Back to Kpreps this fall, our contributors will hand out helmet stickers to a team or individual that delivered the most important performance of the week in their opinion. Check back each week to see that week’s helmet stickers, and follow @Kpreps on Twitter and Facebook to watch as the Kpreps helmet fills up with stickers as the season goes on.
Helmet sticker: Colby Eagles (Chet Kuplen -- Sports in Kansas)
Colby ended a nine-game losing streak to Holcomb on Friday night with their impressive 38-34 win.
Colby led 22-20 at halftime on the strength of a pair of Isaac Rosales touchdown runs and a score by Jordan Schippers. The Longhorns scored twice in the third quarter to take a 34-22 lead, but Schippers connected with Rosales to pull Colby within 34-30, then Calvin Stapp’s 13-yard run gave the Eagles the lead for good.
Colby has the talent to be a team worth noting in 3A with all-stater Jordan Schippers, Calvin Stapp and Xavier Slavens.
Helmet sticker: Ellinwood (Conor Nicholl – Kpreps)
Through three weeks, the theme of 2018 continues to be teams ending long losing streaks. After a season-opening 48-0 loss against La Crosse, Ellinwood had lost 19 straight games in 11-man football. Then, the Eagles defeated Sublette, 46-0, and Ellis, 34-13, the first two of three straight road contests.
In 2011, Ellinwood completed a 2-7 season with a 32-22 victory against Inman. Then, the Eagles went 0-9 in ’12 and ’13 for 18 straight losses.
After ’13, Ellinwood dropped down to eight-man football from the 11-man ranks. From ’14-17, Ellinwood went 3-6, 6-3, 3-6 and 2-7. This year, Ellinwood transitioned up two classes from 8-Man, Division I to Class 2A, a rare two-class jump for a team.
The Eagles opened with the La Crosse loss to run their 11-man losing skid to 19 contests before the wins. As well, the Ellis win ended a long losing streak against current Mid-Continent League teams.
Ellinwood, out of the Central Prairie League, was 0-10 against teams currently in the MCL with six defeats to Thomas More Prep and two apiece to Plainville and Ellis. The back-to-back victories marked the first time Ellinwood has won two straight in 11-man football since a 7-3 season in ’04 when the Eagles captured four straight regular season games to end the year. Since then, the only winning season came in ’15.
Helmet sticker: Flinthills Mustangs (Matt Gilmore -- Kpreps)
My sticker goes to the Flinthills Mustangs for snapping a 35-game losing streak with a 34-20 victory over Oxford. Flinthills led 14-12 at halftime and pulled away with three touchdowns in the second half.
Prior to Friday night, the Mustangs’ last victory was a 42-8 win over Elk Valley on September 19, 2014.
Congratulations to coach Daniel Scribner and the Mustangs!
Helmet sticker: Shawnee Mission South (Matt Gilmore -- Kpreps)
I’m going to pass out a second sticker this week to coach Brett Oberzan and the Shawnee Mission South Raiders.
SM South is 3-0 for the first time since 1989 (per Kevin Booker) after Thursday night’s 27-0 shutout of Lansing. The Raiders have now posted victories over Shawnee Mission North, Shawnee Mission West, and Lansing this season by a combined score of 77-6.
The Raiders scored twice in the first half on touchdown passes from Jack Roberts to Will Huggins, and that proved to be enough for the South defense. Roberts rushed for 109 yards and a score and passed for 128 more yards.
SM South will try and pick up its fourth win on Friday when the Raiders host Olathe South.
Helmet sticker: Sylvan-Lucas Unified (John Baetz – Kansas Pregame)
The Sylvan-Lucas Mustangs rebounded from their week two loss to Stockton with a dominant performance against cross-county rival Lincoln on the road Friday night.
Sylvan-Lucas junior Beau Batchman rushed for 172 yards and two touchdowns, added a 63-yard kickoff return score to open the game, and picked off a Leopard pass at the goal line in the win.
Mustang senior Wyatt Hiitter picked off two more Lincoln passes and Sylvan-Lucas held the Leopards to less than 100 yards of total offense in the contest.
The offensive line was key as the Mustangs piled up nearly 300 yards, including 274 yards rushing, in the 46-0 victory in a game that was called at the half.
Helmet Stickers (2018 Season)
Week 1 – Chapman, Salina Central, St. James Academy, Southeast-Cherokee, Wichita North
Week 2 – Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Russell, South Central, Washburn Rural
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