Rossville tops Beloit for second straight 2A title

SALINA, Kan. (Catch it Kansas) - Rossville set the tone early and often Saturday in Salina to win their 26th straight game, culminating in a second straight Class 2A championship.

Each of the first two Beloit drives ended in three and outs, and both turned into scoring drives for the Bulldawg offense. The first score came on a short field, starting at the 50 after a punt into the wind set up the good field positioning. Torrey Horak stared what was a huge day for the senior with a short rushing touchdown.

Then after the second forced punt, Rossville needed no time to make it 14-0, with Horak hitting Braiden Hensley for a 43 yard touchdown over the top less than six minutes into the game.

Beloit, playing without standout running back Benson Berndt following an injury during their sub-state win, was able to get their offense moving on their third possession. Following a pair of first downs, one of Berndt’s replacements in the backfield Logan Arasmith found a hole and took it 45 yards to the 5. QB Owen Eilert finished it with a QB keeper to cut it to 14-6.

Then the momentum shifted toward the Trojans even more with an onside kick recovery to take right back over. The ensuring drive went into the redzone, but would stall out on a 4th down after a mishandled snap.

Beloit would force a punt, and again turn it into good field position, using a halfback pass to get back inside the 20. But much like the previous possession they were unable to get points out of it, Rossville again forcing a fourth down stop.

This time the ‘Dawgs would get back into rhythm. Horak hit Kaden Brown for a big 53 yard pass play to get them inside the five, then Corey Catron finished it with a short score of his own for a 21-6 halftime lead.

The second half started much like the first for Rossville, again using little clock to find the endzone for a fourth time. Horak threw a dart to Tagan Kippes to extend it to 28-6, and the next Beloit drive came to a close on the game’s lone turnover--which would turn into the third Horak passing score of the game.

Beloit would get back on the board late on Eilert’s second rushing score, but the 35-12 deficit held to give Rossville a second straight championship.

Beloit ends their year with a 9-4 mark, this their second runner-up finish of the decade after the same finish in 2013.

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