Each week throughout the regular season, The Pick List will feature a few of the best match-ups across the state, and make our predictions on a handful of other games.
Feature Games of the Week:
Buhler (2-0) at 5A No. 5 Great Bend (2-0)
Great Bend is ranked fifth in Class 5A, while Buhler is just outside the 4A top-five poll. Buhler coach Steve Warner has 277 career wins, among the best in state history.
Buhler won this contest last year, 20-14, when the Crusaders took an early lead and ground the game away behind their traditionally excellent running attack. The Crusaders eventually finished 7-3. Great Bend went 6-4, including a 0-4 record in single figure contests. Great Bend was a 2024 preseason Kpreps Potential Breakout Team, while Buhler was expected to be a major playoff contender.
While each squad is known for its offensive skill threats, Great Bend had the No. 5 defense in Class 5A last fall, and Buhler ranked eighth in Class 4A. The defenses have been excellent to start 2024.
Great Bend earned a 28-6 win at McPherson and a 26-14 home victory against Olathe South. Olathe South has scored 51 points in its other two contests, while McPherson posted 28 points in its Week 2 victory.
The Crusaders opened with a 28-7 win against Mulvane and a 43-14 victory versus Augusta. Mulvane, expected to be much improved this season, held Buhler scoreless in the first quarter before the Crusaders tallied 28 unanswered points. Buhler held Mulvane to 19 rushing yards, along with 170 passing yards on 33 attempts. Buhler rushed for 271 yards and all four of its touchdowns came on short runs.
Last week, Buhler’s run game quicky built an 18-0 advantage.
Jaxon Pratt, Jacob Miller and Will Hanen were defensive standouts. They combined for 14 tackles, five for loss. Ben Clouse, an all-state back, enjoyed a big night with 33 carries for 215 yards and four scores against Augusta. He rushed for 113 yards in the opener. Buhler outgained Augusta, 352-103, and posted 306 rushing yards. The Crusaders finished five of 12 in third down conversions.
Great Bend junior Daxton Minton is one of the state’s top returning quarterbacks. He impressed early with 23 of 34 for 261 yards with two scores against one interception. Sophomore Cooper Ohnmacht, a superb versatile athlete, has thrown two passes, both for scores, from five and 40 yards out.
Senior Jace Schartz has enjoyed a breakout year with 22 carries for 211 yards, including a 79-yard TD. Junior Ian Premer has double-digit Power 5 offers and delivered six carries for 76 yards and a touchdown. Ohnmacht has 12 catches for 128 yards and a score.
Seven of the top-eight tacklers are non-seniors. Junior Trenton Kern has enjoyed a huge year with 23 tackles, while junior Conner Holladay has posted 18 stops.
Last year, Buhler was able to take control of the game – and could do so again Friday. While Minton and Premer are well-known players statewide, Ohnmacht and the standout defense could be the difference for the Panthers.
Our Pick: Great Bend 24, Buhler 16 (Nicholl)
4A No. 4 Wamego (2-0) at 3A No. 5 Marysville (2-0)
Two of the favorites in the North Central Kansas League will meet this week when 4A No. 4 Wamego makes the trip to 3A No. 5 Marysville.
Expectations remained high for Wamego despite the Red Raiders graduating several key players from last season’s 4A state semifinal finish. The Red Raiders return key players on defense and have a talented group of underclassmen. The result has been a dominating defense that has allowed eight total points through two weeks.
Last week, Wamego shut out a strong 3A contender in Rock Creek, 20-0. Quarterback Logan Fulton tossed touchdown passes to Drew Erickson and Tate Warren in the win over the Mustangs. Jackson Tubbs also added a rushing touchdown in the victory.
While Wamego was expected to be near the top of the NCKL, Marysville has been one of the state’s top early-season surprises. The Bulldogs opened with a 16-8 win over two-time defending 2A champion Nemaha Central. The win snapped the Thunder’s 26-game win streak. Tony Trimble’s Bulldogs were coming off a 3-6 season in 2023.
Last week, Marysville followed that big victory up with a 38-0 shutout of Hiawatha. Quarterback Will Otott rushed for a score and tossed a touchdown pass to Keagan Warders. Grant Haefele and Nate Schotte also added rushing scores, while Schotte helped the Bulldogs pull away by returning the second-half kickoff 75 yards for a touchdown.
Marysville moved into the Class 3A rankings at No. 5 last week. To remain in the poll, the Bulldogs will have to pull off another upset of a ranked team, but the Red Raider defense has been playing at a really high level.
Our Pick: Wamego 24, Marysville 8 (Gilmore)
1A No. 2 Medicine Lodge (2-0) at 1A No. 5 Moundridge (2-0)
Medicine Lodge enjoyed a six-win improvement last season and had its best year since the ‘80s last fall. The Indians have set a goal to win Class 1A. Moundridge experienced a major turnaround in 2023 at the eight-man level with new coach Tyler O’Connor. The Wildcats finished with a 9-1 mark, a plus-three win improvement. That marked Moundridge’s most victories since 2004.
Medicine Lodge senior Keveon Ruiz is among the state’s top quarterbacks and a returning all-state player. He has completed just 44 percent of his passes, but for 399 yards with six scores against two interceptions. He has rushed 16 times for 218 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Sophomore Mason Ricke posted 14 carries for 93 yards and a TD, while junior Braxx Farr has 19 rushed for 138 yards and two scores. The top-three and four of the leading five tacklers are seniors: Durham Nittler, Skyler Smith, Sawyer Stone and Ruiz.
Medicine Lodge has 7.9 yards per rush and 9.6 yards per pass attempt with an offense that has outscored two teams, 96-10. However, Moundridge should easily be the Indians’ toughest thus far - and opens a major gauntlet for the Indians. Week 4, Medicine Lodge is home against Conway Springs before a home game against Sterling.
Moundridge has opened with a pair of road wins: 43-6 against Bennington and 28-7 versus Sterling. The yardage was closer than the final score against Sterling. Moundridge outgained the Black Bears, 297-233. All but two of Sterling’s yards came on the ground. However, Sterling had two fumbles, both interceptions, and went 2 of 9 on third down. Senio quarterback Henry Hecox and junior wide receiver Kaizer Kanitz pace the offense.
Week 3 opens a stretch of three straight home games for the Wildcats. Moundridge paced Eight-Man, Division I in scoring defense last season with O’Connor, formerly a first team all-state linebacker at Sharon Springs and the Canton-Galva defensive coordinator.
This game will help sift the logjam in a deep Class 1A. Thus far, Medicine Lodge and Conway Springs have separated themselves. Moundridge is a strong team with a great quarterback, but the overall edge goes to the Indians.
Our Pick: Medicine Lodge 28, Moundridge 16 (Nicholl)
8M-II No. 1 Axtell (2-0) at Chase County (1-1)
Top-ranked Axtell may face an early season challenge when the Eagles visit traditional Eight-Man, Division I contender Chase County.
Axtell is the three-time defending Eight-Man, Division II champions and winners of 41 consecutive games. The Eagles have opened with dominant wins over Linn (76-6) and Washington County (70-0).
Axtell features several of the state’s top players including Kansas-commit Brandon Schmelzle. Schmelzle produced more than 2,350 yards of total offense and accounted for 50 touchdowns last season for the Eagles. He rushed for 790 yards and 21 scores, while passing for 1,571 yards and 29 touchdowns.
In addition to Schmelzle, Axtell has multiple weapons on offense. Eli Broxterman returns after more than 600 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns a season ago to go along with 520 receiving yards and ten scores. Landon Schmitz, Colin Shaughnessy, and Wyatt Detweiler provide the Eagles with several explosive playmakers on offense.
Schmelzle has thrown seven touchdowns passes through two weeks, while Broxterman has rushed for three touchdowns and caught a pair of touchdown passes. Shaughnessy had four catches for 117 receiving yards and two scores in last week’s win over Washington County.
The road trip to Cottonwood Falls to take on Chase County may be Axtell’s biggest challenge until a pair of late-season showdowns with Twin Valley League rivals Hanover and Frankfort. The Bulldogs have been a consistent playoff program in the past several years. Chase County opened with a 42-22 loss to 8M-I No. 2 Little River before rebounding with a resounding 70-14 win over Wichita Independent last week.
Chase County’s Luke Budke rushed for 155 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the win over Independent. He also returned a punt, a kickoff, and an interception for touchdowns in the game. Budke is joined by Wyatt Griffin who produced more than 200 yards of total offense and two touchdowns in the loss to Little River in the season-opener.
Chase County will give Axtell its toughest test of the young season, but the Eagles are still really talented.
Our Pick: Axtell 58, Chase County 12 (Gilmore)
The Pick List:
4A No. 3 Bishop Miege (0-2) at Blue Valley West (1-1) – Blue Valley West
6A No. 3 Blue Valley Northwest (2-0) at St. James Academy (1-1) – BV Northwest
Junction City (1-1) at Wichita Northwest (2-0) – Wichita Northwest
Lawrence Free State (1-1) at 5A No. 1 Mill Valley (1-1) – Mill Valley
6A No. 5 Manhattan (2-0) at Hays (1-1) – Manhattan
Basehor-Linwood (2-0) at Shawnee Heights (1-1) – Basehor-Linwood
5A No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas (2-0) at 5A No. 2 Blue Valley (2-0) – Blue Valley
Arkansas City (1-1) at 4A No. 1 Andover Central (2-0) – Andover Central
Clay Center (1-1) at 4A No. 5 Louisburg (2-0) – Louisburg
Clearwater (2-0) at Wellington (0-2) – Wellington
McPherson (1-1) at Chanute (2-0) – McPherson
Garden Plain (1-1) at 3A No. 2 Cheney (2-0) – Cheney
Hoisington (0-2) at Scott City (1-1) – Scott City
Prairie View (2-0) at Wellsville (2-0) – Wellsville
Beloit (2-0) at 2A No. 2 Southeast of Saline (2-0) – SE Saline
Rossville (0-2) at 2A No. 4 Nemaha Central (1-1) – Nemaha Central
Smith Center (0-2) at 2A No. 1 Norton (2-0) – Norton
8M-I No. 1 Hoxie (2-0) at Ellis (2-0) – Hoxie
Madison (1-1) at 8M-II No. 5 Burlingame (2-0) – Burlingame
Waverly (1-1) at Lebo (2-0) – Lebo
Cheylin (1-1) at 6M No. 2 Ingalls (2-0) – Ingalls
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