Class 4A
4A East: Girard (9-1) at Chanute (6-4)
It will be a bit of a thunder vs. lightning matchup when the Trojans and Blue Comets collide in the second round of the 4A playoffs.
Girard uses its wishbone offense to rush for more than 300 yards per game. Chanute likes to put the ball in the air with an all-state caliber quarterback Brock Gilmore, who has passed for 1,441 yards with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions.
The Trojans are coming off a 34-7 home win against the Columbus Titans on Tuesday. With leading rusher Anthony Scholes out with an injury, Girard quarterback Brayden Johnson ran for 79 yards and a touchdown and running back Caleb Egbert ran for 75 yards and a touchdown.
Girard scored four consecutive touchdowns after Columbus tied the game at 7 in the first quarter.
Chanute held on for a 13-7 win at Paola on Tuesday.
The Blue Comets feel good about their chances in slowing down the Girard running game as it did well against run-heavy Paola and Fort Scott in recent weeks.
Chanute also prides itself in having a balanced offense. Along with a strong passing game, senior Blake Kisner leads the Comets rushing attack with 815 yards and seven touchdowns on 138 carries.
The two teams have faced only two like opponents this year in Parsons and Independence. Girard and Chanute each won both games by lopsided margins.
The game serves as one of the more interesting matchups in this round of the 4A playoffs.
Chanute’s balance and homefield advantage may be the deciding factors.
Chanute 21, Girard 14 (Schremmer)
4A East: Coffeyville (8-2) at Louisburg (6-4)
The Coffeyville Golden Tornado boast some of the more electrifying players in the state, and the Louisburg Wildcats seem to be playing their best football at the right time.
Coffeyville is scoring more than 40 points a game and is led by running back Wesley Collins and wide receiver James Newton.
Collins has rushed 1,308 yards and 19 touchdowns with an 8.28 average per rush. The Coffeyville senior has rushed for more than 100 yards six times this season and in each of the past five games.
Newton, the defending 4A state 100 meters champion, is a force to reckon with. The junior has caught only 21 balls, but he has 650 yards and nine touchdowns for a 30.95 average. Newton also has ran the ball 10 times for 181 yards and three TDs and seven touchdowns on returns. He returned two kickoffs for scores in Tuesday’s win over Frontenac; part of his four-touchdown night.
Louisburg is coming off of a 17-0 win against a previously unbeaten Fort Scott team. The Wildcats have won three of their last four games after starting the season 3-3.
Louisburg also is familiar with big game situations. The Wildcats are only two years removed from winning a Class 4A state championship.
If Coffeyville can stay disciplined and limit mistakes, it could keep playing for another week.
Coffeyville 28, Louisburg 14 (Schremmer)
4A West: No. 1 Holton (10-0) at No. 4 Wichita Collegiate (9-1)
In his second stint at Collegiate head coach, Mike Gehrer has the Spartans rolling offensively behind some of the state's top athletes. Quarterback Landon Root, a senior transfer from Kapaun, multi-dimensional superstar Markus Phox, speedy running back Isaiah Franklin, and wideout Spenser Schooler are the key weapons in a Spartan offense that averages nearly 40 points per game. The driving force may be the big offensive line that features four players over 265 pounds.
But as explosive as the Spartan offense is, the defense will be the key against a Holton team that averages over 425 yards rushing per game and uses a combination of power and deception out of their vaunted wishbone offense.
The Spartans have allowed at least 20 points in a game four times this season and in a Week 2 loss to Buhler, Collegiate allowed 196 yards rushing to Crusader running back Riley Allen.
Collegiate's regular season schedule was far more difficult than Holton's, but Holton appears to be on a mission opening the playoffs with a 57-26 win over Hesston. The Wildcats may have some defensive question marks of their own though as they allowed 171 yards rushing to talented Swather running back Ryan Schadler Tuesday night.
Holton 42, Collegiate 21 (Baetz)
4A West: No. 3 Mulvane (9-1) at Maize South (9-1)
Third-ranked Mulvane will make the short trip north to Maize South with a spot in the 4A state quarterfinals on the line.
The Mulvane Wildcats have been ranked in the Kpreps top five in Class 4A the entire season with a Week 6 loss to McPherson being the only blemish on their resume. Dave Fennewald’s group is in the playoffs for the third consecutive season, but this second round game has been the Wildcats’ downfall each of the past two seasons. Mulvane has lost to 4A power Topeka Hayden in each of the last two seasons in the second round.
Their opponent this time around won’t be Hayden, but instead the team the knocked Hayden out. Maize South held on for a 14-7 win over the Hayden Wildcats on Tuesday night despite being outgained in total yardage. Hayden drove deep into Maverick territory two times, but the Maize South defense turned them away. It marked the first playoff victory in school history for Maize South.
Brent Pfiefer’s defense has been the strength all season. The Maize South ‘D’ is only allowing 9.6 point per game, and has posted three shutouts.
They’ll be tested on Saturday as Mulvane features multi-talented quarterback Ty Redington. Redington has completed nearly 60 percent of his passes this season for 2,245 yards and 22 touchdowns. Senior Alex Evans is his main target with 78 receptions for 1,369 yards and 12 scores.
Redington is also one of the Wildcats’ leading rushers with more than 600 yards on the ground. Mulvane’s top back is Michael Mason who has rushed for 724 yards and 11 touchdowns.
If the Wildcats can avoid turnovers and maintain a balanced attack, they will move on to the 4A quarterfinals for the first time since 2007.
Mulvane 27, Maize South 21 (Gilmore)
The rest of our 4A second-round picks:
KC Piper (8-2) at Baldwin (7-3)
Tonganoxie (5-5) at Eudora (9-1)
Andale (9-1) at No. 2 McPherson (9-1)
Concordia (8-2) at Buhler (7-3)
Class 3A
3A East: No. 1 Silver Lake (10-0) at Hiawatha (8-2)
The Silver Lake Eagles are focused on returning to the 3A state championship after finishing as the runner-up a year ago.
Silver Lake has marched through its first 10 games as a 20-point win against Rossville has been its closest differential all year.
Things didn’t get any more difficult for the Eagles in the first round of the playoffs as they breezed past St. Marys 46-6.
The Eagles are led by quarterback Dailin Kruger and running back Peter Pfannenstiel. Kruger has passed for 1,380 yards and has rushed for 763, despite splitting time at quarterback for the first part of the season. Pfannenstiel is the team’s leading rusher with 878 yards on 96 carries.
The Hiawatha Redhawks have won five consecutive games since falling to Holton and Nemaha Valley midway through the season. They are coming off a big 50-35 playoff win, avenging the earlier loss to Nemaha Valley. Denzel Chilcoat rushed for more than 400 yards and four TDs in the win.
Hiawatha also features one of the best linemen in the state. Junior Peyton Newell (6-3, 280) has reportedly received offers from a variety of SEC, Big 12, Big 10 and Pac-10 schools to be a defensive lineman.
Silver Lake 42, Hiawatha 20 (Schremmer)
3A East: Caney Valley (9-1) at Wellsville (6-4)
Criss Davis’ Caney Valley Bullpups appear to be peaking at the right time. They hope that trend continues after a long road trip on Saturday to take on the Wellsville Eagles.
The Bullpups opened what they hope is a deep playoff run with a 52-9 pasting of Galena. Caney backs Anthony Camper and Brian Dixon combined to rush for 457 yards against the Bulldogs. Camper led the way with 245 yards rushing and five touchdowns, while Dixon contributed 212 yards and two scores.
Caney Valley is an experienced and physical football team up front led by 2011 all-state selection Derek Bayless on the offensive and defensive lines.
Wellsville, on the other hand, lost several starters from last year’s team that finished 10-1.
Mark Luedtke’s team has been impressive of late as the Eagles enter this contest having won four straight and six of their last seven. Early season losses to Baldwin and Olpe have prepared the Eagles as those teams reached the playoffs in their respective classifications.
Wellsville had little trouble with Burlington in round one as senior running back Shane Hillman rushed for 237 yards and four scores in the 64-15 win.
Caney Valley 43, Wellsville 15 (Gilmore)
3A West: No. 3 Garden Plain (10-0) at No. 5 Conway Springs (9-1)
In one of the most anticipated rematches of the season rivals Garden Plain and Conway Springs will again face-off to advance in the playoffs. The recent history of this match-up provides all the context one needs to understand just how good this game will likely be. The two schools had split the previous ten meetings before Garden Plain defeated Conway Springs 41-21 in Week 6.
In that week 6 win, Garden Plain looked dangerous as Denver Doyle and Dylan Clark led the ground game behind a big, experienced offensive line and the Owl defense held Conway Springs stud Tanner Wood to 31 yards rushing on 11 carries in the first half. Wood would go on to rush for 153 yards in the contest; more than 100 yards less than his average per game during the regular season.
It appears that Conway Springs just lost too much from last year's state championship team. Brian Doffing and Cory Misak graduated from the backfield, and Matt Seiwert and other key components of the offensive and defensive interior lines also had to be replaced.
This game will likely be closer than the Week 6 Owl win, but Garden Plain still appears to have too much for the Cardinals. It’s unfortunate that such an early round match-up will result in one of the state's best 3A squads ending their season, while the winner will likely get a match-up with an ultra-talented Scott City squad.
Garden Plain 21, Conway Springs 14 (Baetz)
3A West: Sedgwick (9-1) at Hillsboro (10-0)
Without a doubt the state’s least talked about undefeated team is the Hillsboro Trojans. Yet the Trojans are 10-0 under new head coach Lance Sawyer who came over to Hillsboro from White City.
Hillsboro has rolled to this unbeaten start with a 10-point win over Hesston being their closest margin of victory. But on Saturday, the Trojans will get their biggest test of the season when they host Sedgwick; the team that eliminated Hillsboro from the playoffs 41-20 in last year’s first round. That win marked the first playoff victory in school history for the Cardinals.
Hillsboro quarterback Tyler Proffitt has thrown for nearly 2,100 yards this season. He’s thrown 23 touchdown passes, but has also had the tendency to turn the ball over with 15 interceptions.
Proffitt’s main targets at receiver has been Shaq Thiessen who has 31 catches for 792 yards and 11 touchdowns. Tyrell Thiessen is the Trojan’s leading rusher and second-leading receiver at 5-foot-11 and 275 pounds. Tyrell has rushed for 694 yards and eight scores, while hauling in 38 receptions for 524 yards and six touchdowns.
While the Trojans rely on their passing attack, Sedgwick will use a couple of backs that have produced big numbers lately.
Logan Thompson has filled in nicely at quarterback after a season-ending injury to sophomore Brylie Ware who had thrown for more than 1,100 yards before going down in Week 5. Thompson, a former lineman that started this season at wide receiver, has taken over under center and produced big games. Case in point, his 236-yard, five-touchdown rushing performance in the 70-31 first-round win over Chaparral on Tuesday night.
Joining Thompson in the backfield is Dalton Brandt, who rushed for 240 yards and four scores in Tuesday’s game. Brandt is well over 1,000 yards rushing on the season.
The Cardinal secondary has intercepted 14 passes this season, and should be up to the task against Proffitt and the Trojans.
Sedgwick 35, Hillsboro 27 (Gilmore)
The rest of our 3A second-round picks:
Rossville (9-1) at Sabetha (5-5)
Humboldt (8-2) at St. Mary’s Colgan (7-3)
No. 2 Scott City (10-0) at Sacred Heart (9-1)
Holcomb (9-1) at No. 4 Beloit (10-0)
Class 8-Man – Division I
8M-I East: No. 3 South Haven (10-0) at No. 2 Madison (9-1)
This sets up to be a big matchup in 8-Man Division I as the undefeated South Haven Cardinals travel to face the two-time defending state champion Madison Bulldogs.
South Haven is coming a 52-22 win against Marais Des Cygnes Valley; a game that was much closer than the final score indicates.
South Haven running back J.T. Yunker and quarterback Austin Showman were key to the victory over the Trojans. Yunker rushed for about 100 yards and three touchdowns, while Showman – a three-year starter for the Cardinals – completed 15 of 22 passes for 189 yards and two touchdowns. He also run for about 90 yards and two touchdowns.
Madison has won nine consecutive games since falling 34-22 to Baileyville B&B in Week 1. During the winning streak, the Bulldogs have scored at least 44 points every game.
Dallas Thompson ran for about 150 yards and two touchdowns during Tuesday’s 48-0 win against Pike Valley. However, Thompson left the game in the first half and will miss the remainder of the season with a broken ankle.
Thompson’s absence will create an opportunity for Ed Alverez and Corey McClelland to shine, while Willie Derryberry and quarterback Sam Blubaugh will look to carry the Bulldogs deeper into the playoffs.
Madison 42, South Haven 30 (Schremmer)
8-M I East: No. 5 Mankato-Rock Hills (9-1) at No. 4 Marmaton Valley (10-0)
The Marmaton Valley Wildcats have obviously been good all year all long. A team doesn’t get to 10-0 by accident. However, Marmaton Valley’s run over the past four weeks has been freakishly good. The Wildcats have won their past four games by a combined score of 222-26 or an average score of 55.5 to 6.5.
Senior running back Cole Becker leads a Wildcat attack that averages nearly 400 yards rushing per game. Becker has followed up an all-state junior campaign with a monster senior year as he has averaged more than 200 yards rushing per game. He rushed for 288 yards and five scores in Marmaton Valley’s first-round win over Udall.
With that said, the Mankato-Rock Hills Grizzlies may be the best team Marmaton Valley has faced all year. Since their loss to Clifton-Clyde in Week 4, the Grizzlies have won six consecutive and have scored at least 50 points in each game. Rock Hills is coming off a 72-26 win against Peabody-Burns.
Rock Hills boasts two 1,000-yard rushers in running back Clay Cosand and quarterback Joel Broeckelman. Cosand has 1,195 yards and 27 touchdowns, while Broeckelman enters with 1,109 yards and 27 touchdowns.
Rock Hills also has good size up front with the likes of Micah Daniels (6-5; 230) and Wyatt Flynn (6-4; 240). Marmaton Valley also has good size with Nathan Smart (6-4; 265), Jared Kale (6-3, 220), and Lucas Hamlin (6-2, 190) so the key will be who wins the battle in the trenches.
Marmaton Valley 49, Rock Hills 42 (Schremmer)
8M-1 West: Hodgeman County (8-2) at Solomon (9-1)
One word can be used to describe the Solomon Gorillas – “BIG!” The Gorillas feature six players that go at least 6-foot-2 and more than 200 pounds that get regular playing time and nose guard Hunter Base is a rock at 5-9, 195 pounds.
Solomon could be one of the most dominant teams in 8-Man football, but the key is special teams play. The Gorillas gave up two punt return touchdowns in a loss to Central Plains in week eight of the regular season, and in Tuesday's narrow escape of Kiowa County they allowed a 75-yard kickoff return from Maverick junior Trever Powell.
Hodgeman County is an experienced playoff team with tradition. The school makes up the consolidated district that combined former 8-Man football powers Hanston and Jetmore.
The Longhorns looked impressive in dispatching Hoxie Tuesday night, but quarterback Austin Pfannenstiel left that game in the first half with an injury and did not return. Standout back Jared Borger may move under center against Solomon. Borger rushed for 95 yards and also completed his two passes, one for a 25-yard touchdown, in Tuesday night's win.
The Longhorn defense was the star of the show Tuesday night though as they intercepted Hoxie quarterback Chase Kennedy five times. Alex Kreger returned one of those picks 30 yards for a touchdown.
If Solomon will line-up and use their bigs to run the ball they will be difficult for any 8-Man team to stop this year, but suspect pass defense and special teams could leave them heading home earlier than they should.
Solomon 42, Hodgeman County 36 (Baetz)
8M-I West: No. 1 Ness City (10-0) at Pretty Prairie (8-2)
Two years ago, Ness City was in its first season of eight-man football and lost to Pretty Prairie, then ranked No. 1 in Eight-Man, Division I, in the first round of the playoffs. That year, Ness City finished 5-5. Last year, Ness City finished 8-2, while the Eagles are 10-0 and ranked No. 1 in Eight-Man, Division I this fall. Ness City has not had a game inside of 32 points.
Senior running back Garrett Flax has 949 yards and Dalton Gantz had 901 rushing yards. Senior quarterback Koltyn Ratliff has passed for 582 yards and an 11/2 TD/INT ratio.
Pretty Prairie defeated St. John 36-32 in the first round of the playoffs last Tuesday, while Ness City beat Minneola, 50-14. Pretty Prairie won five straight victories before it lost, 20-18, to Solomon in Week 9.
In the playoff game, Pretty Prairie led 24-16 at halftime. St. John led 32-30 with 2:40 left in the contest, and Pretty Prairie had a fourth-and-21 with just over two minutes left. Pretty Prairie threw an incomplete pass, but St. John was called for pass interference. Pretty Prairie eventually scored with 15 seconds left on a 22-yard pass.
Ness City has dominated all season and should earn a victory Saturday.
Ness City 40, Pretty Prairie 14 (Nicholl)
Class 8-Man – Division II
8-Man II East: No. 1 Baileyville B&B (10-0) at Caldwell (6-4)
Top-ranked Baileyville B&B makes a long road trip to Caldwell to take on the Blue Jays. Baileyville B&B which is located approximately 12 miles from the Nebraska boarder will travel some 250 miles one-way to take on Caldwell which sits less than three miles from Oklahoma.
It’s nothing for B&B coach Justin Coup’s group to make long playoff trips. The Falcons traveled to South Barber (Kiowa, Kan.) in the second round of last year’s playoffs.
The Falcons rolled to a first-round win over Coup’s former team in Goessell, 55-8. Junior quarterback Dustin Rottinghaus threw for 185 yards and three touchdowns in the win, while Dustin Deters rushed for 102 yards and two scores.
Caldwell, meanwhile, pulled off the upset of the night on Tuesday; scoring 20 points in the fourth quarter to top No. 3 Waverly 50-36.
Sophomore Darin Ward rushed for 189 yards and three touchdowns for the Blue Jays. Caldwell took advantage of eight Waverly turnovers in the game.
Although at home, this young Caldwell team will likely have a difficult time slowing down B&B.
Baileyville B&B 52, Caldwell 14 (Gilmore)
8M-II East: Colony-Crest (7-3) at Hanover (8-2)
In intriguing second-round match-up features Colony-Crest from the Three Rivers League traveling to Twin Valley League power Hanover.
Both teams won road games to open the playoffs on Tuesday night. Hanover made quick work of Chase in a 48-0 shutout, while Crest won a 66-50 shootout over South Barber.
The Lancers squandered an 18-point lead before halftime in giving up three Chieftain touchdowns in the final minutes of the second quarter to trail 42-38 at the break. But Crest pulled away in the second half outscoring South Barber 28-6 to hold on for the 16-point win.
Crest is led by Kansas Pregame cover-boy Kyle Hammond. Hammond a four-year starter for the Lancers, has posted some incredible career numbers that include more than 8,000 yards of total offense and 146 touchdowns. Those numbers do not include his performance in the first round of the playoffs.
This season, Hammond rushed for 1,680 yards and 32 touchdowns during the regular season. His night on Tuesday was cut short by a dislocated pinky finger on his throwing hand. He did not play in the second half of the South Barber win, but is expected to play at Hanover.
Hanover cruised to a 48-0 shutout of Chase in round one. The Wildcats scored 24 points in each of the first two quarters. Mark Zarybnicky rushed for 70 yards and two touchdowns in the win. Preston Jueneman also scored twice, including a 38-yard interception return for a touchdown for Hanover’s final points.
The Wildcats are trying to get back to the elite level they enjoyed just three years ago winning back-to-back state championships in 2008 and 2009.
Hanover 46, Crest 28 (Gilmore)
8M-II West: No. 5 Thunder Ridge (9-1) at No. 4 Otis-Bison (9-1)
This marks the third time in the last two seasons that Thunder Ridge and Otis-Bison will meet. Last year, Otis-Bison went 10-2 and lost both games to Thunder Ridge, which finished 13-0 and won the Eight-Man, Division II championship. Thunder Ridge won 44-18 in Week 4 and then earned a 54-26 win in the sub-state. Both squads have similar styles – ground-and-pound attacks and physical, aggressive defenses.
Thunder Ridge returned just two starters on both sides of the ball but has outscored opponents 526-128 and ranks in the top-three in the classification in scoring offense and defense. The Longhorns’ lone loss came in Week 1 to Mankato-Rock Hills, while the Cougars’ only defeat came against Hoxie in Week 3.
Otis-Bison follows a simple formula: give the ball to senior running back Dylan Wissman, who has more than 5,000 total yards in his career. Wissman has rushed for 1,798 yards and 40 TDs this season and has cleared 100 yards in each contest.
For Thunder Ridge, fullback Trevor Lowe has 130 carries for 1,195 yards and 22 TDs, while sophomore Trent Rietzke has 104 carries for 608 yards and 16 scores.
These two teams have mutual respect for each other and Saturday should be a great matchup. Thunder Ridge is a little stronger one through eight, though Wissman and lineman Sam Higgason are among the elite for Otis-Bison. Both teams made several mistakes in big first round playoff wins Tuesday: Thunder Ridge with penalties and Otis-Bison with fumbles.
Expect this one to come down to late in the fourth quarter. Rietzke, a speedy scatback, could be the difference.
Thunder Ridge 26, Otis Bison 24 (Nicholl)
8M-II West: Fowler (9-1) at No. 2 Sharon Spring-Wallace County (9-0)
Sharon Springs has reached the playoffs all seven years under coach Kevin Ayers, but won its district and earned a postseason victory for the first time since its state title in 2007. The Wildcats have allowed just 6.4 points per contest, easily the best in eight-man football. Baileyville B&B (9.8 points/allowed) is the only other Eight-Man, Division II team better than 12.8 points per contest.
The experienced Wildcat team has several seniors that play key roles, including senior quarterback Gavin Mote, who has completed 46 of 72 passes for 760 yards and a 14/3 TD/INT ratio. Mote leads the team with 717 yards and 19 scores. Defensively, junior Clay Schemm leads the team with six sacks and five quarterback hurries.
Fowler had been 0-2 in playoff games since 2003, but defeated Victoria 17-14 last week behind first-year coach Matt Bell. Taylin Bird threw for 167 yards and a TD and also rushed for a score. Ty Clark collected 18 tackles, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Tem Shetley had 10 tackles and three interceptions. The Goldbugs won the game on a 25-yard field goal by Shetley in the last two minutes. Shetley, who has rushed for a team-high 964 yards and 20 scores, has kicked 34 extra points and three field goals this season.
Fowler won the program’s first playoff game in 31 years. Two players on the current team had dads who were on the team from 31 years ago. Senior lineman Joel Milford is on the current squad, while Kevin is his father who played 31 years ago. As well, junior fullback/linebacker Joel Huelskamp is on the 2012 team, while his dad, Tom, was on the former squad.
Sharon Springs is the west’s favorite to reach the state championship game and the Wildcats have the edge Saturday.
Sharon Springs 36, Fowler 12 (Nicholl)
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