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: Bishop Ward (Matt Gilmore -- Kpreps)
Bishop Ward gets one of my helmet stickers for opening the season with a 28-6 win over KC Sumner Academy. James Jarrett, III rushed for 165 yards and three touchdowns on 19 carries to lead the Cyclones to the victory.
The win is significant because it’s the first time the Cyclones have opened the season with a win since 2009.
Coach Greg Duggins returned to the sidelines at Bishop Ward in 2019 and is trying to rebuild the program’s competitiveness. Duggins was the head coach at Ward for seven seasons ending in 2009 and led the Cyclones to a 37-31 record and five playoff appearances.
Since Duggins’ return in 2019, Ward has posted a 3-14 record – not a sparkling mark by any means, but a significant improvement from the program’s performance during the 9 seasons in between his stints as head coach.
From 2010 to 2018, Bishop Ward posted an overall record of 2-80, went through four head coaches, and endured two long losing streaks.
First came a 33-game losing skid that ended in 2013 with consecutive victories over KC Sumner and Atchison.
The Cyclones then became mired in a 57-game losing streak that finally ended last fall with a victory at McLouth. Bishop Ward hosts McLouth this week with a chance to win consecutive games for the first time since 2013 and for only the second time since 2009.
Helmet sticker: Chapman (Conor Nicholl – Kpreps)
For the second straight year, Chapman delivered a one-score victory against a quality Sabetha squad. This fall, though, Chapman had decided advantages in plays and yards.
Last season, the Irish won 34-29 in the opener in a year eventually marred by COVID-19 cancellations. Chapman had two games cancelled and finished 4-3. Last year, Sabetha ran 17 more plays and won the time of possession. But Chapman senior quarterback Trevor Erickson accounted for 260 yards and four touchdowns.
Chapman recorded 166 rushing yards. All but 20 graduated. Those belonged to Eli Riegel. He eventually had a shortened junior year. Riegel played in just three games and recorded 32 carries for 139 yards and a TD. Riegel rushed for 686 yards and five scores as a sophomore.
Senior Cam Liebau was the lone receiver back who caught a pass in the Sabetha victory when he had five catches for 79 yards.
This season, Chapman scored late to beat Sabetha, 24-22. Riegel finished with 26 carries for 213 yards and three touchdowns. He set career highs for both carries and yards. Chapman’s defense held Sabetha to 162 total yards. Chapman ran 22 more plays and delivered 361 yards of total offense. Liebau was the lone Irish receiver with receptions when he hauled in two catches for 28 yards.
Seniors Brent Golden and Tate Milton paced Chapman with 10 and eight tackles, respectively. Senior Torin Cavanaugh, an Emporia State baseball commit, tallied three, a sack and forced a fumble. Milton led Chapman with 68 tackles in 2020. Before the back-to-back Chapman losses, Sabetha had won four straight Week 1 games.
Helmet sticker: Iola (Matt Gilmore -- Kpreps)
The Iola Mustangs opened the 2021 season with a 38-0 “home” victory over Osawatomie.
The game was moved 11 miles south to nearby Humboldt due to damage vandals caused to the sod playing field at Iola’s Riverside Park after the schools’ Blue-Gold scrimmage. The sod at Riverside Park was replace over the summer and was significantly damaged by vehicle tracks a week prior to the season-opener.
The Mustangs showed resolve despite the circumstances in jumping on Osawatomie to the tune of a 14-0 lead after the first quarter. That lead grew to 22-0 at halftime and the Mustangs kept cashing in Osawatomie turnovers into points.
After an Iola interception in the third quarter, Brett Willis hauled in a touchdown pass in to push the lead to 30. Another interception led to a Mustang touchdown pass from Landon Weide to Sam Fager to wrap up the scoring.
The game was played on Thursday night given that Humboldt opened their season at home against Ava (Mo.) on Friday.
Helmet sticker: Royal Valley (Conor Nicholl – Kpreps)
Week 1 yielded multiple signature wins for Kansas head coaches who graduated from Smith Center. At Class 3A Royal Valley, coach David Boucher opened with a 16-13 home victory against Riverside in Big 7 play. Royal Valley was 0-7 last year and allowed at least 28 points in each game.
Boucher had served as a Royal Valley assistant for six seasons. His dad, Doug, was a longtime former Smith Center assistant and currently runs the Fort Hays strength and conditioning department.
Overall, the Panthers snapped a nine-game losing streak that dated back to a 53-20 home win versus Hiawatha in Week 7 of the 2019 season. Royal Valley was 1-17 in its last 18 contests. It marked the fewest points Royal Valley had allowed since a 30-8 road victory against Riverside in Week 3 of 2017 – nearly four years ago.
Boucher said Royal Valley received key contributions from several players. Junior running back/free safety Treyson Murata recorded 14 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown, along with eight tackles. Senior wide receiver/cornerback Colby Carreno had three tackles and returned an interception for a touchdown. Junior offensive guard/defensive end Aston Wood picked up two sacks, three tackles for loss and seven tackles.
Senior center/nose guard William Kralicek recorded three tackles. Senior fullback/linebacker Levi Parrett finished with 12 tackles and a sack. Kralicek is 6-1, 265. Boucher said the team’s core leaders are Murata, Parrett, Kralicek, and sophomore quarterback/cornerback Aidan McKinsey.
As well, all three Jackson County football teams have Smith Center alums as head coaches with Holton’s Brooks Barta and Jackson Heights’ Caleb Wick. Kansas Pregame has noted all three teams run inside/outside belly offensive series made famous under Smith Center Hall of Fame coach Roger Barta, Brooks’ father.
Holton, ranked No. 5 in Class 3A, beat Nemaha Central, 25-24, on a last-second field goal for the second straight year. Brooks Barta is now 236-56 in his career.
Jackson Heights, named a Class 1A Potential Breakout Team last week, beat Oskaloosa, 45-6. Last year, Jackson Heights had its first two games cancelled because of COVID-19. At Smoky Valley, coach Tim Lambert, a former Smith Center standout quarterback, had a nice 20-16 road win versus Halstead. He is 201-96 in his career.
Smith Center, ranked No. 2 in Class 1A, beat rival Norton, 26-7, at home. SC head coach Darren Sasse and longtime assistants Brock Hutchinson and Mike Rogers are all Redmen graduates. Smith Center has not lost at home to Norton since at least 2003.
St. Marys nearly pulled an upset in a 17-14 road loss to Riley County with second-year coach Kyle Schenk, another Smith Center graduate.
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