Class 3A
3A EAST
D2-#2 Prairie View (8-1) at D3-#3 Perry-Lecompton (9-1) – Perry-Lecompton
Prairie View will travel to Perry-Lecompton in a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal game won by the Kaws, 30-6.
Perry-Lecompton avenged its only loss of the season by topping Topeka Hayden, 20-7, in last week’s highly anticipated rematch. Hayden won the regular season meeting 10-0 with all the game’s scoring coming in the final 1:28 seconds of game time.
This time around, Perry-Lecompton trailed 7-6 until Thad Metcalfe scored on a short touchdown run early in the fourth quarter for a 14-7 lead. The Kaws were threatening again, but Hayden stopped them on fourth-and-goal with less than :40 seconds left to get one last shot. Hayden completed a pass on the first play, but fumbled and Perry-Lecompton’s Jackson Payne returned it for a 15-yard touchdown for the two-score lead.
Metcalfe has played well since transitioning from running back to quarterback in place of injured starter Billy Welch for a second consecutive season. Metcalfe has rushed for 943 yards and 19 touchdowns and passed for 926 yards and 14 scores. He rushed for 128 yards and two touchdowns on 37 carries in last week’s win over Hayden. Reichen Rush has rushed for 806 yards and 10 scores.
Perry-Lecompton’s strength may be its defense which has allowed only 9.1 points per game. Their challenge this week is a Prairie View offense that has three capable options in their backfield. The Buffaloes average nearly 253 yards per game on the ground.
Prairie View is led by Bodi Isenhower and Otis Jacobs. The two backs have rushed for 772 yards and 725 yards, respectively. Isenhower has nine rushing touchdowns, while Jacobs has eight rushing scores. Quarterback Damien Kline has rushed for 453 yards and a team-high 15 rushing scores. Kline has only 18 pass completions on the season in 42 attempts.
Kline scored both touchdowns in last week’s 13-12 win over Girard. The Buffaloes rushed for 315 yards as a team led by Isenhower’s 138 yards and Jacobs’ 108 yards. Kline added 54 yards on 15 carries. Kline’s touchdown late in the third quarter proved to be the winning points, but Girard missed a 31-yard field goal with 2:20 remaining in the game
Prairie View has been a consistent contender in 3A posting a 30-10 record in the four seasons since Kyle Littrell took over as head coach. Still, Perry-Lecompton has been ranked in the top three throughout the season and is talented enough to get back to the 3A title game.
D4-#1 Holton (8-1) at D2-#3 Frontenac (6-4) – Holton
Holton will make the trip down to Frontenac for the fourth all-time meeting with the Raiders – all coming in the past five years. Holton picked up playoff victories of 22-7 and 32-28 over Frontenac back in 2015 and 2016. The Raiders returned the favor with a 55-21 win in 2017.
Frontenac enters this quarterfinal matchup with an unassuming 6-4 record, but the Raiders have played some strong out-of-state competition. After a season-opening loss at Columbus while playing with less than a full squad, the Raiders dropped a 34-13 decision to Coweta (Okla.) – a 9-1 team still alive in the Oklahoma Class 5A state quarterfinals. Frontenac also lost 39-13 to McDonald County (Mo.). The Mustangs reached the second round of the Missouri Class 4 playoffs.
The Raiders advanced to the quarterfinals with a 22-6 win over Burlington. Frontenac handed Burlington its only two losses of the season. Collin McCartney’s touchdown in the third quarter put Frontenac up 14-0 before Burlington scored to pull within one score. Following the Wildcat touchdown, Frontenac’s Mario Menghini returned the ensuing kickoff 93 yards for a touchdown.
Holton is a veteran team that has ridden a powerful run game to an 8-1 record. The Wildcats’ only loss came 28-14 to No. 2 Perry-Lecompton back in Week 3. Senior Canon Karn leads the team in rushing with 1,044 yards and 16 touchdowns on 104 carries. Fellow seniors Addison Hundley and Konnor Tannahill have contributed 642 and 508 yards, respectively. On the season, ten different Wildcat ball carriers have rushed for touchdowns.
This game will likely be decided up front and in Frontenac’s ability to keep Holton from controlling the ball and dictating the game on the ground. Frontenac is a physical team that is solid up front and has capable playmakers in quarterback McCartney and Menghini, but Holton has dominated the on the ground all season. The Wildcats average more than 370 yards per game on the ground and have attempted only 23 passes on the year.
3A WEST
D7-#1 Andale (9-0) at D5-#1 Riley County (8-1) – Andale
Much like last week’s game against Scott City, the Riley County Falcons play a school for the first time in the school’s history when they host top-ranked Andale. Riley County, going 8-1 in their return to 3A, have averaged over 44 points this season while allowing only 12 a contest. Andale meanwhile, has only allowed eight points per game while scoring an average of 56 points per contest.
Andale has primarily been led by the rushing duo of Eli Rowland and Noah Meyer. The duo combined for 349 yards and six scores in last week’s 53-0 shutout of Clearwater. The lowest scoring output that Andale has had all season was during a 40-21 victory over Clearwater in their first matchup.
Riley County has a pair of players who have put up big numbers this fall. Nic Allen has rushed for 1,493 yards and 29 touchdowns on 177 carries, while Conner Holle has passed for 1,320 and 16 touchdowns with only two interceptions. Trey Harmison leads the Falcons in receiving with 661 yards and eight touchdowns on 27 receptions. Zak Zeller leads the Falcons with 98 tackles, and the defense has forced 12 turnovers on the season.
Riley County has had a great season aided by the return of Allen from injury last fall, but Andale seems poised to get back to the 3A title game and defend their crown.
D6-#1 Southeast of Saline (9-0) at D7-#2 Wichita Collegiate (9-1) – Collegiate
Fourth-ranked Southeast of Saline will travel to No. 5 Wichita Collegiate in a key quarterfinal matchup.
Wichita Collegiate had three starters out this week from COVID-19 quarantine, though gets two other starters back from quarantine. Collegiate has 50 players and suited up just 34 last week versus Cheney. The Spartans moved junior Drew Charbonneau to tight end, and then had to move him back to offensive line this week. Collegiate has all nine of its depth-laden line back this week. The Herrman senior twins continue to be dominant up front. Nick is 6-foot, 245 pounds and the team’s strongest player. He played with a hairline fracture in his shin all last fall before his emergence this year. Jack is 6-3, 300. Charbonneau played fullback last season and first switched to offensive tackle this season.
Wesley Fair, in his first year as the starting quarterback, has delivered a massive season behind the line. Fair has completed 54 of 94 passes for 795 yards with seven touchdowns against five interceptions. Fair has also led the team in rushing with 214 carries for 1,514 yards and 25 TDs. Jacob Chugg has 72 carries for 594 yards. On defense, Charbonneau has a team-high 93 tackles, while Nick Herman has 10 TFLs.
Collegiate averages 7.3 yards per play, and Southeast of Saline has 6.2 yards per play. Collegiate has permitted 140 points. However, 43 came against No. 1-Andale, and 20 came in a 15-point victory versus previously undefeated Cheney last week.
Southeast of Saline has enjoyed its most victories since a 10-1 season in ’06. The Trojans easily lead 3A with just 46 points allowed. Andale is No. 2 in 3A in scoring defense with 78 points permitted.
Senior quarterback Jaxson Gebhardt has completed 77 of 122 passing for 1,039 yards with 10 scores against one interception. Gebhardt has also rushed 139 times for 903 yards for 13 scores. Senior Bryant Banks has 152 rushes for 854 yards and 15 TDs. Junior Matthew Rodriguez leads with 79 tackles and is second with 16 TFLs.
Collegiate has forced 20 turnovers this season, while Southeast of Saline has forced 17 turnovers. This should also be close, but a slight edge goes to Collegiate with its offensive play, home field advantage and more explosive offense.
Class 2A
2A EAST
D3-#1 Rossville (10-0) at D1-#1 St. Mary’s Colgan (7-2) – Rossville
Top-ranked Rossville will make the trip down to Hutchinson Field in Pittsburg to take on St. Mary’s Colgan. This will be the fourth all-time meeting between the Bulldawgs and the Panthers with Rossville claiming the previous three victories in the Class 3A quarterfinal round. Rossville defeated Colgan 42-32 in 2015 and 56-19 in 2014 on their path to claiming the Class 3A state championships in each of those seasons. Rossville also defeated Colgan 17-7 in the quarterfinals of the 2012 playoffs.
Rossville has been the top-ranked team in Class 2A all season and the Bulldawgs’ performance on the field has done little to remove their mention as one of the favorites to win the state title. A big reason for their success is a multi-talented offense that is averaging more than 56 points per game. Rossville has put up these numbers despite playing some quality competition including Centralia (8-1), Rock Creek (5-3), Silver Lake (6-2), and Maur Hill-Mount Academy (8-1).
The Bulldawg offense is led by junior quarterback Torrey Horak. Horak (5-10, 170) has produced 2,240 yards of total offense and been apart of 43 touchdowns. Horak has rushed for 1,250 yards and 25 scores on 107 carries – an average of 11.7 yards per attempt. When Horak looks to the air, the lefty has completed 57 percent of his passes for 990 yards and 18 touchdowns with only two interceptions.
Horak leads an offense that averages 437 yards per game. Complimenting him in the backfield is senior Woodrow Rezac and junior Corey Catron. Rezac has rushed for 745 yards and ten touchdowns, while Catron has added 575 yards and 11 scores. Bo Reeves (6-5, 220) leads a talented receiving group with 18 catches for 351 yards and eight scores. Rezac and Catron are also among the Bulldawgs’ leading receivers.
Senior Kaiden Brown leads a Rossville defense that give up an average of 14 points per game. Brown has 61 tackles, while Catron and junior Mshewe Hale each have 57 stops.
Rossville will take on an opponent in Colgan that has won six consecutive games after a 1-2 start to the season. Those two losses came to Girard and Frontenac, both 3A playoff teams. The Panthers have battled through several injuries, but have finally gotten healthy in the past couple of weeks.
Colgan has shown the ability to be balanced on offense. The Panthers feature a pair of talented backs in seniors Domenico Bevilacqua (6-0, 235) and Blaise Dawson (6-3, 180). Bevilacqua has seen significant playing time in the backfield for all four years of his high school career, but has produced 1,141 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns this fall. Dawson has added 683 yards and 11 scores.
The Panthers have developed some balance on offense with junior quarterback Jake Wright. Wright has completed 64 percent of his passes for 1,103 yards and 12 touchdowns. Gianni Piccini has made a smooth transition from quarterback to receiver and has caught 34 passes for 460 yards and four scores. Aiden Fleming has added nearly 250 yards and three scores.
Colgan will have to play a clean game and have success controlling the ball in order pull off the upset. The Panthers can’t afford empty possessions and keep up with Rossville prolific offense. This is good matchup that certainly features two of the top football teams in Class 2A, but Rossville’s overall talent is on a different level.
D4-#1 Nemaha Central (7-2) at D2-#1 Osage City (9-1) – Nemaha Central
Defending 2A champion Nemaha Central will travel to Osage City to continue their run at a second straight state title. This will be the first meeting between the Thunder and the Indians.
Nemaha Central got off to a 1-2 start just like last season, falling to the same opponents in Holton and Sabetha. Since that time, the Thunder would allow only 16 points over the next four weeks of the regular season. Last week, the Thunder allowed the most points they have all season, 30, in a 40-30 win over traditional power Silver Lake. Nemaha Central quarterback Zac Kramer scored a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter to turn a 21-20 halftime deficit into a 32-21 lead. Silver Lake would answer with its second kickoff return touchdown of the game to pull within 32-28 before Kramer iced the game with a long touchdown run. Kramer finished with 187 yards and five touchdowns in the contest.
Osage City has won nine straight games since a season-opening 22-15 loss to Lyndon. Since that time, Osage City has averaged 48.5 points per game while allowing less than nine points per contest. Sophomore Landon Boss has run the Osage City offense, passing for 1,469 yards while rushing for 931 yards. Gunnar Fort is Boss’s favorite target, with 23 receptions for 465 yards and 11 touchdowns. Osage City also features young talent in junior Brody Littrell in the running game, where he has 473 yards and eight touchdowns on 72 carries. Garrett Fager will also be a threat next year, with 221 yards and four touchdowns on the receiving front.
While Osage City features a lot of talented underclassmen, Nemaha Central has the experience in big games after last year’s run to the 2A state championship.
2A WEST
D8-#4 Beloit (2-6) at D5-#3 Haven (8-2) – Haven
Haven has doubled its win total from last season’s 4-5 mark and has enjoyed a bevy of historical firsts. The Wildcats have its first winning season since ’01 and most victories since a 9-1 season in ’85. Haven has won its first playoff game in 44 seasons. It’s believed to be the first time the Wildcats have won two straight playoff contests in the same season. Haven won at Kingman (42-21) in Week 9 and beat Hutchinson Trinity (26-6) last week. It marked the second win versus Trinity in 2020. Trinity played without standout quarterback Lucas Hammeke.
Beloit opened the season 0-2, then won two straight games before four consecutive losses. However, three of the defeats have come against Southeast of Saline, Centralia and Hoisington, squads that have a combined one loss. The Trojans reworked their offense after Week 2 and went to the power run behind sophomore running back Benson Berndt and its big all non-senior offensive line. Beloit won 55-14 at Thomas More Prep in Hays in Week 9, and then won by COVID-19 forfeit versus Phillipsburg last week.
Haven has co-coaches Drew Thalmann and Thomas Cooprider. Both are in their second year as co-coaches. Thalmann has run the offense, Cooprider the defense. Thalmann runs an offense similar to Derby’s Brandon Clark, a longtime friend.
Haven running back Nathan Schmidt and quarterback Darby Roper are 1-2 in rushing yards by a Wildcat player in the last 15 years, which is as far as back as Haven individual records go. The 140-pound Schmidt has been a workhorse throughout the year. He had 32 carries for 181 yards and two scores versus Trinity. Schmidt has 242 carries for 1,334 yards and 10 scores.
Roper has delivered an excellent two-way year. He has 128 carries for 895 yards and 16 scores. Roper has also passed for 861 yards. Against Trinity, both Schmidt and Roper rushed for two touchdowns. Roper has 74.5 tackles and nine interceptions, both team-bests. Hunter Barlow, a four-year starter, and Keaton Loop have been key defensive players, too. Barlow is 6-3, 295 and anchors both lines. Loop is 6-1, 230.
Beloit has greatly improved, and the entire offensive line is non-seniors, paced by junior Braden Burks. Berndt has delivered 196 carries for 1,173 yards and nine scores. Junior Owen Eilert has made strides as a passer with 689 yards and nine scores versus five interceptions. Senior Hunter Prochaska leads with 63 tackles for loss, eight TFLs. Beloit is a No. 4 seed; the Trojans are looking to become the first No. 4 seed to reach the state semifinals since KSHSAA re-designed the playoff format three years ago. This should be very close, but Haven has controlled games with Roper and Schmidt.
D6-#2 Garden Plain (9-1) at D8-#1 Hoisington (10-0) – Hoisington
Over the past five seasons, Hoisington and Garden Plain have met twice. Hoisington has won both contests, winning 49-8 in 2016 and 48-22 in last year’s quarterfinals. The Cardinals and Owls will meet again Friday at Elton Brown Stadium in Hoisington. Garden Plain advanced to the quarterfinal round with a 25-20 win over Hillsboro, while Hoisington advanced to the sectionals by virtue of Cimarron’s forfeit due to the COVID situation for the Bluejays. That forfeiture by Cimarron is the reason Hoisington is hosting this game. Had Hoisington hosted Cimarron last week, the Cardinals and Owls would have hosted the same number of playoff games causing Hoisington to travel east to Garden Plain.
This game will mainly be a battle in the trenches between three standout running backs. Garden Plain’s Reed Adelhardt will look to top the 1,000-yard mark on the season on Friday, as he currently sits at 966 yards and 11 touchdowns on 116 carries. Hoisington features the duo of Holt Hanzlick and Joshua Ball. The pair have combined for 1,394 yards and 22 touchdowns on the year in nine contests.
Both quarterbacks have contributed solid seasons despite the two teams having feature rushing attacks. Tranden Daerr has passed for 388 yards and six touchdowns for Garden Plain, while Mason Haxton has passed for 613 yards and eight touchdowns for Hoisington. Hoisington averages 376 yards per contest and Garden Plain averages 310 yards each game.
Garden Plain played a tough regular-season schedule facing one-loss playoff teams in Conway Springs and Cheney. Hoisington has only played two teams with a winning season. This contest will be closer than the 48-22 decision last year, but Hoisington has the advantage with their talented rushing attack and home field advantage.
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