As he watched the clock tick down, senior Thomas Cromer was overcome with all of his football memories from the last four years.
“When you watch that clock hit zero, you’re not sad about the score necessarily,” Cromer said. “It’s more just the overwhelming memories that come back to you and all the good times you had fighting through adversity with your brothers. It’s just sad to see that end.”
The Cardinals’ season came to a 50-27 end Friday night after they just couldn’t keep up with Atchison’s ability to score points in a hurry.
Head coach Drew Steffen said the season-ending loss is unfortunate, but he is proud of how the Cardinals battled throughout the night.
“I’m disappointed, but not disappointed in what we did,” Steffen said. “Obviously, we want to keep playing and we gave it our all tonight. We gave ourselves a chance, but credit to them. They’re going to be a tough out for teams.”
The loss drops the Cardinals record to 5-5 on the season. Cromer said the team learned a lot about how to overcome challenges throughout the season.
“This season really taught us how to fight through adversity,” Cromer said. “We hit a little bump in the road towards the middle of the season, but that just prepared us for the postseason. We tried to put it all together and the result wasn’t what we wanted, but at least we know that we can come together as brothers and fight for each other.”
Even though the loss brought the season and his high school football career to an end, senior Kole Manley said he wouldn’t change anything about his time as a Cardinal.
“The way I look at everything is, ‘Don’t be sad it’s over. Be happy it happened,’” Manley said. “We’ve made a lot of great memories with these guys, and it’s been some of the best memories I’ve had in my life.”
Senior Will Gabel said he is going to miss spending time with his teammates most of all.
“Just going to practice, having team meals, going out to eat with everybody. It’s rough to think we’re not going to have that same bond as we had in football season,” Gabel said.
Junior Errol Siemon said losing this year’s senior class feels like being stabbed in the heart because they have been together for so long, but he has confidence in the underclassmen to take the reins.
“You’re not going to be able to replace these guys. You can get close, but these guys aren’t replaceable,” Siemon said. “Everyone’s just going to have to step up. It’s a new season next year.”
The Cardinals defense played well early in the game as the team held Atchison to just seven first quarter points.
The Cardinals tied up the game on a long drive that took about seven minutes between the end of the first quarter and the start of the second.
On the team’s first scoring possession, the Cardinals faced a fourth and six play from the Phoenix 12-yardline.
Manley made a Patrick Mahomes-esqe play where he rolled to his left only to find defenders in his face. Manley somehow stayed on his feet as he stumbled back to his right while still being chased by defenders, and then fired the ball to the back corner of the endzone to find junior Christian Jarrett for a touchdown.
Despite all this effort, the play was called back because of a holding penalty on the Cardinals, which made it fourth and 16.
But the Cardinals would convert again as Manley connected with a sliding senior Adrion Seals to move the ball to the 3-yardline.
Manley punched it in on a quarterback keeper on the next play for the touchdown.
Atchison answered right back, though, with a minute and a half drive that was capped off by junior Jaden Carter’s first touchdown of the night. The Phoenix converted on the two-point play to make the score 15-7 after the Cardinals lined up offsides on the extra point attempt.
The following Cardinals possession ended in a punt, but Manley went down with an injury on this drive after being hit hard. Manley finished out the first half, but did not play in the second half.
Steffen said losing Manley was tough, but junior Connor Watson did an excellent job being the next man up at quarterback.
“Connor stepped up. Connor has been our backup all year. He has started on defense the last couple games. For him to do that in this situation, it’s not easy,” Steffen said. “For Connor to go out and execute, and give us a chance, not only was that special this year for us to see, but for him to go do that sets him up for success next year, his senior year.”
Manley’s final statline included 45 passing yards, 31 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown.
The Cardinals had a chance to put some points on the board before halftime as Atchison had a bad punt to set the Cardinals up with good field position.
The Cardinals couldn’t capitalize and were forced to punt the ball back to Atchison with just 37 seconds left in the first half.
That was all the Phoenix needed though as the team went 80 yards in just two plays to score with nine seconds before halftime, making the score 22-7.
The Cardinals came out of halftime amped up as they quickly lined up and fired off the ball. Watson took off on a 65-yard run to put the Cardinals inside the 10. Seals scored on fourth and goal from three yards out to make the score 22-14.
But Atchison scored on two of their next three possessions while holding the Cardinals scoreless to make the score 36-14 at the end of the third quarter. Carter and Xiomar Hernandez each scored their second touchdowns on the night in the quarter.
The Cardinals continued to fight to open the fourth quarter. Siemon scored on a 53-yard touchdown to cut Atchison’s lead to two scores.
Siemon had 116 scrimmage yards and a touchdown Friday.
The Phoenix answered back with two more scoring drives to make the score 50-21. Jaden Carter scored his third touchdown on the night and senior quarterback Trey Carter scored on a 41-yard run.
Seals scored on a 59-yard touchdown to bring the game to its final score of 50-27. Seals finished the game with 157 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns.
Atchison remains undefeated on the season and moves on to play Tonganoxie in the sectional round of the playoffs. Tonganoxie defeated Chanute 28-21 Friday night.
There will be a new 4A state champion this year, however, as Bishop Miege lost to St. Thomas Aquinas 14-7 Friday night. Here is the full 4A bracket.
Reach reporter Jack Denebeim at [email protected]
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