Two weeks ago, the Holton Wildcats were 4-2 and coming off a home district loss to Sabetha 35-14 with upcoming games at undefeated #2 ranked Marysville and then against 6-1 Wamego.  No problem.  After a 30-8 eye-popping win against the Bulldogs, Holton continued that momentum and strong play to the tune of a 41-14 blowout at home Friday against the Red Raiders.  Cue the fireworks. The Wildcats are district champs and get a home playoff game against Santa Fe Trail to start their 22nd straight year in the post-season. 

As it turned out, the only drive Holton did not score on offensively was their opening possession when they march 14 plays but turned the ball over on downs at the Wamego 15-yard line. The Red Raiders had no defensive answer all night, in fact they only ran one play the entire second quarter and a total of nine plays in the first half as Holton controlled the ball and clock and had Trey Wright recover a fumble on the only Raider snap in the second period.  

Still, Wamego scored on their first drive as Taybor Vettter broke free on a 47 yard touchdown run to make it 7-0.  Holton answered by converting three times on fourth down with their next drive, including a Kale Purcel nine-yard option keeper for the tying score. After the fumble, Holton converted again on fourth down with a Purcel scramble then went into "Barta's bag of tricks" and executed a halfback pass from Taygen Fletcher to Ian Watkins for a 24-yard touchdown on the final play of the half.  It was a huge momentum swing and totally caught the Red Raiders off guard as they had no one back deep to protect the endzone.  It was also the second time the Wildcats scored on that play this season, the first of which was the Cats opening play of their first home game which was play called by Fletcher's mom (Carly) because of a winning bid at a Holton Touchdown Club auction.

Still, Wamego tied the game at 14 midway through the third quarter as quarterback Brad Sackrider plunged in from three-yards-out for a touchdown.  Again the Wildcats answered and quickly as Trey Wright got around the outside and broke loose for a 51-yard touchdown to make it 21-14.  Then Karsen Brandt intercepted a pass off a deflection to set up the first of three Holton drives that started inside the Wamego 40-yard line. In untypical Holton fashion, the Cats went back to the air and Purcel found a wide-open Ian Watkins for a 13-yard TD pass for a 27-13 advantage. 

Wamego got desperate on their next two drives and went for fourth downs deep in their own territory and the Holton defense continued to dominate with Konnor Tannahill and Addison Hundley registering sacks.  The Wildcats capatilized on short fields and scored two fourth quarter touchdown runs by Tannahill and Canon Karn to improve to 6-2 on the season.  

Tannahill was a workhorse and finished with 24 carries for 114 yards while Karn had 58 yards on 15 totes and Wright aded 76 yards on 7 carries.  Fletcher also had 27 yards rushing and the touchdown pass to Watkins who caught three passes for 37 yards and two touchdowns. Holton had 351 total yards to just 184 for Wamego and the Red Raiders had all three turnovers before falling to 6-2 on the season. Wamego played without star senior runningback Isaiah Childs and lost quarterback Sackrider after a hard hit in the fourth quarter. Sackrider finished with 40 yards on 18 carries and Vetter had 74 yards on 7 carries.

Tannahill was the "Player to Bank On" from the Citizens State Bank and Trust Company while Kaden Cattrell (sophomore) earned the Giant Communications "Lineman of the Game" honors.   

Wamego is the third seed and will start the playoffs at Perry Lecompton while Holton earned the one seed and starts the 3A bracket hosting Santa Fe Trail, seemingly playing their best football of the year and really peaking with potential to make a playoff run.