Adrian pulls away from Penney, as Hornets settle for runner-up spot in Class 1

In the Class 1 state championship football game, played Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Columbia, the Adrian Blackhawks scored the final 27 points of the contest, stifling early Hamilton momentum in beating the Penney Hornets 34-13. 

The game, broadcast on KGOZ FM 101.7, started fast for the Hornets, as a one-yard touchdown plunge by sophomore running back Jack Cooley gave Penney a 7-0 lead with 7:13 remaining in the opening quarter.  Tom Johnson had the call: 

Adrian’s Andrew Kendrick had two first half touchdown runs, with the first, coming in the final minute of the first quarter, tying the game at 7-7. 

Penney responded with another drive to the Blackhawks goal line, with senior quarterback Titus McBee giving the Hornets their last lead of the season and final tally of the campaign midway through the second quarter: 

The PAT by the Hornets was unsuccessful, leaving the margin at 13-7.  Adrian, with a 10 yard Kendrick run and successful PAT, took a one point lead with 2:54 remaining in the half. 

Penney, taking the football late in the half, showed a continued ability to move the football, although the Hornets faced a 4th and 7 conversion from the red zone with less than 30 seconds until the break: 

The flag would turn out to be an offensive pass interference penalty against Penney, taking the go-ahead points off the board, with a 4th down pass to follow falling incomplete leaving the score 14-13 for Adrian. 

The second half would be dominated by the Blackhawks, with three touchdowns and successful PAT’s, while the Penney offense was slowed down, as the Hornets, falling behind, threw the ball 18 times, completing 7, as McBee had 72 yards through the air.  On the ground, McBee had 30 carries for 131 yards.

Adrian scored twice in the third quarter, once via a 3 yard run from Brock Ford, followed by a 5 yard catch on 4th down by Mason Rusow.  The back-breaker came with 11 minutes to go, as Adrian quarterback Colton Miller weaved through the Hornet defense for a 73 yard scoring run. 

Defensively, tackle Bryler Ford starred for Adrian, with a team-high 13 tackles, including three for loss.  Penney was led by Sawyer Ford’s 12 tackles.

In the eight-man state championship game in St. Joseph, quarterback Tristan Leeper had 147 yards on the ground, with senior wideout Kale Snook catching six passes for 137 yards, leading Archie to a 48-20 win over North Shelby.  

The Raiders led 20-16 at the half, but wilted over the final two quarters, as Archie (14-0) completed a back-to-back state championship season.  North Shelby’s Gannon Bowen was a standout in defeat, with 31 carries for 162 yards. 

Archie was first in the final eight-man media poll, followed by #2 North Shelby, #3 Lockwood, #4 Bishop Leblond, and #5 Braymer.  The final spots in the Top 10 went to Rock Port, followed by Worth County, Nodaway Valley, Albany, and Appleton City. 

Back in Columbia, Blair Oaks beat Seneca in Saturday’s first game, 38-28 (Class 3), with Platte County completing a 14-0 season on Saturday night, routing Helias Catholic 49-14 for the Class 5 title.

Three 11-man finals were played on Friday at Mizzou, with Lamar beating Oak Grove for the Class 2 title 28-25, Lutheran North winning Class 4 over Festus 46-7, while De Smet Jesuit took the Class 6 championship trophy, 35-20 over Nixa.