Perry-Lecompton practices a PAT during Thursday's practice at PLHS on Nov. 21, 2019.

After suffering a concussion in the third quarter, Perry-Lecompton junior quarterback William Welch was listening intently from the locker room during a regular-season meeting with Hayden on Oct. 18.

Once he heard the PA announcer say something about Hayden suffering its first district loss, Welch knew something special had happened. He ran out to the field at PLHS to celebrate with his teammates following a 21-20 overtime win over one of the elite teams in Class 3A.

And the Kaws accomplished the feat without their starting quarterback in the second half.

“That was a huge win for us,” Welch said. “That was different than any other game because that was us showing we are a good football team.”

This week’s rematch carries a little more significance, however. The winner between Perry-Lecompton and Hayden, which will begin at 7 p.m. Friday at PLHS, will advance to the Class 3A state championship game.

It would be the Kaws’ first trip to the state title game since 2008, when the team ultimately finished as a runner-up.

“Our emphasis the whole year has been to just get better,” PLHS coach Mike Paramore said. “That’s what wins football games. You have to be a good technician, you have to be good fundamentally.”

Given how the first meeting went, Perry-Lecompton should have complete confidence. The Kaws were able to win without their starting signal caller, and it was the start of a five-game win streak.

But PLHS (8-3, No. 4 in Class 3A) is treating this like any other game, and knows that Hayden (10-1, No. 2 in Class 3A) will be looking for revenge. Still, there was a certain level of looseness within the team throughout Thursday’s practice.

Yet that really has been the theme for the Kaws all season.

“They are just having fun,” Paramore said. “It is loose, but it is still doing what they are supposed to be doing. They are having fun playing football. It is a fun game, that’s why you play.”

Perry-Lecompton still has a young team behind a talented junior class, which is a key part of the team’s personality this year. Many of these players have also been playing together since youth football.

Most of all, though, the Kaws entered the year with lower expectations after graduating several seniors from a team that lost to the eventual state champion. It allowed this team to not stress about its postseason fate, but rather focus on getting better each week.

“Last year, we knew we were supposed to be good,” Welch said. “This year, we are a lot more loose because we are a young team. For us, it is just getting better. We really don’t have the pressure because we are not supposed to win.”

That philosophy has especially been helpful for the defense. The Kaws have given up just 48 points in the postseason, which includes a 30-6 win over previously unbeaten Prairie View last week.

Perry-Lecompton’s defense is able to fly around and make plays on a consistent basis. Junior Hayden Robb leads the team with 130 tackles, but both juniors Ryley Besler (111) and Thad Metcalfe (103) are not far behind. Metcalfe has made five interceptions, while junior Dawson Williams has notched four.

It is a defense that will certainly be tested by Hayden, which has scored at least 35 points in seven of its 11 games.

“This week is tough because beating a good team twice is really, really hard,” Welch said. “I think Hayden has a chip on its shoulder, but I think we do too.”

Area teams earn postseason recognition

Awards and honors continue to come in for area athletes and coaches.

In soccer, Eudora’s Darren Erpelding was named the Coach of the Year in Class 4A-1A by the KHSSCA. Keaton Herron of EHS was tabbed Midfielder of the Year.

Dylan Meier (Eudora), Jordan Barth (Baldwin), Javier Trujillo (Tonganoxie), Grady McCune (Baldwin), Caden Willits (Eudora) and Herron were all named to the first team. Devin Prather (BHS), Abel Mendoza (THS), Alex Kooken (EHS) and Grayson Sonntag (THS) were all listed on the second team.

Free State and Lawrence High weren’t represented on the all-state soccer squad, but players were honored with All-Sunflower League selections. Free State senior midfielder Pete Junge was named to the first team.

Senior defender Hayden Robinson earned a second-team selection for the Firebirds. LHS midfielders Matteo Kalusha-Aguirre and Kanak Masten were also listed on the second team. Oliver Frankenfeld and Zachary Goertzen of FSHS along with Mason Anderson and Tanner Glanton of LHS received honorable-mention honors.

In tennis, Free State junior Keegan VanPelt earned all-state honors in Class 6A via the KTCA.

Hippe commits to South Dakota

Free State senior thrower Haley Hippe will be competing in track and field at the collegiate level.

Hippe announced via her personal Twitter account that she was verbally committed to the University of South Dakota. Hippe qualified for the state meet in discus last year, which was her first season competing in track at the high school level.

Hippe was also a member of the FSHS volleyball team, which advanced to the Class 6A state tournament this fall. She is also a member of the girls basketball team.