Heights uses defense for win

Fourth-quarter goal-line stand seals T-Birds' 7-0 win

By Dan J. Smith

SPECIAL TO THE CAPITAL-JOURNAL

OLATHE --- Shawnee Heights quarterback Tyler Herl passed for 129 yards and ran for a team-high 66 to shock Olathe Northwest 7-0 on Friday night at Olathe's College Boulevard Activity Center.

Shawnee Heights' (2-6) victory sets up a chance to go to the Class 5A playoffs with a home game against Mill Valley (2-6).

"We believed we could win," Heights coach Jason Swift said. "It was two good teams that were exactly even."

Shawnee Heights' Matt O'Neill took a misdirection handoff from Herl 5 yards to the left side for the game's only score, capping a nine-play, 66-yard drive to start the second half.

The Shawnee Heights' defense kept Northwest's best weapon, Sunflower League rushing leader Rodney Kenner, to a manageable 107 yards and came up with just enough defense late in the game.

"We concentrated on him," Swift said. "He's the best in the Sunflower League. We had nothing to lose and we were ready to play."

"Our kids found themselves in a dogfight tonight and struggled having that physical energy to get it done," Olathe Northwest coach Todd Dain said.

With 7:17 left, and facing a fourth-and-goal from the Heights' 1- yard line, Dain didn't turn to Kenner.

The T-Birds line pushed, shoved and fought to keep Ravens quarterback Josh Sims' sneak from breaking the plane.

Even after the game, Dain thought his was a better view of Sims' effort.

"I think he got in," Dain said. "There's no doubt about it. We questioned the officials, and I just hope the tape shows he didn't get in for those officials' sake."

Before the next play, a Northwest unsportsmanlike conduct penalty moved the ball a comfortable 15 yards away from a possible safety.

From there, Herl's legs ended the Ravens' chances as the T-Birds were able to control the clock.

In the first half, though, it was his arm.

After recovering a Northwest fumble on the opening kickoff, Herl found O'Neill for 21 yards on the game's second play from scrimmage.

That drive, and the T-Birds' next try, proved only to be warmups.

On Heights' third attempt, a 12-play, 75-yard jaunt, Herl drove his team to the Northwest 5, thanks to three big passes for a combined 63 yards.

It was all in vain, though, when the Ravens recovered a snap over Herl's head and put the ball on the T-Birds' 36 by a punt late in the first half.

The first half could have gone much different. Heights sweated out close calls on at least one Herl pass that seemed destined for a Northwest pick. Others could have been grabbed, too, but Herl finished without any turnovers.

"There were a couple we should have had, and we knew that turnovers were going to be a big part of the football game," Dain said. "We don't get those turnovers, and it's a big part of the game."

Shawnee Heights 0 0 7 0 --- 7Olathe Northwest 0 0 0 0 --- 0 Shawnee Heights --- O'Neill 5 run (Oshel kick)

SH ONW First downs 12 12Rushes-yards 112 164Passing yards 129 19Total yards 241 183Passing 11-19-0 2-6-1Punts 2- 36 2-30Fumbles-lost 1-0 0- 0Penalties-yards 4-20 5-45INDIVIDUAL STATISTICS

RUSHING --- Shawnee Heights: Herl 18-66, Allen 4-22, Nelson 5- 17, O'Neill 1-5, Coon 1-1, Luedke 3-1. Olathe Northwest: Kenner 27- 107, Sims 11-50, Williams 3-7, Maguire 1-0.

PASSING --- Shawnee Heights: Herl 11-19-0, 129 yards. Olathe Northwest: Sims 2-6-1,19.

RECEIVING --- Shawnee Heights: Nelson 4-67, O'Neill 4-39, Luedke 2-17, Allen 1-6. Olathe Northwest: Williams 1-11, Eichenberg 1-8.

Copyright 2005
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