After a grueling nine-week season, Rockhurst finds itself staring down the postseason with a 7-2 record. The team will look to ride a successful regular season into their first Class 5 playoff appearance since 2001. With playmakers aplenty, the Hawklets have a realistic chance at securing a banner for the performance gym.
Season Review
The 2025 season for Rockhurst kicked off with some unexpected news. The week of their season opener at St. Pius X, the Hawklets received word that they had been moved down from Class 6 to Class 5.
“5A is a super tough division, just like 6A,” head coach Kelly Donohoe said. “I told the boys… that a 5A state title would feel just as good as a 6A title, so that’s what our goal is.”
Week 1 – Aug. 29 @ St. Pius X (W 49-14)
The surprising news didn’t prevent the team from handling its business to open the season. Junior running back Cash Lewandowski broke out, running for 146 yards and three touchdowns, while averaging 9.1 yards per carry on the day. His younger brother, freshman Cruz Lewandowski, also scored a touchdown.
However, not everything was positive for the Hawklets. Senior defensive back and wide receiver Max Moylan sustained a concussion, and starting center Jack Sprague broke his tibia, ending his season after just two quarters.
Week 2 – Sept. 5 vs. Raymore-Peculiar (W 33-3)
Junior receiver Blake Thomas appeared early and often for the Hawklets in their first home game of the year. The speedy 5-foot-10 weapon scored a touchdown through the air and on the ground.
Rockhurst also added two defensive touchdowns as they shut down the third-highest-rated high school recruit in the state: Oklahoma commit and Panthers running back, Dezephen Walker.
Week 3 – Sept. 12 @ Olathe North (W 35-14)
The turnovers kept flowing for the Hawklets in Week 3. Juniors Peter Nickson and Sheldon Kight, along with the younger Lewandowski, all recorded interceptions, with the freshman taking his back for six.
Rockhurst also unlocked the big plays against the Eagles. The Hawklets had scores of 41, 51, and 35 yards, along with an 88-yard pick-six from the aforementioned Lewandowski.
Week 4 – Sept. 19 @ Lee’s Summit West (W 42-28)
Rockhurst’s first real test of the season came on the road in Week 4. The Hawklets needed four touchdowns out of Cash Lewandowski to escape a game that saw the two teams knotted at 28 in the fourth quarter.
Yet, the Hawklets lost another starting offensive lineman for the season in the battle. Junior left tackle James O’Farrell suffered a season-ending knee injury on the last offensive drive of the game for Rockhurst.
Week 5 – Sept. 26 vs. Bishop Miege (W 35-0)
Week 5 was ‘hunting season’ for the Hawklets. Rockhurst dominated their bitter rivals, the Bishop Miege Stags, for the third straight season by spreading the ball. Five different players scored for the Hawklets in Rockhurst’s homecoming game.
Senior linebacker Henry Coppinger put the finishing touches on the game with a 20-yard pick-six.
Week 6 – Oct. 3 vs. Blue Springs (L 29-38)
The Hawklets were handed their first loss of the season in frustrating fashion. Junior quarterback Garret Miller’s four touchdowns were not enough for Rockhurst to overcome Coach Donohoe’s former school. The Wildcats got a few fortunate missed calls and lucky breaks throughout the game, the highlight of which being a fumble recovery resulting in a 74-yard touchdown.
Week 7 – Oct. 10 @ St. Thomas Aquinas (W 36-35) (OT)
Here at Prep News, we’re still catching our breath from this one. The matchup had all the makings of an all-time thriller: a complete track meet, a fourth quarter comeback, and a walk-off 2-point conversion.
Miller really broke out in this game, orchestrating a game-tying touchdown drive that saw the quarterback convert two 4th downs.
Week 8 – Oct. 17 @ Liberty North (L 12-21)
This battle of the birds was Rockhurst’s worst performance of the year. Even though Liberty North is a talented opponent, the Hawklets looked flat in this matchup. In a game that saw the Eagles hit big play after play, Miller was held scoreless for the first time all season.
Rockhurst also surrendered 148 rushing yards and a touchdown to Eagles running back Zemar Cheatam.
Week 9 – Oct. 24 vs. St. Louis University High School (W 35-14)
Rockhurst returned home for their final regular season game of the year, and they did not disappoint. After going 1-2 in their prior three games, the Hawklets righted the ship by getting back to their specialty: forcing turnovers. They picked off SLUH quarterback Kyren Eleby twice–with one being returned 70 yards by senior Kevin Sullivan, setting up the offense inside the 10-yard line.
Lewandowski also punched in three scores for Rockhurst, and the defense stonewalled the Junior Bills’ run game en route to a three-score win.
Matchup Previews
District Quarterfinal vs. William Chrisman (Oct. 30)
Put simply, Rockhurst should steamroll the Bears. William Chrisman comes into the matchup ranked second-to-last in the district with a record of 3-6. Their only Class 5 wins were against Raytown and Ruskin. Those two teams have a combined record of 6-11. Barring an unexpected ambush, Rockhurst should advance to the second round of the district playoffs.
*Editor’s note: The Hawklets defeated Chrisman 42-6.
District Semifinal vs. Fort Osage (or Truman) (Nov. 7)
If Rockhurst beats William Chrisman, the district semifinals would likely encompass Fort Osage. The Indians are 6-3 on the season, with two of their losses coming at the hands of undefeated schools: Platte County and Kearney. Their other loss was tougher to swallow. Despite Oak Park finishing 2-7, the Indians dropped their Week 5 home matchup to the Northmen. Since that loss they’ve won four in a row, including a 35-0 win over Rockhurst’s first round opponent, William Chrisman.
If the Hawklets find themselves in a matchup with the Truman Patriots (2-7), then something has gone drastically wrong for Fort Osage. Back in Week 4, the Indians dispatched their future first round opponent 66-6 on the road. However, if Truman does find a way to pull off the shocking upset, Rockhurst would be heavily favored for the second straight week.
Regardless of what happens between Fort Osage and Truman, Rockhurst should be well-positioned to win their second round matchup–especially given the fact that they will host the game, regardless of which team they play. With that being said, the Indians would provide a tougher challenge than the Patriots in a potential district semifinal.
*Editor’s note: Fort Osage defeated Truman 35-14, setting up a matchup with Rockhurst on Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.
District Championship @ Platte County (Nov. 14)
Since the start of the year, Platte County and Rockhurst have seemingly been on a collision course. The Pirates and Hawklets are two of the best teams in Class 5, and, if not for being in the same district, would likely meet later in November. According to Sports Illustrated and other outlets that cover high school football, Platte County is the No. 1-ranked team in the state, regardless of class.
Those rankings are well-justified. Platte County has not lost since Nov. 10, 2023. Last season, they went 14-0 en route to the program’s fourth state championship. Their closest matchup was a 44-30 win over MICDS in the state semifinal.
This season, it has been much of the same. The team has gone 9-0, with their closest matchup being a 60-28 win over Topeka-Washburn Rural (Ks.). In their nine wins this year, they are scoring 56.6 points per game and only allowing 11. At this time last season, the Pirates were averaging 51.2 and 12.1, respectively, so by those metrics, this year’s Platte County has actually been better than last season’s state championship team.
However, since the start of last season’s run to a state title, Platte County has not faced an opponent of Rockhurst’s caliber. This brings up the question of how Platte County would respond when playing a team worthy of a challenge.
If Rockhurst can get to the heralded matchup, they will have to deal with a strong all-around roster headlined by a few highly recruited players: quarterback Rocco Marriott (James Madison commit), tight end Jack Utz (Kansas), tight end Brooks Hall (South Dakota), and wide receiver Braiden Stevens (uncommitted, but has offers from the likes of Nebraska, West Virginia, James Madison and South Dakota State).
Overall, the matchup mirrors one the Hawklets had two years ago. On the same night of Platte County’s last loss (Nov. 10, 2023), Rockhurst upset undefeated Lee’s Summit North to win the district. In that game, the Broncos were headlined by 5-star defensive end Williams Nwaneri and 4-star wide receiver Isiah Mozee. Yet, it was Rockhurst who came out on top in the road matchup. Rockhurst rode that momentum to a state semifinal appearance.
State Quarterfinal vs. Grain Valley (Nov. 22)
Grain Valley is the most likely team to come out of District 7. The Eagles were the last team Platte County lost to, back in 2023. However, Platte County has flipped the script on Grain Valley the last two seasons, with back-to-back 31-point wins. The Eagles have also lost to potential Rockhurst playoff matchup Fort Osage this season.
As of now, Grain Valley sits at 6-3 and is the favorite to escape what looks, on paper, like a mediocre District 7. Rockhurst would be the favorite in this state quarterfinal, regardless of if Grain Valley handles business.
State Semifinal vs. Kirkwood, Farmington, Eureka or Central (Cape Girardeau) (Nov. 29)
As we get farther into the state championship bracket, it becomes harder to project who Rockhurst will matchup against. My prediction, based off of regular season results, would be that the Hawklets face one of these four teams.
Kirkwood seems to be the best of the quartet. The Pioneers have only one loss this year, and it came against undefeated Class 6 powerhouse Lafayette (Wildwood). In that matchup Kirkwood fell by just seven points. Their closest win of the year was against district rival Eureka.
The Wildcats have had a similar season to Kirkwood, with the main differences being a 29-point loss to Lafayette (Wildwood) and a three-point home loss to the Pioneers. Eureka and Kirkwood will likely meet again in the Class 5 District 2 finals.
There is a high chance that the winner of that matchup will face either 7-2 Farmington—who are the 1-seed in District 1—or Central (Cape Girardeau) (6-3)—the 2-seed. These two teams are the only squads with winning records in their district. Both lost to undefeated Class 6 opponent Jackson, with Central (Cape Girardeau) also losing to another undefeated Class 6 team: St. Dominic. Farmington’s only other loss was against Class 6’s Festus (7-2) by five points.
Farmington and Central (Cape Girardeau) have already met this season, which gives us an idea of what a potential District 1 final could look like. In their previous matchup, Farmington came out on top, with a 35-21 road win.
If Rockhurst reaches the state semifinals, one of these four teams will probably be waiting for them.
State Championship vs. District 6 winner (likely Carthage, Republic or Webb City) or Ft. Zumwalt North (Dec. 5)
Predicting a Class 5 state finalist is hard to do. On the opposite side of the bracket, 8-1 Ft. Zumwalt North and the winner of district 6—Carthage, Republic, and Webb City are the likely favorites—have the best chances of reaching the state final.
Ft. Zumwalt North, has played somewhat of a weak schedule but has taken care of business.
Carthage earned a hard-fought District 6 1-seed, with their only loss coming against the defending Class 6 state runner-up: Nixa.
However, 6-3 Webb City and 7-2 Republic will look to spoil Carthage’s great season. Both teams have fallen to the Tigers in hard-fought losses this year. With three teams capable of state-title runs, District 6 is the hardest district from which to predict a champion.
If Rockhurst can reach a state championship, it would be their first title game appearance since 2018.
Players to Watch
Cash Lewandowski
Lewandowski has been the best player on Rockhurst all season. The two-way standout has been a dangerous weapon out of the backfield and a vital linebacker on defense.
“He’s got a great competitive fire about him,” Donohoe said.
Lewandowski finished the season averaging 5.3 yards per carry and 125.7 total yards per game. The first-year starting running back also punched his ticket into the end zone a whopping 16 times this season.
Defensively, Lewandowski was the second-leading tackler on the team, and the instinctual linebacker had three tackles for loss on the season.
“He’s strong… he’s got great balance, but he’s got a lot of will about him that makes him a special player,” Donohoe said.
If Rockhurst makes a run at a state championship, expect Lewandowski to be a big reason why.
Garret Miller
A first-time starter, Miller has provided stability at the quarterback position in 2025. He had 19 touchdowns on the season and only four interceptions. The athletic junior has taken care of the football for Rockhurst, while also helping to revitalize the deep ball.
“Well, we’ve got the guys [to throw the deep ball]. And when I’ve had the guys to do it, we do take advantage of that,” Donohoe said.
Miller’s success in his first season as the quarterback has allowed Rockhurst to have a strong balance between deep shots downfield and a smash-mouth run game. His performance in the playoffs–as much, if not more than anyone else–will determine how far Rockhurst goes.
Blake Thomas
Miller’s favorite target (along with wide receiver counterpart Tristan Johnson), Thomas has stretched the field for Rockhurst this season. He finished the regular season with 643 receiving yards on only 42 catches.
“The thing I love about Blake is he’s a great athlete with really good speed and great hands,” Donohoe said. “He’s a fantastic route runner, but he’s an awesome young man that I really trust.”
The speedy junior has averaged 15.3 yards per catch this season, which has displayed his ability to stretch the field.
Thomas also plays a key role for the Rockhurst defense.
“When you’re a really good receiver, it helps to be a [defensive back], because you have a feel for what that receiver is doing,” Donohoe said. “He’s gotten stronger, so he’s more of a physical player, but he also possesses the athletic skills to cover people well.”
Thomas will likely shadow opponents’ best receivers in the playoffs. He has come away with a pair of interceptions on the season.
In the end, when Rockhurst attacks through the air this postseason, Thomas will need to stretch the field. On defense, he will need to prevent receivers from taking over games.
Tom Koetting
If you recognize the name Koetting, it is because Tom’s older brother, Jeb, was a star linebacker for the team the last few seasons. With multiple starting offensive lineman out for the postseason with injuries, the 6-foot-7 sophomore has been thrust into an important role.
“Tom’s come a long way,” said Donohoe. “We’re super proud of him. He’s got a ton of potential to be a great player at that position. He just has to keep working and lifting, and if he does that, he’s got a really bright future.”
As the playoffs progress, opposing defensive lines will get better, and other teams will likely look to take advantage of the inexperienced offensive tackle. However, if Koetting can continue to have success protecting Miller’s blindside, the Rockhurst offense will be stable enough to do a multitude of damage.
Playoff Implications
All Rockhurst postseasons hold meaning, but this year, the playoffs will have a little added pressure. If Rockhurst can win their district, then the football program will re-ascend to Class 6. If the Hawklets do not accomplish this, then the team might still be in Class 5 come next year.
Rockhurst is also looking for its first state championship in the Donohoe era, and if the team can get to the district championship and knock off Platte County, the Hawklets will have a good chance at their first state title in the past 15 years.
“I’m a little superstitious… You really do have to just focus on each game so you don’t get ahead of yourself,” Donohoe said when asked about winning a state title. “When we get to those big games, we’ve just got to hope we’re playing well and the kids step up.”
