Week six features some of the biggest games on the 2010 schedule. Two 5A frontrunners collide as Gardner-Edgerton travels to McPherson to take on Tom Young’s Bullpups. In the 8 Man ranks, it doesn’t get much better than #1 versus #2 in the best conference in 8-man football, the Twin Valley League. Hanover visits Baileyville B&B in a game that should decide the district, and the favorite for the Division II title later this fall. Finally this week’s feature game in the loaded Class 2-1A District 1 pits #1 St. Mary’s Colgan visiting #4 Oswego.
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:
8 Man-II #2 Hanover (5-0) at 8 Man-II #1 Baileyville B&B (5-0)
It doesn’t get much better than #1 versus #2.
The Hanover Wildcats, riding the state’s longest winning streak, will travel to Baileyville to take on the B&B Falcons.
The Wildcats’ last loss? September 12, 2009 28-14 to Baileyville B&B.
That game began on a Friday and had to be finished on a Saturday due to weather. Since, Hanover has won 16 consecutive games, including the 8 Man Division II state title last fall.
Both teams took heavy losses to graduation, but both return seven of 16 starters.
In dropping down to 8 Man-II this season, the B&B Falcons have averaged 65 points per game while allowing only 13. The Falcon offense is led by junior quarterback Eric Huerter who has combined for 525 yards of total offense with 14 touchdowns.
B&B features a balanced rushing attack with Dylan Buessing (295 yards, 7 TD), Mitch Engelken (246 yards, 8TD), Huerter (220 yards, 6TD), and fullback Cody Heiman (165 yards, 4TD).
Hanover, on the other hand, has been led by a defense that has allowed only 26 total points all season. The Wildcats shutdown Axtell to just six points in a 54-6 win. B&B allowed 32 points to the same Axtell team in a week five 68-32 win.
The Wildcats are talented on offense too, led by senior quarterback Austin Steinfort. Steinfort has completed 61 percent of his attempts this season for 691 yards and 15 touchdowns. Eight of those touchdown tosses have went to Connor Hynek who has 13 catches for 372 yards.
Ethan Diederich leads the Hanover ground game with 313 yards and five scores, but the Wildcats have other options. Steinfort has added 286 yards and seven scores, while Dylan Bruna has rushed for nearly 250 yards.
The teams have alternated two-year winning streaks in this series over the past six years with B&B winning the last two.
Following that trend, it’s Hanover’s turn.
Our Pick: Hanover 30, B&B 26
5A #2 Gardner-Edgerton (5-0) at 5A #3 McPherson (5-0)
In one of the season's most highly anticipated match-ups undefeated and second ranked Gardner-Edgerton will travel to McPherson to play the undefeated and third ranked Bullpups in a battle of two of the Sunflower State's most explosive offenses and two of the state's elite offensive weapons in G-E quarterback Bubba Starling and Mac wideout Christian Ulsaker.
Both teams have dominated through the first five games of the season with the Trailblazers scoring 263 points and the Bullpups tallying 251 points thus far. Stars Starling and Ulsaker were just that in big wins last week as Bubba rushed for 197 yards and three touchdowns and Chrstian caught two touchdown passes and returned a punt 70-yards for another score.
Also noteworthy for McPherson is the play of running back Kevin O'Connor. O'Connor missed the Bullpups game with Goddard two weeks ago due to an ankle injury but appeared healthy in last week's win rushing for 50 yards on five carries and one touchdown in only one half of play.
Each team has yet to be tested - except for G-E's win over Bishop Miege - as the Trailblazers opponents have posted a combined 6-19 record to open the season and the Bulldogs have faced opponents who have gone a combined 11-14. The Trailblazers stiffest competition came from last year's 4A state champ (now 5A) Bishop Miege in a 43-29 win in week three and McPherson posted their biggest victory over the opponent with the best record, the Andover Central Jaguars, who are 4-1 including a 46-7 loss to the Bullpups.
This game also features two of the best coaches in Kansas high school history in Marvin Diener and Tom Young. Diener has turned G-E into a power in only five seasons after a highly successful career at Salina Central and Young is one of only five coaches in Kansas history to win more than 300 games.
The key in this match-up will be the play of the defenses as one of the two high flying offenses will have to be shut down.
Our Pick: G-E 35, McPherson 28
2-1A #1 St. Mary’s Colgan (5-0) at 2-1A #4 Oswego (5-0)
Arrowhead Stadium will be rocking on Friday night as two of the top teams in Class 2-1A clash when #1 Colgan travels to #4 Oswego.
The 2009 season was a program-defining one for the Oswego Indians. In just Andy Fewin’s second season as head coach, the Indians sailed through the regular season undefeated and captured the school’s first ever district championship. Prior to Fewin taking over, Oswego has won just five total games in the previous four seasons.
They would finish 2009 at 10-1 with a 20-16 loss to Olpe in the second-round of the playoffs. It was the Indians first playoff appearance since 2003.
With 18 total starters returning, expectations were extremely high entering 2010. Led by dual-threat quarterback Lane Martin, the Indians haven’t disappointed. They’ve rolled to a 5-0 start by averaging 48 points per game behind a big offensive line that includes Zach Campbell (6-4, 240), Zack Garcia (6-3, 255), Brandon Bates (6-2, 340), Logan Spore (6-0, 215), Dustin White (6-1, 175), and Ryan Schenker (6-5, 200).
But Oswego will now face the toughest test of their season when they host Colgan.
Colgan has outscored its opponents 248-7 this season; allowing only a late touchdown after the starters had been pulled.
The Panthers have yet to really get in a rhythm on offense as the defense has continuously given Colgan the ball with short fields to work with. In fact, the Colgan defense has already returned two fumbles and two interceptions for touchdowns this season.
A key factor in this game may be special teams. The Panthers have displayed a lethal return game with Andy Farm and Zach Smith. Farmer has returned two punts for touchdowns and Smith a punt and a kickoff for a score.
Add-in junior kicker Austin Barone who has already connected on four field goals, and the Panthers can score in a number of ways.
Oswego will need to control the ball to win, but Colgan’s defense and overall team speed may be too much.
Our Pick: Colgan 28, Oswego 12
8 Man-I #1 Pretty Prairie (5-0) at 8 Man-I #5 Kiowa County (4-1)
Pretty Prairie's domination through five games has been impressive. The Bulldogs have outscored opponents 261-36 and pitched three shutouts. In their most recent victory over formidable district foe Macksville they got 283 total yards and seven touchdowns (three rushing, four passing) from senior quarterback Hunter Pittman and 82 yards from star running back Daniel Krehbiel as they scored 68 points against the Mustangs.
The Bulldogs now face seemingly unstoppable Kiowa County quarterback Ross Binford and a 4-1 Maverick team that is undefeated in district play. Binford rushed for an amazing 508 yard, six touchdown performance in last week's 58-42 victory over South Central to increase his season total to 1,542 yards and a whopping 25 touchdowns in only five games.
But if Binford and company are to stay undefeated in district play they'll have to stiffen up a defense that's allowed 140 points - an average of 28 points per game - already this season.
If the Bulldogs can't find a way to slow down Binford this could be a high scoring a affair, but Pretty Prairie appears locked and loaded on a season ending trip to Newton for the state title game.
Our Pick: Pretty Prairie 68, Kiowa County 32
Dodge City (5-0) at Hays (5-0)
The Western Athletic Conference title is on the line as undefeated league foes square-off in Hays in the final game before district play.
Dodge City is 5-0 under new head coach Dave Foster and after three dominant season opening victories over Wichita City League opponents the Red Demons have performed more than adequately in wins over WAC opponents Liberal (41-20) and Great Bend (31-14).
For Hays, second-year coach Ryan Cornelsen has picked up where he left off in 2009 opening 5-0 and dispatching three non-league foes easily while allowing only 10 points in wins over Liberal (30-7) and Garden City (17-3). In only two seasons Cornelsen has compiled one of the most impressive records through 14 games in Hays High history, going 12-2, including a 28-17 victory over the Red Demons in 2009.
The Red Demon offense is led by senior quarterback Jared Helfrich who completed 17 of 21 passes for 160 yards and added 107 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in last week's win over Great Bend. The Indian's potent ground game is spearheaded by fullback Josh Balman and running back Casey Sedbrook. Both are key players on the Hays High defense as well.
Our Pick: Hays High 17-14
Ulysses (4-1) at 3A #4 Scott City (5-0)
After opening the season with a lopsided loss to Liberal perennial 4A power Ulysses has reeled off four straight victories, including three by 36 points or more, the most recent to previously highly regarded 4A opponent Colby (47-6) last Friday.
Josh Jarnagin and Razzy Morales combined to rush for more than 240 yards and six touchdowns in the Tigers' win over the Eagles and Ulysses did not let Colby score until the fourth quarter when the Tigers were up 41-0.
For Scott City the Beavers are 5-0 behind a multi-tiered offensive attack that has witnessed five different players rush for more than 100 yards on the season led by running back Jason Williams and a passing game that has accounted for more than 500 yards through the air led by quarterback Ron Baker.
This game will serve as the first ever Great Western Activities Conference title game as both teams are perfect in conference play.
Our Pick: Scott City 27, Ulysses 12
The Pick List:
Baldwin (5-0) at 4A #3 Louisburg (5-0) – Louisburg
Bishop Carroll (4-1) at Kapaun Mt. Carmel (5-0) -- Carroll
Webb City (Mo.) (6-0) at 5A #4 St. Thomas Aquinas – Webb City
Marysville (3-2) at Abilene (5-0) – Abilene
Perry-Lecompton (4-1) at 4A #2 Holton (4-1) – Holton
Caney Valley (4-1) at Neodesha (3-2) – Caney Valley
Pleasant Ridge (5-0) at Effingham-Atchison Co. (5-0) – Atchison Co.
3A #2 Silver Lake (4-1) at Riley County (4-1) – Silver Lake
Sedgwick (4-1) at Whitewater Remington (4-1) – Remington
St. Marys (1-4) at Centralia (4-1) – Centralia
Inman (2-3) at LaCrosse (5-0) – LaCrosse
Troy (4-1) at Washington County (4-1) – Washington County
Hill City (4-1) at Sylvan-Lucas Unified (4-1) – Hill City
Mankato-Rock Hills (4-1) at Lincoln (4-1) – Rock Hills
8 Man-I #2 Madison (5-0) at Marais des Cygnes Valley (4-1) – Madison
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