Lee’s Summit ended Rockhurst’s 2024 football season Nov. 8 in a 17-14 battle at Bud Hertzog Stadium. Missed opportunities and a late interception left the Hawklets just a few points short once again in a close game.
A sparse crowd looked on as the two teams ignited a chilly postseason matchup in the Missouri Class 6 District 6 semifinal. After a defensive stop on 4th down by both teams to start the game, Lee’s Summit got on the board first with a 16-yard touchdown pass from senior quarterback Brayden Layman to junior receiver Karsten Fiene.
Rockhurst’s response came with 21 seconds left to play in the first half. Senior quarterback Charlie Loose found junior tight end Kevin Sullivan in the corner of the end zone.The ensuing point after tied the game at seven apiece going into the half.
“We just ran our offense and just stuck to what we learned,” Sullivan said.
Three minutes into the second half, Lee’s Summit regained the lead. Junior running back Preston Hatfield gashed the Rockhurst defense for a 59-yard rushing touchdown. Hatfield caused fits for the Rockhurst defense all night. The elusive running back jittered his way to 176 total yards.
“That kid’s really special,” Rockhurst head coach Kelly Donohoe said. “It was almost impossible for one guy to tackle [him].”
Following the touchdown, the Hawklets responded with a three and out. Lee’s Summit’s next drive ended with the Tigers tacking on three more points.
Trailing 17-7, the Hawklets’ next possession ended in disarray. After their drive stalled out, leaving them with a 4th and 7, the Hawklets trotted out their punt team with ten players on the field. With the play clock winding down and the 11th man sprinting on to the field, Rockhurst was forced to use a timeout.
Mental mistakes were a theme throughout the game for Rockhurst. Numerous pre-snap penalties plagued them, in particular.
After the timeout, Rockhurst decided to go for it.
“We were going to run a fake… but then we were missing a guy,” Donohoe said, when asked about the punt.
With their season seemingly hanging in the balance, Loose found senior receiver Riley Sullivan for a long completion to move the chains.
Just when it seemed that Rockhurst had gained all the momentum, Lee’s Summit stifled the Hawklets on three straight plays, bringing up a 4th and 10.
Rockhurst elected to roll the dice again on 4th down. Loose threw to junior receiver Charlie Bernstein who then threw to senior fullback Beau Neuberger on a double pass. Despite being uncovered, Neuberger couldn’t hall in the probable walk-in touchdown. The pendulum of momentum swung back to Lee’s Summit after Rockhurst couldn’t capitalize on a massive 4th down conversion.
With the Hawklets’ backs against the wall down ten, Rockhurst regained possession on the Tigers’ 46 yard line with 5:53 to play. This time, they cashed in, with junior running back Pierce Fisher finishing the drive with an 11-yard touchdown run.
The quick drive left 4:43 on the clock.
Rockhurst’s defense found its footing late, forcing another three-and-out with 3:14 left to play.
The Hawklets stared down the barrel of another close game late. The team had lost both of their one-score games during the course of the season.
With just under 1:30 to play in the game and Rockhurst knocking on Lee’s Summit’s door from the 22 yard line, Loose targeted Kevin Sullivan in the back corner of the end zone again. Unlike the first score for Rockhurst, Lee’s Summit came down with the jump ball this time.
The turnover gave back possession to Lee’s Summit, who put the finishing touches on Rockhurst’s season with a 3rd and 7 conversion to salt the game away and advance to the district championship game with a 17-14 victory.
The Lee’s Summit scoring output was their second lowest of the season to that point.
“If you had told me before the game we’re gonna hold them to 17, I would have said we’re gonna win,” Donohoe said.
After starting the season 5-0, Rockhurst got cold down the stretch. The Hawklets lost four of their last five contests. In one score games, the Hawklets were 0-3. In those same situations last season, they had a mark of 5-1. The close losses really stung.
“It eats at you,” Donohoe said.
For seniors, the loss to Lee’s Summit is the final chapter in their Rockhurst football careers.
“It sucks to have the season end that way,” senior lineman Jack Manning said, “but… all good things come to an end.”
Manning was a three-year starter on the offensive and defensive line. Walking off the field for the last time was tough for him and many other seniors.
“It was a bittersweet thing,” Manning said. “The season didn’t end how we wanted it to, but still so many great memories.”
Looking ahead, Rockhurst will return many key pieces next year.
Fisher, for one, will look to build on a solid individual season. He found the end zone 13 times and ended the year averaging 4.75 yards per carry.
Sophomore receiver Blake Thomas will likely be the team’s top pass catcher in 2025 after being second on the team in receptions this year.
Middle linebacker Cash Lewandoski will headline the defense after racking up 78 tackles as a sophomore.
Kevin Sullivan and his younger brother, Declan, will return on the defensive line after combining for four sacks and eight tackles for loss.
With many key pieces coming back, Rockhurst players don’t expect a drop off.
“We’re going to pick up right where we left off,” Sullivan said. “[We] have a good chance to go win state.”
Sophomore Garret Miller will presumably take the helm at quarterback. Miller will look to fill the shoes of Loose, who finished the season with 1,557 passing yards.
All of it adds up to the Hawklets being in position to potentially make another run at a state championship.
“If we can get the leadership from our seniors that I think we’re gonna get,” Donohoe said. “I’m really excited about where we could be next year.”
