Minneola (7-0) at Bucklin (7-0)
This will decide the Eight-Man, Division II, District 7 championship. Bucklin, Minneola, Dighton, Victoria, Burlingame and three-time defending state champion Axtell are the lone undefeated teams left in the classification. Bucklin was expected to make a big improvement after multiple close losses and a sub-.500 record last fall. Minneola continues to deliver huge offensive numbers. Bucklin has one close game, a 24-18 overtime home win versus Sublette in Week 3. Minneola beat Spearville, 30-26, in Week 2, and won at South Gray, 82-80, in five overtimes in Week 5. Bucklin has not had a perfect regular season in at least 30 years. Minneola has won back-to-back in the series, including a 60-32 win last year. Junior Levi Lang has paced Minneola with 78 of 112 passing for 1,174 yards with 21 scores against seven interceptions. Junior Tyson Klotz has posted 58 carries for 633 yards and eight scores. Lang has rushed for 12 touchdowns. Jesse Smith has delivered 29 catches for 504 yards and 11 scores. Senior quarterback Lucas Kirk has 1,041 offensive yards and accounted for 22 scores for Bucklin. Minneola has won games with its high-flying offense for several years, but Bucklin’s depth could yield a district title.
Bucklin 52, Minneola 46 (Nicholl)
8MI No. 3 South Central (7-0) at Oxford (5-2)
This is for the Eight-Man, Division I, District 5 title. Both squads are 4-0 in district play. SC, the reigning Eight-Man, Division II state runner-up, has utterly dominated Kansas opponents. The T-Wolves have scored at least 50 points in every contest. Sophomore Easton Huck has passed for 524 yards with 12 scores against zero interceptions. Senior JT Prusa was an all-state quarterback last year and switched to running back. He has rushed 60 times for 744 yards and 18 scores. SC has scored on nearly one-third of its offensive plays: 51 of 161. Senior Cordell Jordan has rushed 73 times for 816 yards and 13 scores. Senior Johnathan Schroeder has delivered 1,062 offensive yards with 22 touchdowns. A win gives Oxford its most victories since 2016, though SC might have too much firepower.
Predicton: South Central 42, Oxford 22 (Nicholl)
8M2 No. 1 Axtell (7-0) at 8M2 No. 5 Frankfort (6-1)
Axtell has won 46 straight games, the longest current run in Kansas eight-man football history. The Eagles pulled away from rival Hanover in a 58-12 victory. Axtell has won 20 straight by the 45-point margin. The Eagles are the strong favorite to win District 3 – and the state title. Frankfort stands at 6-1, 3-1 with only a 28-22 road loss at Hanover in Week 4. Axtell has its remarkable senior duo of Brandon Schmelzle and Eli Broxterman, while Frankfort counters with its great passing game. This could be the first of two meetings this fall. Schmelzle accounted for 313 yards in last week’s win against Hanover. Axtell won both these matchups last year by a combined score of 98-6.
Prediction: Axtell 50, Frankfort 20 (Nicholl)
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