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:
6A No. 3 Junction City (3-1) at 5A No. 3 Hays High (3-1)
Hays High will face its fourth ranked team in five weeks when the Indians host Junction City. These teams have met five times since 2018. Hays High is 3-2 against Junction City in that stretch, including three straight victories. Hays High has won 33-21, 20-14 and 27-17 the last three years.
Hays, 2-0 on its new turf, has its last non-conference game of the year. Junction City defeated rival Manhattan, 28-14, and claimed the Silver Trophy. Manhattan was ranked No. 1 in 6A and had beaten Hays High, 10-8, the week prior.
The Silver Trophy, among the state’s biggest and longest tenured rivalries, has frequently gone to the non-favorite in the last decade. Junction City forced six turnovers in the win. The Bluejays trailed 7-0 before they tied the contest on a Lance Norris touchdown run. Conrad Gomez threw two touchdown passes to Lovell Autry.
Hays High rolled over Garden City, 48-20, in a game that was 35-0 in the second quarter. Holden Lind is among the state’s top backs with 93 carries for 556 yards and six scores. Senior Zane Viegra, a first-year starter, has thrown for 340 yards with three scores against two interceptions. Braxton Basgall, known for his speed, has 8.7 yards per carry. He has four offensive TDs on 29 touches. Tanner Geist, a returning first team all-state defensive lineman, has 34 tackles, 10 for two sacks, one interception and two fumble recoveries – all numbers that are tied for the lead or pace the team.
Transitive property of scores shows Junction City ahead of Hays High. However, the Silver Trophy game is often an upset – and the winner sometimes has a loss the next week. Hays High, paced by junior Gus Corsair (P5 recruit), has an excellent running game. Hays has permitted just 17.5 points this season. The Indians pull away in the second half and hang on for another close victory.
Our Pick: Hays 24, Junction City 17 (Nicholl)
3A No. 5 Scott City (3-0) at Hugoton (4-0)
A huge contest in the Greater West Athletics Conference and in 3A District 8 as No. 5 Scott City (3-0) will travel to take on unbeaten Hugoton. Hugoton (4-0), Holcomb (4-0) and Scott City (3-0) are atop the GWAC standings and Class 3A, District 8.
Hugoton has been incredibly dominant with a 49-0 win against Southwestern Heights and 28-6 versus Ulysses, both significantly struggling programs. Then, Hugoton beat Lakin, 62-7, and defeated Colby, 63-18.
The Eagles have started 4-0 in three of the past four seasons. Last year, against the same teams, Hugoton opened 3-0, fell to Colby, 21-17, and took a big loss to Scott City, 50-0, in a game where the Eagles were held under 80 yards of total offense. Hugoton didn’t make the playoffs in 2024, but finished 6-3.
Scott City had its highly anticipated Week 3 contest against Hoisington cancelled because of weather. The Beavers have won their games by a collective, 113-13 margin. Both touchdowns the Beavers have allowed have come via an opponent’s kickoff return.
Scott City is 3-0 for the first time since 2019. Last week, Scott City beat Ulysses, 44-7. Drew Metzger has enjoyed a nice year at quarterback, including 219 passing yards against Ulysses, per Western Kansas News. Cayden Couchman and Peyton Bergner have been the top receivers. Matthew Wheeler has been the leading back.
For Hugoton, sophomore Adrian Adigun had six receptions for 257 yards and three scores in the 4-0 start. He also picked off three passes and returned one for a score. Hugoton is second in offense and third in 3A defense.
Hugoton has lost 13 straight in the series dating back to 2005.
Hugoton has enjoyed another nice start, but can they slow down a Scott City offense that produced 491 yards last week?
Our Pick: Scott City 35, Hugoton 20 (Nicholl)
Council Grove (4-0) at Osage City (4-0)
Osage City has been ranked third in Class 2A all season, while Council Grove sits just outside the top-5. This is a huge game in Class 2A, District 3. The district was arguably the best for all classes last year. Council Grove eventually went to the state semifinals, the best season in school history. The Braves are 4-0, 1-0 in district, while Osage City stands at 4-0, 0-0. Silver Lake is 2-2, 1-0. Riley County (1-3, 0-1) and St. Marys (2-2, 0-1) round out the district. Council Grove beat Riley County, 28-26, last week.
This game will also decide the 11-man Flint Hills League title.
Osage City has won nine straight in the series, though the last three games have been extremely close: 29-28, 15-8 and 26-20.
Osage City is known more its offense, particularly passing, while Council Grove again has an excellent defense. Council Grove is fourth in 2A with just 40 points allowed. Osage City is first in offense with 223 points and seventh defense. Council Grove first-year head coach Derron Reddick, formerly the defensive coordinator, has led the Braves’ defense to No. 8, No. 2 and No. 10 defenses in 2A the last three years. Osage City has been seventh, 15th and ninth in 2A defense in that span, per the Sunflower Sports Solutions database. However, Osage City has been second, third, fifth and third in 2A offense the last four years.
Senior Kasen Parsons has completed 47 of 61 passes for 893 yards and 12 scores against no interceptions. The Indians have averaged 192 rushing yards and 7.8 yards per carry. Parsons has delivered 32 carries for 313 yards and six touchdowns. Senior Quenten Stark is among the state’s top receivers with 16 catches for 358 yards and seven scores. Osage City throws the ball on 42 percent of snaps, one of 2A’s highest rates.
Council Grove junior quarterback Reid Buttrey has completed 36 of 63 passes for 509 yards with eight scores against one interception. The Braves have averaged 136 rushing yards per game and 4.5 yards per carry. Junior David McDiffett has 47 tackles, while junior Bradley Doornbos has seven tackles for loss. Kayden Schmidt also enjoyed a nice game with eight tackles and a forced fumble. Gunner Gleason had four pancake blocks.
This should be a very good game – Council Grove has pulled some upsets in recent years as Reddick and former coach Butch Hayes built the program. Osage City has the slight nod with more offensive firepower, but don’t be surprised if the Braves win.
Our Pick: Osage City 27, Council Grove 26 (Nicholl)
Inman (3-1) at Marion (4-0)
A key matchup in Class 1A, District 6 features Inman traveling to take on unbeaten Marion. The Teutons and Warriors are part of a competitive district that also features playoff contender Moundridge and traditional contender Sedgwick.
Marion is one of six remaining unbeaten teams in Class 1A after four weeks. The Warriors have averaged 47 points per game in victories over Herington, Douglass, Bennington, and Sedgwick.
Marion’s 24-14 win over Douglass in Week 2 took on an elevated level of meaning after the Bulldogs throttled two-time defending 1A champion Conway Springs, 44-3, one week later. Marion the picked up consecutive road wins at Bennington (60-6) and at Sedgwick (42-8).
In last week’s win over Sedgwick, Jameson Looper rushed for 213 yards and scored three touchdowns. As a junior last fall, Looper rushed for 1,300 yards and 17 touchdowns. He benefits from experienced guys up front like Jackson Howard, Hitch Soyez, and Kadon Mercer. Cameron Krause added a pair of touchdowns in the Sedgwick win.
Inman rebounded from its lone loss of the season with a 54-0 shutout of Whitewater-Remington last week. Malachi Brunk passed for 150 yards and two touchdowns and added 149 yards rushing with two more scores.
It was a good response for Coach Lance Sawyer’s team after pushing No. 2 ranked Sterling in a 60-47 loss the week before. While the Teutons struggled to slow down Zane Farney and the Black Bears run game, the Inman offense was productive in scoring 47 points. Sterling has allowed only 29 combined points in their three other games this season. Brunk threw three touchdown passes and rushed for another score in the loss. Kru Harris also returned a kickoff for a touchdown.
Inman quietly has reinserted itself as a contender in Class 1A. The Teutons may have been forgotten about after combining for a 7-11 record over the past two seasons. However, from 2020-2022, the Teutons went 31-6 including consecutive state championship game appearances where they finished as runners-up to Olpe (2021) and St. Marys (2022). Inman fell to Oakley in the 2020 state semifinal game.
With a healthy group of returning players on offense, Inman may have the athletes to make another deep playoff run. Marion will present a significant challenge, and the winner of this contest will have an in-road to a top two district seed and home playoff games.
Our Pick: Marion 27, Inman 26 (Gilmore)
The Pick List:
Hutchinson (3-1) at Derby (2-2) – Derby
4A No. 1 Kapaun Mt. Carmel (4-0) at Wichita Southeast (3-1) – Kapaun
Lawrence Free State (3-1) at Olathe South (2-2) – Olathe South
Shawnee Mission Northwest (2-2) at 5A No. 4 Mill Valley (3-1) – Mill Valley
KC Washington (4-0) at Atchison (3-1) – Atchison
4A No. 2 Bishop Miege (2-2) at 5A No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (4-0) – Aquinas
4A No. 5 Ottawa (3-1) at Spring Hill (3-1) – Spring Hill
4A No. 3 Buhler (3-1) at Wamego (2-2) – Buhler
2A No. 4 Hoisington (3-0) at Cheney (3-1) – Cheney
Jefferson West (3-1) at Holton (3-1) – Holton
3A No. 5 Rock Creek (3-1) at Clay Center (3-1) – Rock Creek
Wellsville (2-2) at Santa Fe Trail (4-0) – Santa Fe Trail
Wichita Collegiate (2-2) at Pratt (3-1) – Pratt
Haven (4-0) at 2A No. 5 Garden Plain (3-1) – Garden Plain
Medicine Lodge (2-2) at 1A No. 2 Sterling (4-0) – Sterling
Thomas More Prep-Marian (2-1) at 1A No. 5 Smith Center (4-0) – TMP
8M-I No. 5 Lyndon (3-0) at Flinthills (3-1) – Lyndon
Hill City (3-1) at St. Francis (3-1) – Hill City
Pratt-Skyline (4-0) at Oxford (3-0) – Oxford
Burlingame (3-1) at Lebo (3-1) – Burlingame
Use your Facebook account to add a comment or start a discussion. Posts are subject to Facebook's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. Your Facebook name, photo & other personal information you make public on Facebook will appear with your comment.
