De Soto ? Before Friday’s football game against De Soto, Tonganoxie High coach Mark Elston stressed not making mistakes against his team’s toughest opponent this season.

Despite committing 10 penalties and turning the ball over three times, Tongie still found a way to improve to 7-1. The biggest tool on its belt was an 18-play drive that milked the final 8:07 off the game clock, including four consecutive fourth-down conversions.

“All the coaches were telling me to go for it, and so were all the players, and you’ve got to put your money where your mouth is,” Elston said.

The victory had huge implications for the Chieftains, whose 2-0 district record secures them a trip to the state playoffs.

The Chieftains established their dominance on the ground early with a 10-play drive to open the game that covered 80 yards, all on the ground. Tongie quarterback Ross Starcher finished it with a five-yard touchdown run.

De Soto answered on the first play of the second quarter, when Leif Goleman somehow held on to a Neil Erisman pass in the back of the end zone while being sandwiched by two Tongie defenders. The Wildcats missed the extra point, though, a problem that haunted them all night.

Tongie put on another ground display with a lengthy drive before halftime that resulted in Zach Ditty’s six-yard touchdown run.

On the ensuing kickoff, Goleman grabbed a squib kick and ran it to the Tonganoxie 18-yard line. Two plays later, he caught a 14-yard touchdown strike from Erisman, and the two-point conversion tied the game at 14 — and gave De Soto momentum heading into the locker room.

The beginning of the fourth quarter was when De Soto’s gameplan fell apart. Trailing 21-14, Erisman threw his third touchdown pass, this time finding Danny Doherty from 20 yards out. But instead of going for the tie with the wind at their back, the Wildcats tried for two. Goleman was stopped short.

Tonganoxie High's Kaleb Lawrence tries to make his way through De Soto defensive players J.T. Thompson (24), Brandon Hurt (8) and Alex Mercer in the first half of the Chieftains' 27-26 victory. Tongie won the district game Friday in De Soto.

Tongie went up 27-20 on a 59-yard touchdown run by Sam Mitchell, but De Soto blocked the extra point.

On the next possession, De Soto tailback Tyler Farmer connected with Doherty on a 51-yard touchdown pass. But De Soto once again opted for two. Another failed conversion would be the final chance the Wildcats had all night.

Tongie’s game-sealing drive was highlighted by Starcher and fullback Kaleb Lawrence. The two combined for 221 of Tongie’s 347 rushing yards.

De Soto, which also relies heavily on the run, only mustered 144.

“Those kind of killed us,” Erisman said of the failed conversions. “We probably would have won with just one of them.”

De Soto coach Brad Scott said that with the troubles his team had had kicking this season, trying for the extra point never was an option with either of the two final scores.

6Sports video: Tonganoxie wins district game

De Soto still is alive at 1-1 in district play, but wants to avoid three straight seasons in which it has sputtered after fast starts.

“They pasted us last year, 55-19, and we thought coming into the game we had a pretty good chance to beat them,” said Scott, now 0-6 against Tongie. “We’ve got to take care of business Thursday against Bonner Springs and we’re in, and if we don’t, we’re done.”