Each Thursday throughout the regular season, The Pick List will feature six of the best match-ups across the state, and make our predictions on a handful of other games.
Feature Games of the Week:
6A No. 3 Olathe North (5-0) at 6A No. 1 Lawrence (5-0)
The top-ranked Lawrence Lions will be tested for the third consecutive week when they host the third-ranked Olathe North Eagles.
Lawrence’s matchup with Olathe North follows close wins a pair of 5A ranked teams in Bishop Carroll (37-28) and St. Thomas Aquinas (39-27).
In the win over Aquinas, the Lions took advantage of a pair of early turnovers and jumped out to a 20-0 lead. However, the Saints rallied back to make it a 32-27 game. Lawrence’s Devin Neal secured the win by scoring on a fourth-and-goal from the 1.
Now, the Lions must get up for another huge game with a Sunflower League rival and one of the top contenders in 6A.
The Lawrence offense starts with Neal, who is committed to play football and baseball at KU. Through five games, Neal has rushed for about 670 yards. Lawrence quarterback Jackson Dooley, who has thrown for about 1,200 yards, prevents opposing defenses from stacking against the run.
Olathe North’s offense is built around the run game, which averages 312.4 yards per outing. Junior Noah Palmer is the Eagles’ leading rusher with 651 yards and five touchdowns on 83 carries. Palmer also has completed 15 of 24 passes for 355 yards and five TDs.
Juniors Jacob Parrish and Aquantez Love have added 384 and 361 yards, respectively. Parrish is also Olathe North’s top receiver with 11 catches for 257 yards.
The two teams’ only like opponent so far has been Olathe West. Lawrence defeated the Owls 42-12, while the Eagles edged West 21-17.
Last year, Lawrence beat Olathe North 35-10.
Our Pick: Lawrence 28, Olathe North 20 (Schremmer)
6A No. 2 Derby (3-1) at 5A No. 4 Maize (5-0)
After scoring late to defeat rival Maize South last week, the Maize Eagles have a stretch of two key remaining battles to capture their first AVCTL-I title in school history. First, the Eagles must get past a Derby program that hasn’t lost the AVCTL I title since 2014.
Maize won in dramatic fashion against Maize South last week, 42-38, after trailing 21-10 at halftime and being outgained 526-358. Josh Sanders rushed for 198 yards and three touchdowns in the contest. On the season, Sanders has rushed for 932 yards and 15 touchdowns, with three touchdowns in each of his last three games. Sanders will most likely eclipse the 1000-yard mark this week. The Eagle passing threat was controlled with Avery Johnson connecting on 11 passes for 130 yards.
Defensively, Maize allowed 526 yards against Maize South last week - the most the Eagles have given up all season. Newton also put more than 500 yards of total offense in Maize’s 34-27 victory over the Railers back in Week 2.
Derby has played a tough schedule. The Panthers fell in the showdown of top-ranked teams to 5A power Mill Valley to start the season, then defeated 5A contender Bishop Carroll. The offense has ran through dual threat quarterback Lem Wash, who holds offers from Missouri State and Tennessee Tech with interest from multiple other schools. Wash has 450 yards and eight touchdowns rushing the football on 78 attempts, and has passed for 495 yards and four scores. Dylan Edwards is a dynamic up-and-coming talent for the Panthers. The sophomore back has seven touchdowns and 651 rushing yards on 78 carries.
Defensively, Derby is led by Jack Hileman with 40 tackles on the season, while Andon Carpenter has four tackles for loss. Derby only has forced three turnovers on the season, with one interception and two fumble recoveries.
Derby would have played Hutchinson in Week 5, but Derby’s quarantine order turned that contest into one of several “what could have been” games in the 2020 season. Although Maize will still have to play Hutchinson next week, this contest will go a long way in determining the AVCTL-I title.
Few teams have defeated Derby during their recent run of dominance. Mill Valley (2020 & 2015), Goddard (2017), and Blue Valley North (2017) are among the short list. When you look back to 2013, Maize (2014), Hutchinson (2014) and Salina South (2013) are also added to the list. In the 14-year tenure of Brandon Clark at Derby, Maize has only beaten the Panthers twice, in 2014 and in 2006 - Clark’s first year when the Panthers finished 1-8.
Derby’s offense should be able to have success, but Maize has shown against Maize South and Newton that they can overcome being outgained and still come out on top. Derby has played a tougher schedule with the likes of Carroll and Mill Valley, and the Panthers are a proven 6A power. In years past, Derby has pulled away from Maize easily, but this year, expect a close battle to go in favor of the Panthers.
Our Pick: Derby 42, Maize 38 (Hammeke)
5A No. 1 Wichita Northwest (4-0) at Wichita East (4-0)
This is the premier matchup in the City League this fall and will decide the Wichita Public Schools championship. The City League consists of seven public schools – Northwest, West, Southeast, North, Heights, East and South – along with private schools Kapaun and Bishop Carroll.
However, COVID-19 changed the league this year. Kapaun and Carroll, not under the Wichita school board, elected independently to play a full season. Kapaun became an honorary Western Athletic Conference football member, and Carroll has played a highly challenging independent schedule. In much-publicized events, the Wichita school board had multiple meetings and eventually agreed to let the public schools play football after Week 1.
Northwest is the two-time defending 5A state runner-up and has not lost a league game since a 40-35 season-opening loss to Bishop Carroll in 2017. Last year, Northwest defeated East, 75-8, in Week 2, and 56-0 in ’18.
Before then, the teams had not matched up since ’13, when Northwest won 16-8. Northwest beat East, 44-13, in ’12, the first season under current coach Steve Martin, according to the Kansas Football History database.
Northwest won in ’10-11, and then didn’t play since ’05. Northwest has not lost to East since a 14-7 loss in 1984, a stretch of 18 straight wins.
Northwest, long known for its high-octane offense, made huge improvements with new defensive coordinator Marc Marinelli last fall. Northwest allowed 13 points, its best scoring defense since ’05. The Grizzlies returned multiple key players, including seniors Todric McGee, Nathan Hale, Jacob Younkman and Zac Daher, and junior Nathan Carter.
Daher committed to Army West Point this week, and Younkman broke the school record for tackles for loss with 58. McGee and Younkman both have been offered at the FCS level. Carter, known for his strength, deadlifted 585 pounds this week. Hale has seven offers.
Senior kicker Carson Arndt has earned four offers, including Butler County. He has 10 touchbacks. Senior quarterback Mason Ross has also been offered FCS. Ross has completed 79 percent of his passes for 357 yards and six touchdowns. Senior standout Julius Bolden has 33 carries for 508 yards and 11 TDs.
Northwest beat Heights, considered the third-best City League school, 56-21 last week. The week prior, Heights beat East, 16-13.
This year, though, East is much improved. East features its own star-studded lineup. Wide receiver Daylan Jones had received eight offers by late summer, including Missouri State, South Dakota and Northern Colorado. East junior wide receiver Caqouy Patterson is a Division I talent.
East picked up multiple transfers from other City League schools with safety A.J. King, linebacker/fullback Royal Johnson and linebacker Darius Cooper. Freshman quarterback Daeonte Mitchell was expected to post a big year.
On a per game basis, Northwest stands first in 5A scoring offense and defense. East paces 6A in both statistics for per game. East has already scored 234 points after 205 in a 5-4 season last fall. East has not won the City League since ’84.
This should be the closest game for the series in at least eight seasons, though Northwest has the edge with its high-level of talent across the board, especially defensively.
Our Pick: Northwest 35, East 17 (Nicholl)
5A No. 5 Bishop Carroll (3-2) at 4A No. 1 Bishop Miege (2-2)
This intriguing matchup between these two Catholic-school powers was added prior to the season when schedules were being reshuffled due to uncertainty of participation by schools in their respective leagues.
The two schools last met on the gridiron in the 2012 Class 5A state championship when Carroll routed a 7-6 Miege team that made a surprising playoff run. Two years later, Miege would win the first of its now six-consecutive state championships.
But many believe this is the Stag team that may face the most resistance in winning a seventh straight 4A crown. Bishop Miege missed its first two game due to a late start and then opened with consecutive losses to St. Thomas Aquinas (41-35) and Rockhurst (49-28). Since that time, the Stags have posted consecutive wins over St. James Academy (38-28) and Wamego (41-14).
The Miege offense is led by senior quarterback Timothy Dorsey. Dorsey was a Kpreps 4A All-State selection last season when he passed for more than 3,000 yards and 45 touchdowns. This season, he’s completed nearly 55 percent of his passes for 946 yards and 10 touchdowns with only one interception.
While Dorsey doesn’t have numerous offensive weapons around him that he did last season, he does have one of the state’s top receivers in senior Mack Moeller. Moeller already has 30 receptions for 536 yards and seven touchdowns in just four games.
The ground game hasn’t been as consistent in complimenting the always explosive Miege passing attack this season. However, last week Josh Conklin broke out with a 262-yard rushing effort with two touchdowns. Conklin leads the team on the ground with 395 yards, while Jaylen Burch has added 255 yards and three scores in three games.
Bishop Carroll enters this contest after a week off when Lawrence Free State could not make the trip to Wichita. The Golden Eagles have played a difficult schedule that includes a one-point win over 6A No. 4 Junction City, a three-point win over rival Kapaun Mt. Carmel (5-1), and losses to 6A’s No. 1 and No. 2 teams in Lawrence and Derby.
Last time out, Carroll lost 37-28 at Lawrence in a game they trailed by as much as 24-7. The Golden Eagles pulled to within 30-28 in the third quarter before Lawrence added a touchdown in the fourth quarter to go up two scores.
Hunter Trail leads the Golden Eagles with 446 yards and nine touchdowns. Quarterback Aiden Niedens has completed 49 of 96 passes for 841 yards and three touchdowns. His favorite primary receiver has been Oscar Gallardo, who has 11 receptions for 147 yards and two touchdowns.
Niedens’ also a capable runner having rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown in the loss to Lawrence.
The Golden Eagle defense has been opportunistic in forcing seven turnovers this fall.
Bishop Carroll will close out the regular season next week against St. Thomas Aquinas, while Miege is still searching for a Week 8 game.
This should be a great matchup between two even teams. Something tells us that despite the road trip, Bishop Carroll will be motivated given they’re coming off an extra week of preparation.
Our Pick: Carroll 31, Miege 28 (Gilmore)
3A No. 2 Perry-Lecompton (6-0) at 3A No. 3 Topeka Hayden (5-1)
This is one of the most anticipated games of the season not only in Class 3A but in all of Kansas high school football. Second-ranked Perry-Lecompton travels to Topeka to take on the third-ranked Hayden Wildcats.
Perry-Lecompton defeated Hayden twice last season en route to a Class 3A state runner-up finish. The Kaws won the regular-season matchup 21-20 in overtime, then the substate semifinal game 35-27.
In that regular-season overtime win, Perry-Lecompton lost quarterback Billy Welch to an injury and running back Thad Metcalfe had to move from running back to behind center to lead the Kaws to victory. A year later, the Kaws are facing similar circumstances. Welch, who earned Kpreps 3A All-State honors last season after passing for more than 2,300 yards and 27 touchdowns, was lost for the season back in Week 3 due to a torn ACL.
Metcalfe has again stepped in at quarterback and passed for 481 yards and five touchdowns. He’s much more accustomed to running the football where he’s already amassed 587 yards and 13 scores this season. Last season, Metcalfe rushed for 1,364 yards and 22 touchdowns in earning 3A all-state honors.
Joining Metcalfe in the backfield is junior Reichen Rush who has 472 yards and six touchdowns while averaging 10.7 yards per carry. Three senior receivers have more than 200 yards including Parker Stone (285 yards, 3 TD), Cadon Quinlan (258 yards, 3 TD), and Hunter Hess (203 yards, 2 TD).
The Kaw defense is a veteran group led by linebacker Hayden Robb who has registered 429 career tackles. Robb is third on the team this season with 53 stops, trailing classmates Ryley Besler (65) and Jaxson Folks (61).
By the time Perry-Lecompton and Hayden met in the substate semifinal last season, Welch had returned at quarterback and Hayden was without their signal caller Johnny Holloway who had suffered a season-ending injury the week prior. This time, Holloway is back and has completed 65 percent of his passes for 756 yards and nine touchdowns.
Still the Hayden offense will feature senior Desmond Purnell who has been an electric playmaker this season. Purnell has rushed for 553 yards while averaging more than 15 yards per carry. He's also hauled in nearly 350 yards receiving, has been explosive in the return game, and has scored 18 total touchdowns. Fullback Will DeVader has added 285 yards on the ground.
Hayden’s lone loss came 28-22 to rival Topeka Seaman back in Week 2. Seaman is 5-1 and atop the Class 5A eastern standings entering this week.
This game takes on added importance given it will undoubtedly determine the District 3 championship. Given the uniqueness of the 2020 season and district member Baldwin having yet to play a district game, the loser of Friday’s showdown between the Wildcats and Kaws could fall to a third-place finish in this district.
Baldwin’s quarantine in Week’s 4 and 5 meant the Bulldogs avoided both Hayden and Perry-Lecompton in district play. Baldwin also missed Bishop Ward last week when the Cyclones went into quarantine. That means the Bulldogs can finish second in the district with wins over Santa Fe Trail and Osawatomie. Should that happen, it would likely mean Perry-Lecompton and Topeka Hayden would meet in the second-round of the 3A playoffs as opposed to the state semifinals like last year.
Our Pick: Hayden 30, Perry-Lecompton 28 (Gilmore)
1A No. 2 Centralia (5-1) at 1A No. 5 Lyndon (5-1)
After five playoff appearances between the Tigers and Panthers, Centralia heads to Lyndon for a rare regular-season meeting between the two schools.
Centralia and Lyndon met in the substate semifinal game back in 2012 and 2013 the Panthers winning 34-14 and 69-21, respectively. Centralia also defeated Lyndon 70-17 in the first round of the 2009 playoffs. You have to go back to the 2006 playoffs to find a Lyndon victory over Centralia – 24-22 in a second-round game. Centralia also won a second-round matchup between the two schools back in 1997.
Other than their 14-7 loss to 1A No. 1 Olpe and a 22-15 victory over Osage City, the Tigers have won every game by 49 points or more. Darian Massey has led to the Tiger offense in completing 50 percent of his passes for with 32-64 passing for 628 yards and 12 touchdowns with only one interception.
Evan Feuerborn and Ethan Edington lead the Tigers with three receiving touchdowns each. Luke Detwiler has built a solid season running the football with 616 yards and seven touchdowns. The offensive line has been solid in producing 286 yards of total offense per game this season.
Defensively, the Tigers have forced eight turnovers to go along with twelve sacks. Dustin Tobler leads the Tigers with 53 tackles, while Miles Kitselman has eight tackles for loss. Lyndon has held its opponents to 8.3 points again, including shutouts against Pleasanton and Central Heights.
Centralia has reeled off five consecutive victories after falling 42-6 against 2A’s top-ranked Rossville Bulldawgs in the season-opener. The Panthers have allowed 9.3 points a game including two shutouts against their Twin Valley League foes in Troy and Valley Heights. In the Panthers 46-6 victory over Jefferson County North, Devon Feldkamp ran for 149 yards and three scores, while the team rushed for 301 yards. Ian Haverkamp has also been a significant ball carrier for the Panther offense. Centralia’s strength may be up front where they have size and play extremely physical.
Both teams have played challenging schedules, with Centralia defeating Valley Heights (5-1), 4-2 Jefferson County North (4-2) and their loss to Rossville. Lyndon’s lone loss came top-ranked Olpe (6-0) and has a close victory over Osage City (5-1) along with wins over Anderson County (3-3) and Central Heights (4-2). Lyndon has put up more points per game this season, but that is likely an indicator of Centralia’s more difficult schedule. These two could absolutely meet again in the playoffs as both are major contenders in Class 1A, but as a program, Centralia has the experience.
Our Pick: Centralia 20, Lyndon 13 (Hammeke)
The Pick List:
Gardner-Edgerton (3-1) at 6A No. 5 Shawnee Mission Northwest (3-1) – SM Northwest
Olathe East (4-0) at 5A No. 2 Mill Valley (4-2) – Mill Valley
Shawnee Mission East (1-3) at 4A No. 3 Tonganoxie (5-1) – Tonganoxie
Andover (4-2) at Andover Central (4-1) – Andover Central
Hays (5-0) at Maize South (3-2) – Maize South
Fort Scott (4-0) at Wamego (3-3) – Wamego
Clearwater (5-1) at 3A No. 1 Andale (5-0) – Andale
Colby (5-1) at Scott City (4-2) – Colby
Frontenac (3-3) at Prairie View (4-1) – Frontenac
Wichita Collegiate (6-0) at Halstead (3-3) – Collegiate
Rock Creek (4-1) at Holton (5-1) – Holton
Cimarron (4-2) at Thomas More Prep (5-1) – Cimarron
2A No. 4 Hutchinson Trinity (6-0) at Haven (4-2) – Hutch Trinity
2A No. 3 Hoisington (6-0) at Norton (3-2) -- Hoisington
Valley Heights (5-1) at Jackson Heights (3-2) – Valley Heights
La Crosse (3-2) at Pratt-Skyline (5-1) – La Crosse
Sedan (6-0) at Cedar Vale-Dexter (4-1) – Sedan
South Gray (6-0) at Hodgeman County (4-2) – South Gray
Spearville (4-2) at 8M-I No. 2 Leoti-Wichita Co. (6-0) – Wichita County
Logan-Palco (4-2) at Triplains-Brewster (4-2) – Triplains-Brewster
Wheatland-Grinnell (5-1) at 8M-II No. 1 St. Francis (6-0) – St. Francis
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