Class 2-1A
2-1A East: No. 1 Centralia (11-0) at No. 5 Lyndon (11-0)
The Centralia Panthers will travel to face the Lyndon Tigers in a battle of Class 2-1A unbeaten.
Centralia has scored 530 points, while allowing only 46 points all season. Lyndon has scored 549 points, while allowing 172.
The Panther defense has recorded six shutouts this season, including last week’s 36-0 win against Olpe.
Centralia’s offense is directed by quarterback J.T. Rosine, who has passed for about 500 yards. Sam Steinlage has rushed for more than 1,000 yards. Steinlage and Brett Burdiek are among the team’s defensive leaders.
Lyndon quarterback Joe Walsh returned during the Tigers’ 37-8 quarterfinal win against Troy and completed 6 of 12 passes for 72 yards and a touchdown. Walsh has thrown for more than 1,300 yards on the season.
Senior Josh Owens has rushed for almost 12 yards per carry as he has 1,928 yards and 25 touchdowns. Junior Dawson Swinehart has been the big-play threat with 21 catches for 553 yards and seven touchdowns. Cameron Woodruff has 31 catches for 348 yards and three touchdowns.
Owens leads the Tiger defense with 100 tackles.
Centralia defeated Lyndon 34-14 in the semifinals last year. Expect a similar result this time.
Centralia 35, Lyndon 21 (Schremmer)
No. 2 Meade (10-1) vs. No. 3 La Crosse (11-0)
Arguably the premier Class 2-1A rivalry, Meade and La Crosse meet up in the playoffs for the fourth straight season. The two teams faced off for decades in district play, but the Leopards won every meeting before Meade defeated La Crosse in Week 9 of the 2009 regular season.
Meade won at La Crosse in the 2010 playoffs en route to the state championship – the only home loss of the Leopards’ current senior class careers.
In 2011, La Crosse won at Meade in the second round and eventually lost in overtime to Centralia in the state championship. Last year, Meade defeated La Crosse at home in the sub-state and won the state crown in thrilling fashion versus Centralia.
Last week, Meade and Smith Center were close in the first half, but the Buffs had a dominant defensive effort en route to a 28-0 victory. La Crosse won 12-7 at Oakley in one of – if not the best game - in Kansas this year. The Leopards scored on fourth down with 22 seconds remaining and then held Oakley after the Plainsmen executed a perfect hook-and-ladder.
La Crosse has a balanced attack with 172 passing yards and 214 rushing yards per game. Junior quarterback Jack Garcia, who rushed for the first TD and threw for the second one last Friday, has completed 81 of 145 passes for 1,833 yards with a 27/6 TD/INT ratio.
Four players have between 354 and 825 yards, but senior Marshall Jay, moved to the backfield midway through the year had a a game and career-high 98 rushing yards on 14 carries last Friday. Senior Taylor Yohe has 23 catches for 662 yards and 11 scores, while junior Andrew Jay has 1,795 all-purpose yards. Senior Cody Lee has 22 tackles for loss and Marshall Jay has 16.
Meade, in its traditional single-wing, grind-it-out offense, has averaged 442 yards per game, including 371 on the ground. Senior Jett Little has completed 43 of 69 passes for 740 yards with a 13/6 TD/INT and carried 206 times for 1,407 yards and 31 scores. Senior Morgan Olvera – a rare four-year starter, has 171 carries for 1,331 yards and 13 scores.
The major key is third and fourth down. Meade always moves the chains and consistently wears down teams; it had a 20-7 first down edge and a 67-44 advantage in plays in the win over Smith Center.
La Crosse scored both of its touchdowns on fourth down against Oakley and had several big third/fourth down plays, including catches from Andrew Jay and Marshall Jay.
This is going to be a great contest, but the Leopards playing at home and Garcia’s improvement from last season makes La Crosse a slight favorite.
La Crosse 22, Meade 20 (Nicholl)
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