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Class 6A
VIEW: 6A BRACKET
6A East
Highlighted Game:
#6 Olathe Northwest (8-3) at #4 Gardner-Edgerton (8-3) – Gardner-Edgerton
Two Sunflower League members will meet in perhaps the most surprising of the state’s semifinal matchups. Both the Olathe Northwest Ravens and Gardner-Edgerton Trailblazers have posted 8-3 seasons and although they are members of the same league, they did not meet this regular season. This will be the sixth meeting all-time between the two schools with Gardner-Edgerton having won each meeting.
Gardner-Edgerton is in the state semifinals for the first time since 2011 – the year after Blazer great Bubba Starling graduated. The program last reached a state title game in 2009 when they finished as runner-up to Hutchinson. The Trailblazers three losses this season came to Mill Valley, Olathe North, and Olathe South – teams that combined for a 25-6 record.
The Trailblazers advanced to this week’s semifinal with a 21-14 win over Blue Valley West. The week prior, Gardner-Edgerton eliminated defending 6A champion Blue Valley Northwest, 28-19.
In the win over Blue Valley West, Gardner-Edgerton rushed for more than 400 yards led by Dylan Butash’s 171 yards, while Dawson Kindler added 114 yards and two scores.
Bravin Powell-Brown has played quarterback the past two weeks in the absence of Conner Elder. Elder passed for more than 850 yards and seven touchdowns but has not played since early in the playoff opener. Last week, Bravin Powell-Brown completed only one pass – to Kindler for a 17-yard score.
Kindler leads the Blazer offense with 1,298 rushing yards and 23 touchdowns this season. Butash has added more than 550 yards on the ground in nine games.
Olathe Northwest is in the state semifinal round for the first time in school history. Lorne Clark has led the Ravens to a school record for victories in a season.
Last week, the Ravens topped Olathe West 35-33. Olathe West led 27-22 at halftime, but Northwest scored a pair of touchdowns in the third quarter to lead 35-27 and held on for the win. Eric Butler rushed 30 times for 156 yards and two touchdowns. Butler is an imposing figure at 6-foot-2, 220-pounds as running back and linebacker. He also added nine total tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss. For the season, Butler has carried 193 times for 1,190 yards and 16 touchdowns. Max Keller has added 719 yards on the ground and nine scores.
Last week, Cooper Carley passed for 107 yards including touchdown passes to Mason Schlittenhard and Micah Geary. Keller also added 79 yards and a score on the ground for the Ravens.
Carley and Merak Greinert have each seen time at quarterback for the Ravens this season. Greinert has passed for 727 yards and six scores, while Carley has added 354 yards and four touchdowns. Geary is the Raves top receiving target with 368 yards and six scores.
Who wins the turnover battle may be the key in this one. Gardner-Edgerton survived three turnovers last week in beating Olathe West, but the Blazers have forced eight turnovers in their three playoff wins.
6A – WEST
Highlighted Game:
#2 Derby (9-2) at #1 Manhattan (11-0) – Manhattan
Manhattan will host Derby in a rematch of a classic season-opener won by the Indians, 26-23 in overtime.
Manhattan has ridden the momentum from that victory to an undefeated season and the top seed on the western half of 6A. Meanwhile, Derby has reached every 6A state championship game since a quarterfinal loss in 2014. The Panthers have won titles under Brandon Clark in 2013, 2015-16, and 2018-20. Derby finished as state runner-up to Blue Valley North in 2017 and last season to Blue Valley Northwest.
In the first meeting, Manhattan limited Derby to 275 yards of total offense. Derby standout and Notre Dame commit, Dylan Edwards, rushed for 191 yards in the first meeting. He has 1,794 yards and 29 touchdowns for the season and 6,290 yards and 92 touchdowns for his career.
Derby will be without quarterback Brock Zerger who suffered a season-ending injury in last week’s quarterfinal win over Washburn Rural. Zerger posted an exceptional senior season with 1,000 yards rushing and 1,000 yards passing and 26 total touchdowns. Braxton Clark will be in Zerger’s place and has passed for 239 yards and four touchdowns in six games this season. Nathan Keener has been Derby’s leading receiver with more than 430 yards and two scores.
Miles Wash leads the Derby defense with 134 tackles while Samuel Same has 77 stops including 14 for loss and nine sacks.
Manhattan will counter with a steady offense and a standout defense. The Indians are led by senior quarterback Keenan Schartz. Schartz has completed 68 percent of his passes for 1,291 yards and ten scores. He’s added 1,070 yards and 19 touchdowns on the ground.
The Indians have a plenty of options in the backfield with DeAndre Aukland and Jason Sanchez. Aukland has added 1,040 yards rushing and 15 scores, while Sanchez has added 553 yards and 12 touchdowns. Jaxson Bowles leads the team in receiving with 353 yards and three scores.
Jaxon Vikander leads the team with 75 tackles including 13 for loss. Max Stanard has added 66 tackles, three interceptions and has 10 passes broken up.
In the first meeting, Manhattan rushed for 203 yards while Schartz added 123 yards passing. Derby rushed for 244 yards in the game but managed only 31 passing yards. Derby certainly has big-play capability with Edwards and speedy junior Derek Hubbard. Manhattan gets the slight edge at home, but the Indians will need to limit Derby big plays and control the ball themselves.
Class 5A
VIEW: 5A BRACKET
5A – East
Highlighted Game:
#11 Blue Valley Southwest (6-5) at #1 Mill Valley (10-1) – Mill Valley
This quarterfinal pits 11-seed Blue Valley Southwest against 1-seed Mill Valley. Mill Valley opened the season as the top-ranked team in the classification, while Blue Valley Southwest was No. 5 in the preseason poll.
These two programs have quite different playoff histories. Mill Valley is the three-time defending champion and has won five of the past seven Class 5A titles. Blue Valley Southwest has tied the most wins in the program’s brief 13-year history. The Timberwolves are in the state semifinals for the first time in school history.
Last week, Southwest put up an impressive offensive effort in rolling past De Soto, 69-35. Junior quarterback Dylan Dunn completed passed for 583 yards and eight touchdowns. Four Timberwolves had two receiving touchdowns each. Tate Everard had two catches for 168 yards and two scores, Alex Parks had five receptions for 159 yards and two scores, Emmitt Peters had nine catches for 156 yards and two scores, and Sam Swickard had three catches for 88 yards and two scores. Parker Smith also added 110 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
For the season, Dunn has completed 64 percent of his passes for 2,654 yards and 28 touchdowns. Everard leads the team with 620 receiving yards and eight touchdowns on 37 receptions. Swickard has 470 receiving yards and six scores, and Gage Ilges has 399 yards and three scores. Parks has added 367 yards and three scores, Peters 359 yards and five scores, and Cooper Leiker has 342 yards and a touchdown.
Parker Smith leads the Timberwolves with 850 rushing yards and 11 scores. Smith has the most rushing yards of any Southwest player in at least the last six seasons.
Mill Valley has won four consecutive games since their lone loss of the season – 20-16 to Olathe North back in Week 7. The Jaguars, known for the their depth and their defense, have posted five shutouts including three straight. Mill Valley allows only 5.8 points per game. Broc Worcester leads the Jaguars with 88 tackles including 7.5 tackles for loss. Noah Coy has registered 73 stops including 19 for loss. Grant Rutkowski has a team-high six sacks, while sophomore Jayden Woods has 10.5 tackles for loss and 4.5 sacks.
The Jaguars are led on offense by senior quarterback Hayden Jay. Jay has passed for 1,256 yards and 13 touchdowns and added 440 yards rushing and 14 scores. Tristen Baker lead the Jaguar offense with 1,081 rushing yards and 15 scores, while Amarian Graves has added 540 yards and eight scores.
Hayes Miller is Jay’s leading receiver target with 35 catches for 518 yards and six scores.
The Jaguar defense has forced 24 turnovers this season including 11 interceptions. Blue Valley Southwest’s passing game will certainly challenge Mill Valley’s secondary, but that a strength of the Jaguar defense.
5A – West
Highlighted Game:
#2 Hays High (10-1) at #1 Maize (11-0) – Maize
This is a rematch from the 2021 Class 5A state quarterfinals that Maize won, 48-36. Maize reached the first state championship game in school annals and lost to three-time titlist Mill Valley.
Hays High enjoyed its best season since 1995 last fall, and then graduated quarterback Jaren Kanak and linebacker Gavin Meyers, among others. Kanak had his famous run against Maize that earned national top football play of the year by several outlets.
Maize returned a bevy of standouts, including quarterback Avery Johnson, running back Daeshaun Carter, along with wide outs Bryce Cohoon, Justin Stephens and Bryson Hayes. Johnson is the returning 5A Offensive Player of the Year, the state’s top recruit and Kansas State commit. Cohoon has committed to Syracuse. Stephens is a Division I talent, and Hayes is possibly Kansas’ fastest player as a sophomore with sub-4.4 speed. Caden Miranda is an outstanding defensive lineman.
Last week, Maize held off Hutchinson, 21-14. Maize made a stand in the final seconds. Hutchinson had 80 plays, Maize 35.
The Eagles average 51.5 points per game, while Hays High is at 39.9. The defenses are basically identical. Maize has allowed 14.5 points allowed a contest, Hays 14.6.
Maize has been first or second in the rankings all year. Johnson has completed 127 of 188 passes for 2,486 yards with 28 scores against one interception. Johnson has 81 carries for 732 yards and 14 TDs. Miranda and junior Christian Hanson both have 20 tackles for loss, and Miranda has tallied eight sacks.
Hays High has enjoyed its first 10-win season in school history and significantly overachieved relative to outside expectations. Junior Malik Bah was hurt on the first play from scrimmage in Week 9, missed Week 10 and came back last Friday with a specialized elbow brace that came from California. Bah rushed for 222 yards in the 49-12 win against Salina Central.
Hays High has enjoyed a tremendous defense under first-year coordinator Kip Keeley. Linebackers Evan Lind and Wyatt Waddell each has 86 tackles. Waddell has picked off four passes, while Lind has three defensive touchdowns. Kyreese Groen has delivered a big year with 744 passing, 921 rushing and 26 TDs accounted for. Bah is at 1,565 rushing yards. All of HHS’ defensive starters have been seniors. However, defensive lineman Carson Spray, the team’s most experienced player, went down with injury against Salina Central. Spray’s absence could be a pivotal part.
Hays High received a good blueprint from Hutchinson. The Indians’ defense and run game has been elite, but the key question is: can HHS’ defensive backs consistently guard Maize’s receivers 1-on-1?
Class 4A
VIEW: 4A BRACKET
4A East
Highlighted Game:
#6 St. Thomas Aquinas (9-2) at #5 Bishop Miege (9-2) – Bishop Miege
Eastern Kansas League rivals St. Thomas Aquinas and Bishop Miege will meet with a trip to the 4A state championship game on the line. This has been one of the EKL’s best rivalries with Miege winning six of the past ten meetings, however, Aquinas has claimed four of the past five in the series.
This is a rematch of a Week 7 game won by St. Thomas Aquinas, 29-26. In that first meeting, Aquinas rallied from down 20-0 to shock Miege on the Stags’ homecoming. The Saints rallied with four second-half touchdowns in rallying for the three-point win.
Aquinas standout back Sean Carroll carried 40 times for 233 yards and three touchdowns. Jack Forge added a 26-yard touchdown run on his only carry of the night. The Saint defense forced three Miege turnovers which aided in the Aquinas comeback. Miege quarterback Mac Armstrong passed for 257 yards and two touchdowns but was intercepted twice. Daegan Jensen hauled in eight passes for 146 yards and both scores. DeAndre Beasley added a pair of rushing scores with 55 yards.
Carroll has produced another incredible season behind a young but talented offensive line. He has rushed for 1,622 yards and 28 touchdowns, while Gianni Rizzi has added 841 yards and four touchdowns. The Saints average 342 yards per game on the ground and just 40 passing yards per game.
Armstrong has put up incredible numbers for Miege in completing nearly 75 percent of his passes for 3,172 yards and 32 touchdowns. He has an dynamic group of receivers led by Isaiah Coppage who has 75 catches for 1,176 yards and 14 touchdowns. Teryn Jackson is second on the team with 43 receptions for 654 yards and six scores, while Daegan Jensen has 39 catches for 572 yards and eight scores. Tommy Wright has added 43 catches for 501 yards and three scores.
David Garcia leads the Miege ground game with 587 yards and nine touchdowns. He did not play in the first meeting.
Despite the outcome of the earlier meeting, Miege is likely a slight favorite at home. The Stags must avoid the turnovers this time around and limit Carroll’s success. Carroll has had an incredible career and needs only 26 rushing yards to surpass 4,000 yards for his career. Miege’s last state title appearance was their last championship in 2019. Aquinas’ last state title appearance also produced their last title in 2018.
4A West
Highlighted Game:
#2 McPherson (10-1) at #1 Wamego (11-0) – Wamego
The winner of this contest will reach the first state championship game in school history. Wamego has joined the 1975 team as the only other semifinal team in Red Raider annals. McPherson is 0-6 all-time in state semifinals, including multiple tough, close losses.
Wamego has averaged 43 points a game, McPherson averages 37. Wamego has enjoyed its most improved defense with six points allowed a contest. McPherson has 15.3 points a contest. In 2021, Wamego lost 48-0 to Andover Central. Last week, Wamego defeated the Jaguars, 42-7.
McPherson has won eight in a row, including two wins against Towanda-Circle, including 49-28 in the state quarterfinals. McPherson won 4A state baseball last spring with Hunter Alvord as the top player. He is also the quarterback. He has completed 113 of 198 passes for 1,515 yards with 14 scores against five interceptions. He also leads the Bullpups with 795 rushing yards.
Last week, Andover Central opened the scoring with a 96-yard run before Wamego rolled with 42 points. The Red Raiders allowed 4.1 yards per play and just nine first downs. Colin Donahue, a former wide receiver, took over at quarterback in the summer after Hayden Oviatt suffered injury. Oviatt has returned in recent weeks, primarily as a ball carrier. Noah Ficke is a standout kicker and was six for six on extra points.
Oviatt had two touchdown runs, Hagan Johnson rushed for two scores, and caught a receiving touchdown against Andover Central. Thomas McIntyre rushed for a touchdown. Oviatt delivered 20 carries for 114 yards and two scores. Wamego has delivered an outstanding defense and its multi-dimensional offense gives the Red Raiders a slight edge.
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