Back to Kpreps this fall, our contributors will hand out helmet stickers to a team or individual that delivered the most important performance of the week in their opinion. Check back each Sunday to see that week’s helmet stickers, and follow @Kpreps on Twitter and Facebook to watch as the Kpreps helmet fills up with stickers as the season goes on.
Helmet sticker: Â Burrton Chargers & Wetmore Cardinals (Matt Gilmore -- Kpreps)
I’ll pass out stickers to a pair of teams that pick up their first win in some time. Congratulations to Chris Jensen and the Burrton Chargers for snapping a 17-game losing streak on Friday with a 66-40 win over Fairfield.
Corey Smith tossed five touchdown passes in the win, including two each to Dustin Hughes and Bryce Meacham. Hughes also added a pair of scoring runs.
The victory was only the second for Burrton since 2011. The Chargers had dropped 54 of their past 55 games. Burrton reached the sub-state semifinals in 2002 and 2003, but has since posted a 15-103 record.
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Congratulations to coach Rick Schnacker and the Wetmore Cardinals for picking up the program’s first victory in more than 30 years with a 60-18 win over Valley Falls on Friday night.
Wetmore resurrected its football program last season for its first full season since 1987. Wetmore players had long since participated at surrounding schools including a long-standing cooperative agreement with Centralia as recently as 2014.Â
While the Cardinals finished 0-9 last year in their first full KSHSAA-sanctioned season, Wetmore dropped four games by less than 15 points including single-digit losses to Madison and Blue Valley Randolph.
On Friday, the Cardinals trailed 18-16 after the first quarter, but scored three times in the second quarter to build a 40-18 halftime lead. Joel Hutfles and Kyler Vance added touchdowns in the fourth quarter as the Cardinals pulled away. Wetmore hosts Twin Valley League rival Onaga (0-1) next week.
Helmet sticker:Â Pittsburg Purple Dragons (Chet Kuplen -- Sports in Kansas)
Pittsburg High knocked off the defending Missouri Class 4 champion Harrisonville Wildcats, 37-21 on Friday night at Hutchinson Field in Pittsburg.
Why is this so impressive? Harrisonville won last year’s opener 28-7 in a game in which Pittsburg lost quarterback Chase Curtis to injury and went on to commit six turnovers. Entering Friday, Harrisonville was ranked No. 2 in Missouri Class 4 and carrying a 2-0 record with two weeks of game experience over the Purple Dragons.
What’s more, Pittsburg also replaced nine defensive starters from a year ago. Curtis opened his senior season passing for 260 yards and three touchdowns including two touchdown tosses and 160 yards to junior Dylan White. This victory was an eye-opener for many, and could spring-board the Purple Dragons to a solid 2017 season.
Helmet sticker: St. James Academy (Conor Nicholl – Kpreps)
Last season, St. James opened as a top-five Class 5A team and possible state title contender. St. James started with Mill Valley, which had massive graduation losses from its ’15 state squad. Mill Valley defeated the Thunder, 35-13, and again, 28-14, in the playoffs en route to its second straight 5A state title.
On Friday, St. James delivered a 45-21 victory against Mill Valley, ranked second in the Class 5A preseason poll. St. James Academy, its short history, had been 0-4 against the Jaguars, including district losses in ’14 (17-14) and ’15 (45-14).
The Thunder muffed the opening kickoff and opened its drive at the 4-yard line, but went 96 yards for the score.
The Thunder, who returned three offensive and seven defensive starters, rushed for 258 yards, including 19 carries for 125 yards and three TDs from senior Jack Petz.
St. James had strong blocking from its senior offensive line with Parker Kelley, Josh Geither, senior Joe Frank, senior Savas Luther and Chris Spencer.
The Thunder forced five Mill Valley turnovers, finished plus-5 in turnover margin and ran off 28 unanswered points to open the second half. Winning the turnover margin was key for the Thunder, which had 17 turnovers and was minus-1 in TO margin last year.
St. James, which finished 6-5 last season, had Petz has a big play threat with 74 carries for 523 yards and six scores, including one 100-yard rushing game.
Overall, St. James averaged 169 rushing yards and 5.1 yards per carry. The Thunder never had more than 261 rushing yards in a game.
The Thunder’s best season under coach Tom Radke came in ’15 with a 9-2 season.
That year, the Thunder averaged 219 rushing yards a contest and permitted just 15.4 points per contest. Last season, St. James permitted 24.7 points a game.
St. James’ passing game has generally trailed the other top EKL schools, but the Thunder’s improvements with its smash-mouth running attack and defense vaults them near Aquinas as the top 5A teams on the eastern side after Friday’s victory.
Helmet sticker: Thomas More Prep (John Baetz – Kansas Pregame)
The Thomas More Prep football program has struggled to find success in recent history. In fact, the Monarchs have posted a total of 23 wins in the past 13 seasons. TMP could be turning a corner under second-year coach Jason Cauley.
The Monarchs dropped their opener on Friday to Abilene, 32-27, but challenged a Cowboy program that has consistently finished in the top-half of Class 4A, Division I. TMP quarterback Dave McFarland stamped his name in the Kansas state record book with a 41 of 63 passing performance for 648 yards and four touchdowns.
The Monarchs returned seven starters on each side of the ball this season, and should be equipped to improve upon last season’s 2-7 finish. TMP begins Mid-Continent League play this Friday with a trip to Ellis (1-0).Â
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