Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Player Ratings

Player rating are subject to change on a week-to-week basis

1. Brandon Willingham, Running Back, Olathe East

Week Six: 30 carries, 142 yards, 2 TDs

Willingham holds claim to the top spot after another excellent week of production. The senior was a workhorse carrying the ball 30 times and scoring two touchdowns. Both scores were essential in Olathe East's 17-0 victory.

2. Adonis Saunders, Running Back, Olathe North

Week Six: 23 carries, 253 yards, 3 TDs

Saunders had the best game of his career on Friday. The 253 yards rushing were a personal best for Saunders, and it was an effort reminiscent of North's career rushing leader James Franklin from last season. Saunders' average yards per carry sits at 10.3 on the season, a number practically unheard of at any level of competition.

3.Dylan Perry, Quarterback, Lawrence Free State

Week Six: 8-of-20 passing, 87 yards; 18 carries, 12 yards

Contrary to Saunders career highs, Perry (right) may have played to career low levels. He was never able to get anything going on the ground and that lack of success carried through to the passing game. Perry must play well for Free State to have success in districts.

4. John Schrock, Quarterback, SM East

Week Six: 15-of-26 passing, 179 yards; 2 rushing TDs

Schrock, despite his gaudy passing numbers, continues to score touchdowns on the ground. This past week he scored two more rushing touchdowns to lift SM East to victory. His aerial assualt is what gets the team in position for the short scores.

5. Stephen Mangelsdorf, Quarterback, SM Northwest

Week Six: 13-of-24 passing, 200 yards, 2 TDs

Mangelsdorf makes his debut on the list after nearly leading SM Northwest to an upset victory over Olathe North. Mangelsdorf's numbers should only continue to get better as he leads his team through what should be a 3-0 district run.

Honorable Mention: Victor Simmons, Brad Strauss, Tre Burt, Austin Fulson, Armani Williams

Week Seven Power Rankings

*Rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis

**See previous post for commentary on Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (5-1)

2. Olathe North (5-1)

3. SM West (5-1)
4. SM East (5-1)
5. Olathe South (4-2)

6. Lawrence Free State (3-3)

7. SM Northwest (2-4)
8. Lawrence (3-3)

9. Olathe Northwest (2-4)

10. SM South (2-4)

11. SM North (0-6)

12. Leavenworth (0-6)

Eli's Sunflower League First and 10

1. Best passer in the league? Don't overlook Lawrence sophomore Brad Strauss whose 104 passer rating is 17 points higher than any other quarterback in the league.

2. SM West, a team normally heralded for its defensive work, ranks first in the league in scoring at 35 points per game.

3. Olathe Northwest's Nick Bandy, Shawnee Mission Northwest's Kenny Mings, and SM East's JaQuan Brunt have been the three best all-around playmakers this season--coming soon to a highlight reel near you.

4. The league's top 10 kickers (statistically) have combined to miss 21 extra points this season, a brutally high number.

5. The league's leading tackler, SM West's Denzel Simpson, may also be the most ferocious hitter in the league.

6. Free State's Dylan Perry has run the ball 103 times and not fumbled once. By comparison, the league's other top four rushers have combined for 10 fumbles.

7. Leavenworth has lost 21 straight games. Their last win? September 19, 2008 against SM North, a team who currently holds a 13-game losing streak.

8. Would the real Victor Simmons please stand up? The Olathe North quarterback/defensive back may be the league's best athlete, and we miss his highlight reel runs from earlier in the season.

9. Olathe East's key to success this season has come on the defensive side of the ball. They're only giving up 164 yards per game, 61 yards better than the next best defense.

10. Several Sunflower League teams will get a chance to prove their worth against EKL opponents during the next three weeks--this week marks the first out-of-conference games of the season for any team.

Stat Check

Passing Yards

John Schrock, SM East: 1,241, 6 TDs

Stephen Mangelsdorf, SM Northwest: 965, 7 TDs

Brad Strauss, Lawrence: 849, 9 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 687, 3 TDs

Armani Williams, SM West: 622, 6 TDs

Alex Forslund, SM South: 540, 5 TDs

Korey Kipp, Olathe Northwest: 512, 3 TDs

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 476, 2 TDs

Trent Kuhl, Olathe East: 268, 1 TD

Frank Seurer, Olathe South: 221, 4 TDs

Rushing Yards

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 880, 12 TDs

Adonis Saunders, Olathe North: 837, 10 TDs

Nick Sands, Olathe South: 815, 6 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 658, 8 TDs

Tre Burt, SM West: 608, 7 TDs

Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 543, 3 TDs

Austin Fulson (right), Olathe East: 441, 6 TDs

Jake Crist, Olathe South: 422, 3 TDs

Charles Jackson, Lawrence: 421, 4 TDs

Will Livingston, SM West: 417, 6 TDs

Receiving Yards

Elliot Faerber, SM East: 454, 3 TDs

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 345, 4 TDs

Krey Bradley, SM East: 322, 2 TDs

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 319, 3 TDs

Jordan Chapman, SM West: 300, 3 TDs

Desmond Wyatt, Lawrence Free State: 249, 3 TDs

Shawn Laurent, SM South: 248, 2 TDs

Grant Ellis, SM East: 225, 1 TD
Anthony Buffalomeat, Lawrence: 212, 2 TDs

Aaron Gile, Lawrence: 197, 1 TD

Tackles

Denzel Simpson, SM West: 71

Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 66

Tristan Opie, Olathe Northwest: 62

Dylan Hanson, Olathe South: 53

Brock Burrows, SM North: 50

Josh Mais, SM East: 50

Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 44

Seth Hartman, SM East: 44

Nate Davis, Lawrence Free State: 43

Vince Gerstner, Olathe East: 43

Interceptions

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 3

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 2

Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 2

Grant Ellis, SM East: 2

DeAndre Graves, SM West: 2

Mason Perez, SM North: 2

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 2

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 2 (2 TDs)

Ryan Theis, SM North: 2

Kick/Punt Return Touchdowns

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 1 KR TD

JaQuan Brunt, SM East: 1 KR TD

Kendal Harland, Olathe South: 1 PR TD

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 1 PR TD

Cordi Pascal, SM West: 1 KR TD

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 1 KR TD, 1 PR TD

Field Goals

Nick Prologo, Olathe Northwest: (4/5)

Daniel Gutierrez, Olathe North: (4/6)

Sean Jones, SM West: (2/2)

Mark Whitrock, SM West (2/2)

Alex Allen, SM Northwest: (2/3)

Jared Douglas, Olathe South: (2/3)

Stats courtesy Mid-statesports.com

Photos courtesy the Kansas City Star