Not much more than 10 seconds ticked off the clock before THS scored its first touchdown of the night.

On the first play from scrimmage, THS senior quarterback Trevor McGraw found classmate Isaiah Holthaus for 56-yard touchdown reception.

The teams traded possessions and then the Chieftains scored twice more in the first quarter on their way to a 40-10 victory against the Cyclones.

Tonganoxie’s victory ended up being a pretty complete effort considering:

* Offensively, THS scored three touchdowns courtesy of three different players (Holthaus reception, Tyler Pankey reception and Colton Brusven rushing TD)

* Defensively, Tonganoxie didn’t allow a touchdown until the final minute of the game. The Chieftains held the Cyclone offense in check much of the night. Brusven intercepted an OHS pass and then scampered 69 yards for a pick 6. Ottawa did get deep into THS territory in the second quarter, but Ottawa had to settle for a field goal.

* On special teams, Jackson McWilliams had a career-high four field goals in one game. He had three field goals this season entering the Ottawa game. In addition, seven of his nine kickoffs were touchbacks and he was 4-for-4 on extra points. His field goals were from 20, 21, 37 and 35 yards out. His career long is 43, which he set last year at Chanute. Brusven also returned a punt 20 yards in the first half.

“The defense played phenomenal,” THS coach Preston Troyer said after the game. “We did what we wanted to. That was a good team.

“It took the o-line a little time and they got going. That was our emphasis at halftime.”

The line got going after the intermission and Tonganoxie kept putting up points in the second half.

Tonganoxie had Senior Night the previous Friday, but Troyer reminded his 12th-graders that there would be at least one more home game.

“I told the team only half of the state is getting a home game next week,” Troyer said. “Never take that for granted.”

Tonganoxie now will be in the peculiar spot of needing to defeat a team in back-to-back weeks to advance in the bracket.

At 6-2, THS is the No. 5 seed in the Class 4A East bracket, while Ottawa is the No. 12 seed at 3-5. That means Ottawa will visit Tonganoxie for a rematch in the Week 9 playoff game.

The winner of that game will face No. 4 Chanute (7-1) or No. 13 Schlagle in the regional round on the road if Chanute wins or at home if Schlagle wins.

Private practice

It’s been 10 years since a public school won the 4A title.

During that span, which included a stretch when there were two 4A divisions, Miege won every4A or 4A D-I title , except for when fellow private school St. James Academy won titles in 2020 and 2021.

This year, Bishop Miege (No. 3 at 7-1), St. Thomas Aquinas (No. 6 at 5-3) and St. James Academy (No. 14 at 2-6) are on the same side of the bracket. Only one of those teams will advance beyond the second week of the playoffs.

Tonganoxie 40, Ottawa 10

Score by quarters

Tonganoxie 21 3 10 6 — 40

Ottawa 0 3 0 7 — 10

Class 4A playoff pairings

EAST

No. 1 Atchison (8-0) vs. No. 16 Bonner Springs (1-7)

No. 8 Eudora (4-4) vs. No. 9 KC Piper (4-4)

No. 4 Chanute (7-1) vs. No. 13 Schlagle (3-5)

No. 5 Tonganoxie (6-2) vs. No. 12 Ottawa 3-5)

No. 2 Louisburg (8-0) vs. No. 15 Labette County (1-7)

No. 7 Basehor-Linwood (5-3) vs. No. 10 Paola (4-4)

No. 3 Bishop Miege (7-1) vs. No. 14 St. James Academy (2-6)

No. 6 St. Thomas Aquinas (5-3) vs. No. 11 Fort Scott (3-5)

WEST

No. 1 Wamego (6-2) vs. No. 16 El Dorado (0-8)

No. 8 Winfield (4-4) vs. No. 9 Rose Hill (3-5)

No. 4 Wellington (6-2) vs. No. 13 Towanda-Circle (2-6)

No. 5 Coffeyville (6-3) vs. No. 12 Augusta (2-6)

No. 2 Buhler (6-2) vs. No. 15 Ulysses (0-8)

No. 7 McPherson (5-3) vs. No. 10 Mulvane (3-5)

No. 3 Abiliene (6-2) vs. No. 14 Arkansas City (1-7)

No. 6 Andover Central (5-3) vs. No. 11 Independence (3-5)