State Semifinal Preview

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Sunflower League rivals Olathe East and Olathe South will play for the second time in four weeks with the winner advancing to the 6A state championship game in Topeka. 

Olathe South began the season with six consecutive wins and climbed as high as No. 3 in the 6A rankings, then came within 32 seconds of missing the playoffs. Thanks to a 49-34 setback to Blue Valley Northwest in district play, the Falcons faced Olathe East in Week 9 needing to win by at least 13 points to qualify for the playoffs. Olathe South led 29-18 late in the game and punched their playoff ticket with a late drive that resulted in a Jordan Ward touchdown run with just 32 seconds remaining. 

The Falcons used a strong second half to pull away from the Hawks in that Week 9 meeting. Ward was the key for Olathe South, rushing for 252 yards on 19 carries in the win. 

Ward leading rusher for the Falcons’ Wing-T rushing attack. He has rushed for 1,244 yards and 16 touchdowns on the season, including a 290-yard, five-touchdown performance in the quarterfinal win over Shawnee Mission East last week. 

Olathe East will try and get back to the state title game for the first time since 2005. Jeff Meyers’ Hawks came close last season, but fell 13-6 to Olathe North in the state semifinal.

For the Hawks to get to Topeka next week, they’ll need a strong performance from their trio of running backs. 

Kendall Kelly and John Kelsh are capable of putting up big numbers on the ground. Kelsh has rushed for 1,154 yards rushing on the season and led the Hawks with 112 yards against the Falcons in the first meeting. Kelly has scored 20 touchdowns on the ground and has also surpassed the 1,000-yard mark.  

Quarterback John Blazevic has the ability to keep Olathe East in the game with his arm or his legs. When he goes to their air, he looks for senior wide receiver Chad Johnson.

East will have to be better against the run than they were in the first meeting. Olathe South rushed for 435 yards in that game. If the Falcons can duplicate those numbers, they’ll return to the state championship game for the first time since 2007.

  

If the Wichita Heights Falcons are going to make a third consecutive appearance in the 6A state championship game and defend last year’s title, they will first have to get past their biggest hurdle this season.

Heights will travel to Derby to take on the Panthers in a rematch of the District 6 championship game just three weeks ago. 

In that game, top-ranked Heights scored 28 consecutive points to top Derby, 49-35.  The Panthers led 35-21 in the second half before the Falcons would rally.  

Marquel Moore began the Falcon scoring barrage with a 62-yard touchdown run that pulled Heights within 35-27 at the end of the third quarter. 

Derby would later stop Heights on fourth down and take over at the Falcon 37-yard line looking to extend their lead.  But the Panthers could not convert that field position into points as Tyler Shain missed a 23-yard field goal. Two plays later, Moore had covered 80 yards on two receptions to tie the score at 35. 

The momentum would continue in favor of the Falcons as Derby fumbled the ensuing kickoff. Prentice Byrd dove into the end zone shortly after to put Wichita Heights up 42-35 with 5:35 remaining in the game. Quarterback Matt Reed would add a 24-yard touchdown run later on to propel Heights to the 14-point win. 

In Heights’ 24-game winning streak; only two playoff wins from last season have been closer on the scoreboard.

The challenge for Rick Wheeler’s Falcons is to travel to Derby and win again. 

Derby may be the surprise of the playoffs. The Panthers trailed 14-0 against Wichita Northwest in the first round and rallied behind sophomore quarterback Jeremy Dunham after starter Todd Freeman and backup Kellen Sims left with injuries. Dunham rushed for a touchdown and threw a touchdown pass in Derby’s 21-14 win. 

Last week, Sims returned under center and led the Panthers to a 39-28 upset over previously unbeaten Manhattan. Sims threw for 161 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed for 210 yards and another score in that game.

Tyler West added 142 yards rushing and three scores for Panthers who had as many as seven starters missing time.

The Derby defense was the real story. The Panthers held Manhattan to 56 rushing yards on 35 attempts, including limiting Indian senior Ty Suggs to just 19 yards on 13 attempts.

Derby will need a similar defensive effort on Friday as they take on a Heights Falcon offense that boasts three 1,000-yard rushers in Moore (1,181; 17TDs), Kenneth Iheme (1,092; 14TDs), and Reed (1,089; 17TDs.)

  

It will be difficult for all involved with the Gardner-Edgerton football program not to be thinking about revenge on Friday night when they take on top-ranked Blue Valley. Not only can the Trailblazers avenge a 40-6 loss in the regular season, but also a heartbreaking 45-42 loss in last season’s state semifinals which ended the decorated career of Blazer great Bubba Starling. 

If events play out similar to the 2010 season, it would be Gardner-Edgerton overcoming a lopsided regular season loss to end the season of heavily-favored Blue Valley in the semifinals. 

Last year Gardner throttled Blue Valley 42-21 in the regular season before the Tigers won the rematch 45-42 despite Starling rushing for more than 400 yards in the game.

In Week 9 this season it was Blue Valley blowing out Gardner-Edgerton 40-6 behind a 210-yard, two-touchdown performance from senior quarterback Kyle Zimmerman. Zimmerman also rushed for three touchdowns in the game as the Tigers rebounded from a loss to Pittsburg the week earlier to qualify for the playoffs. 

The Tigers main weapon on offense is senior running back Justin Fulks who rushed for 137 yards in the first meeting. 

The Tiger defense has been impressive all season long and held Blazer running back Traevohn Wrench to just 68 yards rushing on 20 attempts. Since that game, all Gardner-Edgerton’s super sophomore has done is rush for 612 yards and nine touchdowns in two playoff wins. Wrench had 156 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries as in the Blazers 32-0 shutout of Shawnee Heights last week. 

The play of sophomore quarterback Jared Hobby will be key for Gardner-Edgerton; especially with Tigers geared up to slow down Wrench. Last week Hobby threw for 120 yards and two scores against Shawnee Heights. He’ll need another similar performance to overcome the top-ranked Tigers.

Bishop Carroll has won two straight games against Hutchinson, including last year's semifinal contest which would have sent the Salthawks to seventh straignt title game. In this year's regular season finale the Eagles ended Hutch's run of 11 straight district titles.

In that Week 9 win, the Eagles upended Hutchinson 32-24 in a game that Salthawk coach Randy Dreiling said Bishop Carroll was more physical than his squad. That’s a statement that can seldom be made about a Hutch football program that prides itself on a physical style of play.

Bishop Carroll quarterback Zeke Palmer is an effective passer, but he’s also shown the ability to run. Palmer completed 9 of 13 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown in the Eagle's 40-7 win over Emporia last week. He added 54 yards and another touchdown on the ground against the Spartans. Palmer was clutch in Carroll's Week 9 win over Hutch rushing for 124 yards and two touchdowns.

The Hutch flexbone offense is spearheaded by a near 2,000-yard rusher in Ja'Mon Cotton and junior quarterback Trevor Turner. Up front the offensive line fueled by the play of big tackle Jess Westmoreland.

Najahaun Tipton-Wylie is a one-man wrecking crew for the Salthawk defense tallying 85 tackles and 11 sacks - only one sack short of tying the school record. The senior defensive lineman is only 5-7, 215 pounds, but his play on defense is a big reason the Salthawks have made a return trip to the semis.

Seldom is home field a big advantage in Kansas high school football, except that is for games played against Hutch High. The Salthawks play at one of the best facilities in Kansas on the campus of Hutchinson Community College. Salthawk games at Gowans Stadium regularly include thousands of fans with one of the rowdiest student sections around. In key situations the Hutch crowd could become a factor.

The Paola Panthers will be making their third consecutive appearance in the state semifinals when they take on Frontier League rival Eudora on Friday night. Coach Mike Dumpert’s team is looking for a different result this season after losses to eventual state champions Bishop Miege and Louisburg in those previous two appearances. 

The Panthers will be seeking their first title game appearance since 2006 and their first championship since 1994. Paola certainly has the talent. Senior quarterback Seth Kern is an experienced player and extremely good and making decisions in the Panthers’ option offense. 

The backfield of Tyler Henness and Tanner Staats has been dynamite. Henness has rushed for nearly 400 yards and seven touchdowns in the last two weeks – including a 217-yard, four-touchdown performance against Blue Valley Southwest last week. Staats has added 313 yards and four touchdowns in those two wins.

Eudora features a dynamic backfield of its own in quarterback Derek Webb, and running backs Chris Pyle and Gabe Cleveland. 

Pyle leads the Cardinals with 1,724 yards and 11 touchdowns on the season, while Webb has also eclipsed the 1,000-yard mark with 1,028 yards and 14 touchdowns. Cleveland has added 965 yards and 12 touchdowns, but broke loose for  215 yards and scored all three Eudora touchdowns in a 20-13 win over Chanute last week. 

The Cardinals own an 18-10 victory over the Panthers in Week 5 this season. In that game, Webb rushed for two touchdowns and threw a touchdown pass to Andre Ballock. Eudora led 12-10 at halftime thanks to a Paola special teams miscue that led to a Cardinal touchdown. 

The Panthers threatened to tie the game with just over a minute remaining, but Eudora stuffed Paola at the 2-yard line on fourth down to preserve the eight-point win. The game was a physical, defensive battle as the Cardinals managed just 132 yards rushing on 42 carries. 

Rose Hill may be the hottest football team in Kansas right now. After stunning Holton 28-12 in the first round of the playoffs, the Rockets have since dominated traditional powers Andale and Ulysses in back-to-back games by a combined score of 97-28.

In last week's win over Ulysses, the Rockets looked especially dominant in the second half. After building a 28-14 lead in the first two quarters the Rockets outscored the Tigers 28-0 in the second half and made a statement in earning a trip to the 4A semis.

Derrick Decker, the 6-5, 205 pound senior quarterback, has been spectacular for the Rockets. He rushed for 251 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Ulysses, while junior running back Jonny Pearson added 161 yards and three touchdowns in the quarterfinal win.

Now Rose Hill must travel to play perennial powerhouse Topeka Hayden with a trip to the 4A title game on the line.

Hayden avenged a 2010 quarterfinal loss to Buhler with a 21-14 win last week. Buhler is the only team to have beaten Rose Hill this year; 18-10 in Week 1. Hayden’s lone loss came to 6A power Manhattan 22-17, also in the season opener.

Hayden doesn't feature a lot of star power, but rather is fueled by a number of offensive weapons. Senior quarterback Grant Arnold, coach Bill Arnold's son, threw for 150 yards with touchdown passes to Alex Schmidtberger and Brogan Berry in the win over Buhler.

The Wildcat defense was the real star against the Crusaders allowing only 139 yards rushing to standout Tanner Fisher - nearly 70 less than his 207 yard per game average. It was Fisher’s lowest rushing output since the Week 1 win over Rose Hill. The Hayden defense also intercepted Crusader quarterback Chandler Shantz twice; both by senior Jonan Strole.

The Wildcats have been solid all season allowing no more than 15 points during their 11-game win streak and pitching four shutouts. Rose Hill's defense is no slouch either; allowing more than 14 points only twice and registering three shutouts of its own.

When Silver Lake played Rock Creek earlier this season, the Eagles earned a pretty special victory. The 13-3 win in Week 5 gave Silver Lake coach C.J. Hamilton his 336th career victory for a new state record.

However, Hamilton would likely agree that a win Friday against the Rock Creek Mustangs would be even bigger. Silver Lake hosts Rock Creek on Friday night for with a trip to the state championship on the line.

The Eagles are looking to have a chance to win their second consecutive title. The Mustangs haven’t made it to the state championship in the school’s history.

To do so for the first time Rock Creek must go through Silver Lake. That is no easy task as is evident from the first matchup this season.

Silver Lake limited the Mustangs to only 35 yards of offense in the second half of the first meeting. Rock Creek senior running back Logan Miner, who rushed for 122 yards and two touchdowns in last week’s 16-8 semifinal win against Caney Valley, was limited to 20 yards on 10 carries against the Eagles.

In that first meeting, Silver Lake’s Peter Pfannenstiel rushed for 154 yards on 19 carries.

Over the season, the Eagles have been balanced offensively with 149.4 yards through the air and 166.9 yards on the ground. The Mustangs have been much more one-dimensional, rushing for 297.3 yards per game and passing for only 44.8 yards per game.

Once again this rivalry doesn't disappoint as these two teams separated by less than 20 miles meet for a rematch of the Week 4 game won by Garden Plain 19-13. The Owls’ win was the first in five tries against the Cardinals as Conway Springs had won four straight since 2008.

To understand just how good this rivalry has been all one has to do is look at the recent scores: 2009 - Conway, 19-13; 2010 - Conway, 29-14; 2010 playoffs - Conway 20-6; 2011 Week 4 - Garden Plain, 19-13.

These two run first offenses feature a number of big names.

Garden Plain is led by senior running back Joey Capul who rushed for 205 yards in last week's 50-34 comeback win over Beloit. The Cardinals single wing is fueled by veteran starters Brian Doffing and Cory Misak; both over 1,000 yards rushing for the second consecutive season.

Conway Springs looked nothing short of amazing in their 39-20 dismantling of previously unbeaten and top-ranked Scott City last week. Garden Plain has been resilient in overcoming off-the-field distractions and a district loss to Sedgwick to advance to this semi-final matchup. But can Garden Plain find a way to beat the rival Cardinals twice in the same season?

The 3A title game will again feature one of these two teams as it has for five of the last six seasons (Garden Plain - runner-up 2006, champs 2007; Conway Springs - champs 2008, runner-up 2010)

Two of Class 2-1A’s tradition-rich programs will square off for the seventh time in the last 12 seasons when Centralia travels to Hutchinson Field in Pittsburg to take on top-ranked St. Mary’s Colgan. 

 

Colgan has won five of the previous six meetings between these two sets of Panthers, but it was Centralia which emerged victorious when they last met in 2009. Larry Glatczak’s Panthers won that game 26-14 and would eventually end Smith Center’s 79-game winning streak in capturing the state championship two weeks later. 

 

This season, Centralia battled through a tough schedule and fought a key injury to quarterback Michael Glatczak in starting the season 1-3. Since their senior leader has returned at full strength, the Panthers have rolled the opposition by an average score of 52 to 12. 

 

Glatczak, a sophomore wide receiver on that ’09 state title team, has averaged more than 20 yards per carry from his spinnerback position in the single-wing. The senior rushed for 241 yards and four touchdowns in last week’s quarterfinal win over Riverside; pushing his season total to 1,527 yards rushing with 20 touchdowns.

 

Included in Centralia’s season resume is a 38-16 win over Doniphan West in Week 5; the only common opponent of the Panthers and Colgan.

 

Colgan played perhaps its most complete game of the season last week in defeating Doniphan West 59-14. The Panthers scored on their first three offensive plays from scrimmage and held the Mustangs single-wing attack to just 39 yards on the ground. 

 

Twins Christian and Zach Smith put up nearly identical numbers in that game. Zach rushed for 115 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries, while Christian’s nine carries went for 114 yards and two scores.

 

On the season, Christian has rushed for 1,286 yards and 24 touchdowns on just 91 attempts. Zach has added 1,018 yards and 16 scores on 86 carries. 

 

The two also lead a Panther defense that has surrendered a total of 47 points all season. 

 

The Colgan offensive and defensive lines have been steady all season, and will be the key to Colgan’s success Friday night against a Centralia squad that will be much bigger up front.

 

 

 

This is a rematch from a Week 9 contest that the Leopards won, 14-8, in La Crosse. This time, Plainville will host a playoff game for the first time since 1992 after playing in three straight road contests.

La Crosse is into the sub-state championship game for the first time in school history.

The two teams have coaches that are great friends, but very different philosophies. La Crosse's Jon Webster and Plainville's Joe Simon have known each other since playing college football together at Dodge City and remained close throughout the years. This year, they have met in Hays every Sunday to watch the Kansas City Chiefs and talk football.

Webster's offense uses multiple formations behind senior quarterback Tayler Stull, a four-year starter on defense and a three-year starter on offense. Stull has passed for 880 yards with 12 touchdowns against four interceptions and rushed for 1,109 yards and 21 scores. Last week, in a 21-12 victory against defending state champion Meade, Stull rushed 25 times for 159 yards and a score.

The Leopard defense has picked off 31 passes, one off the state record set by Olathe North in 2000. Senior Austin Webs, Kansas' male winner of the Wendy's High School Heisman, leads the state with nine passes. Senior Dylan Engel, an excellent pass rusher, has collected 13 sacks.

Plainvillle uses a double tight-end, power running game offense. Junior Trevor Axelson has rushed for 1,314 yards and 11 scores. Junior fullback Harrison Gilliland has rushed for 802 yards with 13 touchdowns, but missed last Friday's 6-0 victory against Johnson-Stanton County with hyperextended knee. He should play Friday.

Plainville senior lineman Jameson Klein has been a force on both sides of the ball, helping the Cardinals rush for 325 yards a game and collecting eight sacks on defense.

It's arguably the biggest playoff game in western Kansas since the 2008 Smith Center-La Crosse matchup.

Plainville is bringing in extra seats and should have several thousand fans. La Crosse, though, is the healthier team with the stronger defense.