Back to Kpreps this fall, our contributors will hand out helmet stickers to a team or individual that delivered the most important performance of the week in their opinion. Check back each Wednesday to see that week’s helmet stickers, and follow @Kpreps on Twitter and Facebook to watch as the Kpreps helmet fills up with stickers as the season goes on.
Helmet sticker: KC Washington (Matt Gilmore – Kpreps)
The KC Washington Wildcats get my helmet sticker this week for starting the season 3-0 for the first time since 2005. The Wildcats posted victories over Meadowlark League opponents Sumner Academy (39-20) and JC Harmon (61-0) to open the season. Last Friday, Washington defeated Bonner Springs, 37-28, for the program’s first win over the Braves since 2000.
Standout seniors Ja’Quarey Williams and Xavyer Powell continued to put up impressive numbers in the win over Bonner Springs. Williams passed for 191 yards and a touchdown and added 20 yards on the ground and another score. Powell caught three passes for 103 yards and a touchdown, and added 92 yards on the ground with another score. Sophomore Savion Stone led the Wildcat ground game with 140 yards and two scores on 19 carries.
Thus far this season, the Wildcats are averaging nearly 46 points per game. Stone leads the rushing attack with 287 yards and six touchdowns. Washington has averaged 227 yards per game on the ground.
Williams has passed for 439 yards and four touchdowns. Most of his passes have gone in the direction of Powell who has 13 receptions for 319 yards and five receiving scores. Seniors Antoine Williams and Amarion Womack, sophomore Derrion Baskin, and freshman Camron Fields all have multiple receptions.
Powell also leads the defense with 30 tackles. He also has nine tackles for loss, three sacks, four pass deflections, and three forced fumbles. Senior Gary Leaper is second on the team with 24 stops, while freshman Nick Carter has been a turnover magnet with four interceptions and two fumble recoveries.
Coach Camron Smith took over the program at his alma mater in 2019 and has led the Wildcats to a 15-14 record in three-plus seasons. Washington, like the other Kansas City Kansas Public Schools, cancelled the 2020 season due to the pandemic.
Earlier this week, Coach Smith was named the Kansas City area Coach of the Week by the Kansas City Chiefs.
The coaching staff hands out weekly awards to recognize players such as MVP, Offensive & Defensive Players of the Week, D-Lineman of the Week, Special Teams Player, Scout Team Players of the Week, and the “Stay Ready Award” given to a player for being a positive sideline presence. They are working to change the culture at Washington, including a recent announcement that they are filming a documentary on the 2023 season entitled, “Rebuilding Wash House: Wildcat Country”.
The challenge will be difficult this week as Washington has a road trip to defending 4A state runner-up Wamego (2-1). The Red Raiders defeated Washington 51-16 in Week 4 last season.
Helmet sticker: Liberal (Conor Nicholl -- Kpreps)
In the summer, Kpreps noted Liberal as a strong Potential Breakout Team candidate. Liberal is 3-0 for the first time since 2003, the last year under legendary coach Gary Cornelsen.
Liberal and Eisenhower, off to the first 3-0 start in school history, are the lone undefeated teams in 5A West. Liberal opened with a 23-17 win at Holcomb, defeated Emporia 47-14 at home, and won at Topeka High, 51-13, in a long trip to Hummer Park. The Redskins are seventh in 5A scoring with 40 points a contest.
In 2022, Liberal finished fourth in 5A in yards per play (9.0) but bottom-five in turnover margin (minus-9), per the Sunflower Sports Solutions database. This year, the Redskins are at 8.5 yards per play. Liberal has just two turnovers and is plus-two in turnover margin.
Senior Brooks Kappelmann, the reigning WAC baseball player of the year, has enjoyed a huge start. He has completed 36 of 64 passes for 702 yards with seven TDs against two interceptions. He also has 42 carries for 337 yards and four scores.
Junior Xavier Porras has 27 carries for 193 yards and three TDs. Senior Zayden Martinez has enjoyed a big start with 14 catches for 423 yards and six TDs. Junior Hudson Rice has 10 pancake blocks. Sophomore Xavier Tafoya has 23 tackles, while juniors Tyren Holmes and Marco Alonso have three tackles for loss.
Helmet sticker: Mulvane (Conor Nicholl – Kpreps)
Mulvane has enjoyed a 3-0 start with three close victories: 28-25 versus Coffeyville, 21-14 at Independence and 31-28 versus Augusta. The Wildcats have flipped all three results from a 1-8 season in 2022. Last fall, Mulvane lost 8-0 to Coffeyville in overtime, 35-25 to Independence and 30-28 versus Augusta.
Mulvane and Andover Central are the only 4A West teams to open 3-0. Mulvane is the lone 4A squad to be 0-3 in ’22 and 3-0 this fall.
Against Coffeyville, Mulvane led 7-0 after the first quarter, 14-7 at halftime and 21-13 entering the fourth quarter. In his first year as the starter, Manny Myers tossed three touchdown passes, one to senior Kaiden Abasolo and a pair for Lucas Sorensen. Coffeyville tallied two fourth quarter touchdowns, but Mulvane held on. Abasolo, a key player in basketball since his freshman year, finished with five tackles, three for loss and 1.5 sacks. Aiden McKee was four of four on extra points.
Against Independence, Mulvane led 14-0 and held on late when the defense forced key turnovers. Myers had 121 passing and 126 rushing yards, per Mulvane Athletics. Last week, with less than 30 seconds remaining, McKee made a game-winning field goal. Abasolo had a sack to thwart Augusta’s final scoring attempt.
Sorenson has 14 catches for 248 yards and four scores. He already has more receiving yards than any Mulvane player from ’22. Fisher Dye has rushed for 240 yards. Myers has enjoyed a huge year with 432 passing and 265 rushing.
Helmet sticker: Sublette (Conor Nicholl -- Kpreps)
In Eight-Man, Division I, The Larks have been one of the state’s biggest turnarounds with a highly rare 3-0 start. Per Kansas Football History, Sublette is 3-0 for the first time since 1979. The Larks had long struggled in 11-man before a three-win improvement to 4-5 last fall, the first eight-man season. Sublette has not posted a winning season since a 5-4 mark in 2011.
In Week 1, Sublette earned a forfeit win against Satanta as the Indians, already low on numbers, had multiple players out. In Week 2, Sublette won at South Central, 20-12, and then beat Bucklin, 26-24, at home last week. South Central opened the fall in the top-10 in Eight-Man, Division II. Bucklin was just outside Division II’s top-five last week. The Red Aces averaged 41 points per game in the first two contests and beat Sublette, 66-28, last year.
Sublette is currently No. 13 in scoring defense in Division I with 18 points allowed a contest. Last year, the Larks were 36th with 42 points permitted per game. Sublette graduated all-state quarterback/all-purpose threat Miguel Hernandez and Lyle Befort took over as head coach.
Sublette trailed nearly the entire contest against Bucklin. The Red Aces led 6-0 and 16-8 after the first quarter. Bucklin held a 22-14 lead at halftime and 24-14 entering the fourth quarter. However, Drake Webber threw TD passes of 51 and 14 yards. He finished 11 of 23 for 213 yards and three scores. Braxon Blackwood had seven rushes for 95 yards and a score. Noah Friesen recorded six tackles, a sack and a tackle for loss.
Helmet Stickers (2023 Season)
Week 1 – Clay Center, Labette County, Riverton, Sedgwick, Thomas More Prep
Week 2 – Chetopa, Deerfield, Ellinwood, Goddard-Eisenhower, Pratt
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