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Photo Credit: Debbie Squires/PrepsKC

Day two of the Suburban-Sunflower Showdown kicked off with a shootout between Blue Springs High School and Shawnee Mission West. The Wildcats outlasted the Vikings 35-21.

Things got off to a good start for the Wildcats. The defense was able to hold SMW on a 4th and 1 on their 21 and keep the offense off the board. After taking over Blue Springs drove down the field. Junior quarterback Chase Donohoe dropped back and found tight end Caleb Marquez in the left flat. Marquez showed off his agility juking two defenders and spinning past a third before hitting pay dirt for a 25 yard touchdown.

The Vikings answered back on the following possession. Senior wide receiver Isreal Watson ran a 15 yard in, as Watson made his break the defensive back fell leaving the Viking wideout open for an easy catch. Watson caught the ball and took it to the house tying the game at 7.

“We were a little undisciplined in the first,” Donohoe said. “But they got good football players and they are good at what they do. We were able to make adjustments and play more sound in the second half.”

Another long Wildcat drive had them inside the red zone early in the second quarter. Chase dropped back and found Tre Wheaton over the middle. The junior wideout made a nice jumping catch between three defenders.

After stopping BSHS on fourth down the Vikings marched down the field on the strength of longs runs from Jason Meeker. Meeker would punch in a two yard run to tie the game again at 14.

“Meeker was rolling and I probably took the ball out of his hands a little early,” SMNW head coach Tim Callaghan. “Our kids did a good job blocking for him tonight.”

West forced an interception on the next possession. Senior quarterback Zach Witters forced his team down field often scrambling past multiple rushers to buy time to find receivers. In a third down Witters rolled right and avoided three defensive linemen and down not one but two wide receivers. A low throw deflected off the first receivers hands and popped up to the second. Meeker did the rest scoring an 11 yard touchdown and putting the Vikings up 21-14.

The Vikings are unable to capitalize on two more interceptions and took their seven point lead into the locker room.

“We had some chances,” Callaghan said. “We didn't take advantage of our shots. Then we got down a couple of scores and had to press.”

After halftime Jaylen Ivey took over. It was his first game back after serving a two-game suspension and he looked ready to make up for lost time even if he was feeling a bit under the weather.

“There was no way I was letting them keep me out tonight,” Ivey said. “I took medicine at halftime and tried to drink as much water as I could.”

A long Ivey run set up Tyree King on an end around that the speedster broke for 41 yards and a game tying touchdown.

After stopping a fake punt by SMW, the Wildcats took the lead back with two big runs from Ivey. First he broke off a 25 yard run down the left side. Ivey put the Wildcats on top to stay with a two yard run with two minutes left in the third quarter.

“It was great to have Jaylen back,” BSHS head coach Kelly Donohoe said. “We got bodies on bodies. I’m really proud of him and the offensive line tonight.”

In the fourth quarter, sophomore Nick Wood got his first carry of the game and made it count. Wood took the handoff up the middle and broke into the secondary. After veering toward to the left sideline Wood dove to the byline and made the score 35-21.

The Wildcats slammed the door with a pair of interceptions in the last seven minutes of the game.

“We had them on their heels,” Donohoe said. “We got the lead and they had to start throwing. We got in good positions and did a nice job.”

Shawnee Mission West travels to Lawrence next week and Blue Springs goes to Rockhurst on Friday September 23.