By CONOR NICHOLL
Basehor-Linwood finished 9-1 last season and ranked No. 1 in 4A for part of the year. The Bobcats paced the classification in scoring offense with 40 points a game and ranked fourth in defense with 13.6 points allowed.
Basehor-Linwood graduated 89 percent of its passing offense after quarterback Brady Garrison departed. Zack Sisemore rushed for 1,325 yards as a senior, and the Bobcats had 78 percent of its rushing yards graduate. Plus, just 38 percent of receptions returned. Basehor-Linwood returned leading receiver Brant Wilson and three offensive line starters: four-year starter Levi Cooley, Sam Lough and center Logan Gall. Cooley is on the short list for Kansas’ best offensive linemen.
Defensively, the Bobcats lost its top-three tacklers, and 13 of its top-15. Less than a third of the sack production returned. However, Basehor-Linwood had improved its depth under veteran coach Rod Stallbaumer, who stands 63-23 with the Bobcats. In ’15, Basehor-Linwood had 65 kids out. The last two falls, the Bobcats have had 100-plus.
The Bobcats one platoon, so often sophomore and junior defensive players will face the varsity offense in practice, and vice versa. Basehor-Linwood attends summer contact camps and participates in 7-on-7 and weight room. The Bobcats encourage their athletes to play other sports.
“That aids in the development a lot,” Stallbaumer said this week. “Is that guys are getting high quality reps in practice every single day. You are not just relying on games to get your experience. Kind of iron sharpens iron kind of aspect of things. If you are playing really high level of competition everyday in practice, that’s going to help you improve and develop as well.”
Basehor-Linwood expected several players to step into immediate roles, including junior quarterback Brady VanDonge and senior running back Jekai Harris. Those two were highlighted in the summer as potential breakout candidates.
Defensively, though, Basehor-Linwood received strong Week 1 games from two seniors: lineman Tyler Nyp and cornerback Mason Morgan. Nyp saw little varsity time as a junior. He finished with five tackles, two for loss.
Morgan had never played football before. He stepped in with a team-high 13 tackles. Morgan is a talented baseball player and had a strong spring. He grew physically and gained confidence.
“Just been a great guy to coach,” Stallbaumer said. “He made the comment one time this summer that, ‘Well, coach I don’t know anything, so I just listen to you guys.’ That kind of coachability sometimes is refreshing, so he has made really big gains.”
In the opener, Basehor held off rival Tonganoxie, 47-42. The teams had split the last six meetings, and the Chieftains are expected to be much improved this fall under new coach Preston Troyer, formerly the longtime offensive coordinator.
On Friday, Basehor-Linwood travels four miles down Leavenworth Road to face K.C. Piper (1-0) in a key 4A East United Kansas Conference matchup. Both teams are just outside the top-5 in a deep 4A classification.
The two rivals have been in separate leagues and have not faced since the ’19 playoffs and the ’17 regular season. Piper opened with a 31-20 victory against Shawnee Heights after 7-4 season last fall. Both teams are known for its elite offensive linemen and a top wide receiver this year, though Piper has much more returning production. This could be the first of two meetings this fall. The over-arching question will likely be Basehor’s first-year starters against Piper’s experience.
Piper, with new coach John Black, returned multiple key pieces. Senior Camden Beebe (6-3, 315) is the state’s No. 10 recruit, per 247 Sports and has committed to Kansas State. Senior quarterback Logan Ladish returns after injury ended his 2021 season in four games. He passed for 625 yards with eight scores against two interceptions. Piper returned 56 percent of its rushing yards, including 297 from Ladish. Senior Colin Vigil is back after a team-high 35 catches.
Defensively, Piper brought back 10 of its top-12 tacklers. Senior linebacker Mason L’Heuerex paced with 120 tackles last fall, while senor Terrel Anderson had 96 and Vigil 64. Beebe delivered 44 stops. Black is a 1988 Piper graduate where he played football and was a member of the ’88 state championship baseball team. Black was a player on the field during the first game at the first Piper Stadium. The Pirates passed a bond in January to build a new stadium.
“This job truly is a dream come true,” Black said at his hiring.
Black was Piper’s offensive coordinator from ’92-98 and has served as head coach in multiple places, including Wamego, Valley Center, Neodesha and Independence. Black is known for turning around programs.
His 9-2 record with Neodesha in ’15 is the school’s best in the last 20 years. Independence was 4-5 last year, its top mark in the last five falls. Black and Piper football have never made a state championship game. Black has set a goal to reach state with the Pirates.
Junior Aaron Henson paced Piper with 11 tackles, one more than L’Heureux, in the Week 1 win.
“I have continued to keep tabs on Piper from other parts of the state, and I am so thankful to lead Piper football into this next chapter,” Black said.
Basehor-Linwood’s line helped the new skill players with strong debuts. VanDonge completed 11 of 19 passes for 127 yards with two scores against one interception, along with a rushing TD.
“Brady is a great kid, and he has worked his tail off all offseason,” Stallbaumer said. “He prepared himself for this moment, and I think that he almost put too much pressure on himself early in the summer, but he’s learned that he has got some special guys around him. He’s a very smart player.”
Harris rushed 28 times for 192 yards and three TDs after some spot time last fall. Stallbaumer called Harris “extremely strong,” and one who has “improved a ton with his vision” and is enjoyable to watch. Stallbaumer labeled Harris a “closer” and one who is tough to tackle in the fourth quarter. Harris helped put away last Friday’s win with 90-plus fourth quarter yards.
“We have had this with some quarterbacks over the years,” Stallbaumer said. “Because they kind of had to wait their turn, because they have had really special players ahead of them. First time we kind of had this as a running back. We created some two-back packages last year to get Jekai on the field, so he at least got quite a bit of reps, even he didn’t get quite as many carries.”
Cooley, currently 6-foot-4, 310 pounds, started at right tackle his freshman year. He has started at left tackle his last three seasons and is a returning first team all-state player. Cooley holds multiple MIAA offers.
Because of some COVID situations, Lough spot started as a freshman. Stallbaumer lists him at 6-3, 250. Lough has played right tackle the last two seasons. Lough is a budding breakout Class of 2024 prospect. Because of his athleticism, Lough could play some defensive line, too, while the Bobcats don’t typically do. Lough can run the Bobcats’ gap, slant scheme defense.
“He has an opportunity to blow up,” Stallbaumer said of Lough’s recruitment. “Because he is very athletic for his size.”
Gall started nine games at guard in ’21 and shifted to center this fall. Gall is 5-9, 180. While he is smaller, Gall is the prototypical tough, physical lineman with low pad level and leverage. Stallbaumer labels Gall one of the team’s “most fundamental, sound” offensive linemen with strong footwork. Gall is involved with powerlifting.
“Great kid, hard worker, does everything you ask,” Stallbaumer said. “He has got a great lower body.”
Like other new starters, Stallbaumer noted senior left guard Colby Barnes (6-5, 295) as a program player who has waited his turn. Junior Wyatt Frost started a little in ’21 before injuries curtailed his year. Frost (6-2, 290) has emerged as a road grader.
“If you would have seen him as a freshman, you wouldn’t have thought there’s any chance he’d ever see the field,” Stallbaumer said of Barnes. “He just worked really, really hard, and did the things we asked, and got vested in the weight program, and he’s been able to be a really good starter for us this year.
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.
