Photo Credit: Mike Cerny/Mikecernyphoto.com 
Randy Dreiling has been trying his best to avoid answering the question for weeks, but Saturday night was finally the appropriate time to ask the question and get an answer.
How’s it feel to be the winningest state championship coach in Kansas state football history?
“That only means I’m probably the oldest guy still coaching,” Dreiling answered. “I really don't think about that stuff. Just thought about winning this game tonight. That's it.”
Dreiling won his tenth state championship. His first seven came as the head coach at Hutchinson. The last three at St. Thomas Aquinas, including back-to-back titles (Class 4A last year).
The Saints completed a perfect 13-0 season with a dominant 35-13 victory over Hays Saturday night at Welch Stadium at Emporia State University.
Hays played in its first ever football championship. The Indians played without their top-two quarterbacks, who both suffered broken bones in the Indians' substate win at Eisenhower last Friday.
Aquinas scored on plays of 41, 23 and 36 yards in the first half to build a 21-0 lead. Hays (8-5) punted on four of its five drives in the first half and lost the ball on downs on the other.
“I couldn't be more proud of our boys, just the way they came together as a team. I mean, just starting out as a nine-seed, going into playoffs after the tough season we had. Being able to run through there and come together as a team and find a way to knock off the one and the two and the four. It's a historic run that we made,” said Hays Head Coach Tony Crough. “And to get here for the first time in school history, it's something we're going to look back at the banquet. We're all going to be really happy. We're not happy right now. We're crushed. That's a better team over there than us right now. They were tougher than us. They outplayed us.”
Late in the first quarter, a short punt by Hays set up the Saints at the Hays 41-yard line. On the first play of the drive, Elzie Slaughter found Brett Yankovich for a touchdown and a 7-0 lead.
It was the first of three straight possessions that Aquinas scored.
Calin Arndt broke free of a tackle and gained 45 yards. He scored two plays later on a 23-yard touchdown run.
Then Slaughter took off on a 36-yard run after the Indians turned the ball over on downs on a 4th and 2 play.
After a scoreless third quarter, the Indians scored the first points of the second half. Hays blocked an early fourth quarter punt. One play later, Ian McGuire found Holden Lind wide open for a 25-yard touchdown pass. It was 21-7 with 11:08 left in the game.
After that, Aquinas would put it away with a pair of scores on their next two possessions; a 26-yard touchdown run by Slaughter and a 16-yard score by Ardnt.
“Obviously, winning never gets old. Losing hurts way more than winning feels good, but this feels pretty good tonight,” said Dreiling, who actually smiled during the interview. “What a group of seniors we had. We had kids play hurt all year, and you know, like said, their broken hands don't want to go to doctor because they don't want to have to sit down. That's inspiring to me. And these seniors took us out on top.”
