Schippers leads positional changes for 4-0 Colby
Colby’s Jordan Schippers became one of the state’s top running backs in his first three seasons. Entering this fall, he had averaged 7.7 yards per carry with 2,343 yards and 33 scores. As well, he hauled in 83 catches for 1,325 yards and 18 TDs. In spot duty as a passer, Schippers completed 3 of 7 attempts for 56 yards with zero scores against one interception.
Last fall, Colby started 4-0 and eventually finished 6-4 before the Eagles graduated multi-year starting signal caller Zach Hart. Coach Rees McKinney, in his second season, went to Schippers and asked him to play under center.
“Jordan is probably the best kid I have ever met in my life,” McKinney said. “We needed a quarterback. We thought about it, asked him, and he said yes. No questions asked, no arguments, nothing.”
Schippers has propelled Colby to another 4-0 record – and against significantly harder opponents than last year’s first month. Schippers, with an offer from Division II Chadron State (Neb.) College, is far from the Eagles’ only talented and unselfish player.
“I have such a great group of kids,” McKinney said. “Every one of them.”
Colby opened with a 43-20 home win against Ulysses, then went to Hugoton for a 35-6 victory. In Week 3, the Eagles ended a nine-game losing streak versus Holcomb with a second half comeback for a 38-34 win.
“With Jordan, if you don’t have a true quarterback, put it in your best athlete’s hands and let him make plays,” McKinney said.
Colby trailed 34-22 before Schippers threw a touchdown pass to senior Isaac Rosales, and junior Calvin Stapp scored from 13 yards out for the final margin.
“It was just kind of unspoken,” McKinney said. “We all knew we were in the game. They couldn’t stop us offensively either, so we just looked at each other after they scored that second touchdown to kind of increase the margin, and talked to the special teams units, we need to make sure that we take care of this ball, because the offense is going down and scoring, and then they took the field and just marched down in.”
Last week, the Eagles opened districts and traveled 167 miles to Beloit for a 39-14 victory. It marked the first time Colby and Beloit had faced off in at least 40 years, according to Kansas Football History. Colby faces 2-2 Concordia this week. The Eagles have 10 seniors and veteran coordinators Matt Sims and Brad Wildeman.
Last fall, Colby defeated smaller schools Oakley and La Crosse before wins versus Hugoton and a Ulysses squad that finished 1-8. When those squads didn’t play the Eagles, they were a combined 11-22. This season, the four teams are a combined 6-6 when not playing Colby.
“Our first four games were a lot tougher than what we had last year,” McKinney said. “That’s probably the biggest difference.”
Senior Tucker Branum switched from H-back to left guard. McKinney, a Scott City graduate and formerly Moscow’s head coach labeled Branum “probably one of the best left guards in the state.” He has helped Schippers rush for 413 yards and seven scores. Schippers has completed 17 of 35 passes for 157 yards and three TDs. Defensively, Branum paces the squad with 38 tackles.
“He really makes that offense click on another level,” McKinney said. “I had a bunch of good guys there already, but he gets in there right away and communicates, and has just done a phenomenal job.”
McKinney listed sophomore Hagan Booi as an unsung player who has significantly stepped up.
“He is the reason that we were able to move Tucker to the line,” McKinney said.
Boi plays at H-back and defensive end. He had a key fourth quarter sack versus Holcomb.
“He is just a hard-working kid, hard-nosed, tough runner, tough defender, has several sacks already this season, made a bunch of big plays,” McKinney said.
Rosales rotated from wide receiver to running back and took over Schippers’ former position. He has a three-touchdown game.
“Done a great job as well, too, handling the ball, taking care of the ball in that new position,” McKinney said. “I have been really proud of him as well.”
Last season, Stapp rushed for 750 yards, had 492 receiving yards and tallied eight offensive touchdowns.
This year, Stapp has again put up big numbers in a multi-faceted role. He has 380 rushing yards and seven TDs, along with 61 receiving and a score. McKinney called Stapp a “workhorse” with great hands. Stapp can also throw the ball if needed and starts at outside linebacker on defense. He is among the state’s leaders with three interceptions.
The skill players’ performance has helped Colby overcome some injuries. Sophomore Ryan Myers, the backup quarterback, is out, along with sophomore running back Jaren Rush who suffered injury on the season’s first play.
Senior Carter Stanley is a returning starter and would have played H-back but is also not available. McKinney said Myers was expected to be re-evaluated this week, Stanley is day-to-day, while Rush is likely out significant time. McKinney hopes the trio can return this year.
“You can’t replace him,” McKinney said of Stapp. “He is on the field every play. He plays every special teams play. You’ve got to kick to him, you’ve got to punt to him. He is one of my gunners on kickoff. He is my gunner on punts. He is definitely one of the best players. Whether he gets recognized by the state or not, he is one of the best players in the state.”
Up front, junior Aaron Kurth returns at center. Senior Thomas Cline starts at left end, followed by Branum, Kurth, senior guard Kory Finley and senior end Xavier Slaven.
“He put in a really good summer, and he has made tremendous strides,” McKinney said of Kurth.
Slaven had 11 tackles for loss in 2017. This year, he has recorded three sacks and does a strong job of holding the edge and keeping his responsibility.
“Yeah, he could fly around and make a lot more plays, I am sure, but it would hurt us in the long run, but instead, he is an unselfish kid,” McKinney said. “He does everything we want him to do every play, and just determined to be successful.”
Struckhoff enjoying early success with alma mater Thunder Ridge
Joel Struckhoff led Kensington-Thunder Ridge to the 2011 Eight-Man, Division II state title. A four-year starter at tailback and defensive back, he collected Shrine Bowl honors and still holds state eight-man records for career rushing yards, touchdowns and points. Blane Hrabe started at quarterback, while Dillon Coomes served as a strong lineman.
However, Thunder Ridge quickly tumbled after a state runner-up showing in ’12 and a combined 13-5 record the next two seasons. In the last three years, the Longhorns combined for just three wins. Struckhoff completed his studies at Fort Hays and returned to Kensington. After two-a-days started in 2017, former head coach Otis Hendryx asked Struckhoff to come on staff as a first-year assistant coach.
After the season, Thunder Ridge decided to make a change and promoted Struckhoff to head coach.
“I thought that, ‘Hey, I can really help these kids get things turned around, and hopefully we can get this program turned around to where it used to be,” he said.
Thunder Ridge has opened 3-1, 1-0 in district play and is one of state’s biggest early-season turnarounds. Struckhoff brought on Hrabe as an assistant coach, and Coomes, an assistant last fall, returned to the staff.
“I couldn’t picture a more perfect situation to start at,” Struckhoff said. “Turning a program around in the town you grew up in, had very good success, won a state championship and won a lot of ball games to coaching here, I couldn’t picture a better place to start my coaching career and to have the success that we’ve had thus far is just amazing. The kids are amazing, the community has obviously always been amazing.”
TR opened with a 68-0 win at Lakeside, then beat Washington County, 12-0, on the road. After a 53-6 home loss to Hill City, the Longhorns earned a quality district home win, 24-14, against Northern Valley. This week, the Longhorns play host to Sylvan-Lucas (2-2, 0-1) in a key Eight-Man, Division II, District 5 contest.
The Huskies entered the game 3-0 and averaged 53.3 points a contest. Thunder Ridge halted Northern Valley’s eight-game regular season winning streak that included a 52-6 win versus the Longhorns last fall.
“Kids have responded really well to my coaching staff and myself, and it’s really clicked for us,” Struckhoff said. “It’s very surprising that it has clicked this easily.”
Struckhoff believes his young age and former success has helped with the players.
“I can get them motivated a lot easier than what I feel other individuals could,” he said. “I relate to the kids. I played football. I’ve done all of that, and the kids respond really well to me. I haven’t had a single problem with any of them this year.”
Senior Brandon Grauerholz was out with a collarbone injury in 2017. He bounced back to take fourth in the Class 1A 200-meter dash at state track last spring. Grauerholz has recorded more than 580 all-purpose yards and leads the team in virtually every offensive category. He is among the leading tacklers and has been a shutdown cornerback.
Struckhoff said one of big keys has putting players in the correct positions. Senior Landon Gering is at defensive end. The team switched senior Riggs Reneberg to nose guard where he’s been disruptive in the run and passing game. Last year, Reneberg played limited defense at linebacker. Thunder Ridge put junior Tyler Krueger at the other defensive end.
Junior Colton Davis switched to strong side linebacker, and junior Joseph Ferguson is at the weak side. Senior Brandon Shaw returns at the middle linebacker. Senior Jeran Hale has played well at left corner. Sophomore Jacob Barnes has started at quarterback.
He has thrown for more than 250 yards on a team with six seniors. Thunder Ridge had just one senior last year. Reece Struckhoff, the coach’s cousin, could make an impact, too, depending on how deep the Longhorns advance in the playoffs. He transferred back from Stockton and has practiced with the team this fall but cannot play in games due to transfer rules.
“They are a great group of kids, great group of individuals, works extremely hard,” coach Struckhoff said. “Worked really hard this summer, and the thing that stand out for this group is, we’ve got some speed, we’ve got some size, we just mix and match really well. Defensively, we’re tough, and it’s just a great group of kids. A lot of it is just effort, just a lot of effort.”
Schematically, the coaches have done well with in-game adjustments. At halftime against Northern Valley, Thunder Ridge widened the linebackers some because the Huskies were beating them to the edges. They moved the cornerbacks up a little to take out the lead blocker. Northern Valley didn’t score in the second half.
“The biggest thing that has changed is just getting kids in the right position to make plays,” Struckhoff said. “Last year, I felt as if we weren’t always in the right position to make plays.”
Struckhoff and the coaching staff has had help from their former high school coaches – head coach Jerry Voorhees and assistants Brent Overmiller and Kirby Rust. Struckhoff and his father, Jim, an avid football fan, can watch film together for hours.
“Football has always been our thing,” coach Struckhoff said. “Honestly, my dad has helped me tremendously in this whole process of becoming a head coach, how I need to act, represent the community, and just overall football knowledge.”
Shuberts, Schneider help WaKeeney-Trego
Coach Pat Haxton is in his sixth season as the WaKeeney-Trego Community head coach. Haxton, a 20-year head coaching veteran at various stops, delivered a 17-27 record in his first five falls with the Golden Eagles. This year, he has noticed a significant change in the team’s effort. Last year, WaKeeney finished 2-7.
This season, the Golden Eagles have opened 3-1, 1-0 in Eight-Man, Division I, District 8. On Friday, WaKeeney plays host to surprising Leoti-Wichita County, which took top-ranked Hoxie deep into the second half last week and stands 3-1, 0-1.
“I just truly believe it’s the effort we are giving and in practice and in the games,” Haxton said. “It is the mindset. We try to preach that all the time, and you’ve just got to have a group of kids that steps up and understands that, and they started that last spring with a number of kids that we had out for track and the effort they gave during track.”
All of WaKeeney’s wins have come by at least 28 points. The Golden Eagles have averaged 48 points a contest after 21.1 last fall. They’ve allowed 24.5, down from 39.5 last season.
“It’s a different feeling than anything I have had since I have been at WaKeeney,” Haxton said. “You have those seasons where man it just feels good about who you have. I don’t know what’s going to happen Friday night, and I have no idea, but I do know that we are going to play hard, and I just feel good about the whole environment about this team.”
Known for his strength and quickness, senior Dallas Schneider has 71 carries for 522 yards and six rushing scores after he recorded just 170 yards last year. The Golden Eagles moved junior Hunter Price, last year’s top rusher, to wide receiver since he is a better pass catcher than Schneider.
“Kind of a win-win for both of them,” Haxton said.
He and junior tight end Dillon Dunn have combined for 25 catches for 386 yards and four TDs. The change has also allowed Schneider and Price to consistently play on the field at the same time. Haxton said the offensive line has been the best in his WaKeeney tenure. Senior Nathaniel Werth is playing “lights out” on both sides of the ball at center and linebacker.
“I will give him a steak dinner if he will drive somebody completely out of the film, and he has won two of them already this year,” Haxton said.
Schneider has a punt return and two kick returns for scores in 2018 and has five special teams TDs in his career. Haxton said Schneider is the fastest player he’s coached with WaKeeney. Schneider, a two-time state powerlifting, weighs 170 and squats 425.
“He has worked hard to get to that point, so I am glad to see him having success,” Haxton said.
Senior Keagan Shubert is in his third year as the starting quarterback. He has completed 19 of 35 passes for 247 yards with five scores against zero interceptions. However, Shubert suffered a shoulder injury in the first series the second quarter of Week 2 against Hill City.
His younger brother, Kobi, formerly a receiver, stepped in at quarterback and replaced his brother at defensive back, too. With very limited experience, Kobi has completed 22 of 42 passes for 389 yards with a 6/3 TD/INT ratio.
Kobi prepared well and played some at the junior varsity level the last several weeks to learn quarterback. Keagan is expected to return this week under center, though Kobi will be at receiver and defensive back again.
“Kobi stepped up and he is a smart kid and he is a great leader,” Haxton said. “He improvises so well, and does things just really, really well, and he is mechanically sound, so I am so happy with the way that he has stepped in and played.”
No. 1 Hoxie travels to St. Francis; looks to end losing streak against Indians
Hoxie (4-0, 1-0) travels to Northwest Kansas League rival St. Francis (4-0, 1-0) in a key Eight-Man, Division I, District 8 contest. The defending state champion Indians are 16-1 since the start of ’17 and enter this Friday on a 12-game winning streak.
The Indians’ lone loss came at St. Francis, 16-8, in Week 5 last season. This year, St. Francis is under new coach Nick Fawcett and returns playmakers at quarterback and running back with Brady Dinkel and Jordan Raby, respectively. Hoxie counters with its massive, veteran offensive line, quarterback Jared Kennedy and running back Wylie Weems.
St. Francis is 28-1 in the regular season since the start of the 2015 season.
Sainty has a total margin of 170-20 and leads Division I in scoring defense. Hoxie is at 186-58 with quality wins against Osborne and Wichita County, both 3-1.
Hoxie has lost eight straight to St. Francis dating back to a 34-28 win in 2004. In ’16, St. Francis beat Hoxie, 50-0, the first matchup between the teams in seven years.
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