By CHARLES CHANEY
ANDOVER, Kansas—Andover Central marched right down the field on the game’s opening drive and it ended with a touchdown and it set the tone for the rest of the game.
Because all the Jaguars did was score points.
Andover Central didn’t punt once as they easily took care of Augusta in the first round of the Class 4A state playoffs, or Week nine according to KSHSAA, 42-10.
Central improves to 6-3 on the season, while Augusta finishes 2-7.
The Jaguars never punted and scored on every possession except the final one where they took a knee to drain out the clock to cap one of the more impressive performances against a Class 4A team this season from Central. While they often are playing Class 5A teams, many forget they are still Class 4A and often are judged for those losses. All three were to 5A teams this season.
“It helps helps a bit [to be over looked],” Andover Central head coach Drew Tuttle said. “It’s just one of those things about playing a tough schedule. We like it though. We like competing hard during the season because I think that helps us play harder down the stretch.”
They’ve played really well since the loss to Salina Central. Big rival win over Andover a couple of weeks ago and the shut down of the talented Valley Center offense last week, this week it felt like the defense was every where. It’s just a part of that playing a tough schedule. It may have you overlooked by those who aren’t quite sure what to think about when they put your resume against others.
Andover Central doesn’t seem to mind.
“Most people just look at the score when we play the 5A teams and how we play close games,” Braden Barscewski said. “Then we come in here and play a 4A team and show what we can do.”
Andover Central never trailed and led for most of the game. The first quarter felt as if it only took 13 minutes to play. However, what it was the Jaguars in complete control and dictating the tempo. They only ran 43 plays on the night but put up 42 points and that’s efficiency any coach would take any day.
The opening drive where they marched down the field and it was Barscewski hitting senior Drew Veatch for the 11 yard strike to go up 7-0. It felt as if they were in control from the onset.
Augusta tried to throw stuff at Central to give herself a chance. Cayden Highbarger, recently committed to playing baseball at Central Christian College, at NAIA school in McPherson, hit Isaiah Blackwell for a 39-yard halfback pass. Three players later and Marcus Terry punched it in from four yards out to tie it at 7-all.
Central answered back on a 8-play drive that saw Cooper Tabor take that jet sweep into the end zone for the touchdown. The play has been a staple for the last couple of seasons in the Jaguars playbook as if it’s dropped, it’s an incomplete pass but if you time it right, you get a touchdown as they’ve done a few times with Tabor on that sweep this season.
After forcing a three-and-out it was senior Mason White making big plays. After the ball went through the hands of Tabor and bounced off the turf, it was White, the recent Friends Falcon commit, reached over Blackwell and snagged it out of the air.
“I just said I gotta go get it,” White said of the punt return. “I jumped and caught it, saw no one was around and ran.”
He ran through a sea of white jerseys, bobbing and weaving into the end zone for the 53 yard punt return for a touchdown. Jaguars led 21-7 with 7:21 remaining until halftime.
Just like that, Andover Central had built a double digit lead they would not relinquish.
It appeared Tabor had signaled for a fair catch. Despite not catching the ball, White would have been down by rule. The officials admitted to Augusta’s Jason Filbeck they missed that call.
“I don’t want to blame officiating,” he said. “That’s a huge swing call but I thought our kids played tough on either resilient.”
Augusta would convert a fake punt on fourth-and-long on a pass from Gavin Kiser to Terry and Augusta would drive deep into Central territory right before half. However, Central’s defense would hold the Orioles to a field goal, giving them a 21-10 lead at the break.
Augusta drove to midfield and thought about going with another fake punt by then, Jayden Joy had reached the punter, blocked the punt and set the Jags up in great field position. From there, Veatch would convert his own pitch jet sweep for a touchdown to put them up 28-10 in the third.
Despite giving up the late touchdown in the final minutes, Andover Central’s defense felt suffocating all night. They prepared for a flexbone that was a power rushing team. While they ran it 46 times, watching Augusta attempt 14 passes is like watching Mike Leach’s Texas Tech offenses just run the ball. It’s nothing you really prepare for.
They were able to get a couple of stops in the red zone to eliminate any scoring opportunities for Augusta (2-7).
“I told them after the game how I was real proud how our defense finished some things,” Tuttle said. “It was just how they kept playing, their responsibilities and tackling was important.”
Brascewski finished 11 of 13 for 159 yards and four touchdowns on the night.
Jace Rees had one touchdown and ran for 91 yards on 16 carries. He caught two pitches that were forward passes for 28 yards.
Veatch finished with four catches for 69 yards and two touchdowns.
The defense allowed 336 yards of offense, 135 of it came on the first and last drives of the game.
Augusta will now try to regroup and prepare for the departure of a senior class that has multiple playoff wins under their belt. One of the more talented senior classes in the last few years. Injuries derailed a lot of their success this season.
“This year didn’t go the way they wanted it to,” Filbeck said. “but I now what they’ve done. Stuff was out of their control and I’m proud of them. It’s about honoring the kids that have given four years to this program. We’ll worry about next year later on.”
The Jaguars will now play Winfield after the Vikings stunned fourth-seeded Wellington on the road in overtime. Winfield scored with 25 seconds remaining in regulation to tie it up at 28-all. They climbed out of a 21-0 hole in the first half to eventually force overtime. Winfield would intercept a third down pass in the end zone on Wellington’s overtime possession. From there, Winfield would hit a 29-yard field goal to stun Wellington the road.
Because of this, Winfield will now come to Andover on Friday night. Had Wellington won, the Jaguars would have been going on the road.
Sometimes things just work in your favour.
Though the Jaguars don’t care who they play. They’ll be prepared.
“We’re ready to play both,” Barscewski said when asked if he had a preferred opponent. “We don’t care where it is. We’ll show up and play.”
Andover Central 42, Augusta 10
Augusta 7 3 0 7—17
other Central 7 14 7 14—42
AC – Drew Veatch 11 yard pass from Braden Barscewski (Isaac Saye kick).
A – Marcus Terry 4 yard run (Jeremiah Schaefer kick).
AC – Cooper Tabor 13 yard pass from Barscewski (Saye kick).
AC – Mason White 53 yard punt return (Saye kick).
A—Schaefer 21 yard FG
AC – Drew Veatch 13 yard pass from Barscewski (Saye kick).
AC – Jace Rees 12 yard run (Saye kick).
AC – Brock Stupka 23 yard pass from Barscewski (Saye kick).
A – Kaden McDaniel 34 yard pas from Gavin Kiser (Schaefer kick).
RUSHING: Augusta-Kriefels 10-33; Blackwell 11-43; Terry 7-29; peppers 3-11; McDaniel 1-7; Stillwell 4-6; Kiser 10-minus-4. TOTALS: 46-125. Central—Rees 16-91; Barscewski 5-27; Bainum 6-14; Tabor 1-7; Jefferson 2-2. TOTALS: 30-141.
PASSING: Augusta—Kiser 8-13-172-1-0; Highbarger 1-1-39-0-0. Central—Barscewski 11-13-159-4-0.
RECEIVING: Augusta-Blackwell 4-71; prices 1-53; McDaniel 1-34; Terry 1-29; peppers 1-19; Stillwell 1-5. Central—Veatch 4-69; Tabor 3-29; Rees 2-28; Stupka 1-23; White 1-10.
