It was a difficult night for area schools in area high school playoff games. In by far the closest game of the night, Four quarters was not enough between Olpe and Jackson Heights in a regional playoff overtime thriller, with Jackson Heights winning 21-20. Jackson Heights Drake Mellies scored the first touchdown of the game on a 41 yard touchdown run with 1:07 left in the first quarter. Olpe would respond in the first play of the second quarter with a 71 yard touchdown pass from Brayden Lienemann to KoRel Robinson, knotting the score a 7-7. Lienemann would add another score, this time on the ground to give the Eagles a 14-7 halftime lead. Mellies would cap off a 80 yard drive to begin the second half to tie the game at 14-14 with 7 minutes left in the third. Both teams would throw 2 interceptions a piece in the fourth quarter. Jackson Heights had possession to begin overtime and on a 4th and goal play, Mellies found Austin Zeller for a five yard touchdown pass. Olpe would come right back swinging when Lienemann found the end zone with a 3 yard rush. Olpe was without their placeholder, Eli Markowitz, who exited the game earlier in the contest and elected to go for the win on the conversion.
Schmidt didn’t second-guess the decision after the game.
The Madison football team had no answers falling in the regional round of the 8-Man DI playoffs 58-6 at Ell-Saline on Friday night. The Bulldogs’ only score came on a 75-yard kickoff return by Lane Smith in the second quarter. The game was called due to the mercy rule at halftime. The Bulldogs wrap up the season 8-2.
Other Area Finals in Regionals:
2A
Nemeha Central 34 Council Grove 12
Osage City 60 Atchison 7
8-Man DI
Little River 52 Lyndon 20
8-Man DII
Hanover 64 Burlingame 6
Linn 46 Lebo 0
6-Man
Bison 54 MdCV 0
