Friday night lights: Oak Park, Liberty North, St. Pius X claim big football victories

For the first time since the turn of the century, the Oak Park High School football team has ended the regular season undefeated.

The Northmen wrapped up the Greater Kansas City Suburban Conference Red Division title with a 42-26 win against Fort Osage on Friday. The victory capped a 9-0 regular season for the Northmen, who have scored 40 or more points in each of their past four games.

Oak Park — ranked No. 4 in the 810 Varsity Top 25 — trailed early, took a lead and then held off a third-quarter charge from the Indians (5-4).

As with most Northmen games, the one-two attack of Evan Braxton and Travon Pankey provided plenty of big plays.

Pankey accounted for four touchdowns, three in the first half. His initial score helped tie the game at 7; his last contributed to Oak Park’s 14-point fourth quarter.

Oak Park held a two-score lead at the break, 28-13, but Brock Bult’s Indians kept charging. Ryver Peppers, the Metro’s leader in rushing touchdowns entering the game, accounted for two touchdowns in the third quarter, one on a run and another on a pass from Kyle Wilson.

The latter cut Oak Park’s lead to just two points, 28-26, entering the final period.

But three minutes into the fourth quarter, Oak Park quarterback Aiden Hinkle threw his second TD pass of the game. His strike to Drew Clemens provided some breathing room before Pankey’s final TD with 5:24 left.

Peppers accounted for all three Fort Osage touchdowns.

Fort Osage is back in action next week as the No. 3 seed. The Indians will play host to Winnetonka (2-7) in a Class 5 District 8 game.

Oak Park, meanwhile, earned a first-round bye in Class 6 District 8 and will face either Staley (3-6) or Park Hill South (1-8) in the district semifinals.

In other Friday night games:

Liberty North 43, Lee’s Summit West 12

In a clash of two top-five teams in the Metro, Liberty North showed the gap is wider than it appears.

The Eagles, ranked No. 2 in the 810 Varsity Top 25, put the hammer to No. 5 Lee’s Summit West, 43-12. The rout wrapped up the Greater Kansas City Suburban Conference Gold Division crown for the Eagles, who won their last eight games after losing to No. 1-ranked Lee’s Summit North in their season opener.

Quarterback Tillman Martin tossed four touchdown passes, completing 16 of 22 attempts for 207 yards for the Eagles (8-1). The junior connected for TDs with three different targets, hooking up twice with future Nebraska receiver Keelan Smith. He scored the first touchdown of the game on a 15-yard score with 55.4 seconds left in the first quarter and added his second on a 16-yard play in the third quarter.

The Eagles’ offense, defense and special teams all played a part as Liberty North built a 19-6 lead. The first points of the game came on a safety with a tackle in the end zone.

Lee’s Summit West (7-2) had just stopped North on fourth down at the 1-yard line to take some momentum, but the Eagles regained it quickly when Martin hit Smith to make it 9-0.

Lee’s Summit West, which has now lost two in a row, cut it to one possession on a 75-yard TD pass from Caden Carter to Tayveon Simms on the final play of the first quarter. But that was the closest the Titans would come.

Martin threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to 6-foot-6 target Gabe Perry with 6:18 to go in the first half and Bleu Renfrow booted a 23-yard field goal to make it 19-6 at the break.

Renfrow added another field goal for the only points of the third quarter. Martin threw TD passes to Smith and Jacorey Love in the fourth quarter, and River Therrien’s 9-yard run capped the scoring.

MicahJo Barnett collected 100 yards on 29 carries for Liberty North. Carter completed six of 17 passes for 170 yards and two touchdowns — both to Simms — to lead the Titans’ offense.

St. Pius X 34, Savannah 13

Big play, after big play, after big play: St. Pius X scored touchdowns of 90, 75 and 71 yards en route to a 34-13 win over Savannah.

The Warriors, No. 5 in 810 Varsity’s Class 3 rankings, built a 14-point lead in the first 3 minutes, 34 seconds. Charles Ross’ 90-yard TD return on the opening kickoff got things started; then, on the first play of St. Pius’ next possession, quarterback Hudson Bailey threw down the right sideline to Tommy Hutsler, who took off for a 75-yard score.

Savannah got on the board with about four minutes left in the first quarter. But St. Pius X (7-2) scored again and led 21-6.

Savannah (6-3) battled back once more, scoring on a 51-yard pass early in the second quarter to keep it one-possession game at halftime. But in the opening minutes of the second half, Bailey and Hutsler connected again.

Bailey hit the junior wideout for a short pass to the right and Hutsler got loose for a 71-yard TD that made it 28-13.

“Hopefully we can use this to spring us forward into the playoffs,” St. Pius X coach Anthony Simone said. “Our guys played really tough football tonight.”

For playoff brackets, stats, recaps, online broadcasts and more, visit 810Varsity.com.

This story was originally published October 21, 2023 at 1:23 AM.