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 the most recent 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: Inman (Alex Hammeke -- Kpreps)
My helmet sticker goes to the Inman Teutons this week. The Teutons are 6-4 on the season and are in the state quarterfinals for the first time since 1994. Inman was able to score in every quarter and defeat Elkhart, a team that ended their season last year in the playoffs. Senior running back Kolby Blank had 127 yards and two touchdowns on 11 carries, while sophomore quarterback Jace Doerksen completed five of eight passes for 63 yards and two touchdowns in the contest.
Inman forced two Wildcat turnovers, and limited Elkhart to go 4 of 11 on third down. On the season, the Teuton defense has held opponents to 25 of 84 on third down attempts, for a 29.8 percent conversion rate. The only team that has made more than 50 percent of their third-down conversions against the Teutons was Sedgwick. Inman has also held opponents to an average of 86.5 rushing yards a game.
Inman has a tough task ahead of them this Friday versus Plainville, which has outscored its opponents by an average of 27 points per game in their victories. The Cardinals have a quality win over Norton in week 1, and their lone loss of the season is to defending 1A State Champion and league rival Smith Center in Week 4.
Helmet sticker: Perry-Lecompton (Matt Gilmore -- Kpreps)
Perry-Lecompton advanced to the state quarterfinal round for the just the fourth time in school history with a 35-21 win at Holton. The Kaws avenged a 14-7 loss to the Wildcats back in Week 2.
Junior quarterback Billy Welch completed 19 of 23 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns in the victory. The Kaws built a 21-6 halftime lead and kept the pressure on Holton with a pair of touchdowns in the second half.
Thad Metcalfe had an incredible game in rushing for 127 yards and two scores and catching six passes for 58 yards and two more scores. Metcalfe, just a junior, has stepped up nicely this season in replacing all-stater Dalton Kellum. Kellum, who is now on roster at Pittsburg State, rushed for more than 3,000 yards and 46 touchdowns the past two seasons. Metcalfe has broken out with 1,146 rushing yards, 11 touchdowns, and has 341 receiving yards and five scores this fall.
Meanwhile, Welch has also increased his role. After passing for more than 700 yards and eight touchdowns last year, Welch has completed 67 percent of his passes this season for 1,835 yards and 20 touchdowns.
Welch and Metcalfe will have to be good again this week as the Kaws will host undefeated Prairie View. Perry-Lecompton’s best showing was a state runner-up finish to Topeka Hayden back in 2008.
Helmet sticker: Prairie View (Conor Nicholl – Kpreps)
Prairie View moved to 10-0 after a 35-0 win versus Columbus in the Class 3A Round of 16. Prairie View has its first double-digit victory season and furthest advancement since its lone state title in 1970.
Senior running back Hunter Boone continued his great season and career with 14 carries for 203 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Quarterback Justin Scott had two rushing TDs.
Senior Chase Bloodgood led the Buffalos with 11 tackles, while sophomore Colton McCammon, junior Otis Jacobs and Boone finished with six stops. Seniors Isaac Partida and Dilan Schweer had five tackles each.
Boone has 167 rushes for 1,323 yards and 20 scores. He has cleared 100 rushing yards in eight contests, including the last seven in a row. Boone has tallied 20 rushing touchdowns with at least one score in all but one contest. Boone leads with 71 tackles, 11 more than Bloodgood.
Last year, Boone finished with 140 carries for 1,114 yards and nine rushing TDs. Prairie View went 8-2 last fall and stands at 22-6 under third-year coach Kyle Littrell. The eight-win season marked the most wins since ’98 before the improvement in ’19.
Prairie View has an average score of 37-7 and ranks No. 2 in scoring defense in 3A. Prairie View, Frontenac and Andale are the only undefeated squads in 3A. The Buffalos had an average score of 30-15 in ’18.
Prairie View is at Perry-Lecompton this week, also a squad enjoying one of the best showings in school annals.
Helmet sticker: Tonganoxie (Conor Nicholl – Kpreps)
The Chieftains are 10-0 for the first time in school history after a 45-24 home win versus Spring Hill. Tonganoxie, ranked No. 4 in Class 3A, has enjoyed huge seasons from three players that played at most a very limited role in 2018. The Chieftains are 6-0 at home on its new turf field this fall. Tonganoxie will play host to No. 1 Bishop Miege (8-2) this week.
Against Spring Hill, Tonganoxie held a 72-46 edge in total plays. Senior Cooper Cunningham has 35 carries for 261 yards and three touchdowns. Senior Connor Searcy delivered a team-high 11 tackles. Cunningham has cleared 100 rushing yards and scored at least one rushing TD in every contest.
Cunningham has 227 carries for 2,006 yards and 25 rushing scores. He had season highs in rushing carries and yards versus Spring Hill. Last year, he had 50 carries for 167 yards and one TD.
Searcy missed all of 2018 with a knee injury. Korbin Riedel led the Chieftains with 280 carries for 1,531 yards and 17 scores. In the winter, Riedel and Searcy became the first wrestling state titlists in school annals.
In ’19, Searcy leads the team with 87 tackles and is second with 12 TFLs.
Junior quarterback Blake Poje, a little-used reserve from ’18, has completed 102 of 175 passes for 1,681 yards with an 18/6 TD/INT ratio. Like Cunningham, Poje has been highly consistent with at least 100 passing yards and one passing score in every contest. He has helped Tonganoxie tally at least 40 points in five straight contests.
Senior Cole Sample has received a Pittsburg State offer for football and track and KU for track. One of the state’s top shot putters and powerlifters, Sample has anchored the line and has 50 tackles with a team-high 14 TFLs.
Helmet Stickers (2019 Season)
Week 1 – Great Bend, Hutchinson Central Christian, KC Harmon, Larned, Ottawa
Week 2 – Blue Valley Northwest, Cheney, Deerfield, La Crosse, Northeast-Arma, Shawnee Mission West
Week 3 – Belle Plaine, Clearwater, Lawrence, South Barber
Week 4 – Chase County, Eureka, Shawnee Mission Northwest, Wheatland-Grinnell
Week 5 – Cedar Vale-Dexter, Lyons, Southeast-Cherokee, Winfield
Week 6 – Dodge City, Hutchinson Trinity, KC Washington, Saint Francis
Week 7 – Concordia, Hill City, Hugoton, Wichita East
Week 8 – Beloit St. John’s-Tipton, Chanute, Osborne, Riverside
Week 9 – Argonia-Attica, Blue Valley Southwest, Caldwell, Republic County
Week 10 – Inman, Perry-Lecompton, Prairie View, Tonganoxie
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