Three top-five battles will take place in Week 9 as district play concludes and playoff qualifiers are finalized.
If recent history is any barometer, a pair of 5A battles amongst ranked teams could be a preview of the state semifinals.
While in Class 6A, two highly-ranked , familiar foes battle for a league championships, playoff spots, and a potential top seed on the eastern side.
Each game featured in this week’s Pick List involves at least one ranked team.
Feature Games of the Week:
6A #2 Manhattan (7-0) at Juncition City (6-2)
Manhattan improved to 8-0 last week in thrilling fashion as Keaton Barragar’s 35-yard field goal as time expired delivered yet another close win for the second-ranked Indians, 24-21 over Washburn Rural.
Now, Joe Schartz's club makes the short road trip to Junction City in one of the state's biggest rivalry games and a key district contest.
A win would make Manhattan 9-0 for the third consecutive season and end the Blue Jays' campaign without a playoff appearance.
But as usual under Randall Zimmerman, Junction City is no slouch.
The Blue Jays opened the season with five straight wins before losing back-to-back games with Emporia (28-21) and Washburn Rural (35-14). They then rebounded with a 44-13 win against Topeka High last week, a team that lead Manhattan by 17 points at half before the Indians came back to win 44-36.
Manhattan's rushing attack features one of the state's best in Ty Suggs. The senior running back has put up impressive numbers in district play rushing for 214 and 160 yards in consecutive victories.
But the Blue Jays have a ground game of their own and used it to churn out 537 yards rushing in last week's rebound win over Topeka High.
This game has been epic the last two seasons with Manhattan winning 21-14 and 9-7. It's sure to be more of the same this season in this heated rivalry with playoff implications.
Our Pick: Manhattan 16, Junction City 10
6A #3 Olathe East (7-1) at 6A #4 Olathe South (7-1)
The Olathe East Hawks square off with the Olathe South Falcons in a game that is meaningful in a number of ways.
Not only are the two teams ranked in the Kpreps 6A Top 5, but the Sunflower League title and playoff implications are on the line.
Olathe South needs a win to secure their spot in the playoffs and the outright Sunflower League title. The Falcons couldn’t contain Blue Valley Northwest quarterback Garrett Fugate in Week 7, and the Huskies outscored the Falcons 49-34.
A win by the Falcons over Olathe East, coupled with a Blue Valley Northwest win over Blue Valley West would create a three-way tie for first in the district standings. The playoff spots would then be decided by the district points tie-breaker.
If the Falcons lose to Olathe East their playoff hopes would rely on a Blue Valley West upset of Blue Valley Northwest.
Olathe East has plenty to play for too. A Hawk win gets them a share of the Sunflower League title, and would likely give them the top seed in the 6A East bracket.
Quarterback John Kelsh and running back Kendall Kelly continue to lead the Hawks on the ground.
Kelsh has rushed for a team-high 859 yards and eight scores, while Kelly has ran for 800 yards and 15 touchowns for a Hawk offense that scores 33 points per game.
The Olathe East defense has surrendered 22 points per game thus far, and Olathe South’s rushing attack will certainly test the Hawks.
The Falcons continue to be led on the ground by Jordan Ward, while Teddy Corbert has shown big-play capability.
Jeff Gourley’s team has shown the ability to put the ball in the air out of their Wing-T offense. Quarterback Frankie Seurer Jr. has thrown for more than 1,000 yards and eight touchdowns.
Senior wide receiver Drew Johnson is Seurer’s main target with nearly 450 yards receiving.
Olathe East has won the last three in this series and five of the last seven meetings, but South is battling for their playoff lives.
Our Pick: Olathe South 31, Olathe East 27
5A # 1 Hutchinson (7-1) at 5A #4 Bishop Carroll (7-1)
The Hutchinson Salthawks won't have to look far for motivation in this rematch of last year's 5A semi-final contest in which they were shutout 21-0, and denied a seventh consecutive trip to the state title game.
It was a huge step for the Carroll Golden Eagles which had fallen 21-14 to the Salthawks at the end of the regular season, and 42-21 in the 2009 semi-finals.
While the Eagles lost to Blue Valley 35-14 in last year’s championship, it was their second title game appearance in just four seasons.
Now Carroll prepares to face a Hutch team that has dominated on the ground behind a physical offensive line featuring all-stater Jess Westmoreland.
Quarterback Trevor Turner has executed Dreiling's flexbone offense with precision and Ja'Mon Cotton has over 1,300 yards rushing on the season.
For Carroll and veteran coach Alan Schuckman, quarterback Zeke Palmer has led the way with nearly 1,500 yards passing and the defense has not allowed more than 13 points in any game since their week one loss to Wichita Heights, 45-14.
A typically dominant Hutch defense has looked slightly more vulnerable than in years past; allowing 24 or more points in four of their eight games. The Salthawks surrendered 27 points to a 2-6 Maize team; the most scored by the Eagles against any single opponent this season.
This game will decide the district championship, but regardless of the outcome both teams are headed to the playoffs after this one's over.
Our Pick: Hutchinson 28, Carroll 24
5A #5 Gardner-Edgerton (6-2) at 5A #2 Blue Valley - Stilwell (7-1)
Gardner-Edgerton travels to Blue Valley in a game that will help iron out a wild 5A District 4.
While the Trailblazers and Tigers were expected by many to be the playoff qualifiers out of this district, it hasn’t gone necessarily as planned.
Blue Valley fell behind by two scores last week against Pittsburg and never could catch up as the Purple Dragons shocked the then top-ranked Tigers 45-35.
That set up a wild Week 9 where all four teams in the district still have a chance of getting into the playoffs.
Gardner-Edgerton, behind their talented young running back Traevohn Wrench, is unbeaten in district play, but a loss by 13 or more points to Blue Valey coupled with a Pittsburg win could leave the Blazers on the outside looking in.
The Tigers on the other hand, can qualify by beating Gardner-Edgerton by eight points or more.
Blue Valley will use their talented offense led by quarterback Kyle Zimmerman and running back Justin Fulks to try and gash a Trailblazer defense that has struggled at times.
Fulks returned last week from a leg injury that kept him out of the Tigers’ 14-0 win over St. Thomas Aquinas.
Gardner-Edgerton will continue to feature the run behind Wrench. The sophomore has rushed for 1,641 yards and 23 touchdowns.
It’s no secret that revenge has to be on the mind of the Trailblazer program.
Gardner-Edgerton defeated Blue Valley 42-21 in district play last season, but the Tigers upset the Blazers 45-42 in the state semifinals despite a 400-yard rushing game from Bubba Starling.
Blue Valley would win the 5A state championship one week later.
This time around it’s the Tigers with the experience and look for them to rebound from their first loss and punch another playoff ticket.
Our Pick: Blue Valley 42, Gardner-Edgerton 27
4A #5 Basehor-Linwood (8-0) at Perry-Lecompton (7-1)
It could be Murphy's Law in this battle of hyphenated teams. Ryan and Collin Murphy, the dynamic twin seniors, have lead the Bobcats to a second consecutive 8-0 start.
Quarterback Collin has thrown for over 1,800 yards and 16 TDs with only 4 interceptions. Nearly half that yardage is generated by his brother Ryan who has been on the receiving end of nearly 40 of Collin's passes.
Collin left last week's rout of Tonganoxie with a knee injury and did not return, but backup Zac Hevel stepped in and threw two touchdown passes and rushed for another score.
The Bobcats have been a scoring machine averaging over 45 points per game, including 42 points in each of their last three victories.
The Perry-Lecompton Kaws have enjoyed a near perfect season of their own thanks in large part to the arm and legs of senior quarterback Jeremy Immenschuh.
The 5-9, 170-pounder has completed nearly 66 percent of his passes for 1,500 yards, 14 touchdowns, and only 4 interceptions, while also rushing for 774 yards and 15 more scores.
The Kaws have also scored at a nearly 40 point per game rate, but in a Week 6 loss to power Holton the Kaws could get nothing going and were shutout 47-0.
This game is for the district championship but both teams are headed to the playoffs.
Our Pick: Basehor-Linwood 42, Perry-Lecompton 21
Frankfort (6-1) vs 8 Man-II #3 Otis-Bison (7-1)
Frankfort will take on defending state runner-up Otis-Bison in a non-district game played at a neutral site in Salina.
This match-up between the Wildcats and Cougars came about because each team was left with open dates in their schedules after schools dropped out of their respective districts.
District 1 lost Elwood to consolidation with Wathena to form Riverside, and Kickapoo Nation which didn’t field a varsity team this fall.
District 5 lost Pawnee Heights which formed a football cooperative with Larned.
Nevertheless, this match-up will be a good tune up for the postseason as both the Wildcats and Cougars have both already qualified for the playoffs.
Frankfort is the District 1 runner-up behind top-ranked Baileyville B&B, and will travel to Hope in the first round of the playoffs next Tuesday.
They will be tested by third-ranked Otis-Bison who is the District 5 champion and will host Moscow in the first round.
The Cougars’ only loss came against second-ranked Thunder Ridge, 44-18 back in Week 4.
Frankfort fell at the hands of the defending state champion B&B Falcons 62-12 in Week 3. B&B defeated Otis-Bison for the 2010 state title, 50-34.
The Wildcats are led by a trio of backs that have the capability of putting up solid numbers. Calahan Brown has rushed for more than 325 yards in the Wildcats last two games, and Kason Brown and Lucas Adams are also key in the Frankfort rushing attack.
Combined the three have scored 20 rushing touchdowns on the season.
Quarterback Alex Surdez has also thrown for more than 500 yards and ten touchdowns.
Travis Starr’s Cougars are led by a group of talented skill players of their own. Dylan Wissman and Patrick Piper have each rushed for more than 600 yards and 12 touchdowns.
Quarterback Trevor Keller has thrown for 833 yards and 15 touchdowns on the season. Keller’s main targets have been Wissman, Matt Crotinger and Zachary Stejskal who have combined for 13 touchdown receptions.
Our Pick: Otis-Bison 52, Frankfort 34
The Pick List:
6A #1 Wichita Heights (8-0) at Derby (6-2) – Wichita Heights
Dodge City (5-3) at Garden City (5-2) – Dodge City
Lansing (5-2) at Bonner Springs (5-3) – Lansing
Great Bend (4-3) at Salina South (3-5) – Salina South
Andover Central (6-2) at Kapuan Mt. Carmel (6-2) – Kapaun
Paola (7-1) at Louisburg (4-4) – Paola
Anderson County (5-3) at Fort Scott (7-1) – Fort Scott
Girard (5-2) at Chanute (5-2) – Chanute
Independence (5-3) at Parsons (6-2) -- Independence
Eudora (7-1) at Baldwin (6-2) – Eudora
Riverton (5-3) at Galena (5-2) – Galena
McLouth (7-1) at 3A #3 Silver Lake (7-1) – Silver Lake
Rock Creek (6-2) at Riley County (6-2) – Riley County
Olpe (5-3) at 2-1A St. Mary’s Colgan (8-0) – Colgan
Udall (6-2) at Sedan (8-0) – Sedan
8M-I #5 Macksville (8-0) at Pratt Skyline (6-2) -- Macksville
Osborne (7-1) at Quinter (6-2) – Osborne
Grinnell-Wheatland (6-2) at Sharon Springs (7-1) – Sharon Springs
Victoria (5-3) at 8M-II #2 Thunder Ridge (8-0) – Thunder Ridge
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