New to Kpreps this fall is our most important performance of the week powered by Athletic Strength Institute (ASI). Each Sunday our experts will hand out helmet stickers to a team or individual that delivered the most important performance of the week in their opinion.
Check out Athletic Strength Institute (ASI) – building better athletes in Lawrence (Kan.) and the surrounding area. If you mention Kpreps, you will receive a free initial screening and 15% off your initial training package. Check them out online at AthleticSI.com and follow ASI on Twitter @AthleticSI or Facebook
Athletic Strength Institute (ASI) – MOST IMPORTANT THING (Week 7)
Use Modified Strongman Training In-Season to Improve Strength and Power
Modified strongman training can be a useful tool for in-season training. A great way to build strength and power in the lower body is through the use of sleds and Prowlers.
A primary benefit sleds have over traditional lower body barbell and dumbbell exercises is the elimination of the eccentric – or lowering – portion (contraction) of the lift. Removing the lowering portion of a lift diminishes the subsequent soreness that accompanies it.
Sled pushes, pulls, lateral pulls, etc. can replace a lot of the traditional lower body weight-room exercises. Working with sleds still allows the development of the "athletic chassis" - the major muscles of the legs, hips, and lower back - without the soreness that often accompanies traditional weight-room exercises.
For more information on how to adjust training volumes contact chris@athleticsi.com.
Helmet sticker: Dighton (Conor Nicholl – Kpreps)
Dighton’s offense, led by senior quarterback Tyler Lingg and senior wide receiver Dylan Foos, have received plenty of credit for the Hornets’ 7-0 start and rise to the top of Eight-Man, Division II. Lingg is a four-year starter with a 23/1 TD/INT ratio this fall, and Foos has more than 700 receiving yards and 14 receiving touchdowns. Dighton has averaged 53 points a contest.
But the Hornets’ defense also deserves praise. Dighton allowed 29 points a game in a 5-4 season last year. This year, Dighton has permitted just 13.4 points a contest including wins versus Wallace County (42-32) and Otis-Bison (36-30) the last two weeks. Hanover and Dighton are the lone undefeated squads in Division II.
Dighton switched to a 3-2 defense in 2015 and has significantly improved in its second year in the scheme. Coach Ken Simon said Dighton’s significant weight room work has paid off on the defensive side, especially in run defense. In the first six wins, Dighton had permitted 3.2 yards a rush and 88.5 rushing yards a game. The defense is designed to bend but not break and give up big plays.
In the last-minute 36-30 victory against Otis-Bison, Dighton allowed 68 snaps for 328 yards but just 4.7 yards per play. Earlier this season, Otis-Bison had averaged 8.4 yards per play in a 42-28 loss to unbeaten Central Plains, and 4.6 yards per play in a 28-20 defeat versus Wallace County in Week 5. Against Otis-Bison, Lingg finished with three tackles for loss, two sacks and a batted pass. Sophomore Dalton Hoffman had 1.5 TFLs, while juniors Logan Lingg and Max Cummins each recorded a tackle for loss, and senior Lake Lewis had the key interception in the end zone late in the fourth quarter that led to the game-winning score.
Helmet sticker: Goddard (Matt Gilmore -- Kpreps)
The Goddard Lions seem to be gaining momentum as the season progresses. The Lions quickly turned an anticipated showdown at unbeaten Valley Center into a rout on Friday night by scoring 42 first-half points en route to a 49-7 win. The backfield duo of junior quarterback Blake Sullivan and senior running back Kody Gonzalez have paced a Lion offense that averages 41 points per game, but has put up more than 50 points per game in the last five weeks.
Against Valley Center, Sullivan completed 9 of 11 passes for 166 yards and four touchdowns. He also added 114 rushing yards and a score on 12 carries. Gonzalez led the Lions in rushing with 153 yards and a touchdown, and he also caught a 59-yard touchdown pass. Bryant Mocaby caught two Sullivan touchdown passes, while Owen Beason caught the other. Not to be outdone, the Lions defense limited Valley Center to 57 rush yards on 32 attempts, and only 182 yards of total offense.
For the season, Sullivan has passed for 1,037 yards and 19 touchdowns with only one incerception. He’s added 560 rush yards and eight scores. Gonzalez has 898 yards rushing and seven touchdowns. Four players, including Gonzalez, have more than 200 receiving yards on the year.
Goddard (6-1) broke into the Kpreps 5A rankings last week, and the Lions are in the conversation for one of the top seeds on the western half of Class 5A. The Lions can wrap up the AVCTL-II title with a win at Newton this week. Goddard is 21-25 in Scott Vang’s five years as coach, reaching the postseason every year except for 2013. Goddard hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2007 team reached the state semifinals.
Helmet sticker: Lakeside-Downs (John Baetz – Kansas Pregame)
After losing 19 straight games, including the first four of this season, the Knights are now on a three-game winning streak and in the driver's seat for the 8-Man II, District 5 championship. Senior quarterback Dawson Johnson has been a catalyst for Lakeside’s recent offensive explosion. The Knights have averaged 66 points a game over the last three weeks. Johnson continued the trend with more than 300 yards passing and eight touchdowns in Friday's win over Thunder Ridge.
Helmet sticker: St. Paul (Chet Kuplen -- Sports in Kansas)
The Indians, led by head coach Keith Wiatrak, are off to an undefeated start and have seven wins for the first time since 2008, when they finished 7-3. St. Paul’s defense has been outstanding in 2016, allowing a touchdown or less in five of their seven wins. The Indians took care of business as they defeated league rival Marmaton Valley, 56-8, on Friday night.
The last time the Indians made the playoffs was 2010 when they lost in the first round to Central Burden. St. Paul is currently 3-0 in 8M-I, District 1, while West Elk, who St. Paul beat is 2-1, Sedan is 2-1, Marmaton Valley is 2-1, Madison is 1-2, and Southern Coffey County is 0-3. With two weeks remaining they have two district games with Southern Coffey County (1-6, 0-3 district) and Sedan (6-1, 2-1 district).
Helmet Stickers (2016 Season)
Week 1 – Atchison, Holcomb, Mill Valley, St. Francis
Week 2 – Hoisington, Junction City, Plainville, St. Marys
Week 3 – Central Plains, Great Bend, Topeka Seaman, Valley Center
Week 4 – Clifton-Clyde, Coffeyville, Lawrence, Osborne
Week 5 – Logan-Palco, Phillipsburg, Pittsburg, Santa Fe Trail
Week 6 – Frontenac, Spring Hill, Thomas More Prep, Topeka Hayden
Week 7 -- Dighton, Goddard, Lakeside-Downs, St. Paul
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