St. Thomas Aquinas hoists Kansas Class 4A championship trophy in high school football

For the second time in school history, the Saints of St. Thomas Aquinas are state champions in high school football.

The Saints steamrolled Andover Central 35-7 in Saturday afternoon’s Kansas Class 4A state championship game at a snowy Hummer Sports Park in Topeka.

St. Thomas Aquinas also won a state title in 2018, when the Saints competed in Class 5A. The Saints return to 5A for football in 2024.

Aquinas (10-3) took an early 13-0 lead in this one. The Saints’ 65-yard opening drive culminated in Aiden Skinner’s quarterback keeper. Then, with less than a minute remaining in the first, Will Callahan took a pitch 15 yards to the end zone.

Andover Central (9-4) made the game interesting when Maddox Archibald scored to the left side. That made it 13-7 Aquinas with 10:16 left in the first half.

But the snow continued to fall, and that played right into Aquinas’ hands as masters of the ground game and ball control.

After the teams traded turnovers, including an interception by Aquinas senior Blake O’Brien at the Andover Central 11-yard line, Gianni Rizzi scored on a 5-yard run for a 21-7 Saints lead with 5:47 showing in the third period.

The Saints blew it open before halftime. Another interception led to a 30-yard drive that Rizzi completed with an 8-yard TD run — he spun and lumbered into the end zone — and it was 28-7 with 1:22 left until intermission.

Aquinas scored again in the third quarter, and by game’s end the Saints had outgained the Jaguars 255 yards to 51 on the ground. The Saints also picked off Andover Central twice, the final one sealing Saturday’s outcome with less than four minutes to play.

Rizzi racked up 171 yards on 24 carries. Slaughter piled up another 85 rushing yards and Callahan added 59.

Kansas football state championships

CLASS 4A

Sub-state:

St. Thomas Aquinas 42, Tonganoxie 14

Andover Central 26, Wamego 7

State-title game:

Saturday at Hummer Park, Topeka

Aquinas 35, Andover Central 7