By The Hays Daily News

MONTEZUMA -- Take care of business at home this week, and the Ness City Eagles will be headed to the EIght-Man, Division I playoffs in their first year of eight-man football.

Ness City moved to 4-1 in District 6 play to move into second place -- and did it in come-from-behind, three-overtime fashion on the road at South Gray.

Down 22-6 at halftime, Ness City (4-4) rallied with six points in the third and eight points in the fourth, behind two long TD runs by Riley Klitzke. After battling through two overtimes, South Gray (5-2) scored first, but didn't convert, then Klitzke found Ernesto Flores on a 3-yard pass for the score, and Dalton Gantz punched in the go-ahead conversion for the win.

Hodgeman County, Ness City, and South Gray were all tied with one district loss. In other district action, Kinsley moved to 5-3 with a 26-22 win against Deerfield.

Since starting the season 0-3, Ness City has won four of five games, with its lone loss in that span an eight-point setback to Hodgeman Co. (7-1).

Ness City (4-4) 8 0 6 8 0 0 8 -- 30

South Gray (5-2) 16 6 0 0 0 0 6 -- 28

So. Gray -- Croft 46 run (Hendricks run).

So. Gray -- Croft 3 run (Mosher run).

Ness City -- Klitzke 4 run (Klitzke run).

So. Gray -- Croft 50 fumble recovery (pass failed).

Ness City -- Klitzke 79 run (Flax run).

Ness City -- Klitzke 28 run (Klizke run).

So. Gray -- Hendricks 6 run (run failed).

Ness City -- Flores 3 pass from Klitzke (Gantz run).

Osborne 54, WaKenney-Trego 8

WaKEENEY -- The Osborne Bulldogs continued their dominance of Eight-Man, Division I, District 7 behind three touchdown runs from quarterback Ethan Slothower. The Bulldogs moved to 7-1 and clinched a playoff berth and can secure the outright district championship with a win Thursday against Quinter.

Osborne (7-1) 22 32 x x -- 54

WaKeeney-Trego (2-6) 8 0 x x -- 8

Osborne -- Slothower 19 run (run failed)

Osborne -- Schurr 33 run (DeMars run)

Trego -- Staples 6 run (Steples run)

Osborne -- DeMars 5 (Slothower run)

Osborne -- Spears 27 pass from Slothower (Schurr run)

Osborne -- DeMars 1 run (Pruter run)

Osborne -- Slothower 36 run (DeMars run)

Osborne -- Slothower 35 run (Pruter run)

Thunder Ridge 50, Palco 0

KENSINGTON -- Since starting the season 0-2, Thunder Ridge has reeled off six straight victories, and clinced an Eight-Man, Division II playoff berth with a mercy-rule win against Palco. The win sets up a district championship game for the Longhorns on Thursday in Victoria, the HDN Area Game of the Week.

Palco(5-3) 0 0 x x -- 0

Thunder Ridge(6-2) 38 12 x x -- 50

Thunder Ridge -- Rahjes 4 run (run failed)

Thunder Ridge - Hrabe 3 run (Kuhlman from Hrabe)

Thunder Ridge - Struckhoff 3 run (Hrabe run)

Thunder Ridge - Struckhoff 1 run (Hrabe run)

Thunder Ridge - Struckhoff 14 run (Rahjes run)

Thunder Ridge - Struckhoff 7 run (run failed)

Thunder Ridge - Rahjes 2 run (run failed)

Victoria 60, Claflin 22

VICTORIA -- The Knights won their seventh straight game since falling in the season opener to Macksville, pulling away with 22 points in the third quarter.

Claflin 8 0 0 14 -- 22

Victoria (7-1) 16 16 22 6 -- 60

Victoria -- Dreiling 45 run (K. Dinkel run).

Claflin -- Kirmer 57 run (Klug run).

Victoria -- Hotaling 12 pass from Scheck (Scheck run).

Victoria -- Dreiling 1 run (Scheck run).

Victoria -- Hotaling 9 pass from Sheck (Dreiling run).

Victoria -- K. Dinkel 20 run (Dreiling run).

Victoria -- Dreiling 8 run (K. Dinkel pass from Scheck).

Victoria -- Roth 9 run (run failed).

Claflin -- Kirmer 75 kickoff return (Klug run).

Claflin -- Moran 4 run (run failed).

Victoria -- Ottley 51 run (run failed).

Ellis 35, Oberlin 8

ELLIS -- After dropping its first district contest a week ago to St. Francis, Ellis got back on track with a 35-8 win against Oberlin to move to 3-1 in Class 2-1A, District 7. Ellis remains in a tie for first in the district with Atwood (4-4, 3-1) and Oakley (5-3, 3-1), setting up a potential district title with a win Thursday at home against Oakley.

Oberlin (2-6) 0 0 0 8 -- 8

Ellis(4-4) 7 6 14 8 -- 35

Ellis -- Kinderknecht 16 run (Rodriguez kick)

Ellis - Kinderknecht 7 run (Kick failed)

Ellis - Kinderknecht 1 run (Rodriguez kick)

Ellis - Kinderknecht 29 run (rodriguez kick)

Ellis - team safety

Oberlin - Peters 8 run (Juenemann run)

Ellis - Younger 46 run (kick failed)

Golden Plains 56

Wheatland-Grinnell 6

GRAINFIELD -- The Rexford-Golden Plains Bulldogs ended the game in the third quarter to move to 3-5 on the season and 3-3 in Eight-Man II, District 7, where they sit in fourth place, behind Bird City-Cheylin (8-0, 5-0), Sharon Springs (4-4, 4-1), and Tribune-Greeley County (5-3, 3-2).

Golden Plains (3-5) 24 26 6 X -- 56

Wheatland-Grinnell (2-6) 0 6 0 X -- 6

Golden Plains -- Weber 15 run (Christensen pass from Spressor)

Golden Plains -- Weber 13 run (Preston pass from Spressor)

Golden Plains -- Spresser 14 run (Spressor run)

Golden Plains -- Preston 48 pass from Spressor (run failed)

Wheatland-Grinnell -- Kaiser 7 pass from Bixenman (run failed)

Golden Plains -- Ritter 1 run (Stevenson run)

Golden Plains -- Weber 65 run (run failed)

Golden Plains -- Weber 11 run (run failed)

Golden Plains -- Preston 5 run (no PAT attempt)

Otis-Bison 63, Pawnee Hts. 14

OTIS -- The Otis-Bison Cougars continued to steam roll over their opponents, but played in the third quarter for just the third time this season, and still managed a mercy-rule victory early in the third to claim the Division II, District 5 championship. The Cougars rolled up 225 yards on the ground, 94 coming on three carries for senior fullback Mike Hlavaty. Otis-Bison ended the regular season as the Cougars have a bye in Week 9.

Pawnee Heights (2-5) 0 14 0 X -- 14

Otis-Bison (8-0) 43 14 6 X -- 63

Otis-Bison -- Hlavaty 36 run (Hlavaty kick)

Otis-Bison -- Keller 30 run (Piper run)

Otis-Bison -- Hlavaty 12 pass from Keller (Keller run)

Otis-Bison -- Pechanec 10 pass from Keller (PAT failed)

Otis-Bison -- Piper 0 fumble return (PAT failed)

Otis-Bison -- Piper 40 run (Wissman run)

Otis-Bison -- Crotinger 14 pass from Wissman (PAT failed)

Pawnee Heights -- Hardiman 55 pass from Spence (PAT failed)

Otis-Bison -- King 5 run (Wissman run)

Pawnee Heights -- Spence 56 run (Hardiman run)

Otis-Bison -- Stejskal 5 run (No PAT)

Smith Center 40, Minneapolis 0

SMITH CENTER -- The Smith Center Redmen claimed the Class 3A, District 14 title with their second straight win in district play. Truitt Kuhlmann ran for two scores and had a receiving touchdown. He carried the ball 14 times for 136 yards, while Kale Newell added 129 yards on 22 carries. Minneapolis had just 101 yards of offense with minus-6 on the ground. Smith Center rolled up 390 yards on the ground.

Minneapolis (2-6) 0 0 0 0 -- 0

Smith Center (5-2) 7 7 14 12 -- 40

Smith Center -- McNary 51 run (Terrill kick).

Smith Center -- Newell 56 run (Terrill kick).

Smith Center -- Kuhlmann 45 pass from Hobelmann (Terrrill kick).

Smith Center -- Kuhlmann 35 run (Terrill kick).

Smtih Center -- Kuhlmann 15 run (Terrill kick).

Smith Center -- Eaton 2 run (kick failed).

Lakeside 46, Sylvan-Lucas 0

SYLVAN GROVE --  The Downs-Lakeside Knights added 46 more points to their total and won their seventh straight game since dropping the season opener to Osborne. The Knights have scored at least 42 points in every game this season, including the loss. Lakeside has already clinced a playoff spot and the district championship going into Thursday's game with Wakefield.

Sylvan-Lucas (4-4) 0 0 0 x -- 0

Lakeside (7-1) 8 30 8 x -- 46

Lakeside -- Weis 3 run (Thomas run).

Lakeside -- Thomas 7 run (Thomas run).

Lakeside -- Thomas 1 run (Shoemaker pass from Renken).

Lakeside --  THomas 40 pass from Renken (Storer pass from Renken).

Lakeside -- Shoemaker 75 fumble recovery (Storer pass from Renken).

Lakeside -- Damoney 15 fumble recovery (Renken run).

Concordia 42, Russell 16

CONCORDIA -- Concordia eliminated Russell from a playoff scenario with a 42-16 win. Both Russell and Colby fell to 0-2 in district play, while Concordia (6-2) and Clay Center (5-3) both moved to 2-0 Friday. Clay Center defeated Colby 13-12. Colby will meet Russell on Thursday, while Clay Center will face Concordia for the district title.

Russell (4-4) 8 0 0 8 -- 16

Concordia (6-2) 8 8 18 8 -- 42

Russell -- Oste 78 run (run good).

Concordia -- Champlin 22 run (run good).

Concordia -- Newton 4 run (run good).

Concordia -- Newton 62 run (pat failed).

Concordia -- newton 32 run (pat failed).

Concordia -- Woellhof 52 run (pat failed).

Russell -- Zachman 27 pass from Oste (run good).

Concordia -- Newton 5 run (run good).

Plainville 16, Valley Hts. 12

BLUE RAPIDS -- Plainville carried an 8-0 lead into the fourth quarter, recording a safey in the second quarter, but Valley Heights came back late in the game before coming up short. Plainville had just three wins the previous three seasons combined, and now has three this season and has a chance to make the playoffs as the Cardinals host La Crosse on Thursday.

Plainville (3-5) 6 2 0 8 -- 16

Valley Heights 0 0 0 12 -- 12

Plainville -- Becker 1 run (pat failed).

Plainville --  Team safety.

Valley Heights -- Trimble 38 run (pat failed).

Plainville -- Gilliland 37 run (Casey pass from Becker).

Valley Heights --  Dobrozolny 6 run (pat failed).

Hoxie 50, Stockton 15

STOCKTON -- Hoxie, playing in its first season of eight-man football, moved to 5-3, putting up 14 fourth-quarter points on the road against Stockton (3-5). Hoxie wraps up the season with a home game against Deerfield on Thursday, while Stockton hosts Hill City.

Hoxie (5-3) 16 12 8 14 _ 50

Stockton (3-5) 3 0 6 6 -- 15

Hoxie -- Yergy 30 run (Taylor run).

Stockton -- Peterson 30 field goal.

Hoxie -- Yergy 39 run (Taylor run).

Hoxie -- Taylor 8 run (run failed).

Hoxie -- Spresser 60 run (run failed).

Stockton -- Winters 27 run (pass failed).

Hoxie -- Taylor 1 run (Snyder pass from Spresser).

Hoxie -- Moss 28 pass from Spresser (Yergey run).

Hoxie -- Taylor 5 run (run failed).

Stockton -- Winters 5 run (run failed).

In other area action

Goodland made things interesting in Class 3A, District 15, beating previously undefeated Phillipsburg 48-28. Goodland can clinch a playoff berth with a win against TMP on Thursday, but can still make the playoffs with a loss to TMP and a Phillipsburg loss to Norton, depending on the point differential in those two games. ... St. Francis defeated Leoit 56-23 to move to 2-2 in Class 2-1A, District 7. At 3-5 overall with victories against Ellis and Leoti, St. Francis is still alive for a postseason berth. Four teams in District 7, Oakley, Ellis, Atwood and St. Francis are all vying for two spots. An Ellis win Thursday against Oakley clinches the district title at 4-1. ...La Crosse moved to 8-0 with a 52-6 home win against Ellinwood. Marcus Moeder rushed for 89 yards on seven carries, while Tayler Stull passed for 183 yards and four TDs on just five completions.