The Thunder trailed for the entire first three quarters, but they quickly erased a two-point deficit at the start of the fourth with an 11-1 run led largely by Anakwe. The senior swingman scored 22 of his 24 points after halftime, including a layup that gave St. James its first lead early in the final quarter.

Junior Clint McCullough matched his average from last season with 22 points. Clint’s highly-touted freshman brother, Connor, started his high school career by pitching in eight, including a breakaway dunk during the Thunder’s decisive fourth-quarter run.

It was Ottawa who set the pace early, though. The Cyclones jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead and led by seven after the first quarter. But the Thunder chipped away, and Clint McCullough’s tip-in beat the halftime buzzer to pull St. James within three.

And that’s when Anakwe took over. He scored 13 of the Thunder’s 15 points in the third quarter, scoring both inside and out.

Ottawa was led by sophomore Semi Ojeleye, who scored 16. Sophomore Dallas Natt added 13 in the losing effort.

The victory for St. James avenges a loss at Ottawa in last year’s season opener. Next up for the Thunder is another big challenge, as Bishop Miege visits on Tuesday.

Clint McCullough showed during his sophomore year that he could dominate games. He finished the season with averages of 22 points and nine rebounds per game, and as a junior he’s considered one of the Kansas City area’s top players. With a nifty post game and a solid face-up jumpshot, the Thunder’s offense will again run through McCullough.

But Clint gets some help in the frontcourt this winter, and it comes with a familiar name. Clint’s freshman brother Connor will play a big role for St. James this season too. At 6’6” and 6’5”, respectively, Clint and Connor shape up to be a formidable 1-2 punch.

“Connor can be a special player,” says Coach Mark Huppe. “He’ll start on the inside with Clint, but he’s really more perimeter-oriented.”

And therein could lie the answer to the question of who will replace Mike Huppe, the coach’s son who graduated last spring as the school’s all-time leading scorer and easily the team’s most reliable long-distance threat.

This year’s starting backcourt will be a pair of seniors, Frankie Zitnik and River Scott, who split time starting at the lead guard spot last year. While Scott has shown the ability to make some clutch shots, Zitnik’s value is more in his defense. Sophomore Tom Huppe, Mike’s younger brother, will also see some time for the varsity squad this year, likely to be the first guard off of the Thunder bench.

But the X-factor could well be senior Jonathan Anakwe. After joining the squad in mid-season last year, Anakwe proved to be a disruptive defender and at times a solid scorer. He seems to have a nose for the ball, and his ability to keep plays alive on the offensive glass could be a difference-maker in close games.

The Thunder will again play a challenging schedule, something for which Coach Huppe is unapologetic.

“Some might criticize our schedule, but I want my kids to be challenged,” says Coach Huppe. “Plus I like to play our fellow Catholic schools, so when we have an opportunity to play Rockhurst and Miege, I think that’s a good thing for us.”

The challenge begins early as the Thunder play host to Ottawa tonight. The Cyclones came within a game of the 4A state championship last year, falling to KCK’s Sumner Academy. It was the Sabres who also eliminated St. James in the postseason last year with an overtime win in the sub-state semifinals.

St. James and Ottawa met twice last year, with each school winning once.

The schedule also includes appearances in the Hy-Vee Shootout and the Shawnee Mission West Viking Classic, with Coach Huppe hoping to give his team the experience it needs to be playing its best basketball when it counts in February.

Dodge City – Jay Gifford, Manager
Dodge City, Garden City, Goddard, Haysville Campus, Hutchinson, Maize, Wichita-Northwest, Wichita-South

Olathe-North – Jason Herman, Manager
Lawrence, Lawrence-Lawrence Free State, Leavenworth, Olathe-Northwest, Olathe-East, Olathe-North, Olathe-South, Topeka

Shawnee Mission-West – Don Perkins, Manager
Overland Park-Blue Valley North, Overland Park-Blue Valley Northwest, Overland Park-Blue Valley West, Shawnee Mission-East, Shawnee Mission-North, Shawnee-Shawnee Mission-Northwest, Shawnee Mission-South, Shawnee Mission-West

Topeka-Washburn Rural – Penny Lane, Manager
Derby, Junction City, Manhattan, Topeka-Washburn Rural, Wichita-East, Wichita-Heights, Wichita-North, Wichita-Southeast

CLASS 5A SUB-STATES
(March 2-March 5)

Pittsburg – Doug Hitchcock, Manager
Gardner-Gardner-Edgerton, Kansas City-Harmon, Overland Park-St. Thomas Aquinas, Overland Park-Blue Valley Southwest, Pittsburg, Shawnee-Mill Valley, Shawnee Mission-Bishop Miege, Stilwell-Blue Valley

Salina-South – Ken Stonebraker, Manager
Emporia, Great Bend, Hays, McPherson, Newton, Salina-Central, Salina-South, Topeka-West

Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights – Warren Watson, Manager
Kansas City-Schlagle, Kansas City-Turner, Kansas City-Washington, Kansas City-Wyandotte, Lansing, Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights, Topeka-Highland Park, Topeka-Seaman

Valley Center – Vic Noordhoek, Manager
Andover, Andover-Central, Arkansas City, Liberal, Valley Center, Wichita-Carroll, Wichita-Kapaun-Mt. Carmel, Wichita-West

CLASS 4A SUB-STATES
(February 28-March 5)

Augusta – Doug Law, Manager
Augusta, Buhler, El Dorado, Haven, Hesston, Maize-South, Towanda-Circle, Wichita-Trinity Academy

Cheney – Dustin McEwen, Manager
Andale, Cheney, Clearwater, Kingman, Mulvane, Rose Hill, Wellington, Winfield

Clay Center – Bud Young, Manager
Abilene, Chapman, Clay Center-Clay Center Community, Concordia, Hiawatha, Holton, Hoyt- Royal Valley, Wamego

Colby @ Colby Community Building – Larry Gabel, Manager
Colby, Hugoton, Lindsborg-Smoky Valley, Nickerson, Pratt*, Pratt/Stafford** Russell, Salina-St. John’s Military*, Ulysses

Kansas City-Piper – Doug Key, Manager
Atchison, Basehor-Basehor-Linwood, Bonner Springs, Kansas City-Bishop Ward, Kansas City-Piper, Kansas City-Sumner Academy, Meriden-Jefferson West, Tonganoxie

Paola – Mark Lentz, Manager
Fort Scott, Garnett-Anderson County, Iola, LaCygne-Prairie View, Louisburg, Osawatomie, Ottawa, Paola

Parsons – Matt Rogers, Manager
Altamont-Labette County, Baxter Springs, Chanute, Coffeyville-Field Kindley, Columbus, Girard, Independence, Parsons

Spring Hill – Jeff Miller, Manager
Baldwin, Carbondale-Santa Fe Trail, DeSoto, Eudora, Lenexa-St. James Academy, Perry-Perry-Lecompton, Spring Hill, Topeka-Hayden

CLASS 3A SUB-STATES
(February 28-March 5)

Burlington – Dallas Scothorn, Manager
Arma-Northeast, Burlington, Frontenac, Pomona-West Franklin, Prairie Village-Kansas City Christian, Richmond-Central Heights, Uniontown, Wellsville

Council Grove – Dave Watkins, Manager
Council Grove, Eureka, Leon-Bluestem, Osage City, Rossville, St. Marys, Silver Lake, St. George-Rock Creek

Garden Plain – Todd Puetz, Manager
Anthony-Anthony-Harper-Chaparral, Belle Plaine, Conway Springs, Douglass, Garden Plain, Medicine Lodge, Wichita-Collegiate, Wichita-The Independent School

Halstead – Steve Seirer, Manager
Halstead, Hillsboro, Hutchinson-Trinity, Lyons, Marion, Sedgwick, Sterling, Whitewater-Remington

Larned – Wayne Morrow, Manager
Goodland, Hays-Thomas More Prep-Marian, Hoisington, Holcomb, Kismet-Southwestern Heights, Lakin, Larned, Scott City

Marysville – Vernon Golladay, Manager
Atchison-Maur Hill-Mount Academy, Easton-Pleasant Ridge, Effingham-Atchison County Community, Horton, Marysville, McLouth, Sabetha, Winchester-Jefferson County North

Neodesha – Randy Paxson, Manager
Caney-Caney Valley, Cherokee-Southeast, Cherryvale, Erie, Fredonia, Galena, Neodesha, Riverton

Smith Center – Greg Hobelmann, Manager
Beloit, Ellsworth, Gypsum-Southeast of Saline, Minneapolis, Norton-Norton Community, Phillipsburg, Riley-Riley County, Smith Center

CLASS 2A SUB-STATES
(February 28-March 5)

Greensburg-Kiowa County – Travis Powell, Manager
Cimarron, Elkhart, Greensburg-Kiowa County, Johnson-Stanton County, Kinsley, Meade, Sublette, Syracuse

Inman – Russ Goering, Manager
Canton-Canton-Galva, Elbing-Berean Academy, Ellinwood, Herington, Inman, Moundridge, Peabody-Peabody-Burns, Pratt-Skyline

Mankato-Rock Hills – Allen Walter, Manager
Brookville-Ell Saline, Ellis, LaCrosse, Lincoln, Mankato-Rock Hills, Osborne, Plainville, Salina-Sacred Heart

Mound City-Jayhawk Linn – Jay Applegate / Shawn Thomas, Manager(s)
Allen-Northern Heights, Burlingame, Cottonwood Falls-Chase County, Eskridge-Mission Valley, Lyndon, Madison/Hamilton, Moran-Marmaton Valley, Mound City-Jayhawk Linn

Oberlin-Decatur Community – Joe Dreher, Manager
Atwood-Rawlins County, Hill City, Leoti-Wichita County, Ness City, Oakley, Oberlin-Decatur Community, St. Francis, WaKeeney-Trego Community

Sedan – Carolyn Williams, Manager
Burden-Central, Howard-West Elk, Humboldt, Oswego, Oxford, Pittsburg-St. Mary’s Colgan, Sedan, Yates Center

Valley Falls – Rod Bunde, Manager
Highland-Doniphan West, Holton-Jackson Heights, Leavenworth-Immaculata, Oskaloosa, Seneca-Nemaha Valley, Shawnee-Maranatha Academy, Troy, Valley Falls, Wathena

Washington-Washington County – Phil Wilson, Manager
Alma-Wabaunsee, Belleville-Republic County, Bennington, Blue Rapids-Valley Heights, Onaga, Solomon, Wakefield, Washington-Washington County

CLASS 1A – DIV. I SUB-STATES
(February 28-March 5)

Baileyville-B&B – Deb Kramer, Manager
Baileyville-B&B, Clyde-Clifton-Clyde, Hanover, Southern Cloud (Glasco/Miltonvale), Randolph-Blue Valley, Scandia-Pike Valley

Burrton – Ralph Butler, Manager
Burrton, Claflin, Goessel, Little River, Lost Springs-Centre, Pretty Prairie

Jetmore-Hodgeman County – Trent Bright, Manager
Rolla, Satanta, Jetmore-Hodgeman County, Deerfield, Minneola, Montezuma-South Gray

Lebo – Butch Jones / Todd Barker Manager(s)
Centralia, Lawrence-Bishop Seabury Academy*, Lebo, Melvern-Marais des Cygnes Valley, Waverly, White City

LeRoy-Southern Coffey County @ Iola – Mike Kastle, Manager
Colony-Crest, Hartford, LeRoy-Southern Coffey County, Olpe, Pleasanton, St. Paul

Rosalia-Flinthills – Erik Sorum, Manager
Chetopa, Dexter/Cedar Vale, Rosalia-Flinthills, South Haven, Udall

St. John-Hudson – Mike Burgan, Manager
Ashland, Coldwater-South Central, Langdon-Fairfield, Macksville, St. John-St. John-Hudson, Spearville

Sylvan Grove-Sylvan Lucas Unified – James Canterbury, Manager
Downs-Lakeside, Hoxie, Quinter, Stockton, Sylvan Lucas Unified, Victoria

CLASS 1A – DIV. II SUB-STATES
(February 28-March 5)

Beloit-St. Johns @ Beloit High School – Marcy Kee, Manager
Beloit-St. Johns/Tipton, Frankfort, Junction City-St. Xavier, Kensington-Thunder Ridge, Linn, Tescott

Dighton – Jim Keenan, Manager
Dighton, Grainfield-Wheatland-Grinnell, Healy, Sharon Springs-Wallace County, Tribune-Greeley County, Weskan

Elwood – Steve Taylor, Manager
Axtell, Bern, Elwood, Olathe-Kansas School for the Deaf, Powhattan-Kickapoo Nation*, Wetmore

Emporia-Recreation @ White Auditorium – Tom McEvoy, Manager
Buffalo-Altoona Midway, Hope, Hutchinson-Central Christian, Longton-Elk Valley, McPherson-Elyria Christian

Hays-Felten Middle School – Bruce Rupp, Manager
Bushton-Quivira Heights, Chase, Natoma, Otis-Otis-Bison, Ransom-Western Plains, Wilson

Moscow – Aaron Roop, Manager
Bucklin, Fowler, Ingalls, Moscow, Rozel-Pawnee Heights, Stafford*

Norwich – Tyler Dansel, Manager
Argonia, Attica, Caldwell, Cunningham, Kiowa-South Barber, Norwich

Palco – Fred Joy, Manager
Almena-Northern Valley, Bird City-Cheylin, Brewster/Winona-Tri Plains, Logan, Palco, Rexford-Golden Plains

Olathe North and Wichita Heights met for the 6A title for the second year in a row, but this time it was the Falcons who asserted their strength, running to the school’s first state championship.

Senior running back Dreamius Smith rushed for 286 yards and four touchdowns, and senior quarterback Matt Reed covered 136 yards and scored twice to lead the Falcons to a dominant 48-14 win.

The Eagles had no answer for Heights’ flexbone rushing attack, as the Falcons scored on their first three possessions and never looked back. The opening score came just over two minutes into the game, as Reed took it in himself on a 4th and 4 from the Eagles’ 18. The next Falcons’ drive began at their own three-yard-line, but it took just three plays to find paydirt again. Smith got the edge on the Eagles’ defense, sprinting 85 yards down the sideline for the touchdown.

A special teams gaff by North on the ensuing kick set up Heights in good shape again, as the Eagles’ return team failed to jump on the loose ball. The Falcons recovered at the Eagles’ 23-yard-line and scored four plays later on Reed’s 18-yard touchdown pass to Daniel Deshazer.

The lead was 28-0 at the break, with Heights outgaining North 307 yards to just 30 in the first 24 minutes. After a quick three-and-out for the Eagles to start the second half, the Falcons struck quickly again, with Smith running in from 30 yards out on Heights’ first play from scrimmage. Heights totaled 531 yards for the game, 499 coming on the ground.

It was a far cry from last year’s championship game, in which North soundly defeated Heights, 37-3. From the outset Saturday, it was the Falcons who clearly held the upper hand. The Eagles didn’t get on the board until the final seconds of the third quarter, when quarterback Victor Simmons connected with Adonis Saunders on a 79-yard touchdown pass. Simmons and Saunders combined for nearly 2900 rushing yards in the first 12 games of the season, but they were held to just 88 yards on 35 carries in Saturday’s loss.

When Simmons hit Saunders for their second touchdown with just under two minutes left, the Falcons’ sideline celebration had already begun. Heights finishes with an unblemished 13-0 record, while North finishes 11-2, one win shy of its ninth state championship.

Tailback Adonis Saunders scored the Eagles’ lone touchdown, a 59-yard run in the second quarter. Saunders and quarterback Victor Simmons, who combined for over 2700 rushing yards this season, were held to only half of their collective average, but North’s defense controlled the line of scrimmage and forced three Hawks’ turnovers.

The last turnover came with just under a minute to play, as senior Dominick Wilson intercepted East quarterback Trent Kuhl’s fourth-down pass at the goal line. The Hawks had driven 65 yards from their own 20 following a missed field goal by Daniel Gutierrez at the 4:51 mark. But the North defense stiffened again at the right time to keep East from a potential game-tying touchdown.

The victory avenges a regular season loss at the hands of cross-town rival East, who defeated the Eagles 25-0 back on September 17. In that first meeting, the Hawks racked up nearly 350 total yards in a dominating performance, but they were held to under 200 Friday night as the Eagles stacked the line to stop East’s power running attack.

Senior Brandon Willingham burned the Eagles defense in September for 188 yards on the ground and three touchdowns, and late in the first half Friday appeared to have drawn the Hawks even. His 19-yard touchdown run made it 7-6, but Simmons blocked the PAT attempt to preserve North’s slim lead.

Gutierrez added a 27-yard field goal on the last play of the half to send the defending state champions to the locker room ahead 10-6.

A muffed punt by Willingham late in the third set up another Gutierrez field goal, which provided the ultimate margin of victory.

North’s win sets up a rematch of last year’s championship game against Wichita Heights, which punched its ticket Friday night with a come-from-behind win over Dodge City. The 2011 champ will be crowned next Saturday in Topeka.

Both the Hawks and Eagles enter tomorrow night’s showdown with a record of 10-1. They trudged through the rain and mud last week to earn this spot in the 6A semifinals, but each will need a more polished effort to advance. North, whose rushing duo of Adonis Saunders and Victor Simmons themselves averaged about 260 yards per game on the ground, was held to under 100 total yards in the 17-0 win over Olathe South. But the Eagles dominated field position and capitalized on a couple of key Falcons’ miscues. The defense will need to be just as stiff this weekend against the Hawks’ one-two punch of Brandon Willingham and Austin Fulson. While it was Fulson who broke the game-winning dash last week against Shawnee Mission Northwest, Willingham dominated the Eagles back in September. The senior tailback accounted for over 200 yards of offense that night and scored three times. Another performance like that will surely end North’s bid for a repeat title.

Possible revenge is a plotline in the 5A semifinal in Gardner as well, with Blue Valley looking to avenge its regular-season loss to the Blazers. It was just three weeks ago when the two met for the first time, a 42-21 Gardner-Edgerton victory. That actually equaled the lowest point total of the season for the Blazers, who were also “held” to 42 in their win at McPherson. The combination of Bubba Starling and Brett Jensen has been close to unstoppable on the ground for what many believe to be the Metro’s top offensive unit. The two totaled over 400 yards in last month’s win over the Tigers, and Blue Valley will need to counter with big chunks of yardage from tailback Justin Fulks and quarterback Kyle Zimmerman if they hope to pull the big upset. The Blazers undoubtedly would like a chance to exact some of their own revenge in the 5A title game against Hutchinson, but each school still has one more win to get there.

But the intrigue of the 5A and 6A games may be minor compared to the Frontier League clash in Paola. The Panthers play host to rival Louisburg, who defeated Paola in the regular season finale October 28. Paola has put up big numbers all season long but was held to just a field goal in the 21-3 loss. And while it’s the Wildcats who are undefeated, it’s the Panthers who have been more dominant in the postseason. Paola has outscored its three opponents by a combined score of 83-20, including a 21-6 win over Baldwin, who had defeated the Panthers earlier in the season. So Paola has already avenged one of its three regular-season losses. Could Louisburg be next?

It’ll be the biggest night of football this season, and all of the action can be seen on KCTeams.com. Be sure to check us out online so you can keep tabs on all three games at once. Also be sure to check out KCTeams.com on Facebook. “Like” us and you’ll be entered to win in our Championship Weekend Giveaway November 27.