Thursday, September 29, 2011

Week Five Game Previews

Leavenworth will have to face
Olathe North's Treshawn Root
and his 12.45 yards per carry
average on Thursday night.
Leavenworth (0-4) at Olathe North (4-0) (Thursday Night Game)

The Sunflower League's best team against its worst.  Right now Olathe North is on a wrecking pace, churning out 358 yards rushing and 128 yards passing per game, not to mention the fact that they're scoring 45 points a game and only giving up 16 (both scoring averages rank tops in the SL).  A Leavenworth victory here would truly be a miracle.

SM North (1-3) at Lawrence Free State (3-1)


On paper Free State is a heavy favorite, but then again, the Firebird's three wins have come against teams with a combined record of 1-11.  SM North shot themselves in the foot last week against SM West, giving away the ball twice in the first quarter which resulted in two quick SM West touchdowns.  Expect an increased focus on ball protection this week from the Indians. 

SM West (2-2) at Olathe East (3-1)

SM West has had quite the up-and-down schedule this season.  One week they're the favorite, and the next week they're the underdog (Olathe East is an 8.7-point favorite in this game according the the Topeka Capitol-Journal computer spread), and it's been alternating that way throughout the season.  Olathe East is playing as well as any team at this juncture in the season and it's going to take a great defensive effort from SM West to have a chance at halting the Hawk's three-game winning streak.

Olathe Northwest (2-2) at Olathe South (4-0)

This sounds like a familiar story.  An upstart Olathe Northwest team with solid offensive weapons but little defensive punch takes on a favored Olathe foe... and everytime but once, Olathe Northwest has lost.  Maybe this is the week the Ravens turn things around?  The upset recipe would have to include a heavy dose of Willie Cauley, as SM East had some success through the air last week against Olathe South, and it's never easy covering a 6-foot-10 guy.  For the Falcons, one can assume they'll stick to their usually ground-and-pound tactics in an effort to claim win number five on the season.

SM Northwest (1-3) at SM South (0-4)

These look like two pretty evenly matched teams and this should be a very competitive game.  Looking ahead to district play, neither of these teams have an impossible path to the playoffs (SM South will probably have to pull an upset against SM East or SM West to reach the playoffs, while SM Northwest has a cakewalk).  In the meantime, a win here would be a great confidence booster at the midway point in the season that would carry to districts.

Game of the Week
SM East (2-2) at Lawrence (2-2)

It's time for these teams to put up or shut up.  While both have shown flashes of brilliance, neither has displayed the consistency necessary to do much damage come playoff time.  Combined, the two schools have played four of what I would call "big games," and together they've gone 0-4 in those games.  So basically both teams are putting up outstanding numbers and results against lesser opponents, but when push has come to shove neither has passed the test.  Someone has to pass this test.

13 comments:

TheImpaler said...

TheImpaler's Week 5 picks:
Last Week (4-2) Season (20-4)

I need to stop changing my mind on games. 3 of my four misses this year are games I initially picked to go the other way, then changed my mind and picked SM teams over non-SM teams. No mas. Shawnee Mission teams, step up and prove me wrong! Please! The sad part is with this goofy playoff system it still looks very probable that SM will put 4 teams in the playoffs while it's conceivable Olathe might only get two in.


LV(0-4) @ ON(4-0) (Thurs.) Obviously the mismatch of the season. Coach Flood, not being one to call off the dogs (remember he put his starters back in after playing reserves for 4 plays when SMW cut the lead to 41-21 in the 4th) can pretty much name the score here and we all know Coach Flood likes BIG numbers. ON 77 LV 0

SME (2-2) @ LAW (2-2) The game of the week I guess. Both teams have been unable to beat the top teams they've faced and the loser here faces a sub .500 record now. I like the home team here. LAW 22 SME 20

SMN (1-3) @ LFS (3-1) In spite of not looking very good, a very soft schedule has the Firebirds at 3-1. They should continue their winning ways here against a struggling Indian squad. LFS 35 SMN 7

SMW (2-2) @ OE (3-1) The Vikings simply have not played up to their ability this year. I think they have the athletes to compete in this game against what now appears to be the third best team in Olathe but have shown no sign they can actually do it on the field. Sadly, I have to pick the hated Hawks here. OE 31 SMW 17

ONW (2-2) @ OS (4-0) The Falcons just continue to quietly win games with their punishing ground game and bend but don't break defense. They should have no problem here with the Ravens unless they're looking ahead to the big game with O North next week and a district that now looks like a murderer's row with BVNW claiming a big win over STA last week. OS 41 ONW 21

SMNW (1-3) @ SMS (0-4) Which of these teams will let this game slip away? Both have been miserable this year. Even after last week's debacle, I have to think the Cougs are the more athletic, better team here. Maybe this is Coach Longeran's breakout game but he's going to have to prove it to me on the field. SMNW 21 SMS 18

Adam Sullivan said...

OLN 63 Leav 0
Law 28 SME 24
LFS 28 SMN 7
SMW 14 OLE 35
OLNW 20 OLS 34
SMNW 27 SMS 21

Adam Sullivan said...

OLN 44 Leav 0

EagleSenior said...

SME 21-20 LAW
LFS 35-14 SMN
OE 25-7 SMW
OS 35-10 ONW
SMNW 24-20 SMS

TheImpaler said...

New Classifications are out!! Hutch and G/E both move into 6A. Goddard split into two schools and moves down and...BVW moves down to 5A. At least the balance between east and west is maintained. If Goddard hadn't split, one of the Lawrence would have had to go to the West side of the state. Wyandotte astonishingly stays in 6A. I hope the Vikes get them in their district! Anyone know when the new district assignments come out?

Adam Sullivan said...

http://www.smnfootball.blogspot.com/ Upset brewing in Olathe. Olathe NW 20 Olathe S 0

Adam Sullivan said...

OLNW 41 OLS 41
LFS 35 SMN 0

TheImpaler said...

OE 28 SMW 21
OS 44 ONW 41

SMS watcher said...

SM South wins first game 42-35.

Adam Sullivan said...

OLS 44 OLNW 41 final
LFS 35 SMN 0 final
OLE 28 SMW 21 final
LAW 31 SME 0 final

EagleSenior said...

Olathe North Sub-Varsity Scores
Fresh ?48?-14 ON (4-1)
Soph/JV* 66-6 ON
(4-1 JV 2-3 Soph)
*= Leavenworth has no Sophomore team, so the ON Sophs and JV played one half each.

The JV team has once again shown promise on both sides of the ball, especially on Offense. During the 1st quarter ON made a quick lead with 2 offensive touchdowns and 2 defensive touchdowns(2 INT) to create a 28-0 lead going into the 2nd quarter. The 2nd quarter was essentially the same throughout as the JV team brought the lead up to 40-0 by the time the half ended. The Sophs then came out for Offense and Defense to close out the game. Though they had a little getting things together, they were able to add 22 points of their own to close out the game. Leavenworths one highlight was a kickoff returned for a TD halfway through the 3rd quarter.
Highlight of the Game: 30-40 yard TD run by #23 Allan Asanga
Personal Favorite Play: 3yd punt return for a TD by ?#80Byrun Cubit?
?? = guessed on the player

Eaglelover1 said...

SME talkers can no longer be in denial that they just aren't a good football team. They get takin behind the woodshed again for a good old fashioned whoppin....again. Coach Sherman, run for the hills and get away from this program as soon as you can.

Eaglelover1 said...

Hey Todd Haley blogger, pinch yourself, you and the Lancers aren't living a bad dream this season, it is real. a 2-2 Lawrence team destroying the Lancers...Lordy, Lordy, Lordy...let's get this season over with.