Rockhurst bounces back and beats top-ranked Blue Springs

Chris Cummins | Special to The Star

Kyle Thompson (left) and Blue Springs had a tough time slowing down Josh Sykes and Rockhurst on Friday night. Rockhurst downed the No. 1-ranked Wildcats 17-3.

Team Links

Blue Springs
- News | Roster | Schedule | Stats
Rockhurst
- News | Roster | Schedule | Stats

more football...

• Olathe North trio celebrates Division I signings
• Olathe Northwest signing celebrations feature variety
• Olathe area high school signings
• Recruits commit nothing
• Signing day highlights

you might also like...

• Rockhurst rolls over Blue Springs South
• Last second field goal lifts Blue Springs past Rockhurst
• Rockhurst is team no one wants to play
• Hutchinson routs Rockhurst 55-27
• Rockhurst rolls over Blue Springs South 42-14 on national TV

In what was billed as the game to serve as the final nail in the coffin of the 2009 Rockhurst Hawklets instead became the announcement that their death was greatly exaggerated. They went on the road Friday and dominated the Kansas City area’s top team, Blue Springs, 17-3.

After a 55-27 loss to Hutchinson one week ago, Rockhurst played smash-mouth football, dominated the trenches and rode junior running back Noah Pearl’s 20 carries for 199 yards to make a definitive statement.

“Coach (Tony Severino) just told us we have to bounce back and go back to the basics,” said Pearl, who added a touchdown as the Hawklets improved to 2-1. “It was a lot of embarrassment. We had to show we had more than that.”

Rockhurst dominated the yardage battle 360-227 while allowing Blue Springs past the Rockhurst 29 just twice.

“We wanted to ball control,” Severino said. “We knew we were going to take our lumps early.

“We bounced off the carpet. We challenged (our guys).”

Although both teams had the ball evenly and were separated by only 30 yards of total offense in the first half, Rockhurst took advantage of its possessions.

After taking a 3-0 lead on a 56-yard drive that resulted in a Chris Joyce field goal, Rockhurst’s next possession was dominant as it marched 99 yards in nine plays, culminating in Pearl’s 24-yard touchdown run.

“We were doing everything right,” Pearl said. “We had a great week of practice. We just came out here and carried the practice into the game.”

In the second half, Blue Springs mustered only 73 total yards. Starting quarterback Jared Lanpher left the game at the end of the third quarter because of a hip injury.

The lone bright spot for the Wildcats, 2-1, was junior running back Darrian Miller, who had 25 carries for 118 yards. But that resulted in zero second-half points and, when Rockhurst junior quarterback Frank Arbanas capped a 53-yard drive with a 1-yard touchdown run starting the fourth quarter, the Hawklets had made their point that their season is far from over.

“Everyone better watch out,” Pearl said. “We’re not done. We’re not out of the state (title picture).”

And after coaching his team through an adverse week, the strategy of hard work will remain the same for the young Hawklets after an improbable upset.

“We’re going to coach them the same way,” Severino said. “They’re not going to have any time to rest.”

Comments - leave comment

• Lloyd says:

  that hutchinson game got the rock up for blue springs...people have grossly underestimated how good hutch is...hence the misjudging of how good the rock is...where do u think the rock learned to play smash mouth football?

  Posted 150 days ago | Delete

• smashmouth says:

  Where are the fans that said Hutch beat up on a young inexperienced team, and would stand no chance against Blue Springs? Didn't they say Rock is no good? Wow, now what? Is the #1 ranked team in MO also having a down year? Looks like they got beat by a young and inexperienced team that is just off this year. Yes MO, Hutch is that good and they are for real whether you want to admit it your not. They stomped a team that took out your #1 Ranked team at home.

  Posted 147 days ago | Delete