 p.m. when the stadium lights went dark. East Buchanan school officials contacted Kansas City Power & Light and after repairs were made, the lights were back on a little over an hour later and the opening kickoff was pushed back to 7:50.
"Hat's off to our team on just the resiliency; that's definitely out of your routine," Rulo said. "... We have to go back inside (the locker room) - we just sit there, we sit there, we sit there - and then we come up and have to get a warmup in, in under an hour."
South Callaway, however, was not deterred by the distraction. South Callaway won the opening toss and kept East Buchanan's offense idling when it assembled a 13-play, 64-yard scoring drive that consumed almost half of the first quarter.
Senior quarterback Troy Hentges put South Callaway in front when he pushed his way into the end zone from a yard out with 6 minutes, 54 seconds to go in the quarter.
With South Callaway and East Buchanan's defenses both delivering stout efforts, the score remained 7-0 at halftime. South Callaway was finally able to extend its advantage when Hentges found senior slot receiver Cory Hanger on a 37-yard touchdown pass at the 4:39 mark of the third quarter.
South Callaway then moved its lead to 21-0 on senior fullback Dakoda Ballard's 1-yard touchdown burst with 8:53 left in the game.
Despite receiving its toughest test of the season against East Buchanan's defense, South Callaway was still able to generate 366 net yards. South Callaway logged 237 yards rushing on 60 total carries, with Hanger leading the way with a game-high 70 yards in 13 attempts.
Ballard followed with 65 yards on 14 carries and senior slot receiver Mason Shoemaker gained 51 yards in 11 attempts.
Hentges overcame two fumbles and an interception in the end zone to finish 5-of-8 for 129 yards and the one score. Hanger also had two catches for a game-high 84 yards receiving, including a 47-yard grab in the second quarter that he almost broke for a touchdown. Shoemaker supplied two receptions for 42 yards to pick up a critical pair of first downs on South Callaway's scoring drives in the second half.
"I was very happy with how our offense played under the conditions, whether it was the blackout or the weather," Rulo said. "... (East Buchanan) was doing a good job of moving around up front and it was causing some confusion, but we were able to respond and figure it out, and make adjustments."
South Callaway's defense was its typical disruptive, tormenting presence again Friday night, coercing East Buchanan - which doesn't punt - to turn the ball over on downs four times. Hanger - from his free safety position - came up with two of South Callaway's four interceptions, while senior linebacker Dylan Hare had a pivotal pick in the end zone on fourth down on East Buchanan's opening series of the second half.
East Buchanan avoided a shutout when junior quarterback Colby Rapp scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 8:10 to play in the contest. Rapp completed 19-of-32 passes for 210 yards, but South Callaway limited East Buchanan to just 57 yards rushing on 27 carries.
"I felt like our guys did a great job schematically coming up with a game plan, our defensive coaches - Coach (defensive coordinator Zack) Hess and (assistant head) Coach (Tucker) Bartley," Rulo said. "We were trying to figure out what we could do to try to stop the run, but still have enough guys to defend the pass.
"We gave them some different looks than maybe what they were used to seeing."