HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Hesston scored on its first three possessions and led at halftime over back-to-back defending champion Rossville.
Hesston’s lead at halftime was 20-13.
Zach Esau opened up the scoring for the Swathers with a 2-yard run. Matthew Whitsitt missed the extra point opportunity.
His kick was into the wind on the south side of the field where multiple extra points sailed wide. Whitsitt would finish the day 2-of-4 on XP attempts.
Frederik Andresen would also miss an extra point attempt for the Bulldogs and finish 2-of-3.
Dawson Hammes put Rossville on the board with 5:03 left in the first quarter on a 1-yard burst. The XP gave the Bulldogs an early 7-6 lead.
Parker Roth then scored a pair of touchdowns to close out the first quarter.
His scores came from 7 and 27 yards out.
Hesston went for two on the first TD and succeeded when Cameron Cox passed the ball to Zach Vogt on a misdirection reverse pass.
Rossville scored the last TD of the first half four minutes into the second quarter on a 44-yard TD pass from Jacob Bradshaw to Cole Schumacher. The XP attempt failed to keep the difference at 7.
Zach Esau quickly opened up the third quarter with a 61-yard pass to Zach Vogt. Hesston opted to go for two and converted on a pass from Esau to Roth.
Cole Schumacher got Rossville back in the scoring groove on a 15-yard reception. The two point conversion failed. With seven minutes left in the third, Hesston led 28-19.
Rossville would score again nearly three minutes later on a 50-yard Jacob Bradshaw run. Bradshaw also ran in the conversion to cut the deficit to one.
Hesston returned the favor on a Zach Esau pass to Cameron Cox from 31 yards out.
At the end of three, Hesston led the contest 35-27.
Cole Schumacher scored again on a Bradshaw pass from 14 yards away.
Trevor Balch caught the two point conversion to tie the game at 35.
Hesston moved the ball 65 yards on seven plays to take a 42-35 lead with 4:38 left. The score came on a 2-yard Zach Esau run.
Rossville answered that drive and score with an 11-play, 70-yard drive that finished with a 7-yard Dawson Hammes run.
Andresen knocked through the extra point to tie the game at 42.
Hesston seemed to be playing for OT on the final drive with under a minute left, but then tried a fake punt to get a late first down. The Bulldogs stopped the fake short and took over with little time left at the Swather 40.
A 14-yard pass set up a last-second FG attempt from Frederik Andresen. With the wind behind his back, the kick had the distance, but sailed right.
Tied at 42, the game headed to OT.
Hesston went on offense first and looked close to a score on third down. However, Zach Esau fumbled at the goal line and Rossville recovered.
On the first play after the turnover, Rossville’s Jacob Bradshaw scampered into the end zone from 10 yards out.
FINAL: Rossville 48 Hesston 42
This was the third straight championship for the Rossville Bulldogs. Rossville finished the season with a 13-1 record.
Hesston finished 10-4.
Jacob Bradshaw finished with 275 yards rushing for Rossville with 2 TDs.
He threw for another 148 yards and 3 TDs.
Cole Schumacher caught 9 passes for 135 yards and 3 TDs.
Parker Roth led Hesston with 135 yards on the ground and 2 TDs.
Zach Esau also had 2 touchdowns with 112 yards.
Esau threw for 238 and 2 touchdowns.
Cameron Cox caught 9 passes for 124 yards and 1 TD.