CUNNINGHAM – Behind a stout defense that pitched a shutout, Cunningham advanced to its fifth consecutive six-man state championship game by beating Tescott 44-0 on Friday.
One of those appearances was in 2021, before KSHSAA officially recognized six-man football. The Wildcats won the title in 2022.
Cunningham’s defense blanked a Tescott offense that had scored at least 50 points five times this season. The Wildcats had a pair of first-half defensive stops inside their 10-yard line, and they ended the half with a bang, when Logan Kinsler intercepted a pass and returned it 20 yards for a touchdown.
That capped a strong end to the half for the Wildcats, who scored two touchdowns in the final 27 seconds, as the lead swelled from 20-0 to 32-0.
Kinsler nearly repeated that early in the second half but was tackled on his interception return. Skyler Thimesch, however, scored from 21 yards out right after.
Thimsesch led a dominant ground game for Cunningham, carrying the ball 21 times for 197 yards. Stephen Kerschen added 106 rushing yards on 17 carries.
Cunningham improved to10-1, with its only loss being in an eight-man game to Minneola. The Wildcats will take on Weskan for the championship at 3 p.m. on Nov. 29 in Greensburg. The two played one of the top championship games in recent memory last season, with Weskan eking out a 49-48 win.
