by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — On Oct. 14, Conway Springs pulled off one of the most stunning scores in high school football. It toppled Class 1A top-ranked Inman 35-14. It was one of those scores that made high school fans across the state stop and look at it again, thinking it had to be a misprint.

Tonight, the two teams meet again. And statewide prognosticators are still not sure whether that game was an anomaly. K-preps.com has Inman favored to win the Class 1A semifinal game in Conway Springs.

The chatter of Inman being injured or at least not at full strength the first time these two teams played seems to annoy Conway Springs head coach Matt Biehler. He said most everybody was in the lineup for the Teutons that night. Josiah Buller, Inman’s quarterback, was hobbling but did play against Conway Springs. Dawson McConnell, a tight end/defensive tackle, was also out that game but will return tonight.

Conway Springs team celebrates a sectional win. (Click to enlarge)

But other than that, the team was at full strength, he said.

So what was the key to Conway Springs’ success as the only team to beat Inman this year?

“The thing we have to do is not give up the big play,” Biehler said. “That’s what we did the first time around and this is what we will have to do again.”

In Inman’s 28-6 victory over Smith Center last week, the Teutons scored mostly on big plays.

Conway Springs is playing its first state semifinal game since 2011, when these seniors were 6. Inman, on the other hand, has advanced to this stage for the third consecutive year. The Teutons have ended the Conway Springs season for the past two consecutive years.

So this game is interesting on two fronts. Conway Springs wants to avenge the past two playoff losses. Inman wants to avenge the Oct. 14 game.

But more importantly, both teams want to play for the Class 1A State Championship.

Schedule comparisons: 

Odds and Ends:

Brayden Kunz has 2,165 yards on 26 touchdowns this season. He ran for 287 yards and three touchdowns against Inman in the first game. Conway Springs outgained Inman 349-239 yards, despite both teams running 52 plays… Conway Springs is playing its third home playoff game, a luxury afforded after having a first-round bye. Inman also had two home playoff games going in. Thus, because Conway Springs was the higher-seeded team in its district, it received the home-field advantage… Inman and Conway Springs have become quite the rivalry. This will mark the fourth time in three years the two teams have played… Bundle warmly tonight. The forecast is calling for temperatures in the mid to low 20s.

Follow us on Facebook.

Follow us on Twitter.