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Class 6A
VIEW: 6A BRACKET
6A East
Highlighted Game:
#8 Blue Valley West (5-5) at #4 Gardner-Edgerton (7-3) – Blue Valley West
This quarterfinal matchup features Blue Valley West from the Eastern Kansas League against Sunflower League member Gardner-Edgerton. This will be the 12th meeting between the two schools and the first since 2017. Blue Valley West holds a slim 6-5 advantage in the series.
The Jaguars are into the state quarterfinals for the second consecutive season and the third time in the last four years. Blue Valley West fell 35-7 to eventual champion Blue Valley Northwest in last year’s state semifinal.
This season, the Jaguars have battled through a difficult schedule which resulted in a 3-5 regular-season record. Those five losses came against teams that posted a 34-16 overall record and include three teams still alive in the quarterfinals in Kansas.
After defeating Shawnee Mission Northwest to open the bracket, the Jaguars upset top-seed Olathe North, 28-14 last week. Against the Eagles, Zach Darche passed for 191 yards and three touchdowns. He threw two touchdown passes to Jack Schneider and another to Sage Huffman. Huffman also added a rushing score to go along with 85 yards on the ground.
Darche (6-2, 215) has been a two-way standout for the Jaguars this season. He has passed for 1,055 yards and 12 touchdowns and added 291 yards rushing and seven scores. Darche also leads the defense with 71 stops, including 11 for loss, a fumble recovery, and an interception for a touchdown.
Huffman has rushed for 1,389 yards and 11 touchdowns to lead the Jaguar ground game. Schneider has 491 receiving yards and seven touchdowns, while Crew Myers has more than 450 yards receiving on a team-high 30 receptions.
Gardner-Edgerton is into the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2018. They haven’t advanced to a state semifinal game since 2011 – the year after Bubba Starling graduated. The Trailblazers three losses this season came to Mill Valley, Olathe North, and Olathe South.
Last week, the Trailblazers eliminated defending 6A champion Blue Valley Northwest, 28-19. Gardner-Edgerton held a slight 15-13 lead in the third quarter when Zaine Mayfield returned a Husky kickoff 95 yards for a touchdown. Dawson Kindler rushed for three touchdowns as part of his 31-carry, 148-yard night.
For the season, Kindler leads the Blazer offense with 1,184 rushing yards and 21 touchdowns. Quarterback Conner Elder had thrown for 856 yards and seven touchdowns this season but did not play last week. Bravin Powell-Brown moved to quarterback last week and has rushed for 418 yards and seven touchdowns this season. He has passed for 127 yards this season on five of 12 attempts.
Other Sectional game:
#6 Olathe Northwest (7-3) at #2 Olathe West (8-2) – Olathe West
6A – WEST
Highlighted Game:
#6 Washburn Rural (7-2) at #2 Derby (8-2) – Derby
Derby has made every 6A state championship game since a quarterfinal loss in 2014. The Panthers have won titles under Brandon Clark in ’13, ’15-16, and ’18-20. Derby lost in the state title in ’17 and last year to Blue Valley Northwest.
Last season, Derby led 6A with 52.2 points a game, while Washburn Rural scored 35.1. This season, the Panthers are second among 6A quarterfinalists with 53.5 points a game. Rural has tallied 41.1. Derby has allowed 23.7 points, and Rural allows 16.4.
Derby lost to Manhattan, 26-23, in overtime in the season opener. Manhattan defeated Rural, 28-25, in Week 4. A question since the summer: could Washburn Rural, with standout quarterback Branton DeWeese, linebacker Ty Weber and plenty of depth, be this year’s version of 2021 Blue Valley Northwest?
Washburn Rural has not made the final four since a 1992 state runner-up finish.
Rural opened the season with quality wins at Wichita East (49-42), at De Soto (28-21, the Wildcats’ only loss) and against 4A quarterfinalist KC Piper (37-10). The Junior Blues have won five in a row, including 34-7 to Garden City last week.
Washburn Rural, behind Ma’kentiss Adams, rushed for 192 yards last week. Adams has cleared 1,000 rushing yards this season. DeWeese finished 14 of 21 for 157 yards at Garden City. Weber is in strong consideration for 6A Defensive Player of the Year. Washburn Rural has allowed one touchdown in eight quarters.
Derby has highly acclaimed senior running back Dylan Edwards, the state’s No. 2 recruit and Notre Dame commit. Edwards has again enjoyed a special year with 1,590 rushing yards. The Panthers have been outgained in all four of their most contested regular season games: the loss to Manhattan, a 52-51 loss to Maize and one-score victories against Bishop Carroll and Hutchinson.
Manhattan held Derby to 275 total yards, though 191 came from Edwards. Brock Zerger went 5 of 14 for 31 yards, though has significantly improved. He threw two interceptions against Carroll, though Edwards had multiple big plays, including a 92-yard kickoff return. Against Hutchinson, Zerger went over 100 passing and rushing and delivered three rushing scores. He had a similar performance against Maize, a contest that Derby also tallied a pair of non-offensive TDs.
In Week 9, Newton led Derby at the half. In the last 10 quarters, Derby has scored 180 points, including 76 against Lawrence last week. Zerger finished 4 of 4 passing for 160 yards and two scores and rushed eight times for 104 yards and a pair of TDs. Overall, Zerger is at 997 rushing and 1,016 passing with 24 scores.
Edwards is one of the best players in recent Kansas history and likely cannot be slowed. How Rural responds to Zerger’s dual threat ability is likely the difference.
Other Sectional game:
#4 Wichita Northwest (8-2) at #1 Manhattan (10-0) – Manhattan
Class 5A
VIEW: 5A BRACKET
5A – East
Highlighted Game:
#11 Blue Valley Southwest (5-5) at #2 De Soto (9-1) – De Soto
This quarterfinal has 11-seed Blue Valley Southwest traveling to 2-seed De Soto with an opportunity for both schools to make some history. De Soto is seeking its fourth trip to the state semifinal round and first as a 5A program. The Wildcats also reached the semifinals in 1989 (4A), 2017 (4A-I), as well as a 3A state runner-up finish in 1977. The Wildcats have lost in the Class 5A state quarterfinals in each of the past four seasons. In their final season of 4A, Division I back in 2017, De Soto lost in the substate semifinal to Bishop Miege. De Soto has been a very consistent program having posted a 64-20 record since 2015.
Blue Valley Southwest is a win away from tying the most wins in the program’s brief 13-year history. Southwest finished 6-6 and reached the 4A state quarterfinals in its second season in 2011. The Timberwolves have reached the state quarterfinals for the fourth consecutive season, but have never advanced beyond this round.
De Soto enters having won eight straight games since its only loss of the season, 28-21 to 6A quarterfinalist Washburn Rural, back in Week 2. Blue Valley Southwest has won two consecutive playoff games after a 3-5 regular season that included losses to the top team in the Eastern Kansas League – three of which are still playing.
De Soto advanced to this round with a 56-0 win over Spring Hill last Thursday night. Wildcat quarterback Carson Miller rushed for four touchdowns including scoring runs of 78 and 54 yards. Jayden Lang also added a pair of touchdowns on the ground. The Wildcat defense capped the scoring as Charlie Tadlock returned an interception for a score.
Miller has rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 16 rushing scores. He’s also added more than 500 passing yards and six scores. Bennett Hutchinson and Lang also add to the Wildcats dynamic offensive backfield.
Last week, Southwest scored in each quarter in rolling past Emporia, 56-20. Quarterback Dylan Dunn passed for 396 yards and three touchdowns and connected with Emmitt Peters five times for 154 yards and two scores. Sam Swickard also caught a touchdown pass. Parker Smith led the ground with 115 yards and two scores, while Dunn and Connor Falkner also added rushing touchdowns.
Southwest has struggled with the inability to effectively run the football in past seasons, but Smith has emerged to rush for more than 750 yards and nine touchdowns this season. Smith provides a good compliment to Dunn’s passing attack. Dunn has put together another impressive season having thrown for 2,053 yards and 20 touchdowns. As a sophomore in 2021, he passed for 2,587 yards and 19 scores.
Tate Everard leads a balanced receiving group with 457 yards and six touchdowns. Gage Ilges has added 399 receiving yards, while Swickard has 382 yards and Cooper Leiker has 328 yards receiving. Alex Parks and Peters each have more than 200 receiving yards, providing more depth for Dunn.
Defensively, Jackson Ready leads the unit with 75 stops, while Trey Thomas has picked off seven passes. Ilges, Peters, and Everard have combined for nine more interceptions and 12 pass breakups as part of a strong secondary.
Other Sectional game:
#5 Pittsburg (7-3) at #1 Mill Valley (9-1) – Mill Valley
5A – West
Highlighted Game:
#3 Salina Central (8-2) at #2 Hays High (9-1) – Hays
Hays High is trying to reach multiple historical milestones against Salina Central’s high-octane offense. A win gives Hays a school record 10 victories and matches the 1993 team for the best finish in school history.
Hays High standout running back Malik Bah was hurt on the first play from scrimmage in Week 9. He missed last week’s 28-6 home win against Valley Center. Hays limited Valley Center to under 100 yards in total offense with another complete defensive effort.
In Week 5, Valley Center beat Salina Central, 43-36. That game, Valley Center delivered 544 yards of total offense, including 340 from standout junior running back Dai’Mont Mucker. Hays High has statistically its best defense in 10-plus years with 15 points allowed per game. Salina Central has scored 42 a contest but permitted 31.
Both teams have exceeded preseason outside expectations. Hays High has been ranked third in 5A the majority of the fall. Junior Gunnar Gross has stepped in at quarterback with a highly efficient year. Gross is 115 of 171 passing for 1,513 yards with 13 scores against two interceptions. Senior Kenyon McMillian, like Mucker, is a highly talented back. McMillian, with sub-4.5 speed, has cleared 1,400 rushing yards this year.
Five players have at least 13 catches, paced by Hunter Mowery.
Hays has all its first-year senior starters who opened the year relatively unknown. Many are now pushing for all-state recognition. Quarterback Kyreese Groen received a Sterling College offer this week. Groen has completed 50 percent of his passes for 721 yards with 14 scores against three interceptions. He has rushed for 756 yards and nine scores. Senior Bryce Salmans is highly athletic and paces the Indians with 12 tackles for loss. He moved to running back with Bah’s absence and rushed for more than 100 yards.
Seniors Wyatt Waddell and Evan Lind have combined for 148 tackles, 12 TFLs, five interceptions and two defensive TDs at linebacker. Senior Deondre Broom did an excellent job sealing the edge against VC with a forced fumble and fumble recovery.
McMillian will probably be the best player on the field, especially if Bah doesn’t play. But on a likely cold night, Hays’ staples of run game, depth and defense are the edge.
Other Sectional game:
#4 Hutchinson (8-2) at #1 Maize (10-0) – Maize
Class 4A
VIEW: 4A BRACKET
4A East
Highlighted Game:
#10 St. James Academy (6-4) at #6 St. Thomas Aquinas (8-2) – Aquinas
Eastern Kansas League rivals St. James Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas will meet for a trip to the state semifinals. This is a rematch of a Week 4 game won by St. James Academy, 24-20. Entering that first meeting, St. James was 0-3 and Aquinas was 3-0. It was St. James Academy’s first-ever victory over Aquinas in football.
In the first meeting, Aquinas grabbed an early 7-0 lead before the Thunder answered with 17 straight points to lead 17-7 at halftime. St. James quarterback Blake Boydston threw touchdown passes to John Niesen and Ayden Brady sandwiched around a Kylar Haarhuis field goal before halftime.
Aquinas standout back Sean Carroll added his second of three rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter to pull the Saints within 17-14. Boydston responded with a short touchdown run to put the Saints up 24-14.
Aquinas threatened with a drive to the St. James 15-yard line but fumbled and the ball was deflected forward into the end zone where the Thunder recovered for a touchback. The Saints added a touchdown – Carroll’s third – on the final play of the game.
St. James Academy found success through the air against Aquinas. Boydston passed for 242 yards and two scores in the game, while Niesen caught seven passes for 201 yards.
Boydston leads the two-time defending champion Thunder and has been a true dual-threat. An injury to projected starter Ben Wheeler at the start of the season forced Boydston to make the move from linebacker. He has responded by passing for 2,144 yards and 28 touchdowns and adding 629 yards rushing and six scores. Boydston benefits from a talented receiving group including John Niesen, Callahan Huston and Finn Burritt. Burritt leads the Thunder with 799 receiving yards and nine touchdowns, while Niesen has added 783 yards and ten scores. Huston has 593 yards and eight scores after a 163-yard, three-touchdown night in last week’s 42-17 win at Atchison.
For Aquinas, Carroll has been the workhorse behind a young but talented offensive line. Carroll has rushed for 1,411 yards and 24 touchdowns, while Gianni Rizzi has added 782 yards and four touchdowns. The Saints average 346 yards per game on the ground and 43 passing yards per game.
Defensively, Luke Hancock leads the Saint defense with 66 stops, while Kian Payne has contributed 48 tackles, including nine for loss and 4.5 sacks.
St. James Academy has won 12 consecutive playoff games in capturing back-to-back 4A titles. The Thunder’s last playoff loss came to Aquinas, 34-7, in the Class 5A second round in 2019.
Other Sectional game:
#8 KC Piper (7-3) at #5 Bishop Miege (8-2) – Bishop Miege
4A West
Highlighted Game:
#5 Andover Central (7-3) at #1 Wamego (10-0) – Wamego
Last season, Wamego played the No. 99 strength of schedule among Kansas 11-man teams, per nationally recognized Massey Ratings. Andover Central played the No. 45 and had the seventh-best defense in Kansas for all classes.
Andover Central rolled Wamego, 48-0, in the playoffs and finished as 4A state runner-up. It marked the Jaguars’ third state runner-up since 2015.
This season, Andover Central travels to Wamego in a similar big-picture circumstance.
In 2022, Andover Central has played the No. 44 SOS and has the No. 11 defense in Kansas 11-man, per Massey Ratings. Wamego has faced the No. 103 strength of schedule with the No. 39 defense.
Andover Central’s opponents have a combined 47-48 record, including a competitive loss to 5A No. 1 Maize, which is possibly Kansas’ best team. Wamego’s opponents have a combined mark of 36-56. The Red Raiders play somewhat of a nomadic schedule because its league is primarily 3A teams.
Wamego’s much-improved defense has been a story all season. The Red Raiders have allowed just six points a game after 23 a year ago. Andover Central has again put together a sterling defense, though its offense dropped from 34 points a game last year to 27 this season.
By the advanced statistics, Andover Central is considered a slight favorite because of the big strength of schedule difference. The game will likely be close. Since the start of 2018, the Jaguars are 41-14. Nine of the losses are by single figures. Just two are over 14 points. Central lost, 42-14, to Maize in a competitive game in the first half; the Eagles have scored 56 points a contest when not facing the Jaguars.
Wamego has used Colin Donahue at quarterback since Hayden Oviatt, a top-15 all-classes recruit, has been injured the bulk of the year. Both are headed to Army West Point. Wamego’s defensive line has done a great job with run defense. The Red Raiders’ front includes: Jake Meyer, Ariston Gamino, Gage Woodward, Wyatt Burgess and Jackson Ziegler.
Last season, Andover Central averaged 6.8 yards per play, and 5.9 yards per rush, its best running attack in more than a decade. The Jaguars have gone to 5.6 yards per play and four yards a rush this season. Central has greatly benefited from non-offensive scores. The Jaguars have five non-offensive touchdowns, two more than last season. Isaac Saye is a standout specialist with 28 of 31 on extra points, four field goals and 41 yards per punt, including seven inside the opponents’ 20-yard line.
First-year starting senior quarterback Braden Barscewski has completed 112 of 190 yards with 1,548 yards with 18 scores against six interceptions. Senior Jace Rees has 169 carries for 742 yards and seven scores. Senior Cooper Tabor has contributed in all three phases with 865 yards. Andover Central is always extremely well-coached with Derek Tuttle and his veteran staff.
Wamego has its first 10-0 start since 1975. Against Rose Hill last week, the Red Raiders rushed 48 times for 409 yards and five scores behind a big Oviatt performance. Senior Noah Ficke is also a standout specialist.
For much of the season, Andover Central has remained the favorite to reach state in a wide-open 4A West. If the Jaguars continue its non-offensive scoring success and win the special teams battle, Central can definitely win. However, this is a much better Wamego defense than last season – and the Jags are not quite as explosive as ’21. Wamego is a slight favorite at home.
Other Sectional game:
#3 Towanda-Circle (8-2) at #2 McPherson (9-1) – McPherson
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