By KLINT SPILLER

Hays Daily News

MEADE -- The Ellis prep football team matched Meade's offensive output on Friday night, but turnovers derailed the Railroaders as they fell 20-8 in a Class 2-1A sectional.

Ellis (10-2) averaged five yards per play but turned the ball over five times.

Senior quarterback Chase King threw three interceptions and gave up a fumble while junior running back Dylan Pfeifer lost a fumble on the opening drive.

"We didn't play our best today, and it showed on the scoreboard," King said.

Though the scoreboard didn't reflect it, on paper, the game was close. The Railers generated 260 total yards, only 32 fewer than Meade (10-1).

Pfeifer was a major component of the Railer attack, running for 92 yards on 16 carries and catching two passes for 40 yards. It was only the fourth time in 2008 that Pfeifer was held under the 100-yard mark rushing.

King threw more than he has all season, gaining 135 yards and completing 8-of-18 passes.

However, the Buffalos' single-wing offense proved to be too much for the Railers as Meade generated 298 yards rushing.

Meade senior Taylor Headrick ran for a season-best 155 yards and scored all of Meade's touchdowns, while senior Eddie Beachy ran for 94 yards on the Railer defense.

"We never have seen that type of offense before," King said. "We had trouble stopping it at first, but we made some changes to our defense at halftime. In the second half, we did a pretty good job stopping them. It just took too long to adapt to it."

Ellis had no problem getting going early, as Pfeifer led his team on a 10-play, 52-yard opening drive, but Pfeifer coughed the ball up inside the red zone.

Ellis had two other drives in the first half that stretched for more than 20 yards, but both ended in interceptions.

"(Meade) came out a little more fired up, I think," Pfeifer said. "Our long bus trip might have played a little bit of a factor."

Meade's first scores came in the second quarter. Headrick scored from 2 nd 4 yards out, and Meade converted one of the 2-point conversions.

The Buffalos went into the half with a 14-0 lead.

"(Meade) did a real nice job of their blocking schemes," Ellis coach Butch Hayes said. "We just didn't attack the line of scrimmage like we had practiced."

Meade took the opening kickoff of the second half for 40 yards, but the Buffalo offense stalled at midfield.

On third-and-8, missed tackles by Ellis in the Meade backfield ended in Headrick running for a 48-yard touchdown.

"We missed a few tackles and gave up that one touchdown in the second half," Hayes said. "That put us down three scores, and we just weren't able to overcome that."

Ellis attempted to rally, but two straight turnovers gave the ball back to the Buffaloes.

The Railers weren't able to put points on the board until late in the fourth quarter.

Facing third-and-12, King connected with Pfeifer over the middle, and thanks to sophomore wide receiver Jacob Kinderknecht leveling a Meade linebacker, Pfeifer had a clear alley to run through for the 27-yard score.

The touchdown capped an 80-yard drive -- the longest by either team.

"They gave their maximum effort, and I'm proud of these kids," Hayes said. "Meade was just a better ball club tonight."

It was a remarkable season for Ellis. It was only the second time in school history that the Railers made the sectional round of the 2-1A playoffs, and their 10 wins are the most in the school's history.

"We've played a lot of tough teams," King said. "We played good those games, and we beat a lot of tough teams. We just didn't bring our best tonight."

Meade will play four-time defending state champion Smith Center (11-0) in the sub-state title game.