Each Thursday throughout the regular season, The Pick List will feature a few of the best match-ups across the state, and make our predictions on a handful of other games.
Feature Games of the Week:
5A No. 4 Maize (5-1) at 6A No. 1 Derby (5-0)
On of the top regular season games from 2020 is another highly-anticipated matchup this season. Derby, defending 6A champion and ranked No. 1 in the state’s largest classification will take on Class 5A’s No. 4 Maize on Friday night at Panther Stadium. The winner will get a leg up for the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail – Division I title.
Maize enters this contest with momentum after rolling past rival Maize South, 49-27, last week. Maize South was ranked No. 4 at the time and the Eagles replaced the Mavericks in the rankings after their big victory.
Against Maize South, Maize rushed for 342 yards and six touchdowns, including a 206-yard, three-touchdown performance from running back Daeshaun Carter. Junior quarterback Avery Johnson added 132 yards and three scores on the ground.
Johnson, who holds multiple Power 5 offers, has completed 53 percent of his passes this season for 1,158 yards and nine touchdowns with only one interception. He has added 457 yards rushing and 11 scores, and has rushed for more than 130 yards in each of the Eagles’ last two games.
Carter leads the Eagle offense with 675 yards rushing and eight scores, while Bryce Cohoon and Justin Stephens lead the team in receiving yards with 365 and 360, respectively.
Derby, on the other hand, is averaging more than 59 points per game behind a dominant offensive line and blitzing ground attack. The Panthers average 387.6 rushing yards per game behind standout junior Dylan Edwards. Edwards has rushed for 944 yards and 12 touchdowns on only 69 carries this season. He’s averaging nearly 189 yards per game and 13.7 yards per carry.
Quarterback Mercer Thatcher has added more than 400 yards rushing and eight touchdowns and passed for 309 yards and seven scores. Cayden Brown has been Thatcher’s top receiving target with five receptions for 132 yards and four touchdowns.
Last season, Maize outscored Derby, 10-0, in the fourth quarter to win 36-35 – their first win over the Panthers since 2014. Maize kicker Cole Segraves kicked a 41-yard field goal, then added the eventual game-winning extra point after a short touchdown run by Johnson. Segraves, who is 5 of 9 kicking field goals this fall, can be a difference-make in a close game, but Maize will have to slow down the Panther ground game to keep it close.
Our Pick: Derby 49, Maize 31 (Gilmore)
4A No. 3 Andover Central (5-1) at Andover (5-1)
This is perhaps the biggest Battle for Andover ever. Andover has its third straight elite scoring defense. The Trojans have permitted 43 points and pace 5A in scoring defense. Andover Central is fourth in 4A scoring defense with 82 points. Andover has matched last season’s win total. The Trojans have not won more than five games since 2016.
Andover Central holds a 10-8 edge in the series since ’04. The Jaguars have won the last three meetings: 16-14, 31-13 and 7-0 last season. Last year, the Jaguars passed for 185 yards, but had 27 carries for 26 yards.
Both teams have plenty of veteran talent. Andover has running back Max Middleton and linebacker Chandler Goodnight. Brady Strausz is a returning quarterback. Middleton rushed for 1,030 yards last year and 987 this season.
For Andover Central, quarterback Kai Kunz transferred from Kapaun Mt. Carmel and has thrown for 1,060 yards. Cooper Tabor has 452 receiving yards, while Tayton Klein has 305. Andover Central returns players with significant experience including RB/LB Ashton Barkdull and a line that features Drew Daniels, Isaac Sherran, Bronx Wood and Noah Garcia.
Barkdull has 109 carries for 681 yards and 11 scores. The Jaguars have averaged 5.6 yards per rush and 6.7 yards per play. That is similar to last year’s numbers of 5.7 yards per rush and 6.7 yards per play. 2020 marked AC’s best yards per rush since 2010. Barkdull rolled his ankle in the loss to Salina Central and might not play Friday.
Andover Central’s defense has 43 tackles for loss, including six by Sheeran and 3.5 from Daniels. Andover Central has a comeback 21-19 win versus Buhler in Week 2, and took a mild upset loss, 21-14, at Salina Central last week.
Andover Central also beat Eisenhower, Goddard and Valley Center by at least 22 points apiece. Andover won at Salina Central, 28-19, and delivered a 49-7 win versus Wichita Heights. Andover limited Heights to 203 total yards. In a 17-14 loss to Maize in Week 1, Andover outgained Maize, 293-184, though was minus-three in turnover margin.
This is expected to be quite close and low scoring. However, Andover has delivered a slightly better resume on defense and has continued to shut down any running game.
Our Pick: Andover 14, Andover Central 7 (Nicholl)
2A No. 1 Rossville (6-0) at 2A No. 2 Silver Lake (5-1)
It’s time for another installment of the War on 24.
One of the state’s best rivalries will again meet as the top two teams in their classification.
Top-ranked Rossville is undefeated and has been dominant on both sides of the ball. The Bulldogs have scored at least 56 points in four of their six outings and have pitched shutouts three times.
Senior quarterback Torrey Horak is a true dual threat with 898 yards and nine touchdowns passing and 667 yards with 10 touchdowns on the ground. Senior Corey Catron is a threat as a runner and receiver with 409 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns on 59 carries while catching 10 passes for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Junior Kade Perine is Horak’s top receiving target with 14 receptions for 285 yards.
Silver Lake opened the season with two close victories over Rock Creek and St. Marys before falling 22-14 to Riley County in Week 3. Since then, the Eagles have defeated Oskaloosa, Mission Valley and McLouth by a combined score of 179-6.
The Silver Lake offense goes through senior Daigan Kruger, who has passed for more than 1,000 yards for the second consecutive year. Kruger’s top receiving target has been senior Gannon Remer.
Rossville is the defending 2A state champion and is on a 19-game winning streak.
The Bulldogs and Eagles have split the previous two Wars on 24, but Silver Lake has won 10 of 15 meetings starting with the 2010 season.
Based off like opponents, Rossville appears to have the slight edge. The Bulldogs topped Rock Creek 56-14 and St. Marys 44-20, while Silver Lake nipped the respective opponents 34-28 and 29-28.
Our Pick: Rossville 35, Silver Lake 28 (Schremmer)
Thomas More Prep (5-1) at Cimarron (5-1)
This should be a very close game that would decide the Class 2A, District 7 title. Both teams are 3-0 in district play. Last year, TMP came back to defeat Cimarron, 16-12, at Lewis Field Stadium in Hays. Jace Wentling scored all 16 points for the Monarchs via receiving score or kicking. TMP has enjoyed a substantial turnaround with coach Jay Harris. The Monarchs are 12-3 since the start of 2020, the best run since the early 2000s.
A number of key players return from both squads. TMP has its big-three of QB Kade Harris, RB Bryce Seib and Wentling, a WR and multi-sport athlete. Plus, Cimarron brings back QB Braxton Harrison and RB Mason Eskam. Both quarterbacks are three-year starters.
TMP’s defense has allowed 99 rushing yards a game and 3.6 yards per carry. Overall, the Monarchs have held teams to 17 of 53 for 163 yards with a touchdown against five interceptions. TMP has four straight shutouts, its best run in more than 50 years. The Monarchs have been spurred by its 55-14 home loss to Beloit in a Week 9 bracket game in 2020. Coach Harris mentioned the players have a sour taste from last year and motivation. The 55-14 score was pasted all over TMP’s weight room and locker room.
Kade Harris has hurt his ankle and missed several days of practice last week. He didn’t play defense or run the ball in a 41-0 win versus Southwestern Heights, though completed 11 of 13 passes for a season-high 241 yards with two scores against one interception. Wentling delivered eight catches for 121 yards and a score. Defensively, TMP has enjoyed nice seasons from Harris (team-high 57 tackles), senior Matthew Hess (36 stops), and sophomores Kolton Hagans and Kendall Walker (combined 12 TFLs).
TMP has averaged 6.1 yard per play this year. Harris is expected to be fully ready to go for Cimarron.
For Cimarron, Harrison, a dual threat quarterback, has completed 37 of 71 passes for 689 yards with eight touchdowns versus five interceptions. He has 62 carries for 638 yards and 12 TDs. Eskam has 92 carries for 641 yards and nine scores. Cimarron has averaged 8.2 yards per play. Senior Jordan Smith has 12 catches for 306 yards and eight touchdowns. In his career, Harrison has 2,081 passing yards, 1,914 rushing yards and accounted for 52 touchdowns.
Similar to last year, special teams and the kicking game could play a huge role. Last season, Wentling kicked a field goal, and Cimarron missed a pair of conversions. Afterward, coach Mike Schartz remarked to Kpreps the missed opportunities on conversions. Wentling has eight touchbacks and averaged 38 yards a punt. TMP junior David Fouz, a foreign exchange student, is 24 of 26 on extra points. Harrison also serves as the team’s kicker/punter. Cimarron does not kick extra points and has no touchbacks this year. Senior Michael Feltman has 68 stops, and Harrison leads Cimarron with 65 tackles.
Harrison is a dynamic player, but TMP’s improvement along the lines and special teams gives the Monarchs a slight advantage. The Monarchs will likely force Cimarron into long drives. This game could go either way, but TMP has the slight edge in what should be a low-scoring game.
Our Pick: TMP 20, Cimarron 16 (Nicholl)
South Barber (5-1) at Caldwell (6-0)
This is a huge game for Eight-Man, Division II, District 6. Caldwell is 6-0, 5-0. South Barber stands at 5-1, 3-1. Norwich is 4-2, 3-1. Caldwell came back in Week 3 to beat Norwich, 36-34. South Barber lost, 26-24, at Norwich in Week 2.
Last year, Caldwell beat South Barber, 42-14. Both teams have enjoyed strong success with Caldwell coach Sean Blosser and South Barber coach Matt Cantrell. Blosser is 70-37 in 11 years. Caldwell has six quarterfinal showings since ’09, but has not gone past since ’93. South Barber coach Matt Cantrell has spent more than 20 years with the program, including seven as head coach. He is 52-16. South Barber has not advanced past the quarterfinals since ’05. Since then, South Barber has reached the quarterfinals eight times.
Both of these teams have standouts, though each one has a likely top-10 player in the classification: South Barber senior Gatlin Jewell and Caldwell junior Keiondre Smith.
South Barber has outscored teams, 306-93, and won four in a row. The Chieftains have averaged 6.2 yards per rush. Jewell has posted 4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He has five straight games with more than 100-plus yards. Jewell has 22 total touchdowns and more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage. He recently picked up a Kansas Wesleyan offer.
Sophomore Briggs Jewell has completed 43 of 80 passes for 720 yards with 14 touchdowns against three interceptions. Gatlin has 788 rushing yards and 198 receiving yards. Senior Caden Rathgeber has 15 catches for 212 yards and five scores. Rathgeber has 217 tackles and 12 interceptions in his career.
In the Norwich loss, South Barber trailed 18-8 after the first quarter and 26-12 at halftime. South Barber struggled with passing and finished 3 of 14 for 45 yards with an interception. Gatlin rushed 24 times for 111 yards.
Smith has continued to deliver impressive performances every game for the last two years for the Blue Jays. Smith is second in eight-man football with 145 carries for 1,299 rushing yards and 21 scores. He has completed 26 of 54 passes for 515 yards with 11 scores with four interceptions.
In the Norwich game, Caldwell trailed 14-0 after the first quarter, 22-6 at halftime and 34-20 in the third quarter. Smith then threw a 46-yard touchdown to Dawson Bristor, and rushed for a 32-yard run in the fourth quarter. Jackson Risley had the game-winning two-point conversion. Caldwell delivered 59 plays for 338 yards, for 5.7 yards per play. South Barber had 4.0 yards per play against Norwich.
Overall, Caldwell has 8.4 yards per play, and South Barber has seven yards per play. In last year’s game, Caldwell limited South Barber to 45 plays for 156 yards. The Jewells and Smith are top players, though no one has been able to contain Smith and Caldwell’s explosive offense in the regular season the last two years.
Our Pick: Caldwell 42, South Barber 26 (Nicholl)
The Pick List:
6A No. 3 Blue Valley (5-1) at Blue Valley West (4-2) – Blue Valley
6A No. 2 Blue Valley Northwest (6-0) at St. Thomas Aquinas (2-4) – Blue Valley Northwest
Dodge City (4-2) at Garden City (4-2) – Dodge City
Lawrence (4-2) at 6A No. 4 Olathe North (5-1) – Olathe North
KC Piper (4-2) at 5A No. 5 Spring Hill (6-0) – Spring Hill
Maize South (5-1) at Hays (5-1) – Hays
Mulvane (4-2) at 4A No. 5 McPherson (5-1) – McPherson
3A No. 4 Holton (6-0) at Rock Creek (4-2) – Holton
Prairie View (5-1) at 3A No. 5 Frontenac (5-1) – Frontenac
Pratt (5-1) at Holcomb (4-2) – Holcomb
Smoky Valley (4-2) at Southeast of Saline (6-0) – SE of Saline
Topeka Hayden (5-1) at Perry-Lecompton (4-2) – Hayden
Beloit (4-2) at Minneapolis (3-3) – Beloit
Eureka (4-2) at Osage City (5-1) – Osage City
Humboldt (5-1) at 2A No. 3 Wellsville (6-0) – Wellsville
Argonia-Attica (5-1) at Medicine Lodge (6-0) – Argonia-Attica
Hill City (5-1) at 8M-I No. 4 WaKeeney-Trego (6-0) – WaKeeney-Trego
Leoti-Wichita Co. (4-2) at Spearville (4-2) – Leoti-Wichita Co.
Marmaton Valley (4-2) at Yates Center (5-1) – Yates Center
8M-II No. 4 Frankfort (5-1) at 8M-II No. 2 Thunder Ridge (6-0) – Thunder Ridge
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