Tongie rolls over De Soto
Chieftains claim 50-19 win in battle of unbeatens
Tonganoxie ? The video game-type numbers keep piling up for Tonganoxie High’s football offense.
Friday, the Chieftains exploded for their highest scoring output yet, a 50-19 victory over previously-unbeaten De Soto at THS.
But the real story Friday was the string of big plays that led to the Chieftains’ blowout — most notably an improbable first-half maneuver that made the contest seem like it was being played on a PlayStation instead of with a real football.
Holding a comfortable 36-6 advantage with 1:41 left in the half, Tongie quarterback Justin Walker and halfback Billy Baska teamed up on an unconventional option that all but sealed the Chieftains’ third straight victory.
“I think they’ve been together since birth,” Tongie coach Mark Elston said of the combination of chemistry and confidence his two seniors showed on the play that encapsulated the Chieftains’ crowd-pleasing romp.
Having already picked up the six yards needed on the third-and-six play from the De Soto 17-yard line, Walker was greeted by a host of Wildcats at the 10.
But much like the video game NCAA Football 2004 — where an option run is never over until the quarterback is officially on the ground and cannot physically pitch the football anymore — Walker’s ingenuity turned into an incredible highlight.
Just before the De Soto convoy pushed Walker to the ground, he flipped the ball to a wide-open Baska — who took head-first flight and soared over a De Soto defender at the one-yard line and into the end zone.
“I just hit ‘triangle’ at that point,” said a smiling Baska, describing how he would have executed his leaping jump had it been done on a gaming console.

Tonganoxie quarterback Justin Walker (6) gets caught by a pair of De Soto defenders. Tongie remained undefeated and handed De Soto its first loss, 50-19, Friday in Tonganoxie.
Elston said he reasoned the players’ awareness of where the other is at all times is what led to the fantastic finish.
“We don’t teach ’em that, and as a coach it’s pretty scary to watch,” Elston said. “But they just seem to know where each other is, without even looking.”
De Soto sure had a tough time trying to find the bright-red Chieftain uniforms Friday, and when the Wildcats did, it usually was too late.
In addition to his pitch play, Walker passed for two touchdowns and ran for two more — including a 46-yarder, as he gained 181 offensive yards on the night.
“We played so together tonight as a team,” Walker said. “They (Wildcats) were coming in here and kind of were getting more attention than us, so we really wanted to put it to them and show everyone that we were for real.”
Tongie’s Tim Hopkins opened the scoring with a 57-yard touchdown run up the gut, and Baska — who rushed for 79 yards, all in the first half before he left with a stinger — scored on the two-point conversion for an 8-0 lead.
De Soto, which coming into the contest was carried by a defense that had forced 12 turnovers, recorded another one when Leif Goleman picked up a loose Chieftain ball and ran it in for a touchdown.
That would be one of the few big plays the Wildcats had.
“We’ve never been in that heated environment,” De Soto coach Brad Scott said. “Last week they played like seniors. This week they played like sophomores and juniors.”
Tonganoxie 50, De Soto 19
De Soto 6 0 7 6 — 19
Tonganoxie 15 28 0 7 — 50
THS — Tim Hopkins 57 run (Billy Baska run)
DHS — Leif Goleman 9 fumble recover (run failed)
THS –Dustan Sprowls 12 pass from Justin Walker (Kirk Rodell kick)
THS — Walker 46 run (Rodell kick)
THS — Shane Howard 55 pass from Walker (Rodell kick)
THS — Kaleb Lawrence 25 interception return (Rodell kick)
THS — Baska 17 run (Rodell kick)
DHS — Neil Erisman 1 run (Austin Bills kick)
THS — Walker 1 run (Rodell kick)
DHS — Goleman 1 run (kick failed)


