These six games could be easily confused with late playoff match-ups, but instead they take place in the second week of district play for 11-man classes.
This week we bring you two games against ranked teams, and three others where both teams are unbeaten.
Can Washburn Rural end a long playoff drought? Who is the top team in Class 4A? Will the 300-win club make room for a sixth member coach?
Find out in Week 8’s Pick List.
Feature Games of the Week:
6A #2 Manhattan (7-0) at 6A #4 Washburn Rural (6-1)
These two teams have similar goals while their programs are in different stages of growth.
The Junior Blues are coming off one of the biggest wins in the program’s recent history with last week's district opening 35-14 defeat of Junction City. The Indians looked vulnerable in a 44-36 comeback victory over Topeka High in what continues to be one of the state's toughest districts.
For Rural the building project culminates with this game. The past two seasons the Junior Blues have entered district play with a 5-1 record, but no district wins have resulted in pad check-in rather than playoffs. For coach Derrick Hammes and superstar senior quarterback Skylar Curtis nothing less than a trip to the playoffs will satisfy, but a district championship would be icing on the cake.
For the Indians back-to-back 10-1 finishes have yielded narrow quarterfinal losses and this year's 7-0 start will mean little if it doesn't result in a trip to the state championship game, but the Indians must get by Rural and polish off fierce rival Junction City to get the inside track on a deep playoff run.
Last week, Curtis tallied 278 yards of total offense and scored four touchdowns to lead the Blues to the key win over JC, while senior running back Ty Suggs rushed for 214 yards as Manhattan came from behind to beat Topeka High and remain perfect on the season.
The Indians also got a huge play from Logan Mahan who returned the opening kick of the second half for a touchdown swinging the momentum back in Manhattan's direction.
The key to this contest could be the play of Rural's big defensive line against one of the state's best running backs in Suggs.
Judging from common opponent Topeka Hayden the two teams are only a few points apart as the Indians opened the season with a 22-17 win over their 4A league foe, while Rural dropped a 21-14 overtime decision to Hayden in week four.
Our Pick: Manhattan 21, Washburn Rural 20
4A #2 Holton (7-0) at 4A #1 Topeka Hayden (6-1)
In one of the best rivalries in all of Kansas high school football Holton and Hayden will battle in this match-up of the top two teams in class 4A.
Both teams started the season with tough games against 6A foes with Holton downing Topeka High 37-30 and Hayden narrowly edged by Manhattan 22-17. Since those week one contests, the two teams have gone largely untested with Hayden's week four win over Washburn Rural in overtime the only other close game.
Hayden has looked impressive in outscoring its last six opponents - 5 and 6A Centennial League teams - 240-51; while Holton has been even more dominate against its Big 7 cohorts - 3 and 4A teams - 319-32.
Holton has run the ball at will this season rushing for a whopping 2,918 yards and 39 touchdowns through seven games. They are averaging over 416 yards rushing per contest. Seven different Wildcats have rushed for at least 250 yards led by senior Jay Morris with 458 yards and followed closely by junior Cameron Karn with 418 yards on the ground.
Holton's stingy defense has allowed only 32 points total since surrendering 30 in their week one win over Topeka High. Linebackers Rob Riederer and Trent Tanking are two of the state's best tallying 75 and 64 tackles respectively. Tanking, a junior, has also nabbed three interceptions.
Hayden coach Bill Arnold - a Holton native - has his son Grant running the Wildcat offense from the QB spot where he's thrown for just over 700 yards. Running back Jason Tetuan fuels the ground game posting 507 yards on 63 carries this season.
Hayden plays lockdown defense as well allowing only 170 yards and 10 points per game against large class schools in the Centennial league.
The Wildcats of Holton dropped this one 27-13 last year, but went on to finish 4A runner-up to Louisburg after Hayden was sent home from the 2010 playoffs by Buhler.
Our Pick: Hayden 21, Holton 14
Caney Valley (7-0) at Galena (5-2)
A good battle between the Tri-Valley League and the CNC will take place at Abbey Field in Galena on Friday night as Caney Valley visits the host Bulldogs.
Prior to the season, these two were seen as contenders on the eastern side of Class 3A. Both teams are still trying to earn that designation as they continue play in a traditionally tough district.
Caney Valley has rolled to an unbeaten start behind an explosive offense and a stingy defense. Criss Davis’ Bullpups have averaged 44 points per game – and have scored that exact amount of points in their last three games.
Quarterback Nick Newton, fullbacks Bryan Dixon and Sam Wats, and half-backs Dustin Mallinax and Anthony Camper lead the Bullpups’ wishbone attack.
Caney’s defense has been just as impressive in surrendering just 12.7 points per contest – skewed only by a 55-34 shootout win over Burlington.
Beau Sarwinski’s Galena team has undergone some adversity in losing quarterback Tyler VanCleave to a knee injury in week one.
The Bulldogs have continued to battle, and sophomore Nick Sivert has emerged to complete 65 percent of his passes for 639 yards and six scores.
Still the Bulldog bread-and-butter is on the ground where Tylor Albright, Trenton Little, and Jacob Helton have all been solid.
Galena will need to limit turnovers and make some big offensive plays to light up the scoreboard. Caney will be happy with grinding out the clock and the victory.
Our Pick: Caney Valley 26, Galena 14
Sedgwick (7-0) at 3A #1 Garden Plain (7-0)
Top-ranked Garden Plain got a scare to open district play last week; escaping then-unbeaten Hutchinson Trinity 21-14 thanks to a late touchdown. The Owls also had an interception returned for a score in the second half.
This week Garden Plain’s district schedule doesn’t get any easier as undefeated Sedgwick comes to town.
Sedgwick was tested in their district opener as well; rallying from a 22-7 deficit to top Halstead 43-29.
The Cardinals are led by dual-threat quarterback Trent Stucky. Stucky had five rushing touchdowns in last week’s district opener. For the season, the quarterback has thrown for more than 1,000 yards and rushed for more than 750 more.
Stucky will be tested again this week against a Garden Plain defense that surrenders less than six points per game.
Garden Plain will want to grind out the game on the ground with Denver Doyle and Dylan Clark.
With star back Joey Capul out last week, the Owls’ QB Lucas Jennings moved from under center to the backfield in the fourth quarter.
If Capul returns, look for the Owls to be a tough draw for Sedgwick.
Our Pick: Garden Plain 26, Sedgwick 21
2-1A #2 St. Mary’s Colgan (7-0) at Lyndon (7-0)
St. Mary’s Colgan will travel to Lyndon in a battle of unbeatens which will likely decide the District 1 playoff participants.
Colgan has been nothing short of dominant through the season’s first eight weeks. The Panthers have outscored their opponents 316-14. The Panthers varsity defense has given up only six points, while posting four shutouts – three consecutive.
The Panthers’ offense has been run dominated thus far. Colgan is led by Zach and Christian Smith in the backfield. Zach has rushed 37 times for 556 yards and 10 touchdowns while averaging 15 yards per carry. Christian has averaged 13.3 yards per carry – tallying 653 yards and 14 touchdowns on just 49 attempts.
Stamina could be an issue for the Panthers who haven’t really been tested other than a 31-2 victory over Galena. But the Panthers will gain motivation in potentially delivering Coach Chuck Smith his 300th career victory with a win.
Lyndon has rolled to a 7-0 start behind a dynamic offense that has averaged nearly 42 points per game. The Tigers are led by senior running back Nick Walsh who has tallied 945 yards and 19 touchdowns while averaging nearly nine yards per carry.
The Tigers are not just reliant on Walsh. Quarterback Jordan Tillman and running back Josh Owens have each rushed for more than 350 yards and scored five times a piece.
Tillman has also been a threat to throw the ball – completing more than half of his pass attempts for 630 yards and five touchdowns. Tyler Decker is Lyndon’s leading receiver with just over 300 yards and four scores.
The key for Lyndon will be up front and whether or not they can counteract Colgan’s speed on both sides of the ball. Dominic Crook (6-1; 255), Garret Fitch (5-9, 245), Dakota Jisktra (6-3; 245), and Dylan Sloop (6-1, 205) must play well.
Last season, Colgan took advantage of early Tiger penalties and turnovers to build a 28-0 lead after the first quarter. The lead swelled to 42-6 by halftime, and eventually ended 52-6.
Colgan’s last trip to Lyndon took place in the 2007 state quarterfinals when the Panthers beat the 10-1 Tigers, 55-7.
Our Pick: Colgan 30, Lyndon 14
South Gray (6-0) at Ness City (7-0)
After winning the final three regular season games of 2010 to earn a trip the playoffs the Ness City Eagles had high expectations for this fall, but even second year head coach Chris Bamberger has to be surprised by how quickly his junior heavy team has developed.
Since surrendering 20 points in a 54-20 season opening win over Trego the Eagles have allowed only 30 total points and pitched three shutouts on defense, while scoring at least 40 points in every game except a 22-6 defeat of 8-Man power Victoria.
The Eagles opened the season with five returning starters, all juniors, and several other members of the junior class have contributed to Ness City's impressive 7-0 start.
South Gray welcomed a more experienced team to the field in 2011 with four key seniors back from last year's 7-2 team that missed the playoffs thanks to a 30-28 defeat at the hands of Ness City.
Both teams feature strong ground games with the Eagles led by juniors Dalton Gantz and Garrett Flax, and South Gray paced by senior Coulter Croft. Croft rushed for 267 yards and six touchdowns on only nine carries in last week's 60-14 pasting of Deerfield.
Scores among common opponents say these two teams are separated by only a few points. Expect big hits and lots of ground pounding in this one.
Our Pick: Ness City 30, South Gray 28
The Pick List:
BV Northwest (4-3) at 6A #3 Olathe East (6-1) – Olathe East
Olathe North (5-2) at Lawrence Free State (5-2) – Olathe North
Pittsburg (5-2) at 5A #1 Blue Valley (7-0) – Blue Valley
Emporia (4-3) at McPherson (6-1) -- McPherson
Hays (6-1) at Salina South (3-4) – Hays
Hesston (6-1) at Abilene (7-0) – Abilene
Clearwater (7-0) at Mulvane (5-2) -- Mulvane
Victoria (5-2) at Central Plains (6-1) – Central Plains
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