By Ernie W. Webb III HANOVER – Thirty-one wins. Six postseason victories. Two Lyon County League championships. Four straight playoff bids. In time, the seniors on Burlingame’s 2025 team will remember those statistics and their impressive four-year run. But, at least on Friday, those numbers didn’t provide much solace after a 64-8 loss to top-ranked […]
Burlingame end season with loss to Hanover Read More »
By Ernie W. Webb III BURLINGAME – I often reminisce about the old days while I’m walking the sideline during a Burlingame football game. Notice I didn’t say “good” before days, as many of those memories of Friday Night Lights aren’t exactly great ones. This Friday, I couldn’t help but think how far the Bearcats
Burlingame rolls into second round of playoffs Read More »
By Ernie W. Webb III BURLINGAME – In an iconic scene at the end of the wonderful book “Friday Night Lights,” Odessa Permian coach Gary Gaines replaces the names of several graduating seniors with underclassmen on a white board the day after the Panthers’ season ends in the state semifinals. That “next-man-up” mentality has become
Reloading Bearcats dominate in opener Read More »
Burlingame finished the season 10-1 as Lyon County League, district and regional champions. The Bearcats are 90-25 under coach Jeff Slater. By Ernie W. Webb III FRANKFORT – A cold, blustery wind seemed fitting Friday night during Burlingame’s sectional championship game against Frankfort. That biting weather summed up a bitter ending for the Bearcats, whose
Burlingame falls in sectional heartbreaker Read More »
By Ernie W. Webb III BURLINGAME – With five trips to the state quarterfinals and four appearances in sub-state since 2015, Burlingame really didn’t have anything to prove going into Friday night’s regional title game against blue blood Hanover. That didn’t stop the third-ranked Bearcats from making a statement, though, as they knocked off the
Statement made: Burlingame handles state power Hanover Read More »
By Ernie W. Webb III BURLINGAME – Burlingame coach Jeff Slater had a succinct message for his team after Thursday’s opening-round beatdown of St. Paul: “Now, it gets real.” The Bearcats (9-0) haven’t had a close game all season, and that continued in an Eight Player Division II playoff opener with a 54-0 rout. That
Burlingame rolls into second round of playoffs with rout of St. Paul Read More »
By Ernie W. Webb III When Burlingame coach Jeff Slater asked me to speak to his team the day before the Bearcats’ Lyon County League showdown against Lebo last week, I had no idea what I was going to say. I knew that he wanted me to talk about the history of Burlingame’s program, and
Burlingame has embraced a winning culture Read More »
By Ernie W. Webb III BURLINGAME – It took 46 years for Burlingame to win its first Lyon County League championship in football, but the Bearcats have made up for lost time with a flurry of titles in the past decade. With a 50-0 rout of Lebo on Friday night, Burlingame (5-0, 4-0) captured its
Burlingame clinches third straight LCL title, dismantles Lebo Read More »
By Ernie W. Webb III Leoti-Wichita County coach Brant Douglas wasn’t about to give Little River the ball back with his team leading 42-36 early in the fourth quarter. It didn’t matter that it was fourth-and-8 from his own 17 or fourth-and-5 from his own 30. As Wichita County (13-0) did all season long, Douglas
Hermosillo leads Wichita County to first state championship Read More »
By Ernie W. Webb III The state of Kansas has had its share of dynasties through the years, and Andale secured its place at the big table with the likes of Lawrence, Hutchinson, Kapaun, Olathe North, Miege, Smith Center, Colgan and Midway-Denton on Saturday with a 28-0 shutout against Holton. That workmanlike win against the
Andale adds name to list of dynasties with fourth straight 3A championship Read More »
