Class 8-Man, Division I
8M-I EAST
D2-#2 Chase County (7-2) at D1-#1 Sedan (9-0) – Chase County
Chase County will travel to Sedan in what appears to be one of the more competitive games on the 8M-I docket this week. Chase County is 7-2 with losses to 8M-I No. 3 Madison and 8M-II No. 4 Lebo. Sedan enters unbeaten with its only real challenge coming in a 48-38 win over Oswego in Week 5. The Blue Devils are led by senior Eli Campbell who has rushed for 619 yards and 13 touchdowns. Junior Isaiah Smilko has added 350 yards and five scores, but hasn’t played since that Oswego game. Dameion Hatten is an explosive athlete for Sedan and has more than 200 rushing yards and 267 receiving yards with 15 combined touchdowns. Chase County has multiple options with sophomore quarterback Mitch Budke leading the way. Budke has more than 800 rushing yards this season and is averaging more than 10 yards per carry. Trint Rogers and Brock Griffin also provide viable options to carry the ball for the Bulldogs. In last week’s 66-0 win over Cedar Vale-Dexter, Blaise Holloway set a state record with three interceptions returned for touchdowns in a single game.
D4-#2 Little River (7-2) at D3-#1 Clifton-Clyde (7-1) – Little River
This is a rematch of one of the best eight-man games of the regular season. Clifton-Clyde’s Aiden Rudolph scored the game-winning touchdown in overtime to give the Eagles the 42-36 victory over Little River back in Week 2. Since that time, Little River’s only other loss came to top-ranked Canton-Galva in district play. Meanwhile, Clifton-Clyde dropped a 40-20 decision to 8M-II’s No. 2 Hanover. The Eagles almost won the first game with Little River in regulation on a Hail Mary on the game’s final play, but the Eagles receiver was tackled just short of the goal line. The game was even throughout with Little River leading 22-20 at halftime and tied at 36 at the end of regulation. While Rudolph leads the Eagle offense, Little River is led by seniors Jayden Garrison and Graham Stephens. Garrison has rushed for team highs in yards (852) and touchdowns (21), while Stephens has added 545 rushing yards and 14 scores. Both have passed for more than 340 yards with Stephens throwing nine touchdowns and Garrison seven scores.
D1-#2 Oswego (8-1) at D2-#1 Madison (9-0) – Madison
Third-ranked Madison has outscored its opponents by an average of 50 points per game. The Bulldogs have one of eight-man’s top players in senior Hunter Engle. Engle has rushed for 584 yards and 17 touchdowns while averaging 20.9 yards per carry. Engle is one of several backs that have shared carries this fall. Quarterback Casey Helm has completed more than 71 percent of his passes for 896 yards and 18 touchdowns. Oswego has put together their best season since a 10-1 record in 2009. The Indians are 8-1, though two wins have come via forfeit. Sophomore Jake Hutchinson has rushed for 912 yards and 11 touchdowns, while Jace Landes also has 13 touchdowns to go along with 559 yards. Lance Teal has added 426 yards and six touchdowns and has passed for 688 yards and 15 scores. Oswego’s top receiving target is Isac Elkins who has 15 catches for 380 yards and nine scores.
D3-#2 Burlingame (7-2) at D4-#1 Canton-Galva (9-0) – Canton-Galva
No. 1 Canton-Galva has won 22 straight games, Kansas’ longest current winning streak. Burlingame has only lost to No. 3 Madison (48-24) and No. 4 Clifton-Clyde (62-12). Canton-Galva has been incredibly dominant with just 52 points allowed, nearly all in a 56-38 victory versus No. 5 Little River. Junior Tyson Struber has delivered another big year with 34 catches for 731 yards and 14 scores. He has also picked off five passes. Sophomore Garrett Maltbie has completed 54 of 84 passes for 1,042 yards with 19 touchdowns. He has 38 rushes for 697 yards and 13 TDs. Brayden Collins has 84 rushes for 941 yards and 26 scores. Burlingame senior quarterback Evan Young has completed 84 of 155 passes for 988 yards with 20 scores against eight interceptions. Senior Wyatt Ledom has 134 carries for 1,048 yards and 18 scores. Junior Kris Hovestadt leads Kansas with 10 interceptions. Coach Jeff Slater has produced .500-plus seasons every year from ’14-20.
8M-I WEST
D6-#2 La Crosse (5-3) at D5-#1 Argonia-Attica (8-1) – La Crosse
This should be a very close game. La Crosse, in its first year of eight-man football, has averaged 304 rushing and 78 passing yards a game. Junior running back Colby Stull has 134 carries for 1,431 yards and 32 rushing scores. He has scored seven touchdowns, a school record, in three games. All of La Crosse’s offensive yards come from non-seniors. La Crosse has an average score of 50-28, and Argonia-Attica has an average score of 46-11. La Crosse features 6-foot-6, 235-pound Lucas Webster, and senior lineman C.J. Patterson (6-foot, 201). A&A has 122 passing and 196 rushing yards a contest. La Crosse is at 8.1 yards per play, A&A at 8.6. Junior Cooper Barriger has a team-high 76 tackles, 10.5 for loss, and Webster has delivered 11 TFLs. The Titans are much stronger in the passing game. Junior Xander Newberry has completed 69 of 106 passes for 1,071 yards with 19 scores against four touchdowns. He leads with 78 carries for 597 yards and 13 scores. A&A has forced 21 turnovers and is plus-nine in turnover margin. La Crosse has had just nine turnovers and is plus-four in turnover margin. Junior Adam Blanchat leads A&A with 82 tackles.
D8-#2 Atwood-Rawlins Co. (4-3) at D7-#1 Leoti-Wichita Co. (9-0) – Leoti-Wichita County
Wichita County will be the heavy favorite – and the strong favorite to represent the West in the state title. Wichita County has won every game by at least 34 points. The Indians navigated through a historically challenging district (just one non-district loss in District 7) and won every contest by the 45-point margin. That included a 58-8 win versus Ness City. Last week, Atwood defeated Ness City, 22-12. In both games, Ness City had key players either out/were hurt during the contests. Wichita County enjoys its dynamic offense with 141 passing and 276 rushing yards a game. Senior Kayde Rietzke has completed 69 percent of his passes with 1,155 passing yards with a 22/5 TD/INT ratio, along with 96 carries for 1,058 yards and 20 scores. Senior Sheldon Whalen has 35 catches for 557 yards and 14 TDs. Senior Manny Chavez has 13 TFLs. Rawlins County has 240 rushing and 30 passing yards a contest. Senior Cyrus Green has 113 carries for 736 yards and 11 scores. He also leads with 82 tackles. Green rushed for 101 yards versus Ness City. The 5-foot-11, 225-pound Green has 350 tackles, 24 TFLs, in his career.
D5-#2 Goessel (4-3) at D6-#1 Pratt-Skyline (8-1) – Pratt-Skyline
In a mild upset, Goessel rolled over Kinsley, 60-14, and contained the Coyotes’ prolific offense. However, Kinsley standout quarterback Isaac Bowman did not play. Bowman had 1,176 passing yards with a 17/6 TD/INT ratio. Skyline had beaten Kinsley, 90-56. Goessel’s Jake Wiens had seven carries for 105 yards and four rushing touchdowns. Skyline beat Pretty Prairie, 52-6, last week, its second win versus Pretty Prairie this season. Goessel had two games cancelled, including its Pretty Prairie matchup and does have a loss to No. 1 Canton-Galva. Skyline, led by Jesus Casas, has an average score of 54-29. Goessel has scored and allowed 35 points per game.
D7-#2 South Gray (7-1) at D8-#1 Hoxie (6-1) – Hoxie
This is also a marquee matchup in what is expected to be a very close game. Hoxie’s only loss came to No. 2 Wichita County, 54-30, in Week 1. That marks Wichita County’s closest contest. South Gray lost, 60-12, to Wichita County in Week 8 for the District 7. The Rebels committed seven turnovers in the loss. South Gray won its first playoff game since 2011 when it finished as state runner-up to Madison. That year, Jeff Blattner was head coach, and Grant Salmans served as assistant. This year, Salmans is head coach, and Blattner is offensive coordinator. Former Fowler standout Ty Clark has delivered a great job running defense and special teams. Aaron Skidmore has enjoyed a huge year behind a revamped offensive line with 448 passing yards with a 10/2 TD/INT ratio. He has also rushed 148 times for 1,278 yards and 30 touchdowns. He has helped on 46 tackles and has six for loss. Both teams have been strong on special teams – Brady Deges has averaged 38 yards per punt and has blocked multiple punts. South Gray center Carter Riley (6-5, 250) came out for football last fall and has played well up front. The Rebels have 7.2 yards per play, with 447 passing yards and plus-4 in turnover margin. South Gray has an average score of 41-12.
Hoxie, with longtime coach Lance Baar, has average score of 37-14 behind its depth of skill players and senior lineman Harlan Obioha (6-11.5, 300). He has Division I offers in football and basketball. Hoxie is much more balanced with 156 passing and 175 rushing yards a game. The Indians are plus-2 in turnover margin and has seven yards per play. Junior Ashton Dowell has 1,245 passing yards with a 17/3 TD/INT ratio, along with 451 rushing yards and five scores. Hoxie has shown an ability to control games (53 snaps per game) and also has a great punter with junior Cade Gourley (35 yards per punt). Hoxie has a very slight edge with home field advantage and more depth in what should be a great contest.
Class 8-Man, Division II
8M-II EAST
D2-#2 Hartford (6-3) at D1-#1 Colony-Crest (9-0) – Crest
Both teams have enjoyed nice turnarounds. Hartford was a combined 8-19 in the last three falls and has its first winning season in four years. Crest, 0-9 and 6-4 the last two seasons, has multiple players who have started at least three years. Coach Nick McAnulty’s single wing has consistently led Division II in offense throughout the fall. Currently, Lebo has scored 455 points in eight on-field games, while Crest has 454 as the classification’s top-two offenses. Crest is a run-heavy team that averages 297 rushing and 48 passing yards a game. Senior Jacquez Coleman passed for 408 yards with a 10/1 TD/INT ratio. He also has 71 carries for 1,006 yards and 17 TDs. Senior Stratton McGhee and sophomore Holden Barker have combined for 1,058 rushing yards and 24 rushing scores. McGhee leads with 75 tackles, and Barker has 74. This is the first matchup since Crest won, 52-42, in the ’19 season opener. Crest has already enjoyed its most victories since a 9-2 season in ’10. Another victory gives the Lancers its first double-digit win season since 10-1 in ’95. Hartford’s Shayden Sull rushed for 251 yards and six TDs in last week’s 62-12 win versus St. Paul. Harford has played a challenging schedule with 45-point margin losses to undefeated squads Madison and Lebo and 7-2 Burlingame. Crest’s offensive depth, though, makes the Lancers the favorite.
D3-#3 Axtell (7-2) at D3-#1 Hanover (7-0) – Hanover
After falling 62-12 over Hanover in Week four, Axtell will look to defeat the Wildcats for the first time this season after topping the Wildcats twice last season. Colin Jueneman, Jacob Juneman, and Keagan Dimler have helped lead Hanover to averaging 55 points per game. The Wildcats are equally impressive on defense, only allowing roughly seven points a game with two shutouts. Axtell had a wild comeback victory over Thunder Ridge last week, 42-40, where they trailed by 20 with 3:21 remaining. The Eagles scored 22 points in the final 2:53 to advance. Isaac Detwiler connected with George Volle and Mitchell Buessing for passing touchdowns while Volle and Detwiler rushed in two touchdowns apiece.
D1-#2 Waverly (5-3) at D2-#1 Lebo (9-0) – Lebo
This inter school-district rematch from Week 3 with the Lebo Wolves winning at Waverly, 52-6. Lebo only allows 10 points a game, while having posted consecutive shutouts the past two weeks. Devan McEwen has led the passing attack for the Wolves, with 1,102 yards and 25 touchdowns. Junior Kyle Reese is his favorite target, with 428 yards and ten touchdowns on 27 carries. Waverly’s three losses have come to Lebo, undefeated Colony-Crest, and 7-2 Burlingame. Waverly has given up roughly 36 points a game this season.
D3-#2 Frankfort (5-1) at D4-#1 Beloit St. John’s-Tipton (7-2) – Frankfort
BSJT has posted a .500-plus season every year from ’12-20. Junior Jaret Eitzmann completed 59 of 103 passes for 837 yards with 11 scores against eight interceptions. Senior Brayden Perez has 141 carries for 1,145 yards and 23 TDs. Eitzmann and senior Blake Perez have combined for 18 rushing scores. However, the Blujays have committed 17 turnovers and are plus-2 in turnover margin. Brayden leads with 124 tackles, one more than Blake. Frankfort didn’t play for three weeks because of various cancellations and returned last week with a 60-14 win versus Downs-Lakeside. BSJT had defeated Lakeside, 59-34. Frankfort is 3-0 against BSJT in the last three years. The Wildcats won 60-14 and 30-8 in ’17 and 54-20 in ’18. Frankfort features quarterback Gavin Cornelison rushed for 117 yards and two TDs and passed for 169 yards and two scores. Caden Dalinghaus and Ethan Armstrong each rushed for two TDs. Frankfort is a slight favorite in what should be an intriguing Round of 16 matchup.
8M-II WEST
D5-#3 Sylvan-Lucas Unified (7-2) at D5-#1 Victoria (9-0) – Victoria
Victoria has several historical edges that tilt the game toward the No. 3-ranked Knights. Victoria defeated Sylvan-Lucas, 54-22, in Week 4. The Knights have not lost a home playoff game since 2011, including a 54-6 home victory versus Norwich last week. Sylvan-Lucas has five straight winning seasons and played in Week 10 the last four falls under veteran coach Ben Labertew. Victoria is 4-1 against Sylvan-Lucas and has won four straight since ’04. Knight junior quarterback Grant Schoenrock has more than 1,000 total yards. He, senior Jayvon Pruitt and sophomore Carson Werth have been a very deep backfield. Freshman Seth Schwien has stepped up on both sides of the ball. Senior Trenton Engel delivered a yeoman’s effort against Norwich at center. He hurt his ankle on Victoria’s first offensive series, though played the majority of the contest despite hobbling. Engel is expected to play this week. Sylvan-Lucas backfield duo of Jaxson Heenan and Geriun Boor combined for more than 300 rushing yards last week. Victoria is looking for its first double-digit winning season since its state title in ’15.
D8-#2 Wheatland-Grinnell (7-2) at D7-#1 South Central (7-2) – Wheatland-Grinnell
Possibly Division II’s most interesting Round of 16 contest. South Central, which dropped down to Division II this year, has made four straight quarterfinals. South Central has won seven in a row after an 0-2 start. The T-Wolves have junior quarterback Colby Snyder has completed 50 of 99 passes for 610 yards with a 12/6 TD/INT ratio. Senior Jonny Robles has enjoyed a big season with 76 rushes for 665 yards and 11 scores, and 13 catches for 177 yards and four TDs. South Central has averaged 6.23 yards per play. Senior Landon Uhl has 65 tackles, while junior Owen Herd has 58 tackles, 14 for loss. Wheatland-Grinnell has never made a state quarterfinal since the schools consolidated for football in mid-2000s. The Thunderhawks lost to Axtell in Week 1 and to No. 1-ranked St. Francis in district play. Wheatland-Grinnell averages 163 passing and 178 rushing yards per contest and 7.3 yards per play. While sophomore defensive back Jett Vincent is well-known for his interceptions (nine this year, 22 in his career), the Thunderhawks have received big breakout seasons from junior quarterback Trey Vincent and junior running back Isaac Mendez. Trey has passed for 1,460 yards with 21 scores against nine interceptions. Mendez has 172 carries for 1,359 yards and 23 scores. Jett has 14 receiving TDs, and senior Trevor Zarybnicky has 130 tackles, 10.5 for loss. The 6-foot-3, 235-pound Zarybnicky has 372 career tackles. Wheatland-Grinnell’s more explosive, dynamic offense and a healthy season from Trey Vincent makes the Thunderhawks the favorite.
D5-#2 Central Plains (6-1) at D6-#1 Caldwell (7-2) – Central Plains
Central Plains, which did not play until Week 3 because of COVID-19 concerns, has only lost to Victoria. The Oilers went 13-0 with an historically great defense in ’18. Last year, the Oilers suffered massive injuries and took a rare down year to 3-6. This season, Central Plains has tripled its win total. Central Plains has returned to its normal strong defense with three shutouts and just 12.57 points allowed per contest. Caldwell is at 25.3 points permitted a game. Caldwell beat Wilson, 68-20, last week as Keiondre Smith returned after he missed several contests. Central Plains defeated Wilson, 66-20, in district play. Smith contributed 222 total yards in Week 9, and Trey Strnad rushed seven times for 127 yards and two TDs. Caldwell has posted winning seasons every year from ’16-20 under longtime coach Sean Blosser. Central Plains sophomore Michael Laymon has 495 rushing yards and 16 rushing TDs and leads with 72 stops. Senior Tyler Holmes has 10 TFLs. Central Plains’ defense gives the Oilers a slight edge – even with the Oilers making a 148-mile trip south.
D7-#2 Bucklin (6-3) at D8-#1 Saint Francis (8-0) – Saint Francis
This contest is moved to 11 a.m. on Saturday. No. 1-ranked St. Francis is the West favorite after it finished as state runner-up in Division I last fall. Saint Francis features arguably the best eight-man player in Shadryon Blanka. He has cleared 1,250 rushing yards and was top-10 in Kansas in rushing after the regular season. The Indians have an excellent line of Colton Neitzel, Jesse Baxter and Adam Krein. Major credit to first-year Bucklin coach Trever Powell, a former first team all-state player at Kiowa County. Powell, whose in-laws are from Bucklin, has the Red Aces in Week 10 for the first time since ’06. Last week, Bucklin beat Triplains-Brewster, 74-28, for the program’s first playoff victory since ’06. Junior Nathan Bowman has passed for 845 yards with 14 scores against five interceptions. Junior Scott Price has 163 carries for 927 yards and 17 scores, along with 21 catches for 285 yards and six TDs. Overall, he leads with 1,506 all-purpose yards.
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.
