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Class 8-Man, Division I
VIEW: 8M-I Bracket
8M-I EAST
Highlighted Game:
D2-#1 Burlingame (9-1) at D2-#4 Lyndon (8-2) – Burlingame
Burlingame will travel to Lyndon in a rematch of an outstanding game played just a few weeks ago won by the Tigers, 60-59. Both the Bearcats and the Tigers were part of the outstanding District 2 which also included quarterfinalist Chase County along with Madison and a solid Cair Paravel team.
Burlingame had already claimed the District 2 championship and Lyndon was locked into a fourth-place finish in the district by the time then met on October 21st. Lyndon led 38-31 at halftime and 46-45 at the end of the third quarter. Burlingame used touchdown runs by Matthew Heckman and Colby Middleton in the fourth quarter to take a 59-46 lead. Lyndon would pull within 59-52 on a touchdown pass from Jackson Biggs to Evan Feuerborn. Late in the game, Biggs connected with Casten Wirth with :09 seconds remaining to pull the Tigers within 59-58. Jalen Massey delivered Lyndon’s successful two-point conversion by braking multiple tackles for the 60-59 win. A Lyndon unsportsmanlike penalty allowed Burlingame to attempt a field goal on the game’s final play, but the 40-yarder missed.
Middleton leads the Bearcat offense with 1,104 yards passing and 19 touchdowns. He has added 1,063 rushing yards and 30 touchdowns. Dane Winters and Heckman lead the Bearcats in receiving with 497 and 490 yards. Heckman has nine touchdown catches, while Winters has added seven. Winters has also added 396 rushing yards and eight touchdowns, including 144 yards in the first meeting with Lyndon.
Lyndon features multiple offensive weapons including Massey and Feuerborn. Massey has rushed for 947 yards and 15 scores, while Feuerborn has rushed for 653 yards and 12 scores. Biggs has passed for 660 yards and eight scores. Feuerborn is the Tigers’ leading receiver with 326 yards and five scores.
In the first meeting, Lyndon rushed for 277 led by Massey’s 99 yards and Feuerborn’s 93 yards. Biggs passed for 172 yards, hitting six different receivers. Burlingame rushed for 269 yards led by Winters (144) and Middleton (104). Middleton also passed for 203 yards, connecting with Winters six times for 134 yards.
Other Sectional game:
D4-#1 Little River (9-1) at D2-#2 Chase County (9-1) – Little River
8M-I WEST
Highlighted Game:
D6-#1 Hill City (9-1) at D8-#2 Meade (9-1) – Hill City
This is a rematch from a state semifinal matchup last year. Meade pulled away in the second half and won 48-34. The Buffs went onto win the state championship. This season, Meade lost, 56-20, to No. 1 Leoti-Wichita County, while Hill City fell, 20-14, to Hoxie. This is also the sixth time that Hill City defensive coordinator Craig Amrein has faced Meade in the playoffs – all on the road. Amrein, who previously served significant stints on the La Crosse and Ellis staffs, has faced Meade twice at La Crosse, Ellis and Hill City.
Meade is 24-1 in its last 25 games. Both have a close win against Quinter. Last week, Meade required a fourth quarter comeback and 53-yard touchdown pass in the last minute to defeat Quinter.
The Hill City two-front defense has been a significant statewide story all fall. Last season, the Ringnecks went 10-2, scored 51.8 points a contest and permitted 26.7. Hill City returned four decorated players, likely first team all-state picks: QB/OLB Aiden Amrein, RB/OLB Jaden Nuss, RB/DB Kaleb Atkins and OL/LB Conner Dinkel. Last week, Dinkel cleared the elite mark of 400 career tackles.
Hill City has won back-to-back district titles, the only two district championships in school annals. Hill City has enjoyed the program’s best scoring defense in 10-plus years and, when strength of schedule is factored, been the top Division I defense much of the fall. Hill City has allowed 10.2 points a contest, second-best among the Division I quarterfinal teams. Meade has permitted 13.1 points per game.
Hill City has scored 44.9 points per game, while Meade has averaged 49.8. The Buffaloes graduated the bulk of its top players, though returned several receivers/all-purpose threats Brock Keith and Grayden Stapleton and linebacker Brayden Norris.
Amrein has completed 93 of 140 passes for 1,448 yards with 21 scores against four interceptions. Atkins has 667 rushing yards and 13 TDs. Amrein has 478 rushing yards and six scores, and Nuss is at 447 yards and eight TDs. Atkins, among the classification’s most dynamic players, has 50 catches for 811 yards and 13 scores. Dinkel has 102 tackles and 15 for loss, both team-highs.
Amrein broke the Hill City single game passing record last week with 353 yards and is the Ringnecks’ all-time passing leader with 3,149 yards.
Sophomore Sylar Rohr and senior Trent Long have enjoyed breakout seasons with a combined 187 tackles and 20 for loss. Atkins has picked off eight passes; Hill City is plus-five in turnover margin, though lost three fumbles against Quinter because of injuries. Hill City, which has a win against Thunder Ridge, has regained its offensive firepower the last three weeks.
Hill City’s offense is similar to last year, which was expected. The defense has improved and been elite all year – and stayed consistent no matter the opponent.
Other Sectional game:
D8-#1 Leoti-Wichita Co. (10-0) at D6-#2 Atwood-Rawlins Co. (8-2) – Wichita County
Class 8-Man, Division II
VIEW: 8M-II Bracket
8M-II EAST
Highlighted Game:
D1-#1 Lebo (8-2) at D2-#1 Canton-Galva (10-0) – Canton-Galva
Lebo has the difficult task of taking on a Canton-Galva team that has been nothing short of dominant this season. The second-ranked Eagles have won their ten games by an average score of 56 to 6. The Eagles most challenging game came in the season-opener when Canton-Galva defeated Little River, 66-36.
Canton-Galva features senior quarterback Garrett Maltbie and standout athlete Jett Vincent who transferred from Wheatland-Grinnell in the offseason. Maltbie has passed for 1,316 yards and 24 touchdowns without and interception. Vincent has rushed for 693 yards and 12 scores and has 368 receiving yards and four scores. Maltbie has added more than 450 yards rushing and 16 touchdowns, while Lane McMannis has added 361 yards and six scores. Cason Mastre is the Eagles leading receiver with 37 receptions for 805 yards and 17 touchdowns.
Senior T.J. Koehn leads the Eagle defense with 61 tackles including 14.5 for loss and four sacks. Vincent has set several state marks for interceptions
Lebo has won eight straight games after an 0-2 start to the season which included losses to Eight-Man, Division I quarterfinalists Lyndon (20-14) and Burlingame (54-6). The Wolves average 44 points per contest while allowing less than 15. Lebo has posted consecutive playoff shutouts over Rural Vista (58-0) and Frankfort (46-0).
Drew Konrade has passed for 714 yards and 15 touchdowns since taking over at quarterback in Week 3. He has also added 427 rushing yards and nine touchdowns. Corey Reese leads the Wolves with 950 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns. Luke Davis has rushed for 214 yards and four touchdowns and has 26 catches for 370 yards and eight scores. Landon Grimmett has passed for 250 yards and three touchdowns and added 292 yards receiving with six scores.
Other Sectional game:
D3-#1 Axtell (10-0) at D4-#1 Osborne (9-1) – Axtell
8M-II WEST
Highlighted Game:
D6-#1 Thunder Ridge (9-1) at D5-#1 Victoria (10-0) – Victoria
This is one of the most anticipated quarterfinal games of any class and marks the first time No. 3 Victoria, No. 4 Thunder Ridge and No. 5 Dighton face each other this fall. Those three have clearly separated themselves in the West, while No. 1 Axtell and No. 2 Canton-Galva have done the same in the East.
Two programs that know each well and have veteran head coaches: Victoria’s Doug Oberle and Thunder Ridge’s Joel Struckhoff. Victoria, which currently has the longest district winning streak of any eight-man team, is a Division II semifinalist the last two falls. Both teams have been in the top-four all year. These teams are very close. Thunder Ridge has an average score of 51-13, while Victoria is at 52-11.
This is the first matchup since 2015 and fifth overall. The squads have split four previous games.
Victoria has battled significant injuries, though has showcased great depth, especially at quarterback and along the defensive line. At various times this season, the Knights have been without quarterback Thaddeus Wohler, returning first team all-state all-purpose threat Carson Werth and lineman Cale Braun.
Victoria has a 26-player roster and has routinely used six-plus defensive linemen, including junior Seth Schwien and senior Vance Hockersmith, along with two freshmen. Taylor Anderson and Jarron Schmidt are key seniors, too. Werth has 56 touches for 827 yards and nine scores, along with a kick return score. Victoria’s defense has permitted under four yards a play.
The Knights are 153-35 in Oberle’s 17 years as coach. Thunder Ridge is highly senior-laden, especially with standout quarterback Dylan Bice. He has completed 73 of 116 passes for 1,121 yards with 10 scores against three interceptions, along with 157 carries for 1,384 yards and 24 scores.
In his career, Bice has 3,884 passing yards and 3,972 rushing yards. He has accounted for 107 career offensive touchdowns. Bice has rushed for half of Thunder Ridge’s yards. Defensively, junior Josh Ferguson has 132 tackles, while Dylan Bice has 104. Senior Dalton Bice has 14 tackles for loss. Thunder Ridge has 8.8 yards per play.
A key difference could come on special teams. Thunder Ridge has averaged 31 yards per kick return and has eight touchbacks and gave up some field position in the loss to Hill City. Werth is possibly eight-man’s best specialist/returner.
Victoria has historically pivoted playoff games off major special teams plays and field position. The Knights have lost one home playoff game since 2011. This game will be close, and Dylan Bice is likely the best player on the field. If Victoria is healthy, the home field advantage and special teams gives the Knights a slight edge.
Other Sectional game:
D8-#1 Dighton (10-0) at D6-#2 Sharon Springs-Wallace Co. (7-3) – Dighton
Class 6-Man
VIEW: 6-Man Bracket
6-Man EAST
Highlighted Game:
D2-#2 Tescott (9-1) at D1-#1 Waverly (9-0) – Tescott
Tescott and Waverly are each in their first year of six-man football and will square off in this week’s quarterfinal. Waverly is one of two remaining undefeated teams. After a first-round bye, the Bulldogs pulled away from Pawnee Heights for a 52-18 victory.
The Bulldogs have averaged nearly 48 points per game under the direction of quarterback Ben Meehan. Meehan has multiple weapons on offense including Koy Myers, Luke Bartley, Brady Wallace and Brantley Petersen. The Bulldogs have given up less than 14 points per games. Waverly has two close victories over Wetmore (38-32) and Peabody-Burns (38-34).
Tescott has posted an incredible nine-win season after posting only seven total wins the previous six years. The Trojans last won at least nine games in a season in 2007 when they finished 10-1 and reached the state quarterfinals in Eight-Man, Division II.
The Trojans are led by standouts Nate Ehlers and Carter Peters. Ehlers has rushed for 865 yards and 21 touchdowns while averaging 8.7 yards per carry. Peters has added 848 yards on the ground and 16 scores while averaging 8.4 yards per attempt. Blake Green has provided balance with 544 passing yards and nine touchdowns. Ehlers (227 yards) and Dawson Lee (224 yards) are the teams leading receivers. Ehlers also paces the Trojan defense with 103 stops, while Green has intercepted five passes. Tescott has forced 25 turnovers through ten games.
Other Sectional game:
D1-#2 Wetmore (7-2) at D2-#1 Cunningham (9-0) – Cunningham
6-Man WEST
Highlighted Game:
D4-#2 Northern Valley (7-2) at D3-#1 Ashland (7-1) – Ashland
In the summer, Ashland coach Ben Fox mentioned to Kpreps that his team and Northern Valley were about as even as two squads could be in last year’s Six-Man Wild West Bowl third-place game. Ashland won, 39-38. Many of the key players on both sides are back in the first year of KSHSAA sanctioned six-man football. Including last year’s loss, Northern Valley is 7-3 in its last 10 games – with remarkably all three losses by one point.
Two years ago, Ashland paced six-man in scoring offense. Last season, Ashland scored 54 points a game and allowed 42. This fall, Ashland leads six-man in scoring offense at 58.6 points a game and has a much-improved defense to 20.6 points a game. Northern Valley has also seen an improved defense. The Huskies had 55 points scored and 22 allowed in 2021. This year, the Huskies are at 49 scored and 14 permitted a game.
Ashland has 10.3 yards per play, a huge jump from 6.8 last season. Ashland did not have a couple of key linemen go out for football this year.
The key difference for Ashland is a healthy junior Kade Harris. He was hurt the last two seasons. This season, he has 48 rushes for 557 yards and 10 scores, along with 15 catches for 252 yards and six TDs. Ashland has again used multiple quarterbacks (Lathan McPhail, Landen McPhail, Britt Grigsby) with 65 percent completion, 1,267 passing yards and 26 TDs against no interceptions. Ashland has just four turnovers all season. Harris has 57 tackles, and Grigsby has 51.
Northern Valley rolled over high-octane Deerfield, 58-0. The Huskies have plenty of depth behind Foster Brands, Brody Preston, Gavin and Kenton Thalheim, and Jeremiah Hansen. Against Deerfield, Kenton Thalheim had eight tackles, while Brian Bencomo picked off two passes. Hansen delivered 137 total yards, including 101 rushing. Kenton Thalheim and Jeremiah Hansen combined for six of 10 passing for 137 yards and four scores.
Northern Valley has 8.4 yards per play this season. The Huskies have 14 turnovers and are plus-four in turnover margin. Kenton Thalheim has thrown for 1,090 yards with 27 scores. Hansen has 795 rushing yards and averaged just over 10 yards a carry. For the season, Hansen has a team-best 1,053 yards. Overall, the Huskies have six players with at least 248 yards. Gavin Thalheim and Foster Brands are the top-two tacklers.
These are two evenly-matched teams, but Harris – noted as a key, game-changing player since the summer – has elevated Ashland’s offense. Northern Valley had turnover concerns in both the Tescott and Cheylin losses. The turnover margin will be highly critical in a close contest.
Other Sectional game:
D3-#2 Ingalls (6-2) at D4-#1 Cheylin (8-1) – Cheylin
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