Week five features a trio of key district games as Lyndon travels to Olpe in 2-1A, Burlingame is on the road at 8 Man-I Lebo, and Caldwell takes on South Barber in 8 Man-II action. Elsewhere, the Centennial League produces another match-up of ranked opponents as 4A #1 Hayden takes on 6A #5 Topeka High. Finally, a pair of the state’s best quarterbacks will do battle in the Heart of America League as Caleb Cherryholmes and Whitewater Remington takes on Derek Racette and powerful Hutchinson Trniity.
Each Thursday throughout the regular season, The Pick List will feature six of the best match-ups across the state, and we will make our predictions on a handful of other games.
Feature Games of the Week:
4A #1 Topeka Hayden (3-1) at 6A #5 Topeka High (4-0)
Perhaps no team in Kansas high school football has made bigger strides in the last three seasons than the Topeka High Trojans under fifth year coach Walt Alexander.
After going 3-6 in 2008 and 0-3 in district play the Trojans went 6-4 last year and 2-1 in a district that included powers Junction City and Manhattan.
The progression continues as the Trojans are 4-0 with wins over 4A power Holton 33-22 in week one and solid 5A opponents Shawnee Heights (49-31) and Topeka Seaman (37-14).
Perennial 4A power Topeka Hayden is 3-1 with only the week one loss to 6A's #2 ranked Manhattan Indians (7-6) keeping them from early season perfection.
Last week the Wildcats got a scare from a previously undefeated Washburn Rural, but Hayden survived 23-21 when an errant Rural snap went through the endzone for a safety with 13 seconds left.
Comparing common opponents would appear to give the Trojans the edge as they handled Seaman 37-14 in week three while Hayden posted a 10-point win over the Vikings 29-19 in week two.
For the Trojans, it’s quarterback Tevyn Harmon and running back Caleb Walker in the backfield running behind four returning starters on the offensive line.
The Wildcats rely on junior QB Grant Arnold and senior back Alec Steuber to fuel the Hayden offense.
Our Pick: Topeka High 23, Hayden 10
Whitewater Remington (4-0) at 3A #3 Hutchinson Trinity (4-0)
In a battle of two of the state's most prolific passing quarterbacks the Derek Racette led Hutchinson-Trinity Celtics will host undefeated Heart of America League foe Whitewater Remington quarterbacked by Caleb Cherryholmes.
Through three games Racette has piled up 1,071 yards passing completing 43 of 56 passes with an unbelievable 20 touchdowns. Racette averages nearly 25 yards per completion and has thrown only one interception.
After passing for over 1,600 yards last season the 5-10, 170 pound Cherryholmes has been similarly impressive in 2010 including a 336 yard passing performance in the season opener against Sterling and a 10 of 12, 122 yard, three touchdown passing performance in a week three dismantling of Ell-Saline where he also returned an interception 90 yards on defense for another Bronco score.
The key in this one will be the play of the two team's defensive backfields.
Our Pick: Trinity 36, Remington 22
Burlingame (4-0) at 8 Man-I #3 Lebo (4-0)
The race for the Lyon County League championship and more importantly a key District 3 match-up in 8 Man Division 1 is on the line as unbeaten Burlingame travels to Lebo.
Burlingame has been flying under the radar in 8 Man Division I thus far this season. The Bearcats have put up 240 points in four games this season for an average of 60 per contest.
Burlingame’s offense is led by senior back Jason Clem. Clem has carried 37 times this season for 581 yards for an average of 15.7 yards per carry.
Fellow senior back Ty Lang also has the ability to produce big numbers. Lang rushed ten times for 207 yards and five touchdowns last week in the Bearcats win over Waverly.
The competition will get much stiffer this week as Lebo is surrendering only 16 points per game.
The Lebo offense has also been impressive in scoring 53 points per game.
Junior quarterback Trevor White has led the Wolves by completing 25 of 42 passes for 308 yards and seven touchdowns. When White looks to throw, it’s typically to wide receiver Alex Linsey.
The Wolves also have game breaking threats in the backfield with Austin Holmes (340 yards) and Dylan Kelley. Both Holmes and Kelley returned kickoffs for touchdowns last week against Cair Paraval.
Lebo bested Burlingame 32-20 in week one last season, but don’t be surprised if the Bearcats pull off the upset.
Our Pick: Burlingame 34, Lebo 26
Lyndon (4-0) at 2-1A #3 Olpe (4-0)
In the first of several big games in a loaded 2-1A District 1, unbeaten Lyndon will travel to Olpe to take on the third-ranked Eagles.
Much of the talk about District 1 has revolved around unbeatens #1 Colgan, #3 Olpe, and #4 Oswego. Meanwhile, the Lyndon Tigers have silently been gaining momentum by outscoring four Flint Hills League opponents.
The Tigers have posted impressive wins over Council Grove (39-34), and Northern Heights (41-28).
The Tigers feature a myriad of offensive weapons including junior tailback Nick Walsh and senior wide out Trey Brown.
Walsh has rushed for 561 yards and eight touchdowns this season in averaging more than nine yards per carry. Brown has averaged 23 yards per reception and has scored three times. Add in fellow senior wide out Curtis Wendling, and the Tigers have the potential to be very balanced.
The effectiveness of that balance will likely depend on junior quarterback Jordan Tillman. Tillman has thrown for 337 and eight touchdowns in replacing an all-state performer in Derek Banzhaf.
For Olpe, Linden Stueve has been the workhorse out of the backfield. The senior has carried 92 times for 494 yards and fives scores thus far this season.
Tyson Pettijohn has also provided a rushing threat for the Eagles. Pettijohn has rushed for four touchdowns for Olpe.
The Eagles enter this game battle tested as all five Eagle opponents this season have entered the game unbeaten. Olpe’s first four opponents are a combined 12-4 on the year.
The difference maker in this match-up may be the Olpe defense which has surrendered only 12 points per game.
Our Pick: Olpe 26, Lyndon 21
8 Man-II #4 Caldwell (4-0) at South Barber (3-1)
Caldwell visits South Barber in a game that could decide the 8 Man Division II District 4 champion. The Blue Jays are ranked #4 in our Division II poll, while South Barber fell out of our rankings after a 37-2 loss to Division I #1 ranked Pretty Prairie.
The discussion about Caldwell has to begin with their talented quarterback Braden Lebeda. Through four games this season, Lebeda has completed 59 percent of his passes for 508 yards and nine touchdowns. He has also rushed for 266 yards and two more scores. Lebeda seems to be spreading the ball around more this season after putting up gaudy numbers last fall including 1,250 yards rushing with 21 touchdowns, and 1,362 yards passing with 24 scores.
The Blue Jays have been led in rushing by senior Alex Davis who has rushed for 338 yards and six touchdowns on just 32 players.
Dalton Whaley has been the primary receiving target for the Blue Jays catching 17 balls for 235 yards and three scores.
South Barber simply ran into a buzz saw last week in the Pretty Prairie Bulldogs. The Chieftains entered that game averaging more than 55 points per game, but could only muster a safety against the Bulldogs.
After a strong start to the season, QB Christian Johnston was held to just over 100 yards passing threw three interceptions. Johnston will look to get the Chieftains back on target by looking for his big targets at wide receiver including Dillon Molz and Luke Yearout.
Matthew McMurray has the ability to produce big games out of the backfield for South Barber, and will need to do so if the Chieftains are going to outscore Caldwell.
Our Pick: Caldwell 36, South Barber 20
Smith Center (3-1) at Norton (4-0)
Norton, a regular playoff qualifier, broke through the second round playoff barrier last season and scored a win over current 3A #3 ranked Hutch-Trinity in a third round playoff match-up which delivered a Sub-State Championship berth.
The Blue Jays hit a buzz saw in that game, the eventual 3A State Champion Wichita Collegiate Spartans, but nine players that started on either offense or defense came out of the game with experience and a mission - a trip to the 2010 3A title game.
Through four games the Blue Jays appear on track to make a deep playoff run as they've outscored their first four opponents 163-16 and pitched three shutouts in the process.
The offense goes through the strong legs of running back Terrell Lane. Lane has posted 529 rushing yards through four games and scored 8 touchdowns.
On defense, senior linebacker Kaid McKenna is following up his 131 tackle performance from a year ago quite nicely, averaging over 11 tackles a game and posting 45 total tackles, two caused fumbles and one recovered fumble so far.
But for all the success the Blue Jays have had early in this season, a win over Smith Center this week would have to provide a measure of satisfaction as Norton has suffered close calls in each of the past two years against the powerhouse Redmen, including a 20-14 loss last year and a 22-20 defeat in 2008.
The Smith Center Redmen are synonymous with success in Kansas high school football, but a host of injuries on the offensive and defensive lines, a lack of depth at a number of positions, and troubles in the defensive secondary have the Redmen looking mortal for the first time in seven seasons, posting their first loss in the regular season since 2003 to Phillipsburg in week two and putting up human first half scoring numbers.
With a veteran coaching staff and decades of tradition one can never count out the Redmen, but this could be the year the Blue Jays exact their revenge.
Our Pick: Norton 28, Smith Center 12
The Pick List:
8 Man II #1 Baileyville B&B (4-0) at Axtell (3-1) – B&B
Wichita East (3-1) at Bishop Carroll (3-1) – Carroll
5A #4 St. Thomas Aquinas (4-0) at Bishop Miege (2-2) – Aquinas
Neodesha (3-1) at Cherryvale (3-1) – Cherryvale
Coffeyville (1-3) at Independence (4-0) – Independence
Colby (3-1) at Ulysses (3-1) – Ulysses
8 Man-I Jetmore-Hodgeman Co. (4-0) at Deerfield (3-1) – Hodgeman Co.
Eudora (3-1) at Paola (2-2) – Paola
Jefferson West (3-1) at 4A #2 Holton (3-1) – Holton
5A #1 Hutchinson (3-1) at Salina South (2-2) – Hutchinson
Shawnee Mission East (3-1) at Lawrence Free State (3-1) – Free State
Macksville (3-1) at 8 Man-I #1 Pretty Prairie (4-0) – Pretty Prairie
2-1A #2 Meade (3-1) at Stanton County (4-0) – Meade
Washington County (4-0) at Phillipsburg (4-0) – Phillipsburg
Riley County (3-1) at Rossville (3-1) – Rossville
Rock Creek (4-0) at 3A #2 Silver Lake (3-1) – Silver Lake
Royal Valley (4-0) at Perry-Lecompton (4-0) – Perry-Lecompton
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