By Chad Hayworth (for OzarksSportsZone.com)
ST. JOSEPH — At long last, the Seneca Indians are state champions.
The Indians, who lost in two-straight title games coming into Friday’s Class 3 championship, overcame two fumbles inside the 1-yard line and outlasted Lift For Life Academy 33-26 at Missouri Western State University’s Spratt Stadium.
The win gives the Indians their third state title in program history and the first since 1995.
“It’s been a year of adversity,” said Seneca Coach Cody Hilburn. “This stuff has happened all year long and we’ve just had to overcome it.
“We had a motto about halfway through the season, ‘Don’t flinch.’ Bad stuff is going to happen. We can’t flinch, and they didn’t.”
Leading 14-12 late in the first half, Seneca looked to expand its lead, driving deep into Hawk territory. Senior running back Roman Miller broke through the Lift For Life line and dove toward the end zone. As he got close, the football squirted loose and careened out of the back of the end zone.
Initially ruled a touchdown, the call was overturned after replay review, a new element in state championship football for 2025. It was the first ever use of replay in a MSHSAA state championship game.
The Hawks got the ball after a touchback and marched downfield for a touchdown and an 18-14 lead with 53 seconds left the play in the half.
But the Indians responded with a big run from Miller down the Indian sideline before quarterback Brodie Probert completed a 12-yard touchdown pass to senior Drew Sherwood for a 20-18 lead with 12 seconds to play in the half. It was his only completion of the day.
“It would have been real easy to just hang our heads and take it into half time,” Hilburn said. “We didn’t do that.”
Late in the fourth quarter, leading 33-26, Seneca looked to be on the verge of putting the Hawks away.
The Indians drove to the Hawk 3-yard line, but Probert lost the ball at the 1-yard line, giving the Hawks one last chance.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS OF THE GAME
The Indian defense kept the ball in front of themselves, and twice stopped Lift For Life from getting out of bounds to stop the clock to seal the win.
“We just knew they were explosive, very athletic and it was going to take a lot of plays to stop them,” said senior lineman Jace Renfro. “Our key was just to make them snap it again. I knew if we came out and executed that, we would be fine.”
After two years of coming up just short, Seneca’s senior class deserves all the credit for Friday’s win, Hilburn said.
“These guys have had heartbreak,” he said. “We’re talking about a group of seniors that just won their 50th football game, have won four district championships, four conference championships and lost two state championships. They got one more shot at it and found a way to get it done.”
Seneca’s two-headed running attack of Miller and Probert both scored two touchdowns, while pounding away at the Hawks all game. Probert finished with 183 yards on 25 carries, while Miller, the reigning Big 8 offensive and defensive player of the year, finished with 180 yards rushing on 30 carries.
“I’d love to take credit, but I could never take credit for that.” Miller said. “It’s my O-line, my H-back, my wide receivers, even my quarterback. Those guys work their butts off. Without them, I’m nothing.”
Probert echoed Miller’s sentiments, praising the holes the offensive line opens.
“Those guys up front, they just open gaps for us, and we run through them,” he said. “We couldn’t do anything with them.”
But Renfro said that Miller, Probert and the rest of the Indian backfield deserve all the praise they receive.
“They always give us credit,” he said. “But I couldn’t block for a better backfield.”
The only other Indian to run the ball was senior wideout Hunter Hanes, who carried twice for 27 yards on sweep plays, both times securing first downs.
Senior lineman Brock Pendergraft said Friday’s victory belongs to more than just the players on the field.
“This means so much to me, but not just to me and all these guys,” he said. “The community, the parents, the cheerleaders, everybody has played a big role in helping us do this. Special credit to our coaches, they work their butts off for us. They see us more than they see their families for more than half the year.”
The Indians got on the board first on a 1-yard run from Miller with 3:38 to play in the first quarter., only to see Lift for Life answer with a touchdown drive of their own.
Seneca took a 14-6 lead on Miller’s second touchdown of the day with 8:57 to play in the first half.
Probert scored twice in the second half, a 25-yard run to push the Indian lead to 27-18 with 8:18 left in the third quarter, and then on a 5-yard run early in the fourth quarter than answered a Hawk touchdown that got them within one point at 27-26.
Senior Kye Adams led the Indians with 14 total tackles, while Pendergraft tallied seven and senior Blaze Graham had six.
Seneca limited the Hawks to 123 yards rushing, while giving up 215 yards in the air. Neither team attempted a punt.
After the game, Hilburn told his team they were champions, even before they played Friday’s game.
“We really try to preach faith and core values and character at Seneca,” he said. “We try to use football as an avenue to teach these guys how to grow up and become men.
“A couple of years down the road, they are going to be husbands and dads, and they are going to be champions at that, too.”
