Sedgwick County celebrates winning the 8-man football championship. (Kent Mincer/CHSAANow.com)
AKRON — It had been 17 years since a school in Sedgwick County had been able to put a state football plaque in its trophy case.
Now two schools in the county can brag about splitting one.
Sedgwick County, a combined athletic program featuring athletes from Julesburg and Revere schools, capped an undefeated season by winning the Class A 8-man state title Saturday, defeating Akron 36-6.
It was a rematch of teams that played in week 9. The Cougars won that one 22-3, also in Akron.
Sedgwick County was leery of what the Rams would bring this time.
“They’re a good team,” Cougars coach Chris Michel said. “I knew they had something ready.”
Actually, both teams threw a new wrinkle or two into their game plan. Ironically, said Michel, they were similar game plans.
Still, both stuck primarily to what had helped them reach the state championship.
“We rode the horse that got us here,” Michel said of a game plan that produced a balanced 173 yards rushing and 174 passing.
The key to Sedgwick County’s domination was its defense. It held Akron quarterback Levi Basler to just 14 yards on 13 carries and intercepted him twice.
The Cougars scored on their first possession, a 14-play drive culminating in Cole McKinley’s 5-yard run.
They must have liked opening drives of the half because they scored on their first possession of the third quarter. That one took just three plays, Chad Mikelson hauling in a pass from Trey Walter good for 42 yards.
The Cougars found some success over the top late in the game, scoring three times in the fourth quarter, two on long passes to Tyler Woodhems, to seal the victory.
“To close it out like we did is something special,” said Woodhems, who caught just three passes but amassed 92 yards.
“My receivers can catch anything I throw at them,” said quarterback Tyler Walter, who passed for 174 yards and three scores.
The workhorse of the offense, however, was McKinley, who carried 24 times for 90 yards.
The team had struggled the previous four seasons, but Michel knew he had something special at the start of preseason workouts in August.
“We set a goal to be right here (in the championship game),” he said.
It was the first championship trophy for Sedgwick County since Revere won in 1997, before the schools consolidated their athletic programs. Julesburg won its last state title in 1970.