Saturday Playoff Preview

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Contrasting styles of play will clash in Kansas City on Saturday as the Baldwin Bulldogs travel northeast to take on KC Sumner Academy. This game will be played at Wyandotte High School in Kansas City.

The Bulldogs are in the midst of a great turnaround season. After winning just two games in 2009 and being shutout 62-0 in the first round of the playoffs to eventual champion Bishop Miege, Baldwin is 9-1 this year. The Bulldogs only loss came 42-26 to second-ranked Louisburg.

Baldwin is led by senior back Josh Hoffman (6-2, 190) and quarterback Ryan Rogers (5-11, 205). Hoffman has rushed for more than 1,200 yards and 18 touchdowns this season, while Rogers has contributed more than 800 yards on the ground with 10 scores. 

On Tuesday, the pair’s involvement in the passing game propelled the Bulldogs past Blue Valley Southwest and into the second round. Rogers hit Hoffman for touchdown passes of 85 and 43 yards as the Bulldogs built a 14-0 halftime lead en route to a 26-7 win.

The Sumner Sabres advanced to Saturday by knocking off previously unbeaten Basehor-Linwood 36-22. 

Senior quarterback Armond Brisbanecompleted 24 of 34 passes for 287 yards and four touchdowns as the Sabres built a 24-0 lead and held on after the Bobcats got within 24-22. 

Sumner has multiple offensive weapons in Marcus Allen, Benny Parker, and Vernon Vaughn. Any of those three could have break out games and really put pressure on opposing defenses. On Tuesday it was Vaughn, who caught 11 passes for 138 yards and two of Brisbane’s touchdown passes.

For Sumner to advance, they’ll need to slow down the physical running attack of the Bulldogs and rely on big plays of their own.

A showdown between one of the state’s best backfields against one of the state’s top defenses will take place at the Community Sports Complex in Chanute on Saturday night. 

Second-ranked Louisburg will bring a staunch defense that is allowing just over eight points per game into the game against the Blue Comets’ dual headed running attack. 

The Wildcats have rolled through their regular season schedule that featured five playoff teams, four of which are still alive in second-round action. Louisburg has survived tests against Frontier League rivals Baldwin (42-26) and Paola (21-3), while dispatching of 3A power Silver Lake 21-3 in week four.

The Wildcats are led on offense by senior quarterback Kody Cook who has been steady after returning from a knee injury that sidelined him for the 2009 season. 

Louisburg features a physical running game with the likes of Garrett Griffin (6-4, 220) and Alex Gentges (6-0, 225). Giffin, the son of Coach Gary Griffin, has rushed for more than 1,100 yards and 17 touchdowns this season.

The Wildcats success on offense and defense starts up front where Louisburg is anchored by linemen Tyler Ewy (6-3, 285) and Ross Dvorak (6-3, 255). 

Chanute has been on a roll since a week four loss to Pittsburg. The Blue Comets have won six straight and outscored their opponents by an average of 49 to 19 over that span.

Chanute is led by backs Eric Bowman and Jared McComb. Bowman leads the Comets with 1,620 yards and 23 touchdowns on the season, while McComb has rushed for more than 1,300 yards and 21 scores. 

McCombs did most of the damage in Chanute’s playoff opener against Columbus. The junior tailback rushed for 287 yards and seven touchdowns in the Comets 58-35 win.

Both backs will have to have solid efforts against the Wildcat defense that only surrendered 110 rushing yards to Paola in week nine.

Abilene has quietly posted an undefeated season in 2010 and they appear to be hitting their stride at just the right time in manhandling Clay Center 47-14 Tuesday night to open the playoffs. A week-three match-up with Clay Center required a come-from-behind effort in a game that the Tigers controlled until late in the contest.

The Cowboys utilize a pistol offensive attack that features quarterback Nick Rice, running backs Kane Kelly and Jordon Ward and a huge offensive line highlighted by K-State commit Cody Whitehair.

For Buhler, junior tailback Tanner Fisher has replaced Jorden Oden nicely, rushing for nearly 2,000 yards and 34 touchdowns behind a big offensive line that features huge tackle Matt Dobson.

Steve Warner has been nothing short of stellar as the head coach at Buhler posting a 44-14 record in five seasons including the first undefeated regular season record as the Crusader head coach this season.

The Cowboys will have to find an answer for Fisher while the Crusaders will have to slow down an effective passing game in what could be an excellent second round contest.

The Andale Indians have only one loss this season, falling 31-8 to Rose Hill in Week 3. The significance in that loss is that the Holton Wildcats pulled out a 32-25 win against Rose Hill in the first round of the playoffs.

Andale has rattled off seven consecutive wins since that loss to Rose Hill, but has struggled through each of their last three games. The Indians needed a late turnover and touchdown to squeak by Wichita Trinity (30-26) and two late scores to pull away from Maize South (25-13). 

In those situations, Jake Hattabaugh seems to just refuse to allow Andale to lose. The senior had three touchdowns down the stretch on Tuesday as the Indians opened up a 20-14 game down the stretch.

Holton’s only two losses were to Class 6A Topeka High and 4A’s top-ranked Topeka Hayden.

The Wildcats feature a bruising rushing attack that averages over 400 yards per game. Gunnar McKenna and Brentt Donaldson lead the Wilcat backfield. 

Donaldson, a senior, rushed for 104 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries in Tuesday’s win against Rose Hill.

 

KC Piper (6-4) at DeSoto (6-4)

Paola (7-3) at Independence (9-1)

Topeka Hayden (9-1) at Mulvane (6-4)

Ulysses (8-2) at Hesston (8-2)

It will be the second meeting of the season for the Riley County Falcons and the Silver Lake Eagles. The first outing ended with a 21-7 victory for the Eagles.

However, Riley County may be facing an even more difficult Silver Lake team this time around.

The Eagles appear to have been gaining steam with senior quarterback gradually improving after missing the first three games with a hand injury.

Kruger has improved his completion percentage from 33 percent (5 of 15) in his first game to 78 percent (11 of 14) in the first round of the playoffs against Northern Heights.

Kruger’s return to form has been evident in Silver Lake’s play. The Eagles have won their last three games by a combined score of 180-12.

However, Riley County is not an easy opponent. The Falcons own a 35-21 win against Rossville this season and earned a 28-6 win over Sabetha in the first round of the playoffs.

Riley County quarterback Bryce Chavis had 174 yards passing and 120 yards on the ground against Sabetha.

There’s no doubt the focus of the Wellsville Eagles defense will be to stop Neodesha’s Anthony Thayer. The Neodesha senior has rushed for more than 1,400 yards this season, including 463 yards and seven touchdowns in the past two games.

The Blue Streaks will be facing a Wellsville team which has won its last seven games after a heart-breaking last-second field goal sailed through the uprights in a 10-8 loss to Olpe in Week 3. The Eagle defense is on a roll having posted five shutouts this season, including four in their last five games.

Offensively, the Eagles are led on the ground by seniors Dalton Hughes (871 yards, 12 TDs) and Brandon Ebeck (769 yards, 14 TDs). Hughes rushed for 129 yards and three touchdowns on just seven carries, and Ebeck added 141 yards while scoring on three of his four carries in Tuesday’s 61-0 blowout of Frontenac.

Neodesha also shutout Frontenac; 27-0 in week one.

The Redmen are two rounds deep in the playoffs for the eighth straight season, but injuries and a lack of depth has Smith Center with two losses in the regular season for the first time since 2002. For Scott City, the Beavers are looking for a state title game berth after heartbreaking playoff losses to Garden Plain (28-14) in 2006, Conway Springs (6-0) in 2007, Garden Plain (20-17) in 2008, and Wichita Collegiate (19-17) last year.

The Beavers feature a number of offensive weapons led by senior quarterback Ron Baker. Baker has thrown for 800 yards with eight touchdowns and two interceptions while also rushing for 269 yards and eight more scores in 2010. Baker uses a number of weapons in the passing game as five players have caught passes for more than 80 yards this season led by Brayden Robinson with 12 catches for 261 yards. It's also running back by committee for the Beavers as four different running backs have more than 350 yards rushing led by senior Jason Williams who has 643 yards and nine rushing touchdowns.

Colbourn Couchman is a force on defense for Scott City posting seven sacks.

Injuries have derailed a Redmen offense that is usually among the best in all of Kansas high school football. Truitt Kuhlmann has been the spark the running game has needed recently spelling the McNary twins and rushing for 136 yards and two touchdowns in a district win versus Minneapolis and 191 yards and four scores in Tuesday's 28-6 playoff win over Sterling.

It will be a challenged for the Redmen to run the ball on a Scott City defense that has allowed only 15 points in its last four games and 76 points total on the season. The Beavers have posted victories over three teams from class 4A and one from class 6A in 2010.

In one of the state's best rivalry games the Owls and Cardinals will meet for the second time this season after Conway Springs delivered Garden Plain their first loss of the year with a 29-14 decision in week four. That victory was the third straight in this series for Conway Springs.

In the first match-up it was Conway Springs' Cory Misak who kept the Owls on their heels as he rushed for 173 yards and two touchdowns and also had a 72-yard punt return for a touchdown. For the Owls their offense features a number of threats including running backs Reed Hartshorn and Joey Capul.

Only twice in the last five seasons has either team finished with less than 10 wins (Garden Plain, 8-2 last season; Conway Springs, 6-3 in 2006) and from 2006 through 2008 one of the two teams finished the season in the 3A title game (Garden Plain, runner-up '06, champs '07; Conway Springs, champs '08).

 

Caney Valley (8-2) at Southeast-Cherokee (3-7)

Atchison County (9-1) at Rossville (7-3)

Wichita Collegiate (9-1) at Hutchinson Trinity (9-1)

Norton (9-0) at Beloit (8-2)

The Colony Crest Lancers and the Lebo Wolves have a lot in common. Not only do both teams come into Saturday’s second-round playoff game with 9-1 records, both teams suffered 46-0 losses to Madison.

The Lancers like to take to teams on the ground. Sophomore running back Kyle Hammond has ran for 1,509 yards and 23 touchdowns on 192 carries. Hammond had a huge game on Tuesday breaking loose for 270 yards and three touchdowns in the Lancers’ win over Cedar Vale-Dexter. He also caught a touchdown pass and returned a kick for a score in that game.

Senior running back Dakota Ramsey has rushed for 525 yards and six touchdowns on 103 carries.

Lebo earned a big 50-42 road win in the first round of the playoffs against the previously fifth-ranked Lakeside-Downs Knights.

The Wolves may be hitting their stride as quarterback Trevor White returned from injury on Tuesday. White threw a 65-yard TD pass to Alex Linsey to seal the win against the Knights.

If one thing is for sure in Saturday’s second-round playoff battle, it’s that the Madison Bulldogs pass defense better be ready.

Because the Central Burden Raiders are going to come out throwing.

Junior quarterback Bo Savage has completed 183 of 296 passes (61.8 percent) for 2,836 yards and 52 touchdowns this season. He hit receivers on 23 of 29 passes for 339 yards and six touchdowns in Tuesday’s 54-8 win against St. Paul in the first round.

Savage has plenty of targets in Kolton Price (78 rec., 964 yds, 21 TDs), Ky Biddle (62-1,069-18) and John White (38-678-11).

Luckily for Madison, its defense has been strong all year, pitching six shutouts this season and allowing only 16 points over the first eight games.

The Raiders have struggled rushing the ball all season, and being one-demensional against Madison could spell trouble.  

Expect Madison running back Kole Schankie to have a big game. The junior rushed for 355 yards and eight touchdowns in the Bulldogs’ first-round win over Clifton-Clyde.

 

The Osborne Bulldogs have flourished in their first year of 8-Man football capitalizing on the speed of running back Damon Schurr and the experience of quarterback Ethan Slothower.

The Bulldogs have found the going much easier than the 11-man Mid-Continent League where they finished with eight wins in the past four seasons including a 3-6 record a year ago.

Schurr was spectacular in an opening round win over Peabody-Burns scoring on touchdown runs of 34, 52, 34, 18 and 44 yards. Slothower added touchdown runs of 64 and 7 yards as the Bulldogs rolled 52-6.

Pretty Prairie has defined dominance this season scoring at least 46 points in nine of ten contests and allowing only 48 points total in their 10 wins with an amazing six shutouts, a rarity in 8-Man football.

The Bulldogs of Pretty Prairie had high expectations coming into the season with seven starters back from a team that finished 11-1 in 2009.

Running back Daniel Krehbiel and quarterback Hunter Pittman fuel the Pretty Prairie offense.

 

The Longhorns have recovered nicely from a mid-season stretch that saw a close loss to Deerfield and three close victories to post four straight wins where they scored 58 points or more.

Tuesday night the Longhorns were dominant in a playoff victory over a solid Macksville team, and Evan Kreger continued to score points in bunches for the Longhorns tallying five total touchdowns.

Hill City quarterback Reggie Jordan was spectacular in his team's 50-0 first-half win over Lincoln rushing for three touchdowns, passing for another and posting an interception on defense.

Jordan has accounted for over 2,500 yards of total offense this season and he gets help from running back Adam Pfeifer and big, physical fullback/h-back Tyler Bess.

The Ringneck defense is also impressive ranked third in 8-Man Division I in scoring defense behind only Pretty Prairie and Madison.

Hill City posted their first playoff win in school history Tuesday night while Hodgeman County combined two football powerhouses in Jetmore and Hanston for the first year in 2010.

The two teams have a common opponent in Wakeeney-Trego which Hodgeman County beat 54-6 in week two and Hill City dispatched 54-8 in week seven.

 

Two undefeated teams are set to butt heads Saturday as the top-ranked Baileyville B&B Falcons will travel to face the No. 5 Centre-Lost Springs Cougars.

Centre is led by senior quarterback Tanner Brunner, who rushed for 139 yards and two touchdowns in Tuesday’s 44-26 win against South Haven. Brunner seems to be that do-it-all player for the Cougars have put up multiple big games rushing and passing.

Rustyn Kerbs and Casey Kristek give Centre some more options in the running game.

The Cougars will have their hands full with a strong Falcons’ squad, which finished second in 8-Man Division I a year ago. 

Baileyville pitched a 50-0 shutout Tuesday against a Quivira Heights team, which had produced 43 points a game.

Senior linebacker Austin Schraad (68 tackles), senior defensive end Logan Haug (5 sacks) and junior safety Dylan Buessing (3 interceptions) are among the leaders on defense for Baileyville.

The Falcon offense welcomed the return of quarterback Eric Huerter who promptly threw for 114 yards and three touchdowns while completing all seven of this passes.

Centre has had an unbelievable year, but B&B is just on an entire different level.

The Caldwell Bluejays’ no huddle and spread offense can produce a lot of points.

And they’re going to need to do so Saturday to have a chance of beating the two-time defending state champion Hanover Wildcats.

Caldwell scored 71 points in Tuesday’s first-round win against Waverly.

Quarterback Braden Lebeda threw for 248 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 150 yards and two TDs in the win. Alex Davis also elipsed the 100-yard mark against the Bulldogs.

Lebeda is a threat to pass or run having passed for more than 1,000 yards and rushed for more than 900 yards this season.

But he may find yards hard to come by on Saturday.

Hanover has surrendered just 63 points in 10 games this season; nearly unheard of in 8-man football. Thirty-one of those points came in a three-point overtime loss to top-ranked Baileyville B&B. The Wildcats have posted five shutouts and given up only two points in another game.  

The Wildcat offensive attack is led by senior quarterback Austin Steinfort (1,049 yards passing, 25 touchdowns, 4 interceptions) who should produce enough points to have Hanover in a rematch with Baileyville for a trip to the state championship next week.

Only two years ago Otis-Bison and Cheylin shared four wins between the two programs, but the teams have combined for a great turnaround story.

After a 2-7 record in 2008, the Cougars of Otis-Bison delivered a 10-1 record in 2009 with victories over dominant programs Macksville, Victoria and Sharon Springs before falling in the second round of the playoffs to eventual 8-Man Division II State Runner-up Quivira Heights.

Similarly, Cheylin has posted six total wins the last three seasons before jumping out to a 10-0 start in 2010 including a 56-6 win over Victoria Tuesday night.

For Otis-Bison Michael Hlavaty and Patrick Piper are forces on offense while Cheylin is led by 6-4 quarterback Caleb Keltz and running back Dalton Magnani.

Cheylin has had a good run, but it may come to an end at the hands of Otis-Bison.

Thunder Ridge ended Sharon Springs-Wallace County's four game winning streak Tuesday night and scored 72 points in the process. The Longhorns continued their own eight game winning streak after posting season opening losses to Hill City (40-28) and Hanover (50-18).

Ashland is unbeaten behind the strong running of Ben Fox and Erwin Swonger and looked dominant in their 48-0 first-round playoff win over Chase.

If the Longhorns are to slow down the Bluejays offensive machine that has scored at least 44 points in every game this season they'll need their best defensive performance of the year. Thunder Ridge has allowed more than 40 points three times this season and is 1-2 in those games.