Kpreps Friday First Look provides our initial reaction to some most notable games and performances in the state from Week 7.
----
CLASS 6A
Mondi stops Olathe North as Lawrence survives, 21-20
Third-ranked Olathe North controlled much of the tempo of Friday’s showdown with Lawrence. But mid-way through the fourth quarter, the top-ranked Chesty Lions still held a 21-7 lead.
The Eagles scored on a Jacob Parrish 3-yard run with 4:30 left to pull within 21-14, then Noah Palmer hit Laython Patillo on a 22-yard touchdown pass with :32 seconds left to pull within 21-20.
Olathe North called timeout and decided to go for the two-point conversion and the lead.
Palmer ran to the right and cut up inside towards the goal line. It looked as if he had found a crease and would add the two-point conversion, but at the goal line Lawrence linebacker Cole Mondi smashed Palmer, keeping him just short of the end zone and preserving the Chesty Lion lead.
Lawrence held on to win 21-20.
Devin Neal rushed for 157 yards and all three Lion touchdowns including a 98-yard, fourth-quarter sprint that accounted for more than half of Lawrence’s total offense on the night. Neal also had scoring runs of 12 and 9 yards.
Aquantez Love led Olathe North with 70 yards, while Palmer and Parrish added 64 and 60, respectively.
The victory keeps Lawrence as the lone remaining unbeaten team in Class 6A and atop the 6A-West district standings. Olathe North remains atop the 6A-East standings at 5-1, meaning these two could meet again in the 6A state championship game.
----
Shawnee Mission Northwest edges Gardner-Edgerton
Ty Black passed for 239 yards and three touchdowns as Shawnee Mission Northwest outscored Gardner-Edgerton, 38-35.
Black’s 11-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter proved to be the winning points as the Cougars improved to 4-1 and remained in contention for a top seed on the eastern half of Class 6A.
Duke Henke caught seven passes for 103 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Cougar receivers. Black also rushed for 67 yards, but was complimented on the ground by Justin Mitchell’s 86 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries.
----
Khoury has big night as Junction City rolls
Junction City improved to 6-1 and stayed in touch with Lawrence near the top of the 6A-West standings with a 62-15 win over Emporia.
Senior quarterback Andrew Khoury passed for 369 yards and three touchdowns according to Eagle Radio broadcaster Jackson Schneider. Khoury connected with Marcello Bussey on five passes for 232 yards and two scores and with Russell Wilkey five times for 105 yards and a touchdown.
----
CLASS 5A
Maize slips by Derby, 36-35
Maize moved to 7-0 with a 36-35 victory against AVCTL Division I rival Derby. The Eagles are the only team in the state’s two largest classifications that is 7-0. Maize beat Derby for the first time since ’14. Maize entered ranked fourth in 5A, and Derby was second in 6A.
Derby led after the first quarter and at halftime. The Panthers led 21-12, 28-19 and 35-26. However, Maize outscored Derby, 10-0, in the fourth quarter. First, Cole Segraves kicked a 41-yard field goal, and Johnson rushed for a one-yard score. Segraves then kicked the eventual game-winning extra point. Maize finished plus-1 in turnover margin, and Derby held a slight 357-347 yardage margin.
Derby quarterback Lem Wash completed nine of 17 passes for 83 yards with two touchdowns. Dylan Edwards tallied 20 carries for 141 yards and two scores. Maize quarterback Avery Johnson finished 10 of 20 passes for 134 yards and two TDs, and Josh Sanders continued his mammoth year with 22 carries for 138 yards and two scores. Sanders, a transfer after a first team all-state season at Wichita Heights, is up to 136 carries for 1,070 yards and 17 touchdowns.
---
Bishop Carroll wins shootout at Bishop Miege, 56-35
Bishop Carroll traveled to Roeland Park and used a big first half to race past Bishop Miege, 56-35.
The Golden Eagles rushed for 350 yards in the game led by senior Hunter Trail’s 191-yard, three-touchdown night. Quarteback Aiden Niedens added 121 yards rushing and two more scores.
Niedens also passed for 112 yards and connected on touchdown passes to Matthew Holthusen and Tate Blasi.
Carroll led 42-21 at halftime and extended that lead to 56-28 with consecutive rushing touchdowns by Trail and Niedens in the fourth quarter.
Miege quarterback Timothy Dorsey passed for 265 yards and two touchdowns – both to Rohan Putz – who caught seven for 162 yards. Putz also added a rushing score. Mack Moeller added six catches for 90 yards for the Stags.
Jaylen Burch led the Miege ground game with 105 yards and a touchdown.
Bishop Miege is now 2-3 on the season with losses to St. Thomas Aquinas, Missouri-power Rockhurst, and Bishop Carroll.
The last time Miege lost three games in a season was when the finished 7-6 back in 2012. That season they reached the Class 5A state title game – finishing as runners-up to Bishop Carroll.
----
Mill Valley hands Olathe East first loss, 34-10
Mill Valley scored 20 points in the second quarter to gain separation from Olathe East during the Jaguars’ 34-10 victory on Friday night. The loss was Olathe East’s first of the season.
Jacob Hartman filled in as the feature back again this week for the Jaguars and rushed for 184 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries. He also had a strong performance doing what he’s more accustomed to – catching the football. Hartman caught five passes for 127 yards and a touchdown from senior quarterback Cooper Marsh.
Marsh passed for 231 yards and added 61 yards rushing and a touchdown for Mill Valley.
----
Wichita Northwest wins the City League showdown over East
In a battle of two undefeated teams, Wichita Northwest beat Wichita East, 17-2, to win the City League title. Northwest, ranked No. 1 in 5A, improved to 5-0.
This year, the City League featured just the seven Wichita Public Schools. City League private schools elected to play a full regular season, while the public schools had a limited slate with COVID-19. Northwest has not lost a City League game since a 40-35 season-opening defeat to Bishop Carroll in 2017. Northwest has not lost to East since ’84, which is also the last time East won the City League. East standout freshman quarterback Daeonte Mitchell suffered a third quarter injury and was taken away in an ambulance.
----
De Soto wins UKC with win over Leavenworth
De Soto captured their second consecutive United Kansas Conference title with a 35-28 victory at Leavenworth.
The two teams traded touchdowns throughout the first half which ended in a 21-21 tie. De Soto took its first lead on a Jackson Miller touchdown pass to Tyler Schultze late in the third quarter. Leavenworth would later tie the game at 28, but Miller would strike againt with a short touchdown run with under a minute to play to deliver the 35-28 win for the Wildcats.
The victory was also Brian King’s 50th at De Soto. King took over in 2013 and has posted a 50-29 record during that time.
----
Maize South survives Hays, 21-20
In a key 5A West contest, Hays High has run a dual quarterback system most of the year with Dylan Dreiling and Jordan Dale. Both players were in COVID-19 quarantine and couldn’t play at Maize South. Hays moved wide receiver/all-purpose threat Jaren Kanak to quarterback. Maize South won, 21-20, though Hays delivered a great effort considering the circumstances.
Hays High dropped to 5-1, and Maize South moved to 4-2. Maize South led 21-7 at halftime. The Indians scored and elected to go for two with 2:38 left but missed the conversion, according to Indian broadcaster Dustin Armbruster. Kanak, with K-State and KU offers, finished with 36 carries for 184 yards and two scores. He completed five of six passes for 90 yards and a touchdown.
----
Newton finally breaks through with a win
Newton won at Salina South, 42-41 for its first victory. Salina South committed seven turnovers, and narrowly missed the two-point conversion just inside the final 90 seconds.
Newton quarterback Ben Schmidt is ranked second in Kansas with 1,717 passing yards, while Peyton Naxwell was second with 790 receiving yards. Newton lost its first six games, all against teams with winning records. The Railers had lost games by seven, 10, seven and 12 points.
South sophomore quarterback Weston Fries threw for 395 passing yards.
----
CLASS 4A
Andover Central wins defensive battle Andover
Andover Central beat rival Andover, 7-0. The Jaguars scored the game’s only touchdown in the first quarter on a Davin Sims play. Andover Central and McPherson rank as the top 4A West squads. The Jaguars have won three consecutive in the series against Andover that now stands at 5-1 in their favor.
----
Fort Scott gets late stop at Wamego
Fort Scott remained unbeaten at 5-0 after a crucial goal-line stop on the final play of the game to escape with a 22-18 victory at Wamego.
The Red Raiders faced a 3rd-&-goal at the Fort Scott 1-yard line with just :06 seconds remaining when quarterback Hayden Ovaitt was stopped short of the goal line as time expired.
WATCH Fort Scott’s goal-line stand to beat Wamego, 22-18 (Courtesy @FSHSTigers)
Wamego held a slim 18-16 lead after three quarters before Fort Scott went on a 99-yard drive to take the lead on a 2-yard touchdown run by Malachi Vann. It was Vann’s second touchdown of the night after he gave the Tigers a 16-12 lead earlier in the third quarter with a 4-yard run.
The Tigers remain unbeaten and in line for the No. 2 seed on the eastern side of Class 4A.
----
Tonganoxie shuts out Shawnee Mission East
Third-ranked Tonganoxie scored in each quarter in rolling to a 35-0 shutout of Class 6A’s Shawnee Mission East Lancers.
Senior quarterback Blake Poje completed 13 of 17 passes for 193 yards and four touchdowns to pace the Chieftain offense. Poje connected with Dallas Bond four times for 70 yards and three touchdowns. Sam Kleidosty also caught a touchdown as part of his five-catch, 68-yard night.
Tyler Bowden continued his strong season with 150 rushing yards and another score to push his season total to 1,725 yards and 24 touchdowns on the year.
----
Basehor-Linwood upsets No. 5 Lansing
Basehor-Linwood used an incredibly balanced attack in knocking off No. 5 Lansing, 33-26.
Isaac Stanton passed for 220 yards and four touchdowns, while Zach Sisemore added 216 yards rushing and a score on 35 attempts.
Stanton threw two touchdown passes each to Jordan Brown and Chants Nelson. Brown caught six passes for 106 yards and those two scores, while Nelson hauled in four catches for 56 yards. Ethan Huber also added three catches for 55 yards.
Lansing was also balanced in passing and rushing for 198 yards each on the night. Caden Crawford passed for 198 yards and three scores and added 57 yards rushing with a touchdown. Standout receiver Malik Benson caught six balls for 130 yards and three scores for the Lions.
----
Rose Hill wins fourth straight
The Rose Hill Rockets won their fourth consecutive game with a 48-7 decision over Winfield on Friday night. After trading touchdowns early, the Rockets scored the games next 41 points to pull away.
Spencer Nolan rushed for 131 yards and three scores to pace the Rocket offense. Quarterback Bryson Evans passed for 219 yards, including touchdowns to Bryce Bischler and Keagan Beavers.
Beavers also added a long punt return for a score.
Rose Hill is scheduled to close out the regular season against Independence (1-2). A win over the Bulldogs will give the Rockets their fifth win – which would be their most in a single season since the 2011 4A state championship team.
----
CLASS 3A
Topeka Hayden scores late to top Perry-Lecompton
One of the state’s most anticipated showdowns lived up to the billing. Second-ranked Perry-Lecompton and third-ranked Topeka Hayden remained scoreless for 46 minutes and 32 seconds of the game time before Skyler Specht 24-yard field goal with 1:28 remaining to give the Wildcats a 3-0 lead.
Hayden chose to squib the ensuing kickoff which hit a Perry-Lecompton player and bounded free. The Wildcats jumped on the ball and were essentially running out the clock when Desmond Purnell broke a 33-yard touchdown run on fourth-&-1 with :20 seconds remaining.
Topeka Hayden came out on top, 10-0, and likely clinched the Class 3A, District 3 title.
The two teams were unable to solve the other’s defense for much of the night. Each time one would seemingly threaten to gain momentum, the opposing defense would come up with a big play.
That was evident in the fourth quarter when a Perry-Lecompton drive reached the Hayden 15-yard line before ending when Thad Metcalfe’s pass was eventually intercepted by Hayden’s Vacario Triplett at the goal line.
Triplett brought the ball backed Hayden up at its own two-yard line, but the Wildcats methodically marched the length of the field to the Kaw 1-yard line. The Perry-Lecompton defense again rose to the occasion forcing a tackle-for-loss on second down, then a Hayden fumble on third-down forced the Wildcats to settle for Specht’s 24-yard field goal.
It was Specht’s 20-yard reception from Johnny Holloway on the right sideline that put the Wildcats inside the Perry 5-yard line and set up the game’s first score.
Hayden rushed for more than 200 yards in the game – led by Purnell and Will DeVader. Meanwhile, Perry-Lecompton managed only 85 yards on the ground.
The Wildcats picked off three of Metcalfe’s passes, while Perry-Lecompton intercepted two Holloway pass attempts.
Hayden’s victory puts the Wildcats in the driver’s seat for the District 3 title with a game against Bishop Ward (1-5) remaining on their schedule. Baldwin’s 23-20 victory over Santa Fe Trail likely puts the Bulldogs in position to finish second in the district with Perry-Lecompton falling to third. As a result, Hayden and Perry could meet as early as the second-round of the 3A playoffs.
----
Baldwin slips by Santa Fe Trail to end losing streak
As mentioned above, Baldwin’s victory over Santa Fe Trail may give the Bulldogs a district runner-up finish and mean that Perry-Lecompton and Topeka Hayden will have to face each other much too early in the 3A playoffs.
But for Baldwin, the victory was important because it ended the Bulldogs’ 18-game losing streak. Prior to Friday night, Baldwin’s last win game on September 21, 2018 when they defeated Eudora, 28-6.
Baldwin closes out the regular season with a home game against Osawatomie (1-6; 1-3). The Bulldogs will go through district play having avoided Perry-Lecompton, Topeka Hayden, and Bishop Ward.
----
Andale grinds past Clearwater
Top-ranked Andale grinded out a 40-21 victory over Clearwater to set up next week’s District 7 championship against unbeaten Wichita Collegiate.
Noah Meyer carried 30 times for 196 yards and four touchdowns to pace an Indian offense that played without leading rushers Eli Rowland and Gabe Ungles. Cody Parthemer also added a pair of rushing touchdowns and 61 yards on 13 carries.
Andale led 20-7 at halftime and added 14 points in the third quarter to lead 34-14.
Clearwater standout quarterback Tanner Cash rushed for 130 yards and a touchdown and passed for 80 more yards and a score.
---
Holton beats Rock Creek
Holton captured the District 4 championship with a 41-21 victory over Rock Creek on Friday.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 34-0 lead before Rock Creek got on the board. Holton led 34-7 at halftime as five different Wildcats rushed for touchdowns.
Holton currently does not have a game scheduled for next week given Jefferson West is in quarantine. Rock Creek will try and get back on track against Royal Valley.
----
Southeast of Saline throttles Smoky Valley, Scott City shuts out Colby
Class 3A, District 6 features No. 4-ranked Southeast of Saline (6-0, 4-0) and Scott City (5-2, 4-0). They will match up next week for the district title. SES won 53-8 at Smoky Valley, a week after Scott City beat Smoky Valley, 17-6. The Trojans have 3A’s top scoring defense with just 32 points allowed. Scott City defeated Colby, 28-0; Southeast of Saline beat Colby, 32-8. Scott City has allowed just 74 points. Scott City quarterback Harrison King passed for 209 yards and three scores and will have its 34th straight non-losing season, according to Western Kansas News.
----
CLASS 2A
Rossville outscores Silver Lake in the “War on 24”
The Kpreps Game of the Week featured No. 1 Rossville hosting No. 2 Silver Lake in a battle of unbeaten rivals. Ultimately, Rossville pulled away in the second half and held on for a 50-35 victory.
The teams traded blows in the first half with Silver Lake holding a slim 21-20 lead until the Eagles fumbled near midfield. On the next play, Rossville’s Woodrow Rezac raced 46 yards around the left end for a 26-21 Bulldawg lead.
Rossville opened the second half with a defensive stop followed by a touchdown pass from Torrey Horak to Corey Catron to take a 33-21 lead. After another Silver Lake fumble, Horak tossed another touchdown pass – this time to Bo Reeves for a 40-21 lead.
Silver Lake would get within 12 again late in the third quarter on a short touchdown run by Gannon Remer. But Rossville would answer right back as Horak broke free from midfield to extend the lead to 47-28.
Daigen Kruger added an 11-yard touchdown for the Eagles to get within 47-35 with under ten minutes to go, but the Eagles could get no closer.
Bo Reeves completed the scoring with a 37-yard field goal mid-way through the fourth quarter to extend the Rossville lead to 50-35.
----
TMP tops Cimarron
TMP trailed Cimarron 12-3 in the second half in a home game at Lewis Field Stadium. Monarch junior Jace Wentling caught two touchdown passes, including a four-yarder late in the fourth quarter. He scored all of the team’s 16 points as he also kicked a field goal and an extra point. Cimarron reached TMP’s 39-yard line before the Monarchs delivered back-to-back sacks.
Cimarron took its first district loss since ’15, and TMP won its sixth straight contest. Kade Harris contributed in all three phases for the Monarchs with 79 rushing yards, 107 passing yards, a key interception to set up the last score, and a punt return that led to the first touchdown. TMP has its most victories since ’02.
----
Haven prevails late, hands Hutch Trinity their first loss
Haven led for a majority of Friday’s game, allowed Hutchinson Trinity to take a small lead, then scored late to pull off the upset.
Haven quarterback Darby Roper scored on an early 42-yard touchdown run and add a second score after a Celtic fumble for an early 14-0 lead.
Trinity wouldn’t find much success until the second quarter when Walt Gray punched in a short touchdown. The Celtics would later get a 27-yard field goal from Lucas Hammeke to end the half down 14-10.
Hutchinson Trinity had a great start to the second half, forcing Haven to punt on their first possession. The Celtics would then drive to the Haven 1-yard line before being stopped. Haven, however, would have a holding penalty in their own endzone, resulting in a safety two points for Trinity to pull within 14-12 late in the third. The Celtics would then use that momentum to take their only lead of the game, 18-14, on an acrobatic third-down catch by Andrew Bergmeier from Lucas Hammeke with seven minutes to go.
Haven’s ensuing drive culminated in Roper breaking multiple tackles to get into the end zone and give the Wildcats a 20-18 lead they would not relinquish. Roper stepped in front of a Hammeke pass on the final drive to finish off the hard-fought victory by the Wildcats.
Haven is scheduled to play Sterling for their regular season finale. If the Wildcats wins at Sismor Stadium, Haven could host a first-round playoff game for the first time since 1993.
----
Hoisington wins at Norton
Hoisington is 18-1 since the start of ’19 with the lone defeat a 10-8 loss to Norton at Travis Field in the Class 2A state semifinals last fall. Hoisington had beaten Norton handily in ‘19 district play. Hoisington, ranked No. 3 in 2A, improved to 7-0, 4-0. Norton was ranked as high as No. 4 in 2A after Week 3, but dealt with injuries and COVID-19 issues. Hoisington outscored Norton, 27-0, in the second half, and Holt Hanzlick, who missed last year with an injury, cleared 100 rushing yards on Friday night.
----
CLASS 1A
Centralia uses big second half to win at Lyndon
Centralia went on the road and picked up a key win in Class 1A over No. 5 Lyndon, 48-17.
The Panthers used a 26-0 second half to pull away from the Tigers. Devon Feldkamp got the scoring started with an early touchdown, but Lyndon’s Luke Detweiler returned the ensuing kickoff for a touchdown to pull the Tigers within 8-6.
Centralia would tack on a pair of scores to lead 22-6 before Lyndon added a touchdown and afield goal to pull within 22-17 at halftime.
Centralia then dominated the second half to improve to 5-1 on the season.
----
Uniontown wins against Central Heights
Uniontown picked up a key victory in the District 1 standings, beating Central Heights, 25-14.
The Eagles broke an 8-8 tie with a third-quarter field goal from Tyler Harvey to take their first lead of the game. After Central Heights scored to go on top 14-11, Uniontown added a pair of touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull out the Homecoming win.
Sophomore Treden Buckman led the Eagles with 127 rushing yards and two scores, while senior Drew Perry contributed 119 yards and a score.
----
Smith Center, Inman on collision course for district title match
In District 3, Smith Center and Inman are both 6-1, 5-0. Each team has lost in Week 1 by a close margin to a 2A school. Smith Center defeated Ell-Saline. 46-13. The Redmen have allowed just 63 points, and Inman just 66. The Teutons beat Whitewater-Remington, 54-13, on Friday.
-----
CLASS 8M-I
Clifton-Clyde wins showdown with Argonia-Attica
In a game scheduled late this week, No. 4 Clifton-Clyde played host to previously-unbeaten Argonia-Attica in a matchup of Eight-Man, Division I contenders. The host Eagles steadily pulled away for a 64-16 win in a game that ended in the third quarter.
----
Pratt-Skyline outscores La Crosse
Pratt-Skyline bounced back from its upset loss to Kiowa County and held off La Crosse, 44-34. La Crosse outgained Skyline, but had more than 100 penalty yards, according to La Crosse radio. Skyline is 6-1, 3-1 in District 6.
----
South Gray escapes Hodgeman County
South Gray remained unbeaten with a narrow, 22-20 victory at Hodgeman County.
The Rebels trailed 20-16 at halftime, but added the only points of the second half on a short touchdown run by Aaron Skidmore. Skidmore rushed for nearly 100 yards and a pair of touchdowns on the night.
South Gray will take on No. 2 Leoti-Wichita County for the District 7 championship next week.
----
CLASS 8M-II
Lebo wins 70-40 against Thunder Ridge
Lebo and Thunder Ridge met in Sylvan for a game scheduled after both lost opponents due to cancellation.
The fourth-ranked Wolves built a 54-18 lead and held off Thunder Ridge, 70-40. Kyle Reese rushed 16 times for 215 yards and four touchdowns and added six receptions for 125 yards and three more scores.
Quarterback Devan McEwan passed for 213 yards and two touchdowns and added 76 rushing yards and two more scores.
Thunder Ridge scored 22 points in the fourth quarter. The Longhorns were led by Dylan Bice who rushed for 177 yards and three touchdowns and passed for 237 yards and two more scores.
----
Sylvan-Lucas controls Wilson, Victoria claims district title
Victoria, ranked third, improved to 7-0, 5-0 in District 5 and clinched the district title with a 58-0 win at winless Tescott. Victoria outscored Tescott, 44-0, in the first quarter. Jayvon Pruitt returned after he missed last week’s comeback win versus Wilson. Four players rushed for a touchdown, and junior quarterback Grant Schoenrock delivered 45 passing, 44 rushing and three touchdowns.
Sylvan-Lucas slowed Wilson’s talented running back Cooper Weinhold and jumped back in the race for a home playoff spot with a 36-6 win. Sylvan-Lucas scored four touchdowns in the second quarter to take control. Dayton Couse rushed for 95 yards and three touchdowns, while Geriun Boor added 113 yards and two scores. The Mustangs defense held Weinhold to 30 rushing yards on ten carries.
----
Saint Francis wins District 8 title over Wheatland-Grinnell
No. 1 St. Francis improved to 7-0, 4-0 and won District 8 after 62-16 home victory versus Wheatland-Grinnell. The Indians have not lost in the regular season since Week 6 of 2017.
----
Caldwell defeats South Barber
In wild District 6, Caldwell won at South Barber, 42-14. Caldwell is 5-2, 4-2, and South Barber stands at 4-3, 3-2. Trey Strnad rushed 16 times for 132 yards and a touchdown, and caught a pair of passes for 35 yards and two TDs. Caldwell again played without standouts Keondre Smith and Jude Stow.
----
6-Man Football
McCarty clears 100 career rushing touchdowns
Top-ranked Cheylin finished the regular season at 6-0, 5-0 in 6-Man North and captured the division title. Last Friday, Cheylin won at Natoma, 52-12, and then won at Northern Valley, 46-0, on Thursday. Star senior back Colton McCarty has cleared 100 career rushing yards. He has 105 rushing yards and 68 passing scores in his career. McCarty has rushed for 6,054 yards.
McCarty is one of the few players in state annals to clear 100 rushing TDs. Overall, he has 116 total touchdowns and has an outside chance to became the state’s all-time leader in total scores, regardless of level. Joel Struckhoff, a Thunder Ridge alum and current TR head coach, is the eight-man record holder at 127. Wichita Collegiate’s DeAngelo Evans holds the 11-man mark with 131 from ’92-95, according to the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame.
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.
