The teams traded field goals in the last 20 seconds of the second quarter and Tonganoxie led by just a touchdown, 17-10.

Ottawa got the ball to start the second half, but the Chieftains recovered a Cyclone fumble.

Just 23 seconds into the third quarter, Colton Brusven scored on a 6-yard run and Tonganoxie suddenly was up, 24-10. Ottawa wasn’t able to recover from the miscue and Tonganoxie kept its foot on the gas.

THS would score two more times on its way to a 38-10 victory.

On Senior Night at Beatty Field, three seniors scored touchdowns for Tonganoxie.

Senior Sam Kleidosty scored first 3-yard run and then fellow senior Devyn Splichal scored on a two-yard run in the second quarter.

Senior Andrew Colvert scored on a two-yard run in the second half.

Junior Colton Brusven had two rushing touchdowns against the Cyclones, the one at the start of the third quarter and another after Colvert’s score.

Both placekickers were perfect on extra points, as Tonganoxie sophomore Jackson McWilliams went 5-for-5 and Reese Fogle 1-for-1. They both connected on field goals late in the second quarter, McWilliams first with a 20-yard field goal with 20 seconds left before halftime. Ottawa then returned the ball 57 yards on the ensuing kickoff before Fogle attempted a 42-yard field goal as time expired in the first half. The kick hooked just inside the right upright and Ottawa celebrated as the Cyclones headed for the locker room.

Tonganoxie might have scored all of its touchdowns on the ground, but it was a pretty balanced night offensively.

THS had 190 rushing yards and 175 passing yards.

Sophomore quarterback Trevor McGraw made 10-of-19 passes for 175 yards, including a 36-yard pass to classmate Isaiah Holthaus.

Kleidosty had five receptions for 75 yards, while senior Jesse Young had one catch fo 10 yards.

Holthaus finished the night with 90 yards on four receptions.

Brusven led the rushing attack with 113 yards on 26 carries. Kleidosty had 43 yards on 10 carries, while Colvert had 17 yards on four carries and Splichal 17 yards on seven carries.

Defensively, 13 different Chietains registered a tackle.

Junior Jack Messersmith had four tackles (two solo), as did senior Connor Bruch (three solo). Senior Jordan Williams, Kleidosty and Harris each had three tackles.

Tonganoxie looked to have another tackle, or even sack, in that mix in the first half, but OHS senior Noah McCullough had some nifty moves alluding Tonganoxie defenders on one particular play. He then scampered into the end zone for the Cycones’ first score.

Harris also had an interception for the Chieftains.

Senior Gabe Bailey had three punts for 102 yards. That’s an average of 34 yards per punt. The longest punt was 46 yards, as THS pinned Ottawa inside its own 5.

THS ran 72 plays to Ottawa’s 41. Tonganoxie also had the first downs advantage, 19-6. There weren’t many penalties on Senior Night, as Ottawa had two for 15 yards total compared to Tonganoxie’s four penalties for 45 yards.

THS improved to 3-4 in Frontier League play and 4-4 overall. Ottawa fell to 2-6 and 2-6.

Tonganoxie is one of five teams entering playoffs next week at .500.

THS will be the No. 7 seed and take on No. 10 Bishop Miege, a squad that has knocked the Chieftains out of the playoffs the last two seasons.

If Tonganoxie were to advance to the next round, THS would play either No. 2 Chanute (7-1) or No. 15 Bonner Springs (1-7).

Other quarterfinal games in the East Bracket are No. 16 Labette County (0-8) at No. 1 Basehor-Linwood, No. 9 Louisburg (4-4) at No. 8 St. James Academy (4-4), No. 12 Coffeyville (2-6) at No. 5 Piper (5-3 )and No. 14 Fort Scott at No. 3 Atchison (7-1). No. 11 Ottawa (2-6) is at No. 6 Eudora (4-4).

The West Bracket has No. 16 Abilene (0-8) at No. 1 Buhler (7-1), No. 9 Winfield (3-5) at No. 8 Independence (4-4), No. 13 Ulysses (2-5) at No. 4 Mulvane (6-2), No. 12 Arkansas City (3-5) at No. 5 McPherson (6-2), No. 15 Great Bend (0-8) at No. 2 Wamego (7-1), No. 10 El Dorado (3-5) at No. 7 Augusta (5-3), No. 14 Wellington (2-5) at No. 3 Andover Central (7-1) and No. 11 Rose Hill (3-5) at No. 6 Towanda Circle (5-3).