Class 6, District 2
Troy Buchanan 26, Blue Springs South 21
Despite two second-quarter touchdowns that gave the seventh-seeded Jaguars the 14-6 halftime lead, Blue Springs South (3-9) couldn’t claim a second consecutive upset, falling on the road game at No. 3 seed Buchanan (9-3).
Quarterback Max Conard connected on an 8-yard touchdown to Luke Fellers, then ran one in from 6 yards within two minutes early in the second quarter.
The Trojans scored 20 points after halftime to go ahead 26-14.
On the first play after Buchanan’s last touchdown, the Jaguars made it 26-21 when Cortes Essex took Jaylon Johnson’s pass 69 yards.
But Blue Springs South’s late comeback ended when Conard’s pass was intercepted with 2:21 left in the game.
Class 5, District 8
Staley 19, Oak Park 7
Fabian McLeod broke free for a 34-yard touchdown with 5:46 left in third quarter to regain the lead for host Staley, and that TD proved to be enough for the top-seeded Falcons (9-2).
McLeod’s run made it 12-7, but it was the game Northmen, the district’s No, 4 seed, who held the 7-6 lead, perhaps unexpectedly, at halftime thanks to Najib Alhakeem’s 62-yard touchdown run.
Alhakeem led all players with 152 rushing yards as Oak Park (5-6) advanced to the semifinals for the second-consecutive year before falling to Staley again. The win total is the Northmen’s most in at least a decade, according to the season-by-season records available at mshsaa.org.
Mylan Mitchell added a fourth-quarter touchdown for the Falcons as the teams traded three turnovers each in a game dominated by defense.
North Kansas City 41, Park Hill South 35, OT
Jeremy Brown’s 13-yard touchdown run sent the host Hornets into next week’s district championship.
Brown finished with 228 yards rushing and scored the game’s first touchdown. NKC teammate Brandon Hall had four touchdowns on the ground and accounted for 315 yards of offensive as the Hornets led 35-20 with 8:04 left in the game.
But touchdowns from Joe Inzenga and Laron Mitchell tied the game for the third-seeded Panthers (4-6) with 2:11 to go.
Quarterback Matt Suchanick led Park Hill South with 158 yards and a touchdown passing, plus 118 yards rushing and the touchdown run that gave the Panthers their only lead, 20-14, one second before halftime.
Next the No. 2 seeded Hornets (9-1) will play at Staley (8-2) for the second consecutive year for the chance to advance to the Class 5 quarterfinals.
Class 4, District 7
Harrisonville 29, Warrensburg 14
Jace Reynolds ran for 238 yards and three touchdowns to lead the fifth-seeded Wildcats over the host -- and top seed -- Tigers for the second time this season.
But it was quarterback River Riley’s 1-yard keeper with 2:15 left in the first half that game Harrisonville (6-5) the lead for good.
Eli Nappe scored both touchdowns -- both of which gave the Tigers short-lived leads -- for Warrensburg (7-4).
Class 3, District 7
Odessa 55, Boonville 7
Six players scored touchdowns to help the host Bulldogs (11-0) advance for a chance to repeat as undefeated district champions when they host second-seeded Center (10-1).
First, No. 1-seeded Odessa had to get by the fourth-seeded Pirates (7-4). Like every other game the Bulldogs played this year, it came easily.
Luke Malizzi had led all rushers with 179 yards rushing with two touchdowns. Ethan Uhrlaub scored three touchdowns on his four rushes. Blake Heitman and Josey Meierarend each added touchdowns, while Kade Kehl took a pass from Meierarend to the end zone.
The Bulldog defense held Boonville to just 80 yards of offense.
