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Class 3A
VIEW: 3A BRACKET
3A EAST
Highlighted Game:
D4-#2 Topeka Hayden (10-1) at D4-#1 Holton (11-0) – Holton
Topeka Hayden will travel to Holton in a rematch of a Week 7 district game. This time a trip to the Class 3A state title game is on the line.
In the first meeting, Holton rushed for 479 yards and used a strong defensive effort as part of a 37-13 win. Holton’s Garyson Booth scored five touchdowns in the win. Booth finished with 171 yards and four touchdowns on the ground and caught a 34-yard touchdown pass from Matt Lierz. Jace Boswell led Holton with a game-high 197 yards rushing that night. Hayden scored early when speedy Finn Dunshee returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Dunshee later scored in the fourth quarter to account for Hayden’s only other points.
Both teams have played competitive schedules. Holton’s lone loss came in the season-opener against 2A semifinalist Nemaha Central (35-28). Holton also holds victories over the other 2A semifinalist Sabetha and traditional contender Rossville. Hayden has posted victories over perennial small-school contenders Olpe, Silver Lake, and Rossville during the regular season.
In the playoffs, Holton rolled to wins over Santa Fe Trail and Bishop Ward before last week’s 47-27 win at Girard. The Wildcats blitzed the Girard defense for more than 500 rushing yards. Garyson Booth scored on the game’s first play and went on to rush for more than 350 yards and four touchdowns in the win. Booth leads the Wildcats with 1,537 rushing yards and 21 scores. Boswell is second on the team with 726 yards and 12 scores, while Jayden Fletcher (559 yards, 7 TD) and Lierz (525 yards, 5 TD) are both capable runners.
Holton did not attempt a pass last week at Girard. Lierz has only completed 11 passes all season – nine of which have gone for touchdowns.
Topeka Hayden opened the playoffs with a blowout of Baldwin before rallying to defeat previously unbeaten Wellsville, 22-19. Last week, the Wildcats traveled to Columbus and defeated the Titans, 39-19. Dunshee broke a 60-yard touchdown early and Jett Wahlmeier threw a touchdown pass to Jensen Schrickel for a 15-0 lead. After Columbus pulled within a score, Dunshee quickly put Hayden back up two scores with his second touchdown. The Hayden lead was 22-12 at halftime and stayed 25-12 until late in the fourth quarter when a J.C. Cummings touchdown put the game out of reach. Schrickel then picked off a Columbus pass and returned it for a touchdown to lead 39-12.
For Hayden to reverse the regular-season result, the visiting Wildcats will have to have some explosive plays and get some key stops. Hayden will have to avoid turnovers and perhaps force Holton into some mistakes. If Holton continues to play their game, they should be the favorite to get back to the state title game for the first time since 2015.
3A WEST
Highlighted Game:
D5-#2 Clay Center (8-3) at D7-#1 Andale (11-0) – Andale
Andale rolled over Rock Creek, 48-0, last week and pushed its winning streak to 49 straight games. The Indians currently have the nation’s second-longest winning streak. Andale is a victory away from the fifth Kansas squad to win 50 straight contests.
Rock Creek featured the state’s No. 1 passing offense the last two seasons. Andale intercepted six passes and returned two of those for touchdowns.
Andale has its waves of talent, including quarterback Wyatt Spexarth, backs Riley Marx and Cody Parthemer, lineman Jack Kraus, and defensive back Kelby Eck. The Indians continue to statistically rank as possibly the best 3A team ever. Andale has an average score of 57-6, which would break the school record for scoring offense set last season. Plus, lineman Brayden Weber recently set Andale’s all-time bench press record. Since the summer, Andale coach Dylan Schmidt said Weber – lesser known than some other Indians – has worked hard in the offseason.
Clay Center delivered back-to-back big results with wins against state powers Wichita Collegiate and Cheney. The Tigers have equaled the school’s 1983 semifinal finish for the best in school history. The Tigers defense shut down Collegiate, 35-0, and Cheney, 24-6.
Last week, Clay Center ran 59 times for 258 yards. Senior quarterback Mark Hoffman recorded 93 yards of offense, including two passing scores. Junior Brody Hayes has enjoyed an electrifying year with 8.5 yards per carry. Hayes has 91 carries for 778 yards and 14 scores. Junior Carter Long has 149 carries for 799 yards and eight scores.
Andale is certainly the favorite, but Clay Center has enjoyed a remarkable turnaround under coach Marc Henry after a 4-5 season last fall. Andale has not lost a home game in 10-plus years.
Class 2A
VIEW: 2A BRACKET
2A EAST
Highlighted Game:
D4-#2 Sabetha (9-2) at D4-#1 Nemaha Central (11-0) – Nemaha Central
The fourth-ranked Sabetha Blue Jays will travel to Seneca to take on the second-ranked Nemaha Central Thunder with a chance to play in the 2A state title game on the line.
Like Class 3A, this semifinal is another rematch of a district contest earlier this season. In the regular season finale, Nemaha Central scored three touchdowns in the second half to defeat Sabetha, 24-7. In that contest, Sabetha took a 7-0 lead into halftime and defensively came up with a huge goal-line stand to keep the Thunder out. In the second half, Cooper Hajek and Brayden Uphaus each rushed for a score and Gavin Cain tossed a 16-yard touchdown pass to Aiden Broxterman as the Thunder prevailed.
Hajek has had a huge senior season for Nemaha Central in rushing for 1,759 yards and 35 touchdowns. In the first meeting with Sabetha, Hajek carried 39 times for 138 yards. He’s been a little banged up lately, but turned in a 23-carry performance for around 100 yards in last week’s win at Humboldt. Cain scored three times at Humboldt including twice on the ground along with a touchdown reception from Uphaus. Uphaus passed for 177 yards in the first meeting with Sabetha and has more than 1,000 yards on the season.
Sabetha rolled to a 47-0 shutout victory over Caney Valley last week. Jonathan Renyer returned an interception for a touchdown and added a pair of rushing touchdowns early on to put the Blue Jays on top. Quarterback Matthew Garber then threw a pair of touchdown passes and rushed for a score as the Blue Jays widened their lead.
This should be another great game between these two Big 7 Conference rivals. Sabetha has the ability to be balanced on offense with Garber throwing the ball along with their consistent run game. Nemaha Central has been great all season and Hajek can be the difference maker.
2A WEST
Highlighted Game:
D5-#1 Southeast of Saline (11-0) at D6-#1 Kingman (11-0) – Southeast of Saline
Both teams have been top-5 throughout the fall. Southeast of Saline has remained at No. 1 since the preseason poll. Throughout most of the year, the top-three has been: SE Saline, Nemaha Central and Kingman. Southeast lost in the 3A semifinals to Andale last year in a competitive game, while Kingman fell to Beloit in the 2A semifinals.
This marks Kingman’s first semifinal showing since 1972. SE Saline has enjoyed a steady run of success under Mitch Gebhardt, though has one all-time final appearance, a state championship in 2005 under former coach Pat Haxton.
SE Saline has scored 49 points per game, while Kingman is at 41. The Eagles, though, have the best remaining scoring defense among the 36 teams left for all nine classes. Kingman has enjoyed an elite defense the last several falls under head coach Tanner Hageman and defensive coordinator Dusty Beam. Kingman has allowed just 5.5 points a game. Southeast of Saline has permitted 11.2.
Kingman is highly experienced with quarterback Nolan Freund, speedy receiver Avrey Albright and a veteran defense paced by Jake Fischer and Ty Birkenbaugh. Freund has 1,826 passing yards, 800 rushing and 36 TDs accounted for. Albright has 13 offensive scores.
Albright has 59 tackles, and Freund is at 35. Birkenbaugh has 98 stops, 14 for loss. Tristen Davidson has 77 tackles, 21 for loss and eight sacks. Sophomore Collin Schreiner has delivered 89 stops, 10 TFLs and four sacks. Kingman has seven seniors and limited size.
The Eagles defeated Beloit, 35-6, last week and committed four turnovers. Kingman has eight turnovers this season. Carter Helm picked off nine passes in the first nine games in the 3-3 Havoc defense.
SE Saline has 10 seniors, nearly all highly critical players. Twin seniors Luke (QB/DB) and Jake (WR/DB) Gebhardt have enjoyed big seasons. Senior Landen Allen is a top player, and speedy senior Michael Murray has a Northwest Missouri State offer. Senior OL/LB Mac Chambers is also a captain. The Trojans should have a slight size advantage.
SE Saline has committed 13 turnovers and thrown 11 interceptions, which would be problematic against Kingman’s ball hawking defense. However, the Trojans have great depth. Luke Gebhardt has completed 171 of 250 passes for 2,274 yards with 23 scores against 10 interceptions. Junior Nathan Friesen has 152 carries for 984 yards and 17 scores. Luke Gebhardt has rushed 140 times for 819 yards and 17 TDs. Murray, Allen and Jake Gebhardt have between 42 and 53 catches for 21 scores. Chambers leads the defense with 84 tackles, 12 for loss.
The two key questions: Can Kingman turn over the Trojans? Can Kingman withstand the Trojans’ depth?
Class 1A
VIEW: 1A BRACKET
1A EAST
Highlighted Game:
D4-#1 Centralia (11-0) at D3-#1 St. Marys (9-2) – St. Marys
Centralia will visit St. Marys in a match up of the pre-season No. 1 and the team that’s spent the most time atop the 1A poll this season. These two schools have met 20 previous times including 11 consecutive meetings from 2009-2019. Centralia has won 15 of those 20 meetings. The two teams met for the 2009 sub-state semifinal with Centralia winning 34-28 on their way to claiming the state championship a week later.
St. Marys opened the season as the 1A favorite and now the Bears look very much that part. After early season losses to Rock Creek (3A) and Silver Lake, the Bears have won eight consecutive games and climbed to No. 2 in the latest rankings.
The Bears are led by standout senior quarterback Keller Hurla. Hurla has passed for more than 2,000 yards and 24 touchdowns and added around 1,000 yards rushing and 18 scores. Hurla has quality receiving targets in Abe Huaracha and Kason Gomez both of which have more than 600 receiving yards.
St. Marys will be at home this week after going on the road in last week’s quarterfinals and beating a injury-riddled St. Mary’s Colgan team, 36-12. The Bears last trip to the title game came in 2006, but they have never won a state football title.
Centralia advanced to this sub-state semifinal with an 8-7 victory over two-time defending champion Olpe. The Panthers are seeking their fifth state football title having claimed state championships in 2019, 2013, 2011, and 2009.
The Panthers are the lone unbeaten team in Class 1A under the direction of first-year head coach, but long-time defensive coordinator Roger Holthaus. The Panthers’ single-wing is directed by Trenton Talley, and includes Drew Gibbs, Brock Reinecke and Maveryck Becker.
In last week’s win over Olpe, Centralia scored in the third quarter as Talley broke a long run from midfield. A penalty on Olpe on the PAT allowed Centralia to move the ball closer and convert the two-point conversion for an 8-7 lead. The Panther defense made that hold up to knock out the two-time defending champs. Gibbs led the Centralia ground attack with 105 yards, while Talley added 96 on the ground.
If Centralia is going to advance to the 1A title game, they’ll have to avoid turnovers. The Panthers overcame three first-half turnovers in the win over Olpe last week. The St. Marys offense is explosive with Hurla being the difference maker.
1A WEST
Highlighted Games:
D7-#2 Inman (10-1) at D7-#1 Conway Springs (7-3) – Inman
Last season, Inman went 11-1 and completed the best season in school history with a 1A state runner-up finish to Olpe. This year, Inman was ranked No. 1 in 1A when it took a 35-14 defeat to Conway Springs in Week 7. Since then, the Teutons won every game by at least 22 points and allowed just 19 total points. The Teutons beat run-heavy Smith Center, 28-6, last week.
Outside of the state loss to Olpe last season, Inman’s 35 points allowed to Conway Springs was its most since 2019. Inman defeated Conway Springs, 46-6, in the 2020 playoffs, and earned a 26-13 win against the Cardinals last year.
Conway Springs is into the state semifinals for the first time since winning the schools’ last title in 2011. Junior back Brayden Kunz has enjoyed a huge year with 268 carries for 2,154 yards with 26 touchdowns. He carried 34 times for 287 yards and three touchdowns in the first game against Inman. Kunz has totaled 250 rushing yards in five contests. Zane Zoglmann, Isaac Winter, Eli Howard and Connor Rusco are key defensive players for the Cardinals.
In the Inman game, both teams ran 52 plays. Conway Springs outgained Inman, 349-239. All of Conway’s yards came on the ground. Inman has since become much healthier, especially with dual-threat quarterback Tanner Heckel, athlete Josiah Buller and DT/TE Dawson McConnell. Both are back to playing both ways. McConnell did not figure in the Conway loss.
Last week, McConnell was involved in four tackles. Heckel finished 11 of 13 for 198 yards and two touchdowns. He rushed 12 times for 93 yards and two scores. Smith Center did not complete a pass and rushed for 253 yards against the Teuton defense.
Based on complete resumes, Inman is No. 87 for all 11-man classes, per Massey Ratings, a national statistical site. Conway Springs is No. 105. Kunz has played at a Top 11 all classes level. However, Inman’s earlier loss to Conway Springs is such a deviation from the Teutons’ last several years. Conway Springs will require another huge game from Kunz. Inman is healthier, has a stronger passing attack and more depth. Every year, a quarterfinal/semifinal rematch flips a result from the regular season. Inman may be the one to do that Friday.
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