Kpreps 2023 playoff coverage
Class 6A
VIEW: 6A BRACKET
6A East
Highlighted Game:
#7 Blue Valley West (4-5) at #2 Olathe North (8-1) – Olathe North
This is a highlighted rematch of a Regional showdown last season where 8-seed Blue Valley West upset 1-seed Olathe North, 28-14. The Jaguars dropped a 21-14 decision to eventual state runner-up Gardner-Edgerton in the quarterfinals a week later. A spot in the 6A quarterfinals is at stake again this week.
Olathe North has won four straight games since the Eagles’ lone loss of the season, 21-14, to Gardner-Edgerton. The Eagles own quality victories over Olathe East, Mill Valley, and Lawrence Free State. Olathe North as benefitted from a healthy T.J. Porter in the backfield. Porter missed some time earlier this season with an injury, but has pushed his season rushing total to 918 yards and 18 touchdowns in seven games. He rushed for 208 yards and a touchdowns in last year’s meeting with Blue Valley West.
Quarterback Jamison Sarver directs the Eagle offense and has passed for 1,377 yards and 14 touchdowns. His top target, Aiden Bruce, has 44 receptions for 550 yards and three scores. Bruce has also been used out of the backfield with 337 rushing yards and 11 scores.
Blue Valley West will counter with their own experienced back, Sage Huffman. Huffman, now a senior, has rushed for more than 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in his career. This season, Huffman has 1,193 yards and 16 scores. Quarterback Tate Nagy, the son of Chiefs Offensive Coordinator Matt Nagy, has passed for 1,621 yards and 15 touchdowns for the Jaguars. Nagy has also added nearly 600 yards rushing and four touchdowns. Crew Myers is the Jaguars’ top receiver with 59 catches for 808 yards and six touchdowns.
Blue Valley West is certainly talented enough to pull off the upset again. They’ll need to have success on the ground with Huffman and rely on Nagy’s ability to make plays. Olathe North’s experienced offensive line and backfield make the Eagles a slight favorite.
Other second-round games:
#8 Shawnee Mission Northwest (4-5) at #1 Gardner-Edgerton (8-1) – Gardner-Edgerton
#6 Blue Valley (5-4) at #3 Olathe East (7-2) – Olathe East
Thursday’s Regional-round games:
5-Blue Valley Northwest 47, 4-Olathe South 42
6A – WEST
Highlighted Game:
#5 Wichita East (7-2) at #4 Wichita Northwest (7-2) – Wichita Northwest
The City League rivals and highly prolific offenses rematch after a wild Week 4 contest. East won 34-28 on the game’s final play. The Blue Aces went to attempt a field goal, though mishandled the snap, ran around the left end and scored. Wichita East opened 0-2 with losses to Washburn Rural (26-25) and Kapaun Mt. Carmel (43-29). Those two teams are now ranked No. 1 in 6A and 5A, respectively. The Blue Aces have since won seven straight, including an impressive 69-20 road win against Bishop Carroll.
Northwest, which opened the season with a 58-7 home win over Bishop Carroll, is 7-2 with the loss to East and a 28-24 home defeat to defending 6A champion Manhattan in Week 8. Kapaun, East and Northwest all shared the Wichita City League title.
These two squads easily lead 6A in scoring offense. East is first at 56 points per game, while Northwest is second at 49 a contest. Both rank in the top-six in 6A scoring defense, though have consistently allowed at least 20 points against the more difficult opponents on their schedules. Last season, Northwest led 6A in offense, while East was fourth.
For Northwest, sophomore Jaylen Mason has stepped in with 67 of 114 passing for 1,185 yards with 16 scores against six interceptions. Sophomore Aaron Bohannon Jr. has 96 carries for 1,129 yards with 12 scores. Senior Cencere Thompson has 93 carries for 840 yards and 20 TDs. Senior Jayce Glasper moved from quarterback to receiver and teamed with senior Michael Lopez for 47 catches, eight for scores.
Sophomore Johnmichael Fountain has picked Power 5 offers and has 45 tackles, eight tackles for loss and three forced fumbles this year. Coach Steve Martin picked up win No. 100 in his Northwest tenure earlier this fall.
East features electrifying quarterback Daeonte Mitchell and running back Rayvelle Leak, among other weapons. Mitchell has accounted for more than 7,600 career passing yards, including 2,500-plus this fall. He has also rushed for more than 1,000 yards this year.
Leak has 1,481 yards and 29 touchdowns. LT Robinson has 36 catches for 793 yards and seven scores. Receiver Ashton White has enjoyed a solid year, too. Dayontay Standifer is a standout linebacker for East.
Before the win earlier this season, East had lost 11 in a row to Northwest dating back to 2004. In the contest, East held Northwest to 73 rushing yards, by far its lowest total this season. Northwest’s second fewest was 164 in the Manhattan loss. If the Grizzlies are able to run the ball at a normal clip, they are a slight favorite.
Other second-round games:
#8 Junction City (6-3) at #1 Washburn Rural (9-0) – Washburn Rural
#7 Lawrence Free State (7-2) at #2 Manhattan (8-1) -- Manhattan
#6 Lawrence (7-2) at #3 Derby (8-1) – Derby
Class 5A
VIEW: 5A BRACKET
5A – East
Highlighted Games:
#5 Spring Hill (7-2) at #4 Mill Valley (7-2) – Mill Valley
Mill Valley looks to stay on the path towards a fifth consecutive 5A state title as they host Spring Hill. The Broncos and Jaguars each enter this contest with identical 7-2 records. Mill Valley dropped games to two of the top-ranked teams in Class 6A in Gardner-Edgerton (49-10) and Olathe North (28-14). Spring Hill’s losses have come to 5A No. 2 Blue Valley Southwest (63-35) and 4A No. 2 Louisburg (35-21).
Both of these teams want to run the football. Mill Valley averages 321 yards per game on the ground behind a deep backfield, while Spring Hill is averaging 302 yards per contest primarily on the legs of senior Colton McKanna. McKanna has rushed for 1,845 yards and 29 touchdowns this season and is averaging nearly eight yards per carry.
Mill Valley also features a standout senior back in Tristan Baker, who has rushed for 1,065 yards and 15 touchdowns. The Jaguars have three other players with between 400 and 500 rushing yards, including two quarterbacks in senior Daniel Blaine and junior Connor Bohon. Jaden Scoobe is second on the team with 494 yards rushing and five touchdowns. Bohon has 466 yards and ten touchdowns, while Blaine has rushed for 406 and five scores.
Mill Valley has passed the ball on just 18 percent of its plays this season. Blaine has thrown for 340 yards and three scores. Spring Hill has been a bit more balanced with quarterback Tyson Beashore passing for 1,020 yards and eight touchdowns. Junior Jackson Torrez and freshman Cory Kirchner have been the primary receivers for the Broncos with 278 and 228 yards, respectively.
The Jaguar defense has been solid all season allowing only 16 points per game. Spring Hill has allowed nearly 29 points per game. These two teams met in the 2020 5A playoffs in the second round. Mill Valley dominated that contest, 51-0, on their way to their second consecutive state title.
Other second-round games:
#9 Topeka Seaman (5-4) at #1 De Soto (8-1) – De Soto
#10 Lansing (5-4) at #2 Blue Valley Southwest (8-1) – Blue Valley Southwest
Thursday’s Regional-round games:
6-Shawnee Heights 56, 3-Topeka Highland Park 20
5A – West
Highlighted Games:
#7 Hays (7-2) at #2 Goddard-Eisenhower (8-1) – Hays High
Hays High is 3-0 all-time against Goddard-Eisenhower, and all three have been pivotal games for the program. In 2019, a 3-5 Indian squad went to Eisenhower and won the first playoff game of the Tony Crough era with a 31-6 upset. The following season, Hays travelled to Eisenhower in Week 1, the first game back from COVID-19, and earned a 19-10 victory. The win helped the Indians to its first winning season since 2014.
The following year, Hays, with a banged-up Jaren Kanak at quarterback, scored on a 1-yard run in the final seconds for a 19-13 playoff victory and eventual state quarterfinal run. Last season, Hays High enjoyed the best season in school history with a 10-2 season.
Eisenhower, which first started to play football in 2012, has enjoyed multiple school records this fall. The Tigers had never even started 2-0 before this fall’s 7-0 opening streak. Eisenhower has set the single-season school mark for wins, surpassing the 7-5 season and surprise state semifinalist berth in 2015.
Eisenhower’s defense, under coordinator Will Bergkamp, paces the classification with 13 points allowed a contest. Hays is No. 17 with 25 points permitted a game.
Hays has scored 34 points a game, Eisenhower 33. Both teams have benefited from excellent special teams. Hays High’s Dalton Meyers blocked a punt early in last week’s win against Valley Center. Eisenhower defeated Hutchinson, 7-3, in Week 1 off a blocked punt for a score.
While a lot of attention is given to Hays High running back Malik Bah, the Indians have had several players with impressive seasons. Bah, who was hurt in the Indians’ two losses, has 167 carries for 1,146 yards and 12 scores. He is the Indians’ all-time leading rusher, per Hays broadcaster Dustin Armbruster.
Hays High won the Western Athletic Conference for a fourth straight year; this marks the first time since 2011 the WAC has four teams at .500 or better. Carter Graham, in his first year as the starting quarterback, has improved throughout the year with 1,173 passing yards along with 17 scores against 10 interceptions. Jarek Purdy, Johnny Cano and Ian McGuire (a first year transfer from Ellis) have combined for 23 offensive scores.
Defensively, linebackers Meyers and Wyatt Kirkpatrick have played at an elite level, while Slade Salmans has a team-high four sacks up front. Kirkpatrick paces with 93 tackles and a pair of defensive TDs. Meyers seemingly makes big plays at the most crucial times for a team that has had four games come down to the final snap. Meyers has 15 TFLs and two safeties. HHS’ interior offensive line has three experienced seniors.
For Eisenhower, junior Derek Morgan has completed 92 of 148 passes for 1,369 yards with 22 scores against four interceptions. Senior Lucas Dickman has 193 carries for 1,357 yards and 12 scores. Senior Nick Giffin has 85 tackles, while senior Hunter Houser has 16 tackles for loss. Eisenhower is plus-seven in turnover margin, while Hays High is plus-1.
These two teams are very close, but it likely comes down to Eisenhower’s defense against HHS’ experienced offensive front of center Henry Fitzthum, Will Linenberger and Kaiden Bunger. Hays High has found a way to win multiple close games this season and this could come down to the wire, too.
Other second-round games:
#9 Great Bend (6-3) at #1 Kapaun Mt. Carmel (8-1) – Kapaun
#5 Hutchinson (7-2) at #4 Maize South (7-2) – Maize South
#11 Maize (4-5) at #3 Liberal (8-1) – Liberal
Class 4A
VIEW: 4A BRACKET
4A East
Highlighted Games:
#6 St. Thomas Aquinas (6-3) at #3 Bishop Miege (8-1) – Bishop Miege
Perhaps the two best teams in the classification will meet this week with a trip to the 4A quarterfinals on the line. Bishop Miege and St. Thomas Aquinas are certainly no strangers to one another, having met 18 times over the past 16 seasons. Miege holds a slight 10-8 advantage in the series over that span. Last season’s semifinal meeting was the first between the two schools in the playoffs since 2012 when Miege upset Aquinas 9-7 in the Class 5A state semifinal.
Bishop Miege has remained atop the rankings for the entire season. The Stags lone loss came to Rockhurst (Mo.), 21-14, back in Week 4. Aquinas played Rockhurst the following week and held leads of 28-0 and 38-15 over the Hawklets before eventually losing, 45-44, in overtime. That loss proved costly for the Saints as injuries in their backfield began to mount – including leading rusher Gianni Rizzi and Calin Arndt. The Saints struggled offensively with the inexperience in the backfield the next week in a 19-7 loss to Miege. In that game, Aquinas rushed for 118 yards – less than half of the team’s average.
Aquinas is now starting to find some solutions in the backfield. Elzie Slaughter has been a constant and some combination of seniors Gavin Middendorf and Cole Richardson and junior Will Callahan have helped the Saints win two of their last three games. Quarterback Aiden Skinner has been consistent in passing for 675 yards and seven touchdowns and adding four rushing scores.
The Saints defense has been exceptional, especially in the first meeting in holding Miege out of the end zone on several red zone trips. Wyatt Potter leads the team in tackles, wihle the strength is up front with Kian Payne and JuJu Marks.
Miege had the difficult task of drawing St. James Academy in the opening round last week. The Thunder were a dangerous team despite their 2-6 record and led Miege 14-0 at halftime. Miege scored towards the later part of the fourth quarter to escape with a 21-17 win.
Marco Rodriguez leads the Stag offense and has passed for more than 1,700 yards and 17 touchdowns. David Garcia is closing in on 1,000 yards this season and has 11 touchdowns. Both will need to play well this Friday and convert red zone trips into touchdowns in order to advance.
Other second-round games:
#8 Eudora (5-4) at #1 Atchison (9-0) – Eudora
#5 Tonganoxie (7-2) at #4 Chanute (8-1) – Tonganoxie
#7 Basehor-Linwood (6-3) at #2 Louisburg (9-0) – Louisburg
4A West
Highlighted Game:
#7 McPherson (6-3) at #2 Buhler (7-2) – Buhler
The longtime rivals match up for the second time this season. In Week 8, McPherson beat Buhler, 28-26, in a game played at Wichita’s Riverfront Stadium.
McPherson has won 10 of the last 14 in the series, including eight of the last nine. Buhler, a Kpreps Potential Breakout Team this summer, has enjoyed a three-win improvement from last fall.
The run-heavy Crusaders own a victory against 5A Great Bend and two one-score losses to Andover Central and McPherson. Senior Jeffrey Neill has completed 50 of 98 passes for 731 yards with eight scores against three interceptions. Buhler sophomore tailback Ben Clouse has 145 carries for 863 yards and 17 scores. Buhler runs the ball on 75 percent of snaps, averages 5.6 yards per rush and six yards per play. Junior Brady Gotti and Will Hanen have been among the defensive leaders.
McPherson, which also lost to Great Bend in the season opener, is normally much more pass-balance than Buhler. The Bullpups have been approximately 50/50 run and pass behind senior quarterback Owen Fetsch and junior backs Carlos German and Isaac Barnett. Buhler is fifth in 4A offense with 36 points a contest and eighth in defense with 17 points permitted a game. McPherson has an average score of 27-18.
In the first meeting, McPherson went out to a 14-0 lead and was up all game. Buhler edged McPherson in total yards, 380-357. Each team had two turnovers. Buhler also fell behind, 10-0, in the Week 1 loss to Andover Central, though never trailed in a 20-14 win against Great Bend. Scoring first will be key for Buhler to take control of the game’s pace with its running attack.
Since Steve Warner took over Buhler in 2006, he is 4-3 in rematches - when he faces a team in the regular season and again in the playoffs. Buhler is 0-2 in such times when it first lost to the team in the regular season, including Andover Central in 2021. If Buhler can get out to an early lead, the Crusaders have a chance to reverse the regular season result.
Other second-round games:
#9 Rose Hill (4-5) at #1 Wamego (7-2) – Wamego
#5 Coffeyville-Field Kindley (6-3) at #4 Wellington (7-2) – Wellington
#6 Andover Central (6-3) at #3 Abilene (7-2) – Andover Central
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