Class 4A
4A East
#16 Baldwin (0-8) at #1 Tonganoxie (8-0) – Tonganoxie
No. 4 Tonganoxie has posted two perfect regular seasons in the last three years. The Chieftains won 55-0 at Baldwin two weeks ago. Senior Cooper Cunningham has 182 carries for 1,633 yards and 19 rushing scores. Senior Connor Searcy has returned from injury that cost him all of ‘18 and has 65 tackles. Baldwin has first-year coach David Bowen, formerly at Stanton County and TMP, and has lost 13 straight games.
#9 Spring Hill (4-4) at #8 Pittsburg (4-4) – Pittsburg
Pittsburg has dropped three in a row, though the defeats have come against Mill Valley, Olathe East and De Soto, all bigger classification teams. Pittsburg is the only team to defeat Chanute with a 41-27 victory in Week 2. Spring Hill opened 2-0, then lost four in a row before back-to-back victories. Pittsburg defeated Spring Hill, 37-15, in Week 9 last year.
#13 Labette County (3-5) at #4 Bishop Miege (6-2) – Bishop Miege
No. 1 Miege has won nine state titles, including the last five years. The Stags lost twice in the regular season in ’18 en route to another championship. Miege’s deep talent pool includes quarterback Tim Dorsey and running back Brison Cobbins. The Stags defeated Labette County, 69-23 and 76-8 the last two years. Grizzly senior Caleb Haggard has double-digit tackles for loss in the last three falls.
#12 Eudora (3-5) at #5 Bonner Springs (6-2) – Bonner Springs
Senior Bryce Krone has enjoyed another big year with 201 carries for 1,938 yards and 25 touchdowns. He has cleared 100 yards in seven contests. Senior Johnathan Tapia has completed 63 of 112 passes for 1,108 yards with eight scores against five interceptions. The 6-foot-1, 220-pound Krone has rushed for 3,276 yards and 41 rushing scores in his career. Bonner Springs defeated Eudora, 28-20, earlier this year. The Braves have won four in a row.
#15 Ottawa (1-7) at #2 Paola (8-0) – Paola
Paola has paced Class 4A in scoring offense and defense. The Panthers are one of three remaining undefeated teams in 4A along with Tonganoxie and McPherson. Paola won 56-3 at Ottawa in Week 3.
#10 KC Piper (3-5) at #7 Basehor-Linwood (5-3) – Basehor-Linwood
These two teams are located just four miles apart on the same road, but have not played each other this season. Piper opened 3-0 and then dropped five straight games. Basehor opened 1-2 with losses to undefeated Tonganoxie, 49-28, and then beat Lansing, 30-28, before a 41-30 Week 3 loss to Leavenworth. Since then, Basehor-Linwood is 4-1, including a quality 27-24 victory at Schlagle last week. These teams have not matched up since 2017, a 33-0 Bobcat victory. Basehor-Linwood has won three straight in the series. Junior Branden Martin has enjoyed another big season after he led the state in tackles as a sophomore. He has 138 tackles this season.
#14 Fort Scott (1-7) at #3 Chanute (7-1) – Chanute
Chanute has new coach Clete Frazell, a longtime assistant and Blue Comet assistant. The Blue Comets feature four-year starting quarterback Ty Bowman, who has multiple collegiate offers. Chanute also has an experienced, big line. Chanute defeated Fort Scott, 42-21, in Week 6.
#11 Atchison (3-5) at #6 Louisburg (5-3) – Louisburg
Atchison is 3-5 on the season, but their three wins have come in the past five games. While Atchison looks upstart, one of those losses in the five-game stretch was to Louisburg. The Wildcats defeated the Redmen, 41-12. The Atchison defense have 71 tackles for loss and 20 sacks on the season. Louisburg had 432 rushing yards in the Atchison contest. The Wildcats give up an average of 16 points per game.
Class 4A – West
#16 Abilene (0-8) at #1 McPherson (8-0) – McPherson
McPherson won 48-3 at Abilene in Week 4. The Bullpups have a perfect regular season for the second straight year. McPherson has not allowed more than 17 points in any contest.
#8 Goddard 32, # 9 Rose Hill 14 – Goddard advanced to the second round with a 32-14, turnover-filled victory over Rose Hill. The Lions and Rockets combined for ten turnovers on the night. Goddard opened the scoring on a blocked punt by Zeke Howell and a scoring run by Taygen Bantz. Kaeden Hoefer started at quarterback for the injured Kyler Semrad and rushed and passed for a touchdown in the game. Barring a major upset, the 8-seed Lions will likely take on top-seed McPherson next week.
#13 El Dorado (2-6) at #4 Winfield (6-2) – Winfield
Winfield had just six victories in the previous three years and enjoyed its first winning season since 2013. Winfield is 9-1 against El Dorado in the last 10 meetings, including a 17-0 victory on Oct. 11 this year. Quarterback K.C. Crandall and running back Nolan Foust lead the Vikings’ backfield.
#12 Ark City (2-6) at #5 Ulysses (5-3) – Ark City
Arkansas City makes the 284-mile trek west to Ulysses. The Tigers have their first winning season since an 8-2 mark in ’15. The Bulldogs have taken a two-win drop off from last year. Ulysses has captured three consecutive victories.
#15 Towanda-Circle (1-7) at #2 Andover Central (7-1) – Andover Central
Andover Central has a two-win improvement with first-year coach Derek Tuttle, and has only lost to undefeated Maize South with a 24-17 victory in Week 5. Circle has tallied just nine points in the last three weeks.
#10 Coffeyville (2-6) at #7 Augusta (4-4) – Augusta
Augusta has won back-to-back games, though has lost to Andover Central, Buhler, Winfield and McPherson, all teams that have at least five victories. Both of Coffeyville’s wins came on the road, versus Independence and Abilene.
#14 Wellington (2-6) at #3 Buhler (6-2) – Buhler
Last year, Wellington held off Buhler and earned a 14-7 victory in Week 10. Wellington finished 8-3, though has tumbled back to two wins this year. Buhler had zero returning starters for 2018, and has improved from a 5-5 record. Before last year, the teams had not matched up since 2011.
#11 Independence (2-6) at #6 Mulvane (4-4) – Mulvane
Mulvane has missed quarterback Tab Creekmore the majority of the season with a leg injury. The Wildcats opened 0-4, but have won four straight with new coach Daniel Myears. Mulvane beat Wellington, 23-7, last week with 145 rushing yards from Cole Diffenbaugh. The Wellington victory featured a blocked punt for a touchdown, a scoop-and-score, and a safety off a bad snap for Mulvane. These teams have not matched up in at least the last 14 years.
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