Jacob Jinkins of Chaparral (44) kept Conway Springs on its toes both defensively and offensively all night.

by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Conway Springs is the odd man out of a three way tie for first place and will be sitting home for the playoffs despite having one of the best records in Class 3A.

The Cardinals ended its season with a 33-8 loss to Chaparral and will sit home for the playoffs for the first time since 2006. While Conway Springs finishes the year 7-2, Wichita Independent and Douglass are preparing for the first round with 3-6 records. So goes the Kansas State High School playoff system.

Conway Springs came into Thursday’s game at Chaparral looking for a district championship with a win. Even with a loss, the Cardinals might have squeezed through if they didn’t lose by enough.

But Conway Springs was on the losing end of a 25-point margin. Chaparral’s defense came to play from the onset. It’s offense would get going sometime later.

Chaparral would out-distance Conway Springs statistically 332 to 141. The Cardinals had just 55 yards rushing for the night. Chaparral’s defensive front dominated Cheney’s interior line all evening.

Forced to pass, Conway Springs wasn’t very good there either. Colton Terhune was 6 of 21 for 43 yards. Josh Dugan would match his yardage total in one play, a nifty flea flicker that would eventually set up the Cardinals only touchdown of the night.

Chaparral would force Conway Springs offense to punt six times. When was the last time that happened?

On the other side, Chaparral’s offense after a slow first quarter would accumulate 212 yards passing and 120 yards passing.

The game started as a defensive slugfest with neither offense generating any mobility. But by the fourth quarter this was an offensive shootout with the Roadrunners doing most of the shooting.

Chaparral’s nifty quarterback Andrew Clark would account for three touchdowns down the stretch. But it was 6-4, 205 pounder Jacob Jinkins, who sealed the deal for the Roadrunners.

After Clark had dumped a short pass in the flat, Jinkins would get ahead of the Conway Springs defense and found himself one-on-one with one lone Cardinal defender. He literally ran over the Conway Springs player for a 58 yard touchdown run reception with 8:25 to play in the game.

Up to that point, the game was still in doubt as Conway Springs had just scored and pulled within 11 and the defense had forced the Chaparral in a second-and-18 situation.

With the Jenkins touchdown, Chaparral was back on top 26-8 and had made up those critical points it needed to clinch a playoff spot.

Conway Springs would have one last offensive drive, that got them deep in Chaparral territory thanks to three pass interference calls. But that drive ended when Terhune threw an interception that was returned for 55 yards.

The Roadrunners then clinched district five plays later on a 4-yard touchdown run by Eastin Overton.

This game coupled with a 46-20 Garden Plain win over Cheney sealed Conway Springs fate.

Conway Springs could never get any offensive rhythm going all night. But for awhile Chaparral wasn’t going anywhere either.

The teams exchanged punts for most of the first half. Finally, late in the second quarter, Chaparral ignited a spark with two good running plays that would lead to a Overton 20 yard touchdown run.

Chaparral led at the half 6-0.

In the third the Roadrunners would add a 2-yard Clark touchdown run to make it 13-0. Then Clark would get another with five seconds in the third on a 1 yard TD run.

Conway Springs got its only score when Gunnar Denney ran for 17 yards untouched for touchdown. A Riley Akiu to Dugan pass on the two-point PAT, had narrowed the margin to 11.

It went downhill from there for the Cardinals.

For the stats click here.

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