Spartans fall, 9-0, in regular-season finale
The Emporia High boys soccer team ended its regular season on a sour note Thursday with a 9-0 loss at the hands of Blue Valley.
Marshall Stula scored three times to lead the Blue Valley offensive attack while goalkeepers Nick Zabek and Andrew Catzenstein preserved the shutout. The loss dropped the Spartans to 3-11-2.
EMS football ends season with 22-14 loss
The Emporia Middle School Vikings ended their season they way they started — with a loss — losing to the Washburn Rural Middle School Falcons, 22-14. In a battle between two 6-1 teams, turnovers proved to be the difference.
The Falcons struck first, scoring on a tight end pass on fourth-and-goal to take the lead. A few plays later, Washburn Rural intercepted a Brandon Gentz pass and ran it back for a touchdown. But then it was the Emporia defense’s turn to score, as Blaze Witten picked off an errant Washburn Rural pass and returned it for a touchdown to pull within eight.
The Vikings mounted a time-consuming third-quarter drive that was capped by a Brock Sheldon touchdown to pull within two. But the next EMS offensive series ended when Washburn Rural recovered a fumbled Viking snap exchange and took over on the Viking 11.
The fumble led to the final Falcon touchdown that returned the lead to eight. The Emporia offense marched down the field as time was running out, but another interception ended the drive and ended any chance of an Emporia comeback.
Sheldon led the EMS offense, carrying the ball 11 times for 63 yards, scoring one touchdown and a PAT. Defensively, Sheldon collected eight tackles, six of them for loss, including three quarterback sacks. Brian Keisler had eight tackles, Ethan Pearson, Chase Sanchez, Mark Kitchens and Chris Santos each had six tackles, Paul Naab recorded five tackles and one sack and Witten tallied five tackles and an interception for a touchdown.
The Vikings tied an Emporia Middle School record for most wins in one season (six) and outscored their opponents 192-72. The Vikings compiled 1,765 yards of total offense this season and the defense held its opponents to eight touchdowns in seven games.