Andover Central Finally Cracks the Championship Code

It doesn't get much better than winning a state championship. Especially the first championship in the history of the school, which is what Andover Central accomplished yesterday when they edged perennial powerhouse Bishop Miege 49-42 in the 4A State Championship game at Welch Stadium in Emporia.   But it is even bigger than that if possible. It was the first state title for a west bracket team or public-school team in 4A since 2013. It was also Bishop Miege's first loss to a 4A public school in 16 years. And, if it is possible to make it even sweeter, there is the revenge factor; considering the last time these teams played way back in 2015, the Stags trampled AC, 68-12. Ouch.   Fast forward to yesterday, and it was a chilly, almost dreary day for a game, but that was just from a fan perspective. We fans will always have a bone to pick with the weather gods, but for the players, the weather was just fine. There would be no snow storms, like last year's state games; or monsoon conditions like many teams experienced earlier in the regular season.   Just right for one last fistfight of a game for the most coveted crown in the land.   Both teams came into the game featuring powerful offensive attacks as well as future D1-talent that has enabled both to hit on all cylinders this year. And there was no shortage of offensive fireworks in yesterday's game as the two teams combined for 91 points and numerous clutch plays.   But, even with an ample number of playmakers on both teams stepping it up in the state's biggest game, there was one Jaguar in particular who took his game to a record-breaking level as running-back extraordinaire, Maddox Archibald, 5'10, 175, AC '25, went scorched earth on Miege with a jaw-dropping 345 yards rushing and four touchdowns.   Which wasn't just a great game for a running back, but the best of all time. Let that sink in a bit...   Archibald has been a dangerous weapon all year, so the huge game was not a complete surprise. But then again anytime someone piles up 300+ yards and scores four times in the biggest game of the year, it is seriously legendary stuff.   After the game, I was standing in the background when he was interviewed and he was refreshingly modest about his all-time accomplishment and deflected the praise to his teammates. He was more excited about the seniors achieving the first state championship in the history of the school than he was talking about his own stat line.   And, for Head Coach Derek Tuttle, it was finally taking that next step. Working for years to stitch together all the myriad pieces, motivating, molding, maneuvering - trusting in his faith, his family, his players and keeping his nose to the grindstone. And in doing so, he finally cracked the code on the ever-elusive state crown.   But, I digress, the 4A State Championship game was a slugfest between two heavyweights trading body shots. There were a half-dozen lead changes and the game was tied at halftime and at the end of the third quarter.   It was a back-and-forth game from the very start, with Miege signal-caller [player_tooltip player_id='1370888' first='Marco' last='Rodriguez'], 6'5, 205, QB, '25, getting his team on the board first with a 59-yard touchdown strike to wideout [player_tooltip player_id='352452' first='Teryn' last='Jackson'], 5'10, 165, ATH '25, to jump out in front 7-0.   AC responded with an Archibald 35-yard TD run to knot things up at 7-7. The Jaguars got the ball back quickly and launched a 16-play, 80-yard drive that culminated in a four-yard TD pass from [player_tooltip player_id='1333007' first='Jace' last='Jefferson'], 6'0, 180, QB '25, to leading receiver [player_tooltip player_id='1228443' first='Brandt' last='Stupka'], 6'2, 180, ATH, '25, for a 14-7 lead with five minutes left in the second quarter.   The Stags quickly countered with a pair of TD's from Rodriguez to Jackson to jump back out in front 21-14; only for Jefferson, who came up clutch all afternoon, to finish the last drive of the first half with a six-yard score to go into the break tied at 21-all.   The second half was more of the same as the two teams traded touchdowns in the third quarter to keep things tied up, which set the stage for a busy fourth quarter. Between the two teams five TD's were scored in the fourth, as both teams responded to the challenges as they were presented.   With five minutes left in the game Jefferson hit TE [player_tooltip player_id='1322065' first='Logan' last='Taggart'], 6'3, 230, TE/DE '25, who made a clutch five-yard touchdown grab to tie things up again at 35-all.   From there Archibald put his stamp on the game by scoring a pair of touchdowns in the closing minutes, including a 40-yard TD with less than two minutes to go to put the Jags up 49-35. Miege would tack on a final score but it was too little, too late, as AC won the shootout.   Stepping up all game on defense was apex predator [player_tooltip player_id='1306212' first='Gaige' last='Hurley'], 6'3, 245, DE '25, who was a mauler in the trenches and helped make some big stops when needed most. In search-and-destroy mode as well was linebacker [player_tooltip player_id='285721' first='Landon' last='Preston'], 6'0, 210, LB '25, who averaged double-digit tackles every game all season and was a sledgehammer of a hitter in the post-season.   Also coming up big throughout the post-season on both sides of the ball was Brody DeGarmo, 6'0, 175, ATH '25, who earlier in the year made one of the most spectacular catches of the year, when he went completely horizontal to make an insane grab against Eisenhower.   On the offensive side of the ball, Archibald was the force multiplier, but also coming up big was Stupka, who hauled in eight passes for just under one hundred yards and a TD. All-around stud athlete [player_tooltip player_id='442661' first='Jace' last='Adler'], 6'3, 185, ATH, '25, was doing a little bit of everything as usual, picking up 137 yards receiving and on returns and was a swarming presence in the secondary on defense.   The offensive line, led by future D1-standouts [player_tooltip player_id='571097' first='Dawson' last='Rodd'], 6'3, 305, OL/DL '25, and [player_tooltip player_id='1301851' first='Logan' last='Lira'], 6'4, 275, OL/DL '25, helped blow open holes for Archibald all afternoon and did not allow a sack the entire game.   In conclusion, the season flew by and for the Jags it is going to be one that reverberates for years to come. It's hard to beat your first championship.   And, as always, as we slide into the "football off-season" if you run across any players or teams who aren't getting much exposure or flying too far under the proverbial radar, give me a shout via DM on X.

It doesn't get much better than winning a state championship. Especially the first championship in the history of the school, which is what Andover Central accomplished yesterday when they edged perennial powerhouse Bishop Miege 49-42 in the 4A State Championship game at Welch Stadium in Emporia.