In a West substate battle, Sterling used two first-half touchdowns from senior running back Zane Farney and a lights-out defensive performance to knock off Smith Center, 14–6, on Friday night.
The Bears nearly struck early, driving to the Redmen 3-yard line on the game’s opening possession before turning the ball over on downs at the Redmen 10-yard line. Smith Center responded with two first downs, but was forced to punt early in the second quarter.
After the punt, the Bears marched 67 yards, finishing with a 1-yard plunge from Farney. After Lane Weigel’s extra point, Sterling led 7–0 with 7:46 remaining in the half.
Moments later, Smith Center put the ball on the turf, giving Sterling a short field. On just their 16th pass attempt of the entire season, quarterback Logan Isaac connected with sophomore Jacob Lewis on a 30-yard reception down to the Redmen 10. Farney powered in again from a yard out, and the Bears went to halftime up 14–0.
Smith Center came out swinging in the third quarter, with a pass completion down to the Sterling 10, but the receiver was separated from the ball and recovered by Lewis, his second of the night. After a Sterling punt, the Redmen put together another promising march, only to lose a third fumble at the Bears’ 22.
The only break for Smith Center came after a mishandled punt snap by Sterling, setting the Redmen up at the Sterling 10. They cashed it in with nine seconds left in the quarter, trimming the lead to 14–6 after the two-point try failed.
From there, Sterling’s defense took over.
Smith Center forced an early fourth-quarter punt and took possession at its own 43 with 10:59 to play, but the Bears stacked up another key stop. Smith Center chose to punt with just over 6 minutes left. Facing a third and 10 deep in their own territory, junior Jace Darnauer ran for 12 yards for the first down. Sterling’s offense then leaned on the run game and the clock, grinding out three first downs to seal the win.
Farney, who crossed the 2,000-yard mark on the season Friday night, finished with 60 yards on 16 carries and both touchdowns. Darnauer added 50 yards on 10 tough attempts..
Smith Center’s Parker Hutchinson carried 20 times for 74 yards and the Redmen’s only score.
With the victory, Sterling advances to the Class 1A state championship for the first time since 1982. The Bears will take on the East champion, Rossville, next Friday at 1 p.m. at Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson.
