8-MAN, DIVISION I
EAST
District 1
Oswego (3-0)
Cedar Vale-Dexter (2-1)
Sedan (2-1)
West Elk (2-1)
Central Burden (0-3)
Flinthills (0-3)
Teams from the Three Rivers League and the South Central Border League combine to make up District 1. Oswego enters district play as the only unbeaten and really hasn’t been challenged. The Indians have rolled through three winless opponents – two of which haven’t scored yet this season. But that’s not to say the Indians don’t have ability. Matt Fowler’s group returns several key players from last year’s 6-3 team, including all-state back Jace Wilson. Wilson rushed for 1,440 yards and 21 touchdowns last year and has rushed for 290 yards and eight touchdowns this season. Oswego will get a big test right away when they travel to traditional-contender Sedan. The Blue Devils have won two straight games since a blowout loss to St. Paul to open the season. Sedan is led by Tayte Halderman who has already accounted for more than 300 total yards and six touchdowns in three games. Cedar Vale-Dexter is another team with returning experience and an all-state back in Brogan Myers. All Myers did was rush for 1,400 yards and 28 scores as a sophomore last season. The Spartans played with Caldwell for a half last week before falling 56-28. West Elk looks to stay healthy and enjoy a more productive season. Standout Nic Moreno suffered a season-ending injury a year ago which certainly impacted the Patriots’ season. Moreno is back and has rushed for 344 yards and eight scores through three weeks. The addition of Devin Loudermilk will also help as he has rushed for nearly 300 yards and four scores so far. Central Burden lost standout all-state player Clayton Cook to graduation and now the Raiders will have to find answers with a much less experienced roster. The Raiders are winless to far, but losses have been by ten points (22-12) to Oxford, and 20-0 to Udall. Flinthills is also seeking their first win on the season. The Mustangs challenged Oxford last week before falling 46-34.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. Oswego, 2. Cedar Vale-Dexter, 3. Sedan, 4. West Elk
District 2
Caldwell (3-0)
South Central (3-0)
Oxford (2-1)
Udall (2-1)
Argonia-Attica (1-2)
Medicine Lodge (1-2)
For the second consecutive season, District 2 appears to be among the deepest in the classification. South Central headlines the field – especially after the Timberwolves’ 48-14 thrashing of then No. 3 Hodgeman County last week. Chayde Snyder is among the elite players in eight-man football this season and will be tough to contain. Caldwell is also unbeaten and off to another explosive, high-scoring start. The Blue Jays average 53 points per game led by quarterback Colton Noyes who accounted for eight touchdowns in Caldwell’s first two games. Oxford has already doubled its win total from 2018 when the Wildcats finished 1-8. Oxford has posted victories of 22-12 over Central Burden and 46-34 over Flinthills. Those wins have been sandwiched around a Week 2 blowout loss to Sedan. Udall posted similar shutout victories over Flinthills and Central Burden. The Eagles were also outscored 52-31 by West Elk in Week 2. Alan Garton has lead Udall in rushing with 170 yards on 49 attempts. Quarterback Trevor Whiteman also has 44 rush attempts and has passed for more than 100 yards. Argonia-Attica’s two losses have come against 8M-II contender Hutchinson Central Christian (40-34) and the team with the longest current win streak in 8M-I, Pratt-Skyline. Xander Newberry has passed for 229 yards and four touchdowns, while Mason Miller leads the backfield with 361 yards and six scores. Finally, Medicine Lodge graduated all-state receiver Dakota Bayliff and quarterback Garrett Burden. Thus far Josh Bowman has filled admirably at quarterback with 443 yards and six touchdowns. Cason Liebst was among the state’s leading tacklers last fall and has averaged nearly nine stops per game thus far this season.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. South Central, 2. Caldwell, 3. Argonia-Attica, 4. Medicine Lodge
District 3
Burlingame (3-0)
Lebo (3-0)
Madison (3-0)
Maranatha Academy (3-0)
Chase County (2-1)
Valley Falls (0-3)
Incredibly, District 3 begins with four unbeaten teams and includes members that are a combined 14-3. Madison and Maranatha Academy are two teams heavily considered in the Kpreps top five poll each week. Madison is currently ranked No. 4, while Maranatha is just on the outside looking in. The Bulldogs and Eagles meet to open district play this week in Madison in showdown voted on by the Kpreps fans as the state-wide game of the week. The winner will likely be the favorite to win the district. Traditional contender Burlingame has taken some hits to graduation, but coach Jeff Slater continues to get kids to sustain his culture and winning ways. Burlingame has posted a pair of shutouts and a 36-point win over Colony-Crest. Three Bearcats have already cleared 150 yards rushing led by freshman Colby Middleton’s 250 rush yards and five touchdowns. Lebo has been resurrected under the guidance of Brian Hadley. The Wolves are off to a 3-0 start with big win over Waverly, Marais des Cygnes Valley, and Chetopa. Junior quarterback Devan McEwen has passed for 418 yards and nine touchdowns in three games. Chase County has posted one win in each of the past two seasons, but the Bulldogs are already 2-1 with wins over Herington and Peabody-Burns. Cael Budke has been exceptional on the ground for the Bulldogs. Finally, Valley Falls has now lost 11 straight games dating back to last year’s season opener. The Dragons have dropped a 36-point decision to Onaga, a 50-point loss to Clifton-Clyde, and a 26-point loss to Washington County.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. Madison, 2. Maranatha Academy, 3. Lebo, 4. Burlingame
District 4
Canton-Galva (3-0)
Bennington (2-1)
Goessel (2-1)
Solomon (2-1)
Peabody-Burns (1-2)
Herington (0-3)
Canton-Galva won this district last season with an upset win against Solomon, though then lost to the Gorillas in the sub-state title game. Solomon was the state runner-up to Central Plains, and then took massive graduation losses and coach Steve Tiernan went back to Osborne. Canton-Galva had no seniors on last year’s team and returned two first-team all-state players in quarterback Landon Everett and wide receiver Tyson Struber. The Eagles have been ranked first in the classification all year. Solomon has put up big numbers, especially with junior quarterback Alex Herbel with 68 carries for 621 yards and 11 scores, and 20 of 40 passing for 160 yards and a 2/2 TD/INT ratio. Solomon has outscored teams, 124-72. Goessel has shown a nice improvement with a total margin of 108-18. The Bluebirds have back-to-back big wins after an 18-12 loss to Moundridge in Week 1. After two victories, Bennington lost, 51-6, to Little River last week, a team Canton-Galva beat by the 45-point margin in Week 1. Last year, Goessel lost 42-6 to Moundridge and narrowly won in Week 3. Peabody-Burns defeated Cetre-Lost Springs, 26-24, in Week 1 and has lost its last two games by shutout and the 45-point rule. Herington has new coach Justin Hurley.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. Canton-Galva, 2. Solomon, 3. Bennington, 4. Goessel
WEST
District 5
Pratt-Skyline (3-0)
Little River (2-1)
Moundridge (2-1)
Central Plains (1-2)
Macksville (1-2)
St. John (0-3)
The Pratt-Skyline Thunderbirds find themselves undefeated going into district play this season. The 3-0 start is their best since 2014. The 2014 team went 8-2 and fell in the first round of the playoffs to Little River. Little River has won two consecutive games since falling to No. 1 Canton-Galva. Central Plains won the 8M-D1 championship both last season and in 2014, but the Oilers are rebuilding this year with only a handful of returning starters from last year’s team. The 2014 season also marked the first year of Macksville head coach Chet Skinner. In his time with the Mustangs, he has turned around the football program. Like Central Plains, Macksville also graduated a strong senior class, but return six starters both ways from last year’s team. Macksville has also run into CPL powerhouses Ness City and Victoria the past two weeks. Moundridge looks to be a solid program, as they have a 2-1 record against three 2-1 teams. St. John will need to focus on staying healthy this fall in order to play, as the Tigers only have nine players out for football.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. Central Plains, 2. Little River, 3. Pratt-Skyline, 4. Moundridge
District 6
Ness City (3-0)
South Gray (3-0)
Hodgeman County (2-1)
Kiowa County (2-1)
Spearville (2-1)
Kinsley (1-2)
This was a very close district in ’18 with Hodgeman County, Ness City and Spearville all at 4-1. Hodgeman County won the district last year with plus-82, while Ness City was plus-63, and Spearville stood at plus-31. It’s very possible it could be this close again. Ness City held on to defeat Central Plains, 36-30, in Week 1 and end the Oilers’ 13-game winning streak. Ness City has some key players back from injury, running back Hector Rodriguez and quarterback Jose Guzman have stepped up. Hodgeman County took a 48-14 loss to No. 3-ranked South Central last week. Junior Isaac Salmans has enjoyed another big season with 11 of 15 passing for 223 yards with four touchdowns against zero interceptions. His brother, senior Eli, has 51 carries for 448 yards and seven scores. South Gray went 3-6 last year, and has started 3-0. Kiowa County opened 3-0 last year, but finished 1-5. Spearville moved back to the single wing halfway through last season. The Lancers have three rushers with at least 158 yards, including 31 carries for 440 yards and nine scores from junior Trace Tasset. Kinsley is 3-9 the last two falls. However, Kinsley has defeated St. John in Week 2 both years.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. Hodgeman County, 2. Ness City, 3. Spearville, 4. South Gray
District 7
Clifton-Clyde (3-0)
Victoria (3-0)
Lincoln (2-1)
Washington County (2-1)
Hill City (1-2)
Stockton (1-2)
Last year, Clifton-Clyde rolled to the district crown with a 5-0 mark and all wins earning the maximum 21-point margin. Victoria defeated Hill City, 42-41, and earned second place in the district at 4-1. Hill City was third at 3-2. Victoria, with two just two seniors and two returning starters, has vaulted to No. 5 in Division I. The Knights have enjoyed big seasons from sophomore quarterback Grant Schoenrock, junior running back Jayvon Pruitt and senior lineman Kirk Huser. Victoria has held all three opponents to under 200 yards of total offense. Coach Doug Oberle made fundamentals, especially on defense, a focus in the preseason, and Victoria has permitted just 26 points. Clifton-Clyde has yet to allow a point and has outscored teams 186-0. However, the Eagles have played the fourth-weakest strength of schedule in the classification, according to Prep Power Index. Clifton-Clyde returned five starters on both sides, and just one senior is back as a starter. Lincoln opened 2-0 for the second straight season, though finished last year 0-7 and lost in Week 3 last week. Washington County is 2-1 for the second straight fall, and went 3-6 last year. Hill City has played the hardest schedule in Division I with losses to Osborne and Thunder Ridge, both ranked in Division II, and has allowed 41 points a game. The Ringnecks have moved the ball well with 142 passing and 190 rushing yards a game. However, Hill City has eight turnovers and is minus-7 in turnover margin. Stockton has taken two big losses, and earned an upset win, 14-12, versus Sylvan-Lucas in Week 2.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. Victoria, 2. Hill City, 3. Clifton-Clyde, 4. Stockton
District 8
Leoti-Wichita County (3-0)
Oberlin-Decatur Co. (3-0)
St. Francis (3-0)
Atwood-Rawlins Co. (2-1)
Hoxie (2-1)
WaKeeney-Trego (2-1)
This was one of the state’s top districts in ’18 with Saint Francis and Hoxie both finishing in the top-4 of the final rankings, and Wichita County a surprise 6-3 team. Wichita County has been dominating with a 212-34 collective margin. St. Francis, though, has been similarly dominant with a total 154-0 margin. Wichita County has passed for 150 yards and rushed for 206 yards a game. Quarterback Kayde Rietzke has delivered another nice season with 23 of 26 passing for 436 yards with nine scores against zero interceptions. He also leads with 28 carries for 258 yards and five scores. Saint Francis senior Brady Dinkel is a four-year starter on defense and a three-year starter at quarterback. The Indians have one of the better eight-man lines with Jesse Baxter and Colton Neitzel. Hoxie is 23-4 since the start of 2017. The Indians have passed for 128 and rushed for 191 yards a game. Seniors Dylan Weimer (209 rushing) and Wylie Weems (146) have combined for seven rushing scores. Saint Francis has defeated Hoxie nine consecutive times. First-year coach Trevor Williams has led Oberlin-Decatur Community to a 3-0 start after a 4-5 season last year. The Red Devils have won four straight games dating back to ’18. Oberlin has rushed for 276 yards a game with three players at least 204 yards, all seniors: Dawson Kempt, Colton Ketterl and Bryson Metcalf. Atwood-Rawlins County had just one returning starter in ’18 and has already matched its win total from a 2-7 mark. Senior Hunter Price has paced the WaKeeney-Trego Golden Eagles with 52 carries for 529 yards and seven scores.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. St. Francis, 2. Leoti-Wichita Co., 3.Hoxie, 4. WaKeeney-Trego
8-MAN DIVISION II
EAST
District 1
St. Paul (3-0)
Colony-Crest (1-2)
Altoona-Midway (0-3)
Chetopa (0-3)
Marmaton Valley (0-3)
Southern Coffey County (0-3)
Saint Paul is the heavy favorite in this district where thee other five teams have combined for only one win. The Indians have an experienced team led by all-state back Adam Albertini. Saint Paul should breeze through the next five games. Colony-Crest is the only other team with a victory thus far. The Lancers outscored Hartford 52-42 back in the season-opener. Since, Crest has lost to 8M-I contenders Burlingame (58-22) and Maranatha Academy (60-0). Crest junior Jacquez Coleman has contributed more than 320 yards of total offense in three games. Last fall, Altoona-Midway ended a 26-year playoff drought with their first appearance in the bracket since 1992. The Jets have a lot of those same players back for new head coach Chad Raida. But Altoona-Midway has yet to score a point this season in three losses to quality 8M-I teams: Cedar Vale-Dexter, Maranatha Academy, and Oswego. Chetopa is again low on numbers and still searching for new coach Rick Aldridge’s first win. The Green Hornets are averaging 13 points per game, but are giving up 65 per contest. Marmaton Valley is also under new direction with coach Garret Ericson. The Wildcats have not scored a point this season in blowout losses to West Elk, Oswego, and Sedan. Southern Coffey County finished 6-4 last season and won a playoff game. But the Titans graduated a talented senior class including all-stater Dawson Leimkuhler who is now on roster at Pitt State. Senior Cooper Harred leads the offense and passed for nearly 200 yards in the Titans first two games.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. St. Paul, 2. Colony-Crest, 3. Southern Coffey Co., 4. Altoona-Midway
District 2
Centre-Lost Springs (1-2)
Hartford (1-2)
Rural Vista (1-2)
Waverly (1-2)
Marais des Cygnes Valley (0-3)
Wakefield (0-3)
No team in District 2 enters with more than one win. Centre-Lost Springs is a couple of plays away from being 2-1. The Cougars opened the season with a 26-24 loss to Peabody-Burns when the Warriors scored to take the lead in the final five minutes. A week after, Centre blew out Herington before last week’s loss to 8M-I No. 1 Canton-Galva. Senior Jensen Riffel leads the Cougar offense. Waverly is under the direction of a new coach for the first time in 27 years. Mike Hevel retired after 26 seasons and 192 victories on the sidelines. The Bulldogs returned only a handful of experience, but picked up a win for new coach Nick Fraenza last week with a 48-0 shutout of Southern Coffey County. Waverly’s two losses have come to unbeatens Lebo and Madison. Hartford has been able to put up some points this season. The Jags are averaging 36 points per game, and that counts last week’s 63-0 shutout loss to Madison. Hartford is giving up 45 points per game. Rural Vista got on the scoreboard and in the win column for the first time last week. The Heat shutout Herington, 46-0, as junior Dylan Worrell rushed for 259 yards and five touchdowns on 32 carries. Marais des Cygnes Valley has only registered one win in each of the last three seasons. While the Trojans struggled through youth and inexperience last year, it’s hard to tell how far they’ve come because the early-season schedule has been filled with 8M-I contenders (Madison, Lebo, Burlingame) that are a combined 9-0. Things don’t get any easier this week as MdCV begins district play at Waverly. Finally, Wakefield was competitive in losses to Bennington and Solomon to open the season before being blanked 50-0 by Goessel last week. Junior Alec Vann directs the Bombers’ offense, while Konner Murphy and Trevor Uken have received the bulk of the carries out of the backfield thus far.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. Waverly, 2. Centre-Lost Springs, 3. Wakefield, 4. Hartford
District 3
Axtell (3-0; 2-0)
Frankfort (3-0; 2-0)
Hanover (3-0; 1-0)
Blue Valley Randolph (1-2; 1-1)
Wetmore (1-2; 0-1)
Onaga (1-2; 0-2)
Doniphan West (0-3; 0-2)
District 3 includes seven teams and thus started a couple of weeks ago. As expected, Axtell, Frankfort and Hanover all remain unbeaten in district play and overall. Could this be the year that Axtell finally gets Hanover? The Eagles were close during the regular season a year ago before falling 50-42. The Hanover won the state semifinal rematch 60-14. Quinn Buessing will continue to build upon his incredible career numbers with Gorge Volle, J.J. Hart, and Derek Buessing as primary playmakers. With just one returning starter from the 2018 state title team, Hanover was thought to be vulnerable this season and especially last week against a high-scoring Mankato-Rock Hills offense. Hanover responded how Hanover does – with a 66-16 dominating victory. It’s really hard to pick against the Wildcats until someone beats them. Frankfort is off to a solid start behind an explosive offense. The Wildcats have 60 points per game this season, but allowed 52 in a victory over Doniphan West last week. Gavin Cornelison and Garret Dalinghaus are good enough to keep the Wildcats in every game. Blue Valley Randolph picked up a district win over Wetmore last week. The Rams opened the season with losses to Mankato-Rock Hills and Axtell. Things don’t get any easier for Blue Valley Randolph as they visit Hanover. Wetmore graduated all-state selection Joel Hutfles and hasn’t yet found a way to replace his productivity. Hutfles rushed for nearly 1,000 yards, passed for 400 more, and recorded 113 tackles on defense a season ago. Kael McQueen is the Cardinals leading rusher with 158 yards through three games. Seniors Ethan Powell and Kameron Henneberg will likely carry the load on offense for Onaga. The Buffaloes start freshman quarterback Zac Fisher who led them to a 36-point victory over Valley Falls in the opener. Since then, Onaga has struggled with losses to Frankfort and Axtell in back-to-back weeks. Finally, Doniphan West could be in the run for a playoff spot. The Mustangs lost a close game (42-34) to Washington County to open the season, then played Hanover and Frankfort tough.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. Hanover, 2. Axtell, 3. Frankfort, 4. Doniphan West
District 4
Mankato-Rock Hills (2-1; 1-0)
Beloit St. John’s-Tipton (2-1; 2-0)
Pike Valley (2-1; 2-0)
Lakeside-Downs (1-2; 1-1)
Southern Cloud (0-3; 0-1)
Tescott (0-3; 0-2)
Linn (0-3; 0-2)
Rock Hills is again the district favorite after it won the title last year. Beloit St. John’s-Tipton took second, followed by Pike Valley. Rock Hills opened with two big wins, then lost, 66-16, at home to Hanover last week. It marked Hanover’s 41st straight victory, which tied the KSHSAA eight-man consecutive wins mark. Senior Rylee Whelchel has averaged 222 rushing yards a game and has 11 rushing scores. He has delivered 792 all-purpose yards. Senior Mason Higer has 43 carries for 461 yards and five scores. Beloit St. John’s-Tipton is in position for its eighth straight winning season with first-year coach Dean Gengler. Juniors Blake and Brayden Perez have rushed for 253 and 222 yards, respectively. They have combined for 14 rushing scores. Pike Valley is at 232 rushing yards a contest, and four players all have at least two rushing TDs. Lakeside-Downs defeated Linn, 62-26, last week and ended a seven-game losing streak. Tescott has scored six total points, and Southern Cloud has delivered 36 total points. SC opened 0-4 last year, while Tescott is 1-20 since the start of 2017. Linn forfeited this week’s game and by rule has been eliminated from playoff contention.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. Mankato-Rock Hills, 2. Beloit St. John’s-Tipton, 3. Pike Valley, 4. Lakeside-Downs
WEST
District 5
Osborne (3-0)
Thunder Ridge (3-0)
Logan-Palco (2-1)
Sylvan-Lucas Unified (2-1)
Wilson (1-2)
Northern Valley (0-3)
This is one of the more highly anticipated districts this year in the classification. Last year, Osborne finished 5-0 and won the district while Northern Valley, Sylvan-Lucas and Thunder Ridge were all 3-2. Northern Valley was plus-19, Sylvan-Lucas finished plus-17 and Thunder Ridge at plus-7. The district features excellent running backs with Osborne’s Darrien Holloway, Thunder Ridge’s Reece Struckhoff, Sylvan-Lucas’ Beau Batchman and Logan-Palco junior Micah Thompson. Osborne and Thunder Ridge average more than 50 points a game, while Sylvan-Lucas is at 41 points a contest. Sylvan-Lucas has taken an upset loss to Stockton. Thunder Ridge is 8-4 under second-year coach Joel Struckhoff, who set multiple eight-man records and led the Longhorns to a title. Before Struckhoff took over as head coach, the Longhorns won three games in three years. Osborne coach Steve Tiernan is in his first year of his second stint with the program. Osborne and Thunder Ridge both have quality wins against Hill City, a solid Division I team. Wilson opened with a win against Southern Cloud in ’18, and then went 1-7. This year, the Dragons opened with a Southern Cloud victory and has dropped both games since. Northern Valley coach Chuck Fessenden retired after 43 years leading the Huskies, and longtime assistant coach/administrator Marvin Gebhard took over. Northern Valley will go to six-man football starting next year.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. Osborne, 2. Thunder Ridge, 3. Sylvan-Lucas, 4. Logan-Palco
District 6
Dighton (1-2; 1-0)
Wheatland-Grinnell (2-1)
Triplains-Brewster (1-2)
Quinter (0-3)
Sharon Springs-Wallace Co. (0-3)
Tribune-Greeley Co. (0-3; 0-1)
Dighton won the district in ’18 with its famed “Dighton Nine,” a nine-player roster that advanced to the sub-state title game. Wallace County, Greeley County and Triplains-Brewster were all 3-2. Wallace County finished plus-32, Greeley County was plus-16, and Triplains at minus-5. However, the Hornets were the only team in the district to finish with a winning record in ’18. The district again struggled in non-district play in ‘19. Greeley County has already forfeited its Week 4 game against Dighton, and is eliminated from postseason consideration. Dighton has just 12 players this fall. Wheatland-Grinnell has quietly made a nice improvement after a 1-8 season that yielded eight straight losses. The Thunderhawks beat Fairfield, 52-6, lost to Logan-Palco, 32-30, and defeated Northern Valley, 28-18. Neither Wheatland or Grinnell have made the playoffs since ’02. The Thunderhawks have passed for 170 yards a game and rushed for 101. Sophomore Trey Vincent has completed 39 of 65 passes for 580 yards with an 8/3 TD/INT ratio. Junior Trevor Zarybnicky leads with 27 tackles, three for loss. Wheatland-Grinnell has outscored teams, 110-56. Quinter ended a 33-game losing streak against Wheatland-Grinnell last season, though has not won since. Wallace County has a new coach after the longtime successful Kevin Ayers/Jeff Hennick era. The Wildcats have faced the No. 3 hardest schedule in the classification, according to Prep Power Index. Senior Weston Schmidt has 43 carries for 242 yards and three scores for Triplains-Brewster.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. Dighton, 2. Wheatland-Grinnell, 3. Sharon Springs-Wallace Co. 4. Triplains-Brewster
District 7
South Barber (2-1; 2-0)
Pretty Prairie (1-2; 1-0)
Hutchinson Central Christian (2-1; 1-1)
Norwich (2-1; 1-1)
Fairfield (1-2; 1-1)
South Haven (0-3; 0-1)
Burrton (0-3; 0-2)
The game most likely deciding the District 7 champion and runner-up has already been played. South Barber defeated Hutchinson Central Christian, 34-20, last Friday. The Chieftains’ next challenge could be their week 6 non-district opponent Otis-Bison. Otis-Bison and South Barber tied at 36 in a weather-shortened matchup last season. Central Christian should claim the runner-up position in the district. Fairfield, Norwich, and Pretty Prairie should be in an intense battle for third place. Don’t count out South Haven, as the Cardinals could also challenge for one of the four playoff spots. The Cardinals went 4-5 last fall. Burrton will look to hopefully win their last 8-Man game this fall before moving to the 6-Man conference next year, along with Northern Valley and Tribune-Greeley County.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. South Barber, 2. Central Christian, 3. Norwich, 4. South Haven
District 8
Minneola (2-1; 2-0)
Otis-Bison (2-1; 2-0)
Ingalls (1-2; 1-0)
Bucklin (1-2; 1-1)
Satanta (0-3; 0-1)
Chase (0-3; 0-2)
Stafford (0-3; 0-2)
Otis-Bison cruised in this district last year with a 6-0 record and all wins by at least 21 points. The Cougars have not lost a district game since a 36-30 loss at Dighton in Week 7 of the ’16 season. The Cougars lost to Victoria, 42-14, in Week 1, and then bounced back with big road victories against Bucklin (42-14) and Stafford (56-8). Otis-Bison has rushed for 348 yards a game as sophomore Logan Thille has enjoyed a breakout season with 43 rushes for 461 yards and seven scores. Sophomore Kaden Foust delivered 11 of 26 passing for 186 yards with a 1/2 TD/INT ratio, and 303 rushing and four scores. Ingalls, Bucklin and Minneola returned a significant number of returning starters, including Red Aces quarterback Talon Estes, a four-year starter. Otis-Bison has a total margin of 110-64, while Ingalls is at 114-106 and Minneola stands at 140-56. Last year, Ingalls scored 41 points a contest, but allowed 51. Minneola was at 39 points a game and 44 permitted. Stafford was a 7-3 squad, though opened 0-3 after graduating key offensive playmakers Justice Manning and Caleb Hildebrand. Chase has scored just 20 points and 2-10 in its 12 contests.
Playoff Qualifiers - Projected Order of Finish:
1. Otis-Bison, 2. Minneola, 3. Ingalls, 4. Bucklin
Use your Facebook account to add a comment or start a discussion. Posts are subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook name, photo & other personal information you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment.
