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 Sunday 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: Goodland (Alex Hammeke -- Kpreps)
It seems that Goodland has had their backs to the wall the past few weeks. Starting off the season, the Cowboys scrambled to find new opponents for the first two weeks of the season after Colorado schools decided to play football in the spring. After a proposed matchup with Sacred Heart, Goodland finally scheduled Class 5A Liberal for their home opener. Liberal had 1,371 in their school last year, while Goodland had 246, roughly 5.5 times smaller than their counterpart.
Starting quarterback Leyton Cure then suffered an injury to his throwing hand out on the farm. Eight stitches later in his index finger, he was good to go. Cure seemed unphased by the injury as he combined for 315 yards in the contest; 135 yards on the ground and 179 yards through the air.
Then COVID-19 hit. Not the players, but the coaches. Head Coach Chase Topliff and his assistants had to quarantine, causing them to miss their home opener. In stepped Athletic Director Marty Lehman and Superintendent Bill Biermann, who assumed the coaching duties for the Cowboys for the season opener.
Coach Topliff and his crew set up the game plan, Coach Lehman and Coach Biermann installed it, and the players executed it.
For the first time since 2015, Goodland won their home opener, through all the adversity, and beat the Liberal, 43-32. Looking back at the past week, Goodland interim Head Coach Marty Lehman summed things up perfectly on his postgame show with Ross Volkmer of U-Rock 102.5.
“Negative events create great opportunities, and COVID has been so negative in this country right now, and our kids have fought through it, worked their tails off through it, and deserve this, and we’re so proud of them. Them and our coaching staff.”
It’s a story that even Hollywood couldn’t have written up. It’s something that only would have come out of 2020. It’s also a great example of the lessons learned in high school sports.
When there’s a will, there’s a way; and Goodland proved that on Friday night.
Helmet sticker: Norton (Conor Nicholl – Kpreps)
In 2019, Norton finished 9-4 and reached its first state championship game in 30 years. The Bluejays carried 13 seniors on a 34-player roster, including Kpreps first team all-state quarterback and Shrine Bowler Kade Melvin.
Norton graduated 92 percent of its rushing yards, 58 percent of its receptions and six of its top-eight tacklers. The Bluejays returned three well-known players, all seniors: lineman Christien Hawks, running back/defensive end Gavin Sproul, and all-purpose threat Jonah Ruder. Hawks has committed to KU, and Ruder has multiple Division II offers.
Norton was just outside of the top-5 in the Kpreps preseason Class 2A rankings, and defeated rival Smith Center, 16-14, at home last Friday. Smith Center was ranked second in 1A. While all three key players performed well, Norton received contributions from all four classes and multiple Bluejays in bigger roles for the first time.
Norton has the smallest roster under 14th-year coach Lucas Melvin (103-47). The players helped Norton deliver a unique achievement in Week 1.
Kpreps ranks 43 teams every week – top-5 in the six 11-man classes and two eight-man classes, and top-3 in six-man. Last week, five ranked teams faced other.
Of the remaining 33, seven squads did not play. The other ranked teams went 25-1. Norton was the lone non-ranked team to beat a ranked top-5 foe in Week 1.
Smith Center lost for the first time in the regular season since Week 3 of the 2018 season to Phillipsburg. As well, it marked the first Smith Center fell to a non-Phillipsburg squad in the regular season since the opener versus Plainville in ’16. Smith Center has made the last three title games, winning two.
Ruder moved from wide receiver to quarterback. He accounted for 138 offensive yards and both scores, while Sproul finished with 12 offensive touches for 84 yards. Hawks collected a pair of tackles for loss.
Senior Ryan Schrum, who had four total receptions for 62 yards in his career, delivered a pair of catches for 50 yards. Senior Aiden Wicker picked up a fumble that effectively sealed the game. He didn’t play football in ’19. The senior class moved to 6-0 in games decided by three points or fewer in their careers, including 4-0 since Week 5 last year.
Junior Kolton Field, a defending state wrestling champion, broke up a key pass in his first varsity game. Sophomore Silas Jones kicked a pair of key extra points.
Norton’s defense limited the Redmen to 37 carries for 112 yards. Hawks was impressed with freshman end Roman Hauser (6-2, 210) and sophomore tackle Jefferson Otter (6-2, 190). Junior lineman Devan Mullins also played well.
The game showcased Norton’s continued strong defense versus high-quality opponents. Last year, Norton allowed 17.9 points per game, No. 14 in 48-team Class 2A, according to Prep Power Index. However, the defense was statistically elite when strength of schedule was concerned. The Bluejays play in the ultra-tough MCL and had the No. 1 SOS in 2A.
Norton’s opponents collectively averaged 32.8 points per game when not facing the Bluejays, a difference of 14.91 points a contest.
Cimarron was second in 2A in scoring defense at 12.1 points allowed a contest, but faced the third-easiest SOS. Cimarron’s opponents scored 22.1 points a game when not facing Cimarron, a difference of 10.1 points a game.
For perspective, Mill Valley played in the Eastern Kansas League in ’19, considered the state’s best conference, and won 5A. Mill Valley allowed 17 points a game. Its opponents scored 33.4 points a contest, a difference of 16.4 points per game.
Helmet sticker: Wichita Trinity Academy (Matt Gilmore -- Kpreps)
Wichita Trinity Academy snapped a 10-game losing streak on Friday with a 33-25 win over Chaparral. The Knights picked up their first victory since a 27-8 decision over Haven on October 19, 2018.
Trinity freshman quarterback Harvey Zimmerman was unphased in his varsity debut. Zimmerman passed for a pair of long touchdown passes and rushed for another score as the Knights built a 19-7 lead after one quarter.
After Chaparral tied the game at 19 in the second quarter, Zimmerman threw his third touchdown pass to Keshawn Martin to regain the lead. The Roadrunners would pull within 26-25 in the third quarter before Meeko Lumapas rushed for a score to give the Knights a 33-25 win.
Zimmerman completed 11 of 13 passes for 245 yards and three touchdowns with eight balls going to Martin for 222 yards and those three scores. Martin’s performance surpassed the ten catches and 65 receiving yards he produced last season. Lumapas led the Knight ground game with 66 yards and a score on 17 carries.
What amazing is that in addition to Wichita Trinity losing each game last season, the Knights only scored 20 total points in all of 2019. Trinity had 19 points in the first quarter on Friday.
Helmet sticker: Cunningham (Conor Nicholl – Kpreps)
Cunningham picked up its first on-field football victory since 2012 with a 44-26 decision over Rolla. The Wildcats and Pirates were tied 19-19 at halftime before Cunningham scored twice in the third quarter to build a 31-19 lead.
Despite a forfeit victory last season, Friday’s win was the first for Cunningham on the field since the Wildcats defeated Attica 70-30 on October 12, 2012.
Cunningham, which resurrected football in 2019 after a four-year hiatus, had lost its last 24 on-field games.
ACA Sportsmanship Award (Week 1): Drew Schmelzle, Sabetha High School
Kpreps is excited to bring back the A Class Athlete (ACA) weekly sportsmanship award for the 2020 season. We have teamed up with 'A Class Athlete' (ACA) to recognize those individuals or groups that demonstrate sportsmanship and high character during the heat of action. This award is open to students or student-athletes who goes above and beyond to demonstrate an act of kindness or sportsmanship.
We are pleased to announce our Week 1 winner - Drew Schmelzle of Sabetha.
After an entertaining Week 1 match up against Chapman, Drew’s Sabetha Bluejays came up on the short end of a 34-29 final, in this battle of 3A teams. Shortly after, he expressed his appreciation on twitter towards Chapman:
‘@Chapman_IrishFB -Heck of a game tonight! Great bunch of men, stellar backfield and a bunch of studs up front… thankful for the opportunity! Looking forward to watching the rest of your season!’
Congratulations Drew, on a great display of sportsmanship and character after a tough loss!
Each week during the season, we will choose an individual or group as recipient of this award. Winners will receive the Sportsmanship Excellence Award Certificate, and the unique ACA helmet sticker as part of our Kpreps Helmet Stickers feature. At the end of the season, we will choose one overall winner, for the annual Kpreps-ACA Sportsmanship Award.
Please help us by emailing your nomination stories, pictures, or videos to matt@kpreps.com and ACA@kpreps.com. You can also send to Kpreps via social media (Facebook, Twitter, etc). Please include the name of the person(s) involved and a description of the act or event that you are nominating. Nominations for the award will be accepted through Tuesday of each week, with the winners announced thereafter. We will list the weekly winners here, at kpreps.com, and also on aclassathlete.com. The overall winner will be announced after the State Championship games.
ABOUT A Class Athlete:
A Class Athlete was started in 2016 to encourage young athletes in all sports, to play hard, play to win, but also to play with class and dignity. Originally targeting youth sports, ACA quickly expanded to include middle school and high school sports, and beyond (coaches, cheerleaders, fans – everyone!). In recent years, participation in youth sports has continued to decline, and the #1 reason according to the kids: 'It's not fun anymore.' ACA is determined to bring the fun and the kids back!
Participating in sports is very beneficial in many areas. It helps build confidence and self-esteem, teaches respect, teamwork, and leadership skills, and improves communication and cooperation – all qualities needed to be successful in life. It is said that participation in sports reveals a persons’ character. But ACA believes, when sportsmanship is emphasized, it is a very important aspect in building a young person's character and integrity.
For more information, please visit www.aclassathlete.com.
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