DOUGLASS, Kan. — If the large Homecoming crowd in Douglass was hoping to see a defensive battle, a game that saw teams fighting for first downs in the trenches, or a low scoring affair, they would likely walk away disappointed.
With 5 plays that went for over 50 yards, 67 first half points scored, 94 points total, and teams that combined for nearly 900 yards of offense, the game felt more like a track meet than football at times.
The Kingman Eagles, however, got the best of the Douglass Bulldogs on Friday night winning the 2A District 6 battle 54-40. The loss drops the Bulldogs to 2-3 for the season and 0-2 in district play.
Kingman struck early, quickly building a 14-0 lead on their first two possessions, highlighted by a 69-yard pass from Logan Birkenbaugh to Trenton Clark for their second score of the night. Birkenbaugh would connect again with Clark in the first quarter on a 54-yard touchdown pass.
The duo from Kingman are certain to be players to watch over the next couple seasons. The sophomore quarterback Birkenbaugh would finish the night with 200 yards passing with the pair of touchdowns to Clark and added 76 yards rushing, including 4 touchdowns. Clark, a junior, would finish the night 149 yards receiving.
“We started slow,” Douglass head coach Drew Carder said. “Maybe some game plan things, just getting guys in the right spots on defense that opened the flood gates.”
Douglass, however, would find their footing on offense and continue to give themselves a chance throughout. Carter Green finished off a drive with an 8-yard run, and Oliver Tilton answered a Kingman touchdown with an 86-yard kickoff return for a score. After a touchdown pass from Kane Ast to Bronson Knisley, the Bulldogs found themselves down just 21-20 early in the second quarter.
“It’s just hard to get guys off the field right now,” Carder said. “It’s tough in these fast-paced games when you have a roster of 27 players and guys are playing both ways to try and get them blows.”
That fatigue started to show late in the second quarter. Despite a second touchdown by Carter Green, this time a 3-yard run at the end of a 70-yard Douglass drive in the second quarter, Kingman went into the half with a 41-26 advantage. Green, the junior running back who has been a standout all season for the Bulldogs, would finish his night with 115 yards rushing in a balanced Bulldogs attack. Senior teammate Hunter West nearly hit the century mark as well, finishing with 96 on the ground.
Starting with the football in the second half, Douglass had their chances to narrow the gap but was unable to get it any closer with Kingman matching each score to maintain the margin. Turnovers, penalties, and missed two-point conversions did not allow them to put the pressure back on the Eagles. For the night, Douglass was nearly identical in yardage to the Eagles, 435 yards for Kingman, with 433 for the Bulldogs.
“We’re a couple plays here and there away,” Carder said about Douglass’ 3 losses. “Haven’s a really good team and we were a couple plays away in that. Marion is a really good team and we were a couple plays away in that one as well.”
Despite a slower paced second half, and Kingman’s answers, the Bulldogs offense refused to quit. After a 51-yard touchdown run by Green, his third touchdown of the night, and another touchdown pass to Knisley from Ast late in the fourth quarter, the coach took away the positives from what he saw.
“I appreciate being down three scores and they go score right there at the end.” Carder said. “That shows great pride and I’m so proud of them for that. They continued to fight.”
With only four seniors the ceiling for the Bulldogs continues to be high and building. Even though seniors Charlie Kielhorn, Hunter West, Justin West, and Jaxon Brewer are all key players for the Bulldogs, the underclassmen continue to fill spots all over the field and are getting valuable experience early. Brewer, worth noting, was also named the 2025 Homecoming King last night.
Douglass tries to get back into the win column next week with an interesting matchup against Reno County Homeschool. Reno County is one of the only teams in the state to play both 8-Man and 11-Man football this season and scored 93 points in a game a few weeks ago. The two teams met last year with Reno County coming away with the win.
Kingman 54, Douglass 40
Kingman 21 20 6 7— 54
Douglass 12 14 6 8 — 40
K – Gabe Andersen 4-yard run ( Trenton Clark kick).
K – Trenton Clark 69-Yard pass From Logan Birkenbaugh (Clark kick).
D – Carter Green 8-yard run (Run Failed).
K – Clark 54-yard pass from Birkenbaugh (Clark kick).
D – Oliver Tilton 86-yard kickoff return (Run Failed).
D – Bronsyn Knisley 10-yard pass from Kane Ast (Charlie Kielhorn run).
K – Birkenbaugh 9-yard run (Clark kick).
D – Green 3-yard run (Pass Failed).
K – Birkenbaugh 21-yard run (Kick blocked).
K – Andersen 2-yard run (Clark kick).
D – Green 51-yard run (Run Failed).
K – Birkenbaugh 4-yard run (Kick blocked).
K – Birkenbaugh 4-yard run (Clark kick).
D – Knisley 22-yard pass from Ast (Green run).
RUSHING: Kingman – Boston Beck 6-76; Logan Birkenbaugh 21-76; Gabe Andersen 14-83; Totals 41-235. Douglass – Kane Ast 8-21; Charlie Kielhorn 3-27; Hunter West 17-96; Carter Green 17-115; Totals 45-259.
PASSING (C-A-YD-TD-INT): Kingman – Logan Birkenbaugh 8-15-200-2-0. Douglass – Kane Ast 8-14-174-2-2
RECEIVING: Kingman – Trent Clark 5-149; Jaxson Campbell 2-47; Chris Hepburn 1-4. Douglass – Bronsyn Kinsley 3-87; Carter Green 1-2; Brody Rush 1-43; Hunter West 1-0; Justin West 1-12; Charlie Kielhorn 1-30.
