By Brad Hallier
Andale was in a rare position at halftime Saturday afternoon at Gowans Stadium.
The undefeated Indians were losing.
Andale, a team that often has game wrapped up by halftime, was down seven points to Topeka Hayden in the Class 3A state championship game. But a late first-half defensive stand set the tone for the rest of the game, as Andale held Hayden scoreless for the final 25 minutes and the offense grinded Hayden down in a 36-19 win.
It was Andale’s fifth state championship in six years and eighth overall. Andale won four straight titles from 2019-2022 before Cheney won last year.
Andale held early leads of 6-0 and 12-6, as quarterback Sam Harp scored both on runs from 1 yard and 8 yards. But Hayden dominated the second quarter, having the ball almost the entire quarter. A 15-play, 99-yard drive ended with a 2-yard touchdown pass from Jett Wahlmeier to Treyton Teteuan. On the ensuing kickoff, Andale fumbled, and Hayden turned that into another touchdown, this time on a Kade Mitchell 10-yard catch from Wahlmeier. That gave Hayden a 19-12 lead with 1 minute, 28 seconds before halftime.
Andale again botched the Hayden kickoff, but this time, Andale held the Wildcats out of the end zone.
The teams exchanged three punts to start the third quarter, and the Indians then went to work.
Landon Harp’s powerful 13-yard touchdown run with 3:29 left in the third quarter, and Jack Horsch’s ensuing two-point conversion run, gave Andale a 20-19 lead.
Hayden fumbled on its next offensive play, and Andale needed just three plays to score, and Landon Harp strolled into the end zone from 5 yards.
Horsch added a fourth-quarter 10-yard touchdown run.
Hayden controlled the ball, possessing it for nearly 29 minutes. The Wildcats also ran 78 plays to 46 for Andale.
The Indians, however, averaged more than 10 yards a play and finished with 474 yards compared to 323 to Hayden.
Sam Harp finished with 163 rushing yards, and he added 55 through the air. Landon Harp had 148 rushing yards, while Horsch had 98.
Andale coach Dylan Schmidt improved his record at Andale to a staggering 97-4.
