In the second season of Class 4A, Division II football, only the Columbus Titans remain unbeaten entering district play.
Columbus rolled through the first five weeks of the season, but trailed for much of the game in last week’s 43-40 win over St. Mary’s Colgan.
By comparison, there were three unbeaten teams entering Week 7 a year ago; Columbus, Frontenac, and eventual champion Andale.
Last season there were only 12 of the 32 teams in the classification that began Week 7 with a record above .500. This season, there are again 12 teams with a winning record entering district play. Three of those teams are in District 1 where Royal Valley (5-1), Perry-Lecompton (4-2), and Jefferson West (3-2) will have to contend with traditional power Holton (3-3) for two playoff spots.
Osawatomie and Wichita Trinity join Royal Valley as the only teams in the class with 5-1 records.
EAST
District 1 (Gilmore)
- Royal Valley (5-1) – Royal Valley has won five straight games after a Week 1 loss to Abilene. Senior Zack Lux is a three- year starter at quarterback, while Derrick Barger is enjoying a huge season in the backfield. Barger has rushed for 1,116 yards through the Panthers’ first six games. Royal Valley has not reached the playoffs since 2005.
- Perry-Lecompton (4-2) – Perry-Lecompton has overcome a pair of close losses to open the season by winning four straight games. The Kaws fell 32-28 to Tonganoxie in Week 1, and 39-38 in overtime to Silver Lake in Week 2. Since then, the Kaws have solid wins over Baldwin (26-20), Riverside (33-0), and Sabetha (28-14). Mitchell Bond has passed for 1,205 yards and 11 scores, and rushed for 421 yards and seven touchdowns.
- Jefferson West (3-2) – The Tigers are 3-2 after an open date in Week 3. Jeff West fell 21-20 at Sabetha in Week 4, and 28-15 at Nemaha Central last week. The Tigers have reached the playoffs in each of the past three seasons, but haven’t made it past the first round since 2009.
- Holton (3-3) – Holton is 3-3 entering district play, but the Wildcats’ three losses have come to opponents that are a combined 17-1. The Wildcats average 356 yards per game on the ground and have four backs with between 389 and 369 yards rushing.
Key Games: All games in this district are key as all four of these teams would be worthy playoff participants.
Winner: Perry-Lecompton
Runner-up: Holton
District 2 (Gilmore)
- Osawatomie (5-1) – Osawatomie ended a 10-year playoff drought with a district runner-up finish a season ago. The Trojans’ only loss came 22-21 to Wellsville back in Week 3. Osawatomie is led by senior running back Riley England who has rushed for 1,562 yards and 17 touchdowns so far this season. England averages 260 yards rushing per game. For his career, England has 5,412 yards and 59 touchdowns.
- Prairie View (4-2) – After beginning the season with three wins, the Buffalos have dropped two out of their last three games. Prairie View was beaten 20-13 by Ottawa and 35-6 by Fort Scott. Senior quarterback Trent Phelps directs a Prairie View offense that has averaged nearly 26 points per game.
- Santa Fe Trail (2-4) – After a breakout 2014 season that saw the Chargers finish 9-3 and reach the 4A-II state semifinals, Santa Fe Trail has only started 2-4 this season. The Chargers won their first two games, but have dropped four straight. Three of their four losses have come by less than seven points. Junior Bryce Erickson has passed for 552 yards and seven scores, while seniors Trevor Boudeman and Daniel Courtwright lead the rush attack with 414 and 367 yards, respectively.
- Bishop Ward (0-6) – The Cyclones have been shut out in each of the last three weeks. In fact, Bishop Ward has only scored 28 points this season; 16 of which came in a 21-16 Week 1 loss to KC Sumner Academy.
Key Games: (Wk 7) Prairie View at Osawatomie; (Wk 8) Santa Fe Trail at Prairie View; (Wk 9) Osawatomie at Santa Fe Trail
Winner: Osawatomie
Runner-up: Prairie View
District 3 (Gilmore)
- Anderson County (3-3) – Give coach Greg Welch credit. After entering the season having won just one of their last 20 games, the Bulldogs are 3-3 beginning district play. Senior Chase Ratliff is a big reason for their success as he’s rushed for 794 yards and 13 touchdowns this season.
- Burlington (3-3) – Burlington has gone 3-3 in their final season in the Tri-Valley League. The Wildcats will join Anderson County and Iola in the Pioneer League next season. Burlington is averaging 18.7 points per game and is giving up 17.8 points per game.
- Girard (3-3) – Girard’s three losses have come against the upper echelon of the CNC in Galena (24-14), Columbus (61-21), and Frontenac (33-6). The Trojans are led on offense by senior Trey Eaton and junior quarterback Eric Wilson. Eaton has rushed for 476 yards and four scores, while Wilson has added 230 yards rushing and five scores. Wilson has also passed for 456 yards and four scores, but has been intercepted seven times. Junior Lindbloom has 280 receiving yards and a touchdown.
- Iola (2-4) – Iola’s four losses have come against the better top teams in the Pioneer League in Santa Fe Trail, Prairie View, Osawatomie, and Wellsville. The Mustangs have an impressive 48-33 win against an improving Labette County team. Iola hasn’t reached the playoffs since 2008.
Key Games: All games are key in a fairly even district.
Winner: Girard
Runner-up: Anderson County
District 4 (Gilmore)
- Columbus (6-0) – The top-ranked Titans breezed through their first five weeks before surviving a 43-40 test from St. Mary’s Colgan. Senior running back Jace McDown (6-0, 220) has rushed for 1,347 yards and 21 touchdowns on just 101 carries. Quarterback Trey Robinson didn’t throw an incompletion until Week 3, and has passed for 942 yards and 12 scores. Senior JaVohn Morrill and sophomore Keenan Stanley can stretch the field and make plays. Morrill has 23 catches for 571 yards and six scores, while Stanley has 11 catches for 256 yards and five scores.
- Frontenac (4-2) – Frontenac dropped its season-opener 41-37 at Osawatomie, then rattled off three straight wins before a 28-21 loss to rival Colgan. The Raiders are led by junior quarterback Brandon Mlekus who has passed for 1,044 yards and ten touchdowns and rushed for nearly 400 yards and five scores.
- Baxter Springs (2-4) – Baxter Springs has two wins in a season for the first time since 2010. The Loins opened with a 32-7 victory at Southeast-Cherokee and beat Quapaw (Okla.) 62-0. The Lions haven’t reached the postseason since 2006.
- Parsons (2-4) – Maybe the most improved team in the state, Parsons is 2-4 this season and has been competitive in losses to Fort Scott (24-7) and Independence (21-16). Marc Svaty’s team lost their 5-foot-11, 260-pound quarterback Keenan Dodd to injury a couple of weeks ago. Last week, the Vikings went to Donte Gress out of the wildcat in a 27-20, double-overtime victory at Chanute.
Key Games: (Wk 8) Columbus at Frontenac will likely decide both playoff spots.
Winner: Columbus
Runner-up: Frontenac
WEST
District 5 (Nicholl)
- Wichita Trinity (5-1) – Trinity has never made the playoffs in school history and finished No. 3 in the classification in scoring offense last season. Tyler Burns, now at Kansas State, graduated, but the Knights have played very well, including 19-7 against Cheney two weeks ago and 47-22 versus Conway Springs last week. It marked the first win versus Conway Springs in school annals. Senior quarterback Josh Osborne accounted for 304 total yards and five touchdowns. Trinity has outscored opponents 214-96.
- Andale (4-2) – The Indians, ranked No. 2 in the classification, have rolled outside of early season losses to undefeated rival Buhler in Week 1 (16-0) and a 46-45 overtime loss to Collegiate in Week 3 where the Spartans delivered a big comeback late. Andale has looked very strong in wins against Wellington and Mulvane the last two weeks. Quarterback Taylor Richter, a Hoisington transfer, had 146 rushing yards versus Mulvane last Friday.
- Clearwater (1-5) – Clearwater, a surprise playoff participant and postseason victor at 4-7 last season, has tallied just 59 points. It did give Scott City a quality game in a 30-15 Week 1 loss.
- Haven (1-5) – Haven, 2-7 each of the last two seasons and a long struggling program with no playoff appearances since 2012, won at Hillsboro (22-14) in Week 2 for its only victory. Week 7 marks its second of three straight road games.
Key Games: (Wk 7) Wichita Trinity at Andale
Winner: Andale
Runner-up: Wichita Trinity
District 6 (Nicholl)
- Chapman (3-3) – The Fighting Irish, like the rest of the NCKL, plays in a lot of close, low-scoring contests. Chapman collected a big upset, 14-10 at home, versus Southeast of Saline in Week 2, and several Trojan turnovers helped the Irish prevail. Then, Chapman lost three straight games where it tallied just 20 points and included a 6-0 overtime loss to Concordia. Chapman bounced back with a 14-9 home victory versus Marysville last week.
- Nickerson (2-4) – The Panthers entered this fall with one win in its last 21 contests, but have been one of the feel-good stories of the fall with two victories, a 45-13 win at Lyons in Week 3, and a 26-25 home victory against Larned in Week 4. Nickerson also has two losses by a combined 13 points. Nickerson has not reached the playoffs since 2007.
- Smoky Valley (2-4) – Tim Lambert, after long successful stints at St. Francis and Concordia, has had trouble with offense in his first year with the Vikings. Smoky Valley has scored zero points in three contests and six points in another.
- Wamego (1-5) – Wamego, 8-2 in 2014, has taken a big step back under first-year coach Lee Weber, formerly at Council Grove. The Red Raiders graduated a talented senior class a season ago, and have scored 19 or fewer points in all five losses and dropped two games by eight points each.
Key Games: All games will be key in a district that has no favorite or standout team. Nickerson has a slight edge with home games versus Smoky Valley and Chapman in the first two weeks.
Winner: Nickerson
Runner-up: Chapman
District 7 (Nicholl)
- Concordia (4-2) – First-year coach Austin Kingsbury has kept the Panthers among the top teams in 4A-II after an 8-3 season in 2014. The Panthers won the district last year and finished fourth in scoring defense at 13 points per contest. This season, the Panthers have allowed just 10.3 points per contest and delivered three shutouts.
- Clay Center (3-3) – Clay Center has three losses, but it came in a 48-13 defeat to Rossville and a 35-14 loss at undefeated Abilene last week. The Tigers fell 6-3 in overtime to Marysville in Week 4 in a contest played in brutal weather conditions. Clay Center finished 3-6 last season, and returned eight starters on both sides of the ball and has averaged 20.6 points per contest, up from 13.9 last fall.
- Goodland (3-3) – Coach Jeff Savage has delivered several big turnarounds with his Air Raid offense. The Cowboys went 3-6 last fall, and have matched that win total. Goodland has struggled against elite teams Holcomb, Scott City and Ulysses (all losses by at least 27 points), but did score 22 at Ulysses and 14 at Scott City. Goodland averages 27.1 points per contest after it averaged 24.5 in 2014. However, the defense has seen a slight improvement from 41.4 in 2014 to 37.3 this year.
- Colby (1-5) – Colby has routinely given quality teams fits the last couple of years behind a solid defense. Last year, it was 1-5 entering districts but upset Clay Center to get into the playoffs at 3-6. Last week, Colby broke through with a 20-7 home win against Norton for its first win. It also lost just 13-6 to Oakley at home and 27-16 to Ulysses at home. In home games this season, Colby is minus -6.3 in game margin. In road games, it jumps to minus -26.3. Colby gets both Clay Center and Goodland at home.
Key Games: This is going to be a close district with three defensive-minded teams and Goodland’s Air Raid. Colby has the opportunity to pull the upset again and will keep the games close, but Clay Center is better than 2014.
Winner: Concordia
Runner-up: Clay Center
District 8 (Nicholl)
- Holcomb (4-2) – Holcomb, ranked No. 1 in the classification for the first part of the year, took a 34-20 loss at Ulysses and a 15-7 home loss to Scott City. However, the Longhorns have scored at least 42 points in all four wins and are one of 4A-II’s most dominant offensive teams. Senior quarterback Trey Teeter leads the offense that has passed for 221 yards a game and rushed or 161. The defense has picked off 12 passes, four from senior Braden Showalter.
- Pratt (4-2) – Pratt has played in three straight close games entering districts, a 23-19 win at Kingman, a 27-20 home victory versus Nickerson and a 14-7 loss to Hesston last week. The passing game has a 4/6 TD/INT ratio, but the rushing attack has averaged 148 yards per contest. Freshman Travis Theis has moved from the backfield to quarterback and leads his team with 92 carries for 351 yards and six scores.
- Larned (3-3) – Larned lost multiple close games in a 4-5 season in 2014. The Indians returned senior quarterback Evan Skelton and a big offensive line. The Indians have lost two road games by a combined three points, but are 3-0 at home with each win by at least 22 points. The Indians averaged 16 points a contest and allowed 17.4 in 2014. This season, it’s 29.3 for the offense, 20.8 for the defense.
- Hugoton (2-4) – Hugoton has home wins against Colby and Southwestern Heights, 27-8 and 33-8, respectively. However, the Eagles are 0-3 on the road and get Pratt and Larned on the road for districts.
Key Games: (Wk 9) Larned at Pratt for the runner-up spot.
Winner: Holcomb
Runner-up: Pratt
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