High School football playoffs got underway last night and the action was highlighted by a multitude of great performances, surprises and fun times.

Class 4A: (updated bracket -- click here) 

For the Kanzaland area teams it was only one of three teams continuing on in the playoffs as Holton cruised to a win over Hesston, while Jeff West and Atchison both came up short in their games.

The Wildcats had no problem dispatching their first round opponents in Hesston as they cruised to a 57-26 win, that wasn't even that close as Hesston scored 20 of their 26 points in the fourth quarter. Holton's rushing act like it has all season lead the way with 517 yards of the 542 yards of total offense on the night. It was a three-head monster in the ground game for Holton with Cameron Karn, Jaxon Wright and Drake Ewing all eclipsing the 100 yard mark on the night. Karn registered 150 yards 2 TD's, Wright had 2 scores also with 122 yards on six carries and Ewing added 119 yards on 16 carries and a TD.

Wildcats are the only remaining unbeaten in Class 4A with a Fort Scott loss to Louisburg and will hit the road on Saturday to play at Wichitia-Colliegate at 4:00pm. (You can hear that game on 103.9 FM KNZA and online) 

For the Jeff West Tigers and Atchison Redmen their seasons have come to a close. Jeff West put up a good fight against KC-Piper as the Tigers had the game tied at 21-21 in the third but the Pirates scored the final 13 points to win 34-21. Jeff West finishes their season with a .500 record at 5-5. Atchison had beat their opponent in Tonganoxie in the regular season 25-0 but this time it was was the Chieftians topping Atchison 35-28. Atchison wraps up their year with a 6-4 record.

Class 3A: (Updated bracket -- click here)

Two Kanzaland area teams both from the Big Seven League will be moving on to regional action come Saturday with big wins last night. Maybe one of the biggest surprise in 3A and the state was the performance of the Sabetha Bluejays as they were playing a hot, Riley County team who had won their last five games, but the Bluejays were up to the task and came out victorious 28-8.

Sabetha capitalized on four Riley County turnovers in the ball game and road the rushing of McKenzi McAfee who carried the ball for 147 yards and 2 TD's, while both Schumann's had a rushing TD apiece. Bluejays scored a touchdown in every quarter on their way to their playoff win. Next up for the Bluejays will be a tough Rossville team who dispatched of Pleasant Ridge 41-0, a Delaware Valley League team. Sabetha will host Rossville on Saturday for that game at 6:00pm

The loss for Pleasant Ridge marks the first time in 12 years that they don't end the season with a winning record.

The other Kanzaland team moving on in Class 3A is the Hiawatha Redhawks, who had to beat a Kanzalanda area team to continue in the playoffs. It was a rematch of a game earlier in the season between the Redhawks and the Raiders of Nemaha Valley. Nemaha Valley won the first time at Seneca 27-21 but this time it was in Hiawatha and the Redhawks were well prepared for the Raiders.

Hiawatha got to a lead and never trailed in the ball game behind a great defensive performance and the rushing attack of one Denzel Chilcoat who ran 36 times for 411 yards and 4 TD's and registered an 84-yard kick return TD, too. For, Nemaha Valley the junior quarterback, Caleb Meyer tossed four touchdown passes with two going to Michael Rottinghaus and the other two to Alex Rottinghaus. David Holthaus, also had a 68 yard kick return TD.

With the win Hiawatha improves to 8-2 and host the top ranked 3A team in Silver Lake at 6:00pm on Saturday.

8-Man Division II: (Updated bracket -- click here)        (For 8-Man DI updated bracket -- click here)

Both teams from the Kanzaland area in 8-Man Division II had no problem in their games to open up the playoffs as they cruised through the competition.

Baileyvill-B&B the number one ranked team in the state soar with their offense scoring on all seven of their drives to win 55-8 in a game that ended at the half, as the Falcons beat the Goessel Bluebirds. B&B was dominate all over the field with quarterback, Dustin Rottinghaus tossing 10-11 passes for 185 yards and 3 TD's, Dustin Deters rushing for 102 yards on eight carries and two scores, plus a receiving TD, while Tyler Deters had five receptions for 94 yards and a TD. B&B Falcons defense only allowed 19 rushing yards by Goessel and total of 124 yards. 

With the win B&B remains unbeaten, improving to 10-0 and will now play at Caldwell on Saturday at 4:00pm, after Caldwell surpirsed many and beat previously unbeaten Waverly. (You can hear that game on 92.1 KMZA and online) 

Hanover didn't have any problem either with their first round playoff game as they cruised past Chase 48-0 on the road. Hanover who's only losses have been to two playoff teams looked to be primed for a run in the playoffs, as they held a team that scored 60+ points in their last three games to scoreless. Hanover with the will play host to Colony-Crest who won a shoot out 66-50 over Kiowa-South Barber.