Class 8 Man-I
8M-I East: #2 Lakeside-Downs (11-0) at #1 Madison (11-0)
This is what semifinal games are all about. Friday’s clash between undefeated Lakeside-Downs and defending state champion and undefeated Madison brings together two of the state’s top coaches, as well as many of 8-Man Division I’s best players.
In his third season at Lakeside, Curt Christians has built the Knights’ program from the ground up. Lakeside was winless the season before Christians took the job. Since then, he has directed the team to a 4-5 record in 2009 and an 8-2 record last year. Before that, Christians led St. John’s-Beloit for 16 seasons and is known for his 1996 team of 11 players to the state championship game.
Fred McClain is in his 13th season as Madison’s head coach and has a 130-32 record in that time. He has led the Bulldogs to 24 consecutive wins and a state championship last season.
Both teams also are led by powerful running backs. Senior fullback Miles Thomas has rushed for 1,721 yards and 30 touchdowns this season for the Knights. He has rushed for more than 100 yards in his past seven games, and he has rushed for at least 200 yards in three of those games.
Madison boasts senior running back Kole Schankie, who has had a dominant career for the Bulldogs. He scored five touchdowns in last week’s 50-18 playoff win against Central-Burden.
This game is likely to be decided up front. The Knights will be counting on Cody Burda to step in at center for an injured Keegan Highland, who is out with a separate left shoulder.
Lakeside also has to contend with the four-hour, one-way trip to Madison.
Madison 35, Lakeside-Downs 28
8M-I West: #3 South Gray (10-0) at #4 Osborne (10-1)
This contest matches South Gray's defense, ranked No. 2 in Eight-Man, Division I in scoring defense with 114 points allowed, and Osborne's offense that stands second in Eight-Man, Division I with 620 points.
Osborne's speedy senior running back Damon Schurr has rushed 194 times for 2,157 yards and 35 touchdowns. Senior quarterback Ethan Slothower has passed for 657 yards with 10 scores and three interceptions. He has also rushed 1,010 yards and 18 touchdowns.
Schurr has at least 106 yards against every KSHSAA-affliated school this season, including 246 yards in a 70-44 victory against Little River in the first round of the playoffs and 295 yards versus Macksville in the second round Saturday. He has rushed for five touchdowns in both contests. Slothower rushed for 311 yards versus Little River and tacked on 109 against Macksville.
South Gray has dominated opponents throughout the season and hasn't had a game within 14 points since Week 2. They defeated Pretty Prairie 60-12 in the first round of the playoffs and beat Central Plains, 52-6, in the second round.
Coulter Croft rushed for 232 yards and four touchdowns and Wyatt Slaven added 129 yards and three scores against Central Plains. For the season, Croft has carried 190 times for 2,155 yards rushing and 35 touchdowns, while Slaven has rushed 147 times for 1,352 yards and 30 scores.
Several of the state's top defenses have tried to slow down Osborne's attack, an offense that has scored at least 42 points every week since Week 1. South Gray will also have trouble slowing the Bulldogs.
Osborne, which lost in the sub-state championship game last year, goes one step further and reaches the state title. It will mark the fourth straight trip to Newton for first-year Osborne coach Steve Tiernan, who led Baileyville B&B to three straight trips (and two state titles) from 2008-10.
Osborne 44, South Gray 26
Class 8 Man-II
8M-II East: #1 Baileyville B&B (10-0) at #4 South Haven (11-0)
With quarterback Eric Huerter out with an injury against South Barber, the Baileyville B&B Falcons relied on its running game with 145 yards and three touchdowns from Mitch Engelken and 107 yards and one TD from Cody Heiman.
Sophomore Dustin Rottinghaus also was an acceptable replacement, completing 3-of-7 passes for 39 yards in the 44-14 win against South Barber. Rottinghaus threw for 86 yards and a score in a first-round win over Linn.
Without Huerter on Saturday against the South Haven Cardinals, the Falcons will likely rely on their running game for much of the offense again.
That’s not a bad thing when you rush for 258 yards a game and your running game is a big reason why you’re the defending state champions.
Engelken has rushed for 998 yards and 20 TDs this season on only 62 carries – that’s more than 16 yards per rush. Heiman has rushed for 879 yards and 14 TDs on 84 carries, which is still good for more than 10 yards per tote.
South Haven has the ability to play the power run game, as well as throw the ball. Cardinals senior Blake Wilkey ran for 191 yards and two touchdowns, while catching three passes for 111 yards and three TDs in last week’s 46-14 playoff win against Hope.
The Cardinals have made the playoffs in each of their past eight seasons, but they will need to get through a powerhouse in order to make the title game for the first time since 2007.
B&B 45, South Haven 20
8M-II West: #2 Thunder Ridge (11-0) at #3 Otis-Bison (10-1)
This is a rematch from a Week 4 contest that Thunder Ridge won in Kensington, 44-18. In that game, Otis-Bison led 18-16 at halftime and had held the Longhorns' offense in check.
Early in the third quarter, Otis-Bison junior running back Dylan Wissman suffered a concussion and missed the rest of the game. After the injury, the Cougars had trouble moving the ball and Thunder Ridge outscored the Cougars 28-0.
Last week, Otis-Bison had trouble throwing the ball in a very windy night against Central Prairie League rival Victoria but still won on the road, 26-6.
Thunder Ridge hadn't allowed a point since the first half against Otis-Bison before last Saturday's second-round playoff contest against Ashland. The Longhorns trailed 14-0 at the half, but came back to win 32-28 when senior running back Joel Struckhoff scored on a two-yard run on fourth down with just under a minute to play.
Struckhoff is the state's all-time leader among eight-man players in rushing yards and total touchdowns. He has rushed for 1,940 yards and 36 scores this season.
Otis-Bison senior quarterback Trevor Keller has completed 63-of-99 passes for 1,007 yards with 18 touchdowns against six interceptions. Wissman has rushed for 1,126 yards and 21 scores, while senior Patrick Piper has tacked on 1,028 yards and 18 touchdowns. Senior Matt Crotinger leads Kansas with 403 punt return yards.
Friday's game is at Otis-Bison, were the Cougars haven't lost since Week 8 of 2008. Expect the contest to come down to the final seconds. Thunder Ridge wins in a thriller.
Thunder Ridge 30, Otis-Bison 28
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