By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
On Friday night, the Mayor’s Cup produced another instant classic in a game that saw eight different lead changes and came down to the final play of the night.
For the first time since 2020, the Cup will head back to the south side, as the Cougars clawed their way to a victory over the defending 5A champs, stonewalling Central’s 2-point conversion attempt in the closing minute to secure a 35-33 win.
Any doubts about a Cougar turnaround have seemingly been erased for a team that looked the part of a true 5A powerhouse and announced themselves as a team to watch on Friday night.
The first half was a defensive showcase, with South holding Central to a lone 40-yard field goal, and the Mustangs allowing just one score in the form of an Izzy Telles touchdown pass in the expiring minutes of the second quarter.
When the two sides exchanged turnovers to begin the third, it looked like Salina would be in for more of the same, but a Central touchdown lit the fuse on a firework show that would last the rest of the night.
The Mustangs threw a pick deep in Cougar territory, but immediately recovered an Armane Redmond fumble on the four, cashing in a Griffin Hall rushing score to take a 9-7 lead.
South countered with a deep ball from Telles to Jay Curtis to reclaim a short-lived lead before Alex Garcia housed the ensuing kickoff to put the Mustangs back on top 17-14.
Not to be outdone, Telles found Sacred Heart transfer Noah Hines over the middle on another deep shot, and Hines did the rest with his legs, taking the 50-yard score into the end zone for the second touchdown of his debut.
Central never flinched, and on the very next drive the Mustangs reclaimed a 24-21 lead when Griffin Hall found Eli Kreighbaum streaking down the seam for a 48-yard touchdown of their own.
After driving the length of the field, Noah Hines completed his hat trick with a reception in the flat, making a Mustang miss and diving to the goal line to restore a 28-24 lead to the Cougars.
After a total of just ten first-half points, this game produced nine drives, six lead-changing touchdowns, and three turnovers in the third quarter alone.
The first stop in nearly ten minutes came at the very end of the third, as South stopped the Mustangs on fourth down to take over with a chance to take the games first two-score lead.
Telles wasted no time doing just that, loading up his fifth touchdown pass of the night on another deep shot to Jay Curtis to put the Cougars ahead 35-24.
Central elected to take the points on the ensuing drive, knocking through a 23-yard Ethan Gragg field goal, then pouncing on an onside kick that caromed off a Cougar on the front line.
With new life down by eight, the Mustangs marched down the field and scored on another connection from Hall to Kreighbaum to cut the lead to just two.
Hall rolled to his right on the 2-point conversion attempt, but with the passing options covered, was forced to make a cut to the goal line to try to tie the game on the ground.
Football is a game of inches, and tonight, Hall would come up just one inch short, as the Cougars wrestled him to the ground at the goal line.
As the realization set in, the Salina South faithful erupted into raptures; for the first time in seven years, the Mayor’s Cup would be theirs.
Telles finished the night 11-19 with over 200 yards and five touchdown passes, including three to Sacred Heart transfer Noah Hines, and two to Jay Curtis, who led the team in receiving in 2025.
For the first time since their 10-2 2014 season, the Cougars are 1-0, and after knocking off the defending champs, it feels like things are just getting started at Salina South.
The Cougars will get a huge follow-up test at home against Maize next week while the Mustangs look to bounce back on the road against Goddard.
This game was broadcast 100% free on Salina Post, and you can relive every moment by tuning in below.