Kpreps.com takes you Around the Classes as we look at a handful of games in each classification from teams outside our top five rankings.
Class 6A:
Lawrence Free State improved to 2-0 with a 49-14 victory over Shawnee Mission South on Friday. The Firebirds led 14-7 at halftime before blowing the game open with 35 points in the third quarter. Jet Dineen threw three of this four touchdown passes on the night in the third quarter. Dineen finished with 122 yards passing and four touchdowns, while rushing for 81 yards and another score. Dash Cleveland led the Firebirds with 136 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Cleveland also caught a touchdown pass. Jake Patchen was on the receiving end of two Dineen touchdown passes.
Dodge City produced 373 yards of total offense as part of a 48-12 win over Liberal. Eleven different Red Demons combined to rush for 241 yards and Chance Kerr, Rudy Hernandez, and Isiah Taylor each scored rushing touchdowns. Tucker Smith and Austin Schulte each threw touchdown passes to Dylan Smith who caught three for 103 yards.
Olathe West trailed Shawnee Mission Northwest 28-6 late in the second quarter before the Owls scored three times in the third quarter and rallied for a 39-34 victory. Junior quarterback Mason McGavran rushed for more than 220 yards and four touchdowns on just 16 attempts and passed for 179 more yards and another score for Olathe West. Anthony Favrow added 70 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Tanner Zimmerman led the Owls in receiving with 105 yards and a touchdown on four catches.
Blue Valley scored three touchdowns in the opening quarter and added a score in each of the last three quarters in pulling away from St. James Academy, 42-13. The Tigers rushed for 383 yards in the game led by Michael Solomon’s 126 yards and four rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Greyson Holbert and Kyle Kleweno chipped in 114 and 104 yards, respectively with Holbert scoring twice on the ground. St. James Academy was led by Jackson House who passed for 224 yards and two scores while Tyler Claiborne caught 11 for 103 and a score. Tiave Watts rushed for 102 yards to lead the Thunder.
Shawnee Mission West senior Mehki Knight rushed for a touchdown in the third quarter to lift the Vikings past Shawnee Mission East, 8-0. Knight led SM West with 60 of his team’s 71 rush yards. Shawnee Mission West has played two close games to open the season after falling 7-6 to Olathe South in the opener.
Class 5A:
Kapaun Mt. Carmel rallied with 22 points in the second half to defeat Wichita East 29-22. Wichita East led 16-7 at halftime. Crusaders sophomore quarterback Dylan Hamilton completed 8 of 15 passes for three touchdowns. The TD passes went to Isaac Schmitz, Will Thengvall, and Nathan Thengvall.
Running back Nolan Bevan ran for 150 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries to help Valley Center defeat Goddard 28-14. Valley Center quarterback Hank Welu was injured in the first quarter, and Brett Turner helped direct the Hornet offense in his absence. Valley Center improved to 1-1, and Goddard dropped to 0-2. It’s been a tough start to the season for the Lions, who finished 7-3 last year.
Topeka West held on to defeat Emporia 36-32 in a wild affair that included three touchdowns in the game’s final two-and-a-half minutes. Emporia scored with 45 seconds remaining and then recovered an onside kick but was unable to secure a go-ahead touchdown. Topeka West’s Tyrell Reed rushed for three touchdowns, including a 55-yard score to give the Chargers a 36-24 lead with 2:05 left. Topeka West quarterback Malachi Berg totaled 350 yards of offense with one TD through the air and another on the ground.
Quarterback Jaren Kanak and the Hays football team continued to roll with a 51-0 win over Great Bend. The Indians took a 51-0 lead by halftime and used a running clock in the second half. Kanak, who has already committed to play linebacker for Clemson, threw three TD passes and rushed for 119 yards and a touchdown. Jordan Dale, Kyreese Grone, and Carson Kieffer all caught TD passes. Hays is now 2-0 and will travel to face Liberal.
Class 4A:
Basehor-Linwood opened up the passing game during a 42-13 win over Leavenworth. Senior quarterback Brady Garrison completed 14 of 20 passes for 314 yards and 4 TD passes to four different receivers. Chants Nelson, Sean Mcgowan, Brant Wilson, and Zack Sisemore each had touchdown grabs for the Bobcats. Sisemore, a senior, also ran for 96 yards and two TDs on 18 carries. Defensively, Kaleb Scott and Tommy Lally each recorded an interception, and Gage Greer recovered a fumble. The Bobcats are now 2-0 and will have their home opener next week against 5A’s De Soto.
KC Piper improved to 2-0 in dramatic fashion, using a 53-yard TD pass from Logan Ladish to Ethan Walker on the game’s final play to nip Eudora 26-23. Ladish completed 15 of 23 passes for 204 yards and three touchdowns. The dual-threat QB also rushed for 88 yards. Divante Herrig-Brittian led Piper’s receivers with six catches for 73 yards and two touchdowns. Eudora, which dropped to 1-1, took a 23-20 lead with less than a minute to play.
Winfield remained unbeaten with a 27-7 win over Labette County. Armon Acosta led the way for the Vikings with 191 yards rushing with 2 TDs, as well as 46 receiving yards and another touchdown. Labette County led 7-0 at the end of the first quarter, but Winfield scored the game’s next 27 points. The Vikings will try to keep their undefeated record next week when they face Buhler at home. The Grizzlies dropped to 0-2 and is on a four-game losing streak dating back to last season.
A week ago, Wamego lost a 41-40 heartbreaker in four overtimes to Concordia. The Red Raiders bounced back from the emotional loss with a 28-7 win over Marysville. Hayden Oviatt passed for 179 yards with two touchdowns, while rushing for 123 yards and another score. Both TD passes went to Ledjor Rowden.
Class 3A:
Columbus rebounded from a Week 1 loss to Frontenac by handling Coffeyville, 40-8. The Titans were in control early in leading 32-0 at halftime. Quarterback Brett Hamilton passed for 122 yards and three scores – two to Cole Minor and the other to Cade Saporito. Gabe Martin paced the ground game with 122 yards and two scores with Saporito also rushing for a score.
Southeast of Saline topped Beloit 36-6 in the Kpreps Game of the Week by scoring 28 second-half points. Southeast of Saline led the “Trojan War” 8-6 at halftime before scoring twice in each the third and fourth quarters. Luke Gebhardt passed for 173 yards and four touchdowns in the victory. Luke Gebhardt threw two touchdown passes to Chase Poague and one each to Michael Murray and his twin brother Jake Gebhardt.
Halstead held off Nickerson, 38-24, thanks to a big night passing the football. Dragon senior quarterback Jackson Swift completed 11 of 20 attempts for 230 yards and three scores. Swift connected with Tanner Watkins five times for 129 yards and two scores and added a touchdown pass to Adler Davison. The Dragons also got rushing scores from Owen Farmer, Conner Boyd, and Skyler Geer. Nickerson got a huge game from senior Keaton Nevins who rushed 22 times for 318 yards and four touchdowns.
Cherryvale scored 28 points in the second quarter in rolling past Leon-Bluestem, 48-0. The Chargers posted more than 350 rushing yards as a team. Jackson Knight led Cherryvale with 160 yards and four touchdowns on the ground while Briggs Adkison added 123 yards and a score. Quarterback Austin Hooper also rushed for a pair of touchdowns.
Clay Center cruised to 2-0 with a 57-0 victory over Jefferson West. The Tigers rushed for 326 yards and seven touchdowns as a team led by Lane Musselman’s 159 yards and three scores on only seven carries. Quarterback Mark Hoffman also added a pair of rushing scores. Clay Center hosts Wamego this week.
Class 2A:
Hoisington bounced back from its season-opening loss to Pratt, the Cardinals’ first regular season defeat since 2018. The Cardinals defeated Larned, 27-13. Hoisington scored seven in the first quarter and 14 in the second, along with six in the fourth. Senior Legend Robinson, expected to be a breakout player this year, delivered 30 carries for 209 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, Hoisington rushed 57 times for 373 yards and three TDs. Hoisington’s lone reception was a 53-yard touchdown pass from senior Wyatt Wikum to sophomore Tony Moore. Junior Chase Steinert led with six tackles and picked off a pass.
Surprising Chaparral delivered a 22-14 win versus Hutchinson Trinity. First-year coach J.C. Zahradnik took over after he was a former assistant. Chaparral finished 2-6 last year and is 2-0 for the first time in three years. The Roadrunners beat Trinity Academy, 32-0, in Week 1. Senior Wyatt Drouhard completed 13 of 21 passes for 195 yards and a touchdown against an interception. Junior Austin Clark rushed seven times for 118 yards and a TD. Junior Jackson Swartz delivered five catches for 128 yards and a score. Junior Aiden Guy finished with 11 tackles, and senior Dalton Blair finished with 3.5 tackles for loss.
Cimarron used a consistent ground attack to hold off Colby, 26-14. Quarterback Braxton Harrison rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns and Mason Eskam added 119 yards and two scores on the ground for the Blue Jays.
Wellsville rolled to a 55-0 victory over Anderson County in the Pioneer League. The Eagles scored all 55 points in the first three quarters. Junior back Nash Money rushed for 124 yards and four touchdowns to lead Wellsville. Quarterback Dylan McCarty added 59 passing yards including a touchdown pass to Brody Lee.
Class 1A:
Conway Springs beat Whitewater-Remington, 40-28. The Cardinals outgained Remington, 311-165. Conway Springs quarterback Izic Billups completed 3 of 6 passes for 66 yards and a touchdown to Derrick Smith. Billups rushed 15 times for 166 yards and two scores. Conway Springs led 6-0 after the first quarter, 20-8 at halftime and 40-16 after three quarters. Conway Springs, which lost to rival Garden Plain in Week 1, moved to 4-0 against Remington in the last four years.
Elkhart beat Syracuse, 14-13, and ended a four-game losing streak. Junior Clayton Cole completed 4 of 9 passes for 77 yards. Senior Hadley Blackburn rushed 12 times for 46 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Austin Rich led the defense with 11 tackles, along with a tackle for loss.
Jefferson County North had to wait an extra day but posted a 20-0 shutout of Valley Heights on Saturday afternoon. Senior Karson Worthington led the Chargers in rushing for 100 yards and three scores. Blake Fowler added nearly 100 yards on the ground for Jefferson Co. North.
Class 8-man I
West Elk beat Oxford, 46-22. The Patriots led 12-0 after the first quarter and 20-14 at halftime. West Elk extended the advantage to 34-14 after three quarters. Oxford had a 71-43 play advantage. Freshman Creyo Koop rushed 17 times for 242 yards and three touchdowns. Senior quarterback Garrett Toon delivered 11 carries for 57 yards and three touchdowns and had 36 passing yards with a TD. Koop rushed for 30 yards and two TDs in a 48-0 Week 1 win versus Udall. West Elk is 2-0 for the second time in the last four years.
Sedan beat Flinthills, 60-14, and improved to 2-0. The Blue Devils are 11-1 since the start of 2020 and have not lost in the regular season since Week 9 of 2019. Sedan moved to 6-0 against Flinthills in the last 11 years, per the Kansas Football History database. Senior Brec Long completed 7 of 10 passes for 192 yards with six touchdowns against zero interceptions. He rushed 11 times for 170 yards and two scores. The 6-foot-4, 200-pound Long, listed as an athlete by Sedan, has seven passing touchdowns, five rushing scores and 507 yards of offense in two games. He also returned a block punt for a touchdown in Week 1. Tight end Dameion Hatton finished with five catches for 140 yards – and all five catches went for touchdowns. Long transferred from Caney Valley, where he served in a multi-purpose role when he caught 10 passes for 341 yards.
Central Burden, which faces Sedan in Week 3, is 2-0 after a 56-0 win versus Cedar Vale-Dexter. Central Burden was a combined 5-13 the last two years. The Raiders are 2-0 for the first time since 2015. Central scored 48 points in the first quarter in a game that was called at halftime. Sophomore quarterback Jace Wunderlich had five carries for 108 yards and a passing touchdown. His lone pass went for an 11-yard TD to Russ Smith. Junior Bradan Balman rushed for a pair of touchdowns, while sophomore Hunter O’Neil and senior Tony Brogan each rushed for a TD.
Lincoln beat Fairfield, 58-12, and improved to 2-0. The Leopards led 14-6 after the first quarter and 50-12 at halftime in a game called after three quarters. Sophomore quarterback Logan Meier completed 11 of 19 passes for 188 yards with three touchdowns. Sophomore Caleb Dotterer had eight carries for 83 yards and three TDs. Senior Joel Rees had five catches for 137 yards and three scores.
Argonia-Attica continued to roll with a 48-0 win versus Udall. The Titans have allowed six total points this year in a 2-0 start. A&A scored 32 points in the first quarter and 16 in the second. Senior quarterback Xander Newberry completed 3 of 3 passes for 83 yards and two touchdowns. He also rushed three times for 39 yards and a score.
Spearville used a big night from senior Kolten Bennett to get by Minneola, 60-22. Bennett rushed for 139 yards and four touchdowns, while classmate Easton Schenk added 115 yards rushing and two scores. Minneola was led by sophomore Eli Lang who rushed for 173 yards and a score.
Class 8-man II
Osborne turned in a strong defensive effort in blanking Beloit St. John’s-Tipton, 46-0. After dropping their opener to state-ranked Hill City last week, the Bulldogs limited the Blujays to 47 yards of total offense and forced three turnovers. Mason Schurr rushed for 97 yards and two scores and Doak Guttery added a touchdown passing and one rushing for Osborne.
Caldwell beat South Haven, 72-26, in the South Central Border League behind another huge game from junior Keiondre Smith. Next year, Caldwell and South Haven will merge its football programs, per the Sumner Newscow in Wellington. Smith delivered 393 all-purpose yards with eight touchdowns: five rushing, two passing and a fumble recovery for a touchdown. South Haven committed six turnovers. Smith had nearly 2,000 yards of total offense in 2020.
In a key game featuring a pair of teams just outside the top-10 in its classification, Wheatland-Grinnell beat Kinsley, 58-34. Both teams are 1-1. Wheatland-Grinnell, in Division II, won the matchup for the second straight year. Kinsley, in Division I, led 8-6 after the first quarter, though the Thunderhawks led 30-14 at halftime. Kinsley had a 318-270 edge in rushing, though Wheatland-Grinnell passed in passing, 181-60. For Kinsley, Peyton Schmidt had 17 carries for 133 yards and two scores. For the Thunderhawks, Trey Vincent was 13 of 21 for 181 yards and two scores. Isaac Mendez rushed 27 times for 167 yards and three scores. Jett Vincent had six receptions for 109 yards with a TD. Wheatland-Grinnell led 38-14 early third quarter.
Linn picked up its first victory since the 2018 season by defeating Southern Cloud, 48-26. Senior Kevin Alvarado rushed for 178 yards and two touchdowns and passed for 144 yards and two more scores to lead the Bulldogs. Gavin Turk caught five passes for 126 yards and both touchdowns form Alvarado. Southern Cloud’s Zane Morris passed for 139 yards and two scores to Bryson Schmidt who had 110 yards receiving. Dusty Mason led the Warrior ground game with 100 yards and a touchdown.
Bucklin improved to 2-0 with a 56-0 shutout of Kiowa County. It’s the second straight victory for Bucklin coach Trever Powell against the school in which he was a standout player. Scott Price rushed for 151 yards and three scores and Nathan Bowman accounted for four total touchdowns for the Red Aces.
Logan-Palco cruised to a 58-16 victory over Stockton behind senior quarterback Dylan Van Laeys. Van Laeys (6-5, 190) passed for 259 yards and three touchdowns and added 142 yards and three more scores on the ground. Jadin Newell rushed for 133 yards and two scores and added 111 receiving yards and two more touchdowns for Logan-Palco.
6-Man
Cheylin rolled to a 70-0 victory over a young Deerfield team. The defending-champion Cougars scored 70 points but only had 56 yards of total offense. Cheylin returned two punt returns for touchdowns, two interceptions for scores, and a fumble for a touchdown. The Cougar defense forced six Spartan turnovers including three interceptions and three fumbles.
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