From staff reports
sports@joplinglobe.com
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It’s unofficially rivalry week at Hutchinson Field in Pittsburg, Kan.
St. Mary’s-Colgan and Frontenac, long-time rivals in the CNC League, collide tonight in the “Black and Blue Game” at 7 at Hutchinson Field in Pittsburg.
Then on Friday night Pittsburg and Columbus square off in the “Coal Bucket Game.” Kickoff again is set for 7.
Stakes in the Colgan-Frontenac matchup have been high over the years, including several late-season games with conference championship and state playoff berths on the line.
But this time, it’s not a league matchup.
Colgan’s assignment to a six-team Class 2-1A district leaves the Panthers with only four available CNC dates — one less than the minimum needed for a team to be eligible to win the conference championship.
Last week — after a one-day delay because of lighting — the Panthers opened their season with a 34-0 victory over Girard.
The Panthers led 14-0 after one quarter, and special teams provided Colgan’s next two scores. Andy Farmer returned a punt 57 yards in the second quarter, and Zach Smith raced 82 yards with the second-half kickoff.
Smith also ran 44 yards for a first-quarter score and caught three passes for 75 yards, and Christian Smith rushed for 83 yards on seven carries.
Frontenac, under new head coach Kevin Carey, dropped its opener 27-0 to Neodesha.
Columbus and Pittsburg are playing at Hutchinson Field for the second straight year.
The Titans snapped a long drought — 10 games in the series over a 36-year span — to nip the Purple Dragons 12-10 one year ago and take home the Coal Bucket for the first time since a 12-7 victory in 1973.
Both teams prevailed in high-scoring season debuts last week.
Quarterback Owen Jordan hit 13-of-16 passes for 134 yards and three touchdowns in his first varsity start as the Titans defeated Parsons 47-36. Chase Leonard caught seven balls for 83 yards and two TDs, and Brandon Alberty rushed 16 times for 131 yards and two scores.
Pittsburg went on the road and downed Coffeyville 33-27 as Jordan Elliott and JoeWimmer scored two touchdowns apiece.
But in the highest-scoring game of the night — and the highest-scoring game in the Southeast Kansas League since 1962 — Independence outlasted Iola 61-51. Bulldogs running back Dustin Bromley, who scored an SEK-record 29 touchdowns last season, reached the end zone four times against Iola, and Andre Ysusi had three scores.
Other games around the CNC and SEK on Friday night include Baxter Springs at Galena, Erie at Riverton, Girard at Southeast and Labette County at Chanute.
Oswego, after opening its season with a 40-6 victory against Quapaw, Okla., plays host to Three Rivers Conference foe Uniontown on Friday night.
