Defense helps get Wolverines going in opening-round playoff win over Kansas

For most of the season, Vian’s offense has been the initiator in helping the undefeated Wolverines open up early leads.

In their first Class 2A, Division II postseason game, it was the Wolverines’ defense who became the pacesetters.

Two first-quarter interceptions, one which was returned for a touchdown, helped stake Vian to a 14-0 lead and the defense ended up forcing several more turnovers as the Wolverines moved to 11-0 following a 38-7 win against Kansas in the opening round of the Class 2A, Division II playoffs last Friday night at St. John Stadium.

“We’ll take it — (Kansas was a) tough Round 1 opponent in the playoffs,” Vian coach Gary Willis said. “The defense played really well, and the offense played good — not where we need them, but we’ll take it and move on.”

Utilizing a passing game featuring multiple receivers, the Comets (6-5) had initial success, putting together a solid opening drive by picking up a couple of first downs before being forced to punt.

Vian had to punt on its opening series as well, but, moments later, the Wolverine defense struck first.

With Kansas moving the ball near midfield, the Comets attempted a short pass, but Vian’s Jacob Brannick jumped the route to pick off the pass at his own 45 and found plenty of running room, taking it in for a 55-yard pick-6.

Mikayah Mendoza’s extra point made it 7-0 with 2:26 left in the first quarter.

Then on the next Kansas possession, a lob pass from the opposite side of the field was intercepted by Trace Sanders, who brought it back 20 yards to the Kansas 17 yard line. On the next play, Masyn Wright took the snap behind center and ran in a keeper for the TD.

With Mendoza tacking on the PAT, Vian took a 14-0 advantage just 1:11 following the pick-6. Two touchdowns, all predicated by the defense.

“(Kansas) had an opening drive where they moved the ball,” Willis said. “We were in a zone-defense, and we shifted to some man and thought we did a good job of shutting it down after that.”

On Vian’s next series, the Wolverines marched into Kansas territory before facing a fourth-and-12 at the Kansas 35 yard line. The Wolverines decided to go for it, and the move paid off in spades.

Quarterback Cash Trammel found Sanders over the middle. Sanders made the catch inside the Kansa 20 yard line and shook off a tackle before sprinting into the end zone to complete the 35-yard successful fourth-down conversion. Mendoza’s extra point made it 21-0 with 8:55 left in the half.

Vian had a couple more chances of extending that lead but came away empty-handed. A long punt return from Wright covering 35 yards got the Wolverines near the Kansas 20 yard line before an interception ended the drive. Then, Vian turned the ball over on downs inside the Kansas 35, so the Wolverines’ margin stayed at 21 points at the break.

The Wolverines did get the ball to start the second half, but fumbled it to the Comets. Helped by a sack from Wright, the Vian defense forced a fourth down, and the Comets went for it.

However, another game-changing pick commenced as Vian defender Tristan Wiley grabbed a screen pass and returned it to the Vian 41 yard line. The pick led to another TD on the next play, as Wright took a handoff and darted up the middle, outracing the Kansas secondary for a 59-yard score, his second on the night.

Mendoza’s PAT upped the lead to 28-0 just 2:32 into the second half.

Kansas finally got on the scoreboard with six seconds remaining in the third. The Comets tacked on the extra point to make things interesting.

Then, the Comets got the ball again to begin the fourth, but another Vian interception — this one from Adoff Stahl at the Kansas 25 yard line — set up another score from the home team. This time, it was on a 34-yard field goal from Mendoza for a 31-7 Vian lead with nearly eight minutes to go.

Vian also cashed in yet another turnover, a strip/sack from Wiley with Cash Collins making the recovery at the Kansas 15 yard line. Moments later, Wright had his third TD on the night, a two-yard run from 4:30 left, and Mendoza’s fifth successful PAT capped the scoring.

“I thought the defense played outstanding, and it kind of carried over from the week before (holding Valliant to minus-59 yards total offense in the regular-season finale) — they had a big night,” Willis said. “They got settled in after a good opening drive by Kansas. They ate up about seven or eight minutes of the first quarter, but we were able to contain them and adjust and got settled in for the night.

“(The) defense did a great job. (I) think they forced six turnovers total and that’s huge. Kansas is not your typical firstround draw. They’re a very solid football team, and we were happy with (Friday). There’s some things we need to clean up with on offense, but it’s just small, technical things.”

Vian held Kansas to 121 total yards, 101 of that through the air.

A week after being held to 16 offensive plays, Vian had 40 snaps on Friday. The Wolverines rushed for 220 yards and passed for 88 more.

Wright had 18 carries for 156 yards and three touchdowns. Draighton Fletcher added 66 yards on 10 carries.

Trammel was 4-of-10 passing for 88 yards and a TD. Brannick, who got Vian going with his interception return, was the top receiver with two grabs covering 42 yards.

“As a whole, (the offense) was OK,” Willis said. “It was not where we wanted. We were a block away on several plays from really blowing it open.

“I get 38-7 is good, but we missed some blocks at times, and some of that is hats off to Kansas. They had a really good defensive front but at the same time, just technique by our guys and things that we need to correct. … At times, we missed some blocks and had a few holding penalties, so we need to clean that up.”

The Wolverines are at home again at 7 p.m. Friday for a quarterfinal against Beggs, which downed Alva 43-0 in its opening-round playoff last Friday night. It is the first game between Vian and Beggs since the 2021 playoffs, also at St. John Stadium, when the Demons defeated the Wolverines by a score of 44-24.