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| Olathe North head coach Gene Wier (left) will rely heavily on the experience of quarterback Cole Murphy in the hopes of claiming the program's ninth state title. KC Star. |
Head Coach: Gene Wier (24 years at Olathe North, 199-47; and 241-98 overall)
Last season: 8-4, Sub-State
Outlook: The Eagles return 17 starters from a team that lost in the Sub-State round to SM East just a year ago. The headliners for Olathe North are running back Venus Triplett (5-8, 190) who rushed for 1,530 yards and 25 touchdowns last fall, and tight end/defensive end Josh Moore (6-5, 255), who recently committed to Ohio State. Quarterback Cole Murphy (6-1, 185) returns for his third year as the starter, coming off a junior campaign in which he combined for over 2,200 yards of total offense and scored 19 touchdowns. His top receiver target will be Mauricio Chio (6-2, 185) a three-year starter to be. On the offensive line, returning starters Tyler Bacon (6-3, 255), Michael Chau (6-0, 255) and junior Tad Davis (6-0, 280) will pave the way. Defensively, the Eagles will be led by linebackers Marcel Spears (6-0, 215), Jesse Kendricks (5-10, 195) and Jadon McGaha (5-8, 215). Spears, an Iowa State commit, will lead the trio which combined for 362 tackles a season ago. The defensive line will be stout, returning starters Marcel Williams (6-1, 255) and junior Chase Miller (5-11, 265) in addition to Moore. The secondary will be anchored by blue-chip junior Isaiah Simmons (6-3, 200) and Chaz Burgess (6-1, 180) who snagged five interceptions apiece in 2013, in addition to talented junior Vinnie Shabazz (5-9, 185), and Jeighlon Cornell (6-0, 195) who could be in for a breakout season.
Concerns: The Eagles will have to contend with the loss of Oregon linebacker Jimmie Swain to graduation, and there's no telling what would happen to the offense should Murphy or Triplett go down with an injury.
Projected record: 9-0
Key game: 9/5 at Rogers (Ark.) Heritage
The reputation of Olathe North, and the Sunflower League, will be on the line when the Eagles travel to the Wal-Mart state in week one.
2. SM East
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| Alec Dean had 99 receiving yards and two touchdowns in last year's 6A state title game against Derby. LJWorld. |
Last season: 11-2, 6A State Runner-Up
Outlook: The Lancers, like Olathe North, will be bolstered by a wealth of returning talent. SM East returns 16 starters from the team that produced the best season in school history a season ago. Perhaps no player is more important than defensive end Kyle Ball (6-2, 235) who's widely regarded as one of the state's top defenders entering 2014. Returning at quarterback is Gunnar Englund (6-2, 185) who took most of the snaps during the Lancers' 2013 playoff run. Slotbacks Sam Huffman (5-11, 185) and Jackson Gossick (6-0, 170) will bring up the rushing attack after combining for 833 rushing yards last year. Top receiver Alec Dean (6-4, 210) is back after catching 19 passes for 330 yards and seven touchdowns as a junior. The offensive line, which should be one of the best in the state, will be led by returning starters James Wooldridge (6-0, 205), Will Kaiser (5-11, 225) and Devin Price (6-2, 255). Defensively, Sam Williams (6-3, 210) will be playing bookend to Ball, while Sam Pottenger (6-0, 205) and junior Rider Terry (5-7, 165) return as inside linebackers after combining for 166 tackles and nine sacks a season ago. The secondary will be led by Charley White (6-0, 170) who recorded five interceptions in 2013, and returning starter Will Oakley (5-11, 175).
Concerns: Losing dominant defensive tackles Dominique Atkinson and Luis Adame to graduation could make the Lancers vulnerable up the gut if they don't find suitable replacements.
Projected record: 9-0
Key game: 9/5 at Gardner-Edgerton
Quite frankly, the Lancers might have the easiest schedule of any team in the league. Gardner-Edgerton is one of just two teams the Lancers will play who had a winning record last fall.
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| Senior Max McClellen will have to play a key leadership role for the Hawks. KC Star. |
Head Coach: Jeff Meyers (22 years, 160-68)
Last season: 7-4, Sectionals
Outlook: A good rule of thumb is to never doubt Olathe East when it comes to success on the gridiron. Time and again the Hawks have returned depleted rosters, only to claim a winning record and playoff berth. This season shouldn't be any different, although the Hawks probably return as little this fall as they ever have. Olathe East's top player will be running back Jalen Branson (5-11, 185) who rushed for 852 yards and 10 touchdowns a season ago. He's got afterburners, shows excellent vision, and is practically a shoo-in for a 1,000+ yard rushing season. The Hawks top returning lineman is Brycen Hinson (6-5, 300), a prototypical force to be reckoned with in the program's smash-mouth attack, who will play both offense and defense. Max McClellen (5-11, 170) will be a leader on defense from his cornerback position, a season after he recorded 39 tackles and an interception. He should also have a substantial impact as a receiver offensively. In the special teams game, junior kicker Chris Diddle (6-0, 165) might be the league's best.
Concerns: The Hawks' returning experience is razor thin, and the program's recent good but not great records suggest it may be in a bit of a stalemate period.
Projected record: 7-2
Key game: 10/17 at Olathe North
The Hawks first six games are all very winnable. If they can make it to week seven with a 6-0 or 5-1 record, a win in this game would be a huge step toward gaining momentum and an excellent seed for the playoffs.
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| Lawrence's Alan Clothier. LJWorld. |
Head Coach: Dirk Wedd (14 years, 78-69)
Last season: 3-6
Outlook: The Chesties went through a youth movement in 2013, and while it was painful at times, I'm sure looking back they're glad they did it. LHS will be led by a talented junior class, which is not something you see very often. Starting at quarterback will be junior Alan Clothier (6-0, 190), an outstanding athlete who went 30-1 on the wrestling mat this past winter and holds claim as the 6A state champion in the 182-pound class. Nyle Anderson (6-1, 185), who started at quarterback last year, will back up Clothier this fall, but should play a major role as a wide receiver. Junior running back JD Woods (5-8, 175) is a dynamo back who rushed for 309 yards and four touchdowns last year. He also splits duties as a cornberback. Juniors Ivan Hollins (5-8, 150) and J'Moni Bryant (5-11, 185) will reinforce LHS' depth at the skill positions. Junior Price Morgan (6-2, 200) plays tight end and linebacker, and might be the most versatile of their juniors. Alongside Morgan, junior linebacker Tanner Green (5-11, 200) will help ensure the defense is up to snuff. Up front, junior Amani Bledsoe (6-4, 275) is a menacing offensive and defensive tackle with multiple FBS offers. He'll be joined in the trenches by returning starters Cole Greenwood (6-0, 235) and junior Nathan Koehn (6-3, 320).
Concerns: The Chesty Lions will be relying on the youngest group of starters in the Sunflower League to rebound from a poor 3-6 season. Their schedule also won't do them any favors.
Projected record: 6-3
Key game: 9/19 Free State
It's hard to say how the Chesty Lions' first two games will go, but by week three they should be close to midseason form. Breaking a two-year losing streak in this rivalry game would go a long ways.
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| Free State's Bryce Torneden. LJWorld. |
Head coach: Bob Lisher (17 years at Free State, 103-72; and 115-72 overall)
Last season: 9-2, Sectionals
Outlook: The last time the Firebirds trotted out a Torneden as the first-time starting quarterback, they went 9-4 and made their only state title appearance in school history. That was 2008 and the Torneden was Camren. This fall, the younger Torneden, junior Bryce (5-11, 180) will take over at the quarterback position. He might not be a clone of his older brother, but he's bigger, just as fast, and having spent the 2013 season as a starting cornerback, he has plenty of varsity experience. Up front the Firebirds top lineman will be offensive tackle Scott Frantz (6-6, 290), a road-grader who's committed to K-State. Joining him on the offensive line will be returning starters Shane Hofer (6-3, 265) and Coleman Hauk (6-2, 265). Leading the defense will be linebacker Carson Bowen (6-1, 175) and defensive back Joel Spain (5-10, 170). Bowen has shown a knack for creating turnovers, and Spain will be one of the league's better secondary players a season after snagging four interceptions. Hofer will also play a key role along the Firebirds' defensive line.
Concerns: The Firebirds lost to graduation what might have been the league's most talented senior class. What's more, their schedule features quite a few unknowns and new opponents in districts.
Projected record: 6-3
Key game: 9/4 SM West
With league favorite Olathe North looming in week two, it's very important the Firebirds have a good showing in week one against SM West. An 0-2 start to the season could really damage the young team's psyche.
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| Isaiah Macklin has the potential to be one of the league's best playmakers this fall. |
Last season: 4-5
Outlook: The 2013 season was a rough one for the Vikings, but a fresh start is probably just what the doctor ordered. SM West will lean heavily on three returning seniors who have the most experience. Up front, Carter Pembridge (6-4, 265) should be one of the league's better offensive and defensive lineman. Cornerback Isaiah Macklin (5-10, 170) has been impressive on the summer circuit, and could be one of the league's top defensive backs (he has five career interceptions) and receivers. Finally, in the offensive backfield, tailback Tarik Watson (5-11, 180) could also be in for an impressive showing. He took over the tailback spot in the latter portion of 2013 and managed to gain 618 yards and three touchdowns on 113 carries. Aside from those three, the real wildcard for SM West is their heralded, yet unproven farm system. Their junior and sophomore classes have garnered quite a bit of chatter, and if they live up the hype, the Vikings could have a fun season and really sneak up on the league. If not, it could be a year of growing pains.
Concerns: If SM West only managed to go 4-5 a season ago with one of their most talented returning rosters ever, what makes us believe they'll do any better trotting out 15+ new starters?
Projected record: 6-3
Key game: 9/26 at SM East
With the team (and schedule) SM East has this upcoming fall, if SM West doesn't win this game, then the Lancers will probably roll to an undefeated regular season finish. That should be motivation for the Vikes.
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| Olathe South's Coleman Clanton. KC Star. |
Head coach: Jeff Gourley (Six years at Olathe South, 36-24; and 83-64 overall)
Last season: 5-4
Outlook: Outside of their own camp, the Falcons are flying under the radar. Quarterback/safety Jake Seurer (6-1, 185) is the one guy who will really control the tide of Olathe South's season. Coming off a year where he notched 136 tackles and two interceptions, and recorded over 1,000 yards of total offense as quarterback, he has the makings of a league MVP as a senior. Aside from Seurer, the Falcons strength will be up front. Coleman Clanton (6-5, 250) is an excellent blocking and catching tight end (he'll push Josh Moore for top honors), and he's also a stud at defensive end. At tackle, Chase Latscha (6-4, 280) has a chance to make a name for himself with the departure of Braden Smith. Guard Nate Howard (6-1, 210) is a perfect fit as a pulling guard in the Falcon's offense, and he also splits as an outside linebacker. Middle linebacker Stephen Miller (6-1, 215) is a versatile athlete who recorded 90 tackles as a junior and will help Seurer lead the defense.
Concerns: The Falcons' interior looks solid, as always, but the past four years have shown us they will live and die by the abilities of their skill position players.
Projected record: 4-5
Key game: 9/5 at Hutchinson
With perhaps the league's toughest schedule, Olathe South has their work cut out. They could get off to a great start if they can manage a win against Hutchinson and new coach Ryan Cornelson.
8. SM South
Head Coach: Ryan Lonergan (Three years, 10-17)
Last season: 4-5
Outlook: The Raiders lost a pretty solid senior class, but it wouldn't be a shocker if this year's team is able to break through into the playoffs, given the district pairings. One of the Raiders' more exciting players to keep an eye on is running back Marshall Bland (5-6, 160) who rushed for 335 yards and three touchdowns a season ago. He's a jitterbug whose style conjures up memories of Olathe South's Devin Cummings and Free State's Bryan Murphy. The Raiders' top offensive lineman who Bland will be running behind are Ned Bingaman (6-4, 230) and Trent Flagler (6-1, 240). On the defensive side of the ball, SM South will lean on their secondary, at least early on. Namely Brendan Brooks (6-3, 185) and Tyler Perdue (5-10, 175) who combined for four interceptions a season ago. At linebacker, Zach Gerber (6-2, 235) should make a big splash as a senior after an injury plagued junior season.
Concerns: The Raiders have done a solid job patching up the program the last few years, but they won't contend for league titles until they can find a dynamic quarterback, and drastically cut down on their mistakes and miscues.
Projected record: 5-4
Key game: 10/31 SM Northwest
The Raiders' playoff hopes the past three years have come down to the last game of each season, and they've gone 0-3 in those games. A win in the finale this fall would likely be enough to make the playoffs.
9. Olathe Northwest
Head Coach: Chip Sherman (One year at Olathe Northwest, 3-6; and 230-62 overall)
Last season: 3-6
Outlook: Despite what seemed like a pretty average 2013 campaign on the surface, the Ravens were a Hail Mary loss against SM East from going 4-5 in Sherman's first year at the helm. The 2014 season should be another step in the right direction, although a challenging district will make playoff qualification very difficult. At quarterback the Ravens return junior Jack Hatzfeld (6-0, 170) who threw for 414 yards as the on-again-off-again starter in 2013. He should turn the corner as a junior. Receiver Manny Psihountas (6-0, 180) will hope to bounce back from a disappointing junior season after showing great potential as a sophomore. Throwback athlete Adam Harter (6-3, 215) will be the Ravens most important player, and likely won't leave the field even for special teams. Up front, Mitch Holsinger (6-1, 265) will be one of the league's best offensive lineman. He'll also pair up with Harter on defense to create one of the more formidable front seven duos in the league. In the secondary, Ethan Wall (6-1, 175) returns a season after creating more turnovers (nine) than any player in the league. Zee Pinkerton (6-0, 170) will team up with Wall in the secondary to create a solid pass defense.
Concerns: The Ravens should be better than last year, but until they overcome the stigma of being the Olathe ragdoll, it's hard to see them accomplishing much past the regular season.
Projected record: 3-6
Key game: 9/26 Olathe South
The Ravens' unsightly 2-32 record against Olathe opponents is a major point of emphasis for the program. An early Olathe win in year two under Sherman could really get the things moving the right direction.
10. Leavenworth
Head Coach: Mark Littrell (One year at Leavenworth, 3-7; and 74-40 overall)
Last season: 3-7, Regionals
Outlook: This upcoming fall has a great chance to be the best season in Leavenworth football history. By dropping to Class 5A, the Pioneers also dropped out of the East 6A gauntlet, and were awarded what should be a very easy district for playoff qualification. On top of that, they return a solid core of players from a season ago. Third-year starting quarterback Landry Hodges (6-1, 190) passed for 847 yards and six touchdowns in 2013, and looks primed for a a big senior year. His top returning target, Isaiah Ross (5-11, 180), will be arguably the league's top receiver, and certainly one of its most dynamic playmakers. The Pioneers return talented starter Alex Mendoza (6-3, 225) along the offensive line which will help with continuity. On defense, middle linebacker Anthony Hunt (5-10, 220) returns along with Juwann Potts (5-10, 165) and Ross, to create a formidable trio. Also, in the special teams game, Jake Boyce (6-2, 190) is going to compete for top honors among the league's kickers.
Concerns: It won't be easy replacing elite running back Jason Randall, a four-year starter who graduated this spring, or the Donnelson Twins who were major contributors on offense and defense.
Projected record: 4-5
Key game: 9/19 Olathe Northwest
The Pioneers should win all three of their district games, but the Sunflower League portion of their schedule is tough. A win here would probably lock in at least a four-win regular season.
11. SM Northwest
Head Coach: Linn Hibbs (Two years at SM Northwest, 5-14; and 121-69 overall)
Last season: 3-7, Regionals
Outlook: Without sugar-coating anything, SM Northwest isn't exactly returning the quality depth you need to do well in the league. It's also hard to project them winning more than two or three games with such inexperience, and a moderately challenging schedule. The lone returning player who received honorable mention accolades last fall is offensive and defensive lineman TJ Hutton (6-3, 295), who will anchor the Cougars up front. Junior Duron Lowe (5-11, 185) had a nice junior campaign, rushing for 543 yards and three touchdowns on just 66 carries (8.27 ypg). He will be the focal point of the Cougar's offensive attack. Beyond the solid foundation of those two, SM Northwest is faced with plenty of unknowns. Expected to start at quarterback is Clay Drouillard (6-0, 185), a player who's had minimal repetitions as a signal-caller at the varsity level. His top target might actually be a tight end, junior CJ Perez (6-3, 220), who had a solid sophomore season and could really be a threat this fall. At the end of the day, Drouillard's performance will probably be the best gauge for the quality of team SM Northwest is able to field. That's not to say a new crop of players can't keep the tide moving in the right direction after last year's playoff berth, but it's going to be an uphill battle for the orange and black.
Concerns: The Cougars lost most of their marquee talents to graduation and it's going to take one helluva coaching effort to piece together a team that can go out and be competitive in the Sunflower League.
Projected record: 2-7
Key game: 9/12 at SM North
For the Cougars' sake, they need to establish early on that they're still the better team in Shawnee. Especially against a rival that went 0-9 last fall.
12. SM North
Head Coach: Ben Barlett (First season)
Last season: 0-9
Outlook: SM North looked improved in their first year under Simmons a season ago, but his late departure has left the program with more questions than answers. On the bright side, they did establish quite the foundation last fall, starting 17 non-seniors -- a move which will undoubtedly pay off. The Indians' most important player will be sophomore quarterback Will Schneider (6-4, 195), who became one of the first freshman in Sunflower League history to start as a quarterback. He should improve on the 1,478 passing yards and 12 touchdowns he put up last season. His top receivers will be Nick Perez (6-2, 170), Isaiah Shields (5-9, 150) and junior Tyler Burnett (6-1, 175). Perez hauled in 45 catches for 843 yards and eight touchdowns a season ago and should be more lethal as a senior. On defense, junior Greg Sloan (6-2, 200) tallied 67 tackles as a sophomore and has a very high ceiling as a linebacker. Perez will also be one of the league's better defensive backs.
Concerns: The Indians return as many starters as Olathe North and SM East, but until SM North can curb the culture of losing, the program will continue to struggle.
Projected record: 2-7
Key game: 9/12 SM Northwest
The Indians will buck their current 19-game losing streak at some point this fall. If they can't get it done in week one, there wouldn't be a better gift for their rival than the unloading of a 500-pound gorilla.
Disclaimer: All players names are accompanied by their heights and weights. Current players whose classification's are not listed, are seniors, while classification is provided for all those players who are not going to be seniors (i.e., junior Duron Lowe). Many times players quit, move or transfer during the offseason, and for this reason it's extremely difficult to to be 100% accurate when noting returning players. Poorly documented rosters can sometimes result in misdocumentation of a player's classification, heights, and weights. Preseason Power Rankings are based on a combination of returning talent, strength of schedule, potential, coaching, program history, and program momentum.
Projected record: 4-5
Key game: 9/5 at Hutchinson
With perhaps the league's toughest schedule, Olathe South has their work cut out. They could get off to a great start if they can manage a win against Hutchinson and new coach Ryan Cornelson.
8. SM South
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| SM South is expecting a big season from senior Ned Bingaman. |
Last season: 4-5
Outlook: The Raiders lost a pretty solid senior class, but it wouldn't be a shocker if this year's team is able to break through into the playoffs, given the district pairings. One of the Raiders' more exciting players to keep an eye on is running back Marshall Bland (5-6, 160) who rushed for 335 yards and three touchdowns a season ago. He's a jitterbug whose style conjures up memories of Olathe South's Devin Cummings and Free State's Bryan Murphy. The Raiders' top offensive lineman who Bland will be running behind are Ned Bingaman (6-4, 230) and Trent Flagler (6-1, 240). On the defensive side of the ball, SM South will lean on their secondary, at least early on. Namely Brendan Brooks (6-3, 185) and Tyler Perdue (5-10, 175) who combined for four interceptions a season ago. At linebacker, Zach Gerber (6-2, 235) should make a big splash as a senior after an injury plagued junior season.
Concerns: The Raiders have done a solid job patching up the program the last few years, but they won't contend for league titles until they can find a dynamic quarterback, and drastically cut down on their mistakes and miscues.
Projected record: 5-4
Key game: 10/31 SM Northwest
The Raiders' playoff hopes the past three years have come down to the last game of each season, and they've gone 0-3 in those games. A win in the finale this fall would likely be enough to make the playoffs.
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| Mitch Holsinger will be one of the league's top lineman in 2014. |
Head Coach: Chip Sherman (One year at Olathe Northwest, 3-6; and 230-62 overall)
Last season: 3-6
Outlook: Despite what seemed like a pretty average 2013 campaign on the surface, the Ravens were a Hail Mary loss against SM East from going 4-5 in Sherman's first year at the helm. The 2014 season should be another step in the right direction, although a challenging district will make playoff qualification very difficult. At quarterback the Ravens return junior Jack Hatzfeld (6-0, 170) who threw for 414 yards as the on-again-off-again starter in 2013. He should turn the corner as a junior. Receiver Manny Psihountas (6-0, 180) will hope to bounce back from a disappointing junior season after showing great potential as a sophomore. Throwback athlete Adam Harter (6-3, 215) will be the Ravens most important player, and likely won't leave the field even for special teams. Up front, Mitch Holsinger (6-1, 265) will be one of the league's best offensive lineman. He'll also pair up with Harter on defense to create one of the more formidable front seven duos in the league. In the secondary, Ethan Wall (6-1, 175) returns a season after creating more turnovers (nine) than any player in the league. Zee Pinkerton (6-0, 170) will team up with Wall in the secondary to create a solid pass defense.
Concerns: The Ravens should be better than last year, but until they overcome the stigma of being the Olathe ragdoll, it's hard to see them accomplishing much past the regular season.
Projected record: 3-6
Key game: 9/26 Olathe South
The Ravens' unsightly 2-32 record against Olathe opponents is a major point of emphasis for the program. An early Olathe win in year two under Sherman could really get the things moving the right direction.
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| Leavenworth's Landry Hodges. |
Head Coach: Mark Littrell (One year at Leavenworth, 3-7; and 74-40 overall)
Last season: 3-7, Regionals
Outlook: This upcoming fall has a great chance to be the best season in Leavenworth football history. By dropping to Class 5A, the Pioneers also dropped out of the East 6A gauntlet, and were awarded what should be a very easy district for playoff qualification. On top of that, they return a solid core of players from a season ago. Third-year starting quarterback Landry Hodges (6-1, 190) passed for 847 yards and six touchdowns in 2013, and looks primed for a a big senior year. His top returning target, Isaiah Ross (5-11, 180), will be arguably the league's top receiver, and certainly one of its most dynamic playmakers. The Pioneers return talented starter Alex Mendoza (6-3, 225) along the offensive line which will help with continuity. On defense, middle linebacker Anthony Hunt (5-10, 220) returns along with Juwann Potts (5-10, 165) and Ross, to create a formidable trio. Also, in the special teams game, Jake Boyce (6-2, 190) is going to compete for top honors among the league's kickers.
Concerns: It won't be easy replacing elite running back Jason Randall, a four-year starter who graduated this spring, or the Donnelson Twins who were major contributors on offense and defense.
Projected record: 4-5
Key game: 9/19 Olathe Northwest
The Pioneers should win all three of their district games, but the Sunflower League portion of their schedule is tough. A win here would probably lock in at least a four-win regular season.
11. SM Northwest
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| Junior running back Duron Lowe will be essential to SM Northwest's efforts in 2014. LJWorld. |
Last season: 3-7, Regionals
Outlook: Without sugar-coating anything, SM Northwest isn't exactly returning the quality depth you need to do well in the league. It's also hard to project them winning more than two or three games with such inexperience, and a moderately challenging schedule. The lone returning player who received honorable mention accolades last fall is offensive and defensive lineman TJ Hutton (6-3, 295), who will anchor the Cougars up front. Junior Duron Lowe (5-11, 185) had a nice junior campaign, rushing for 543 yards and three touchdowns on just 66 carries (8.27 ypg). He will be the focal point of the Cougar's offensive attack. Beyond the solid foundation of those two, SM Northwest is faced with plenty of unknowns. Expected to start at quarterback is Clay Drouillard (6-0, 185), a player who's had minimal repetitions as a signal-caller at the varsity level. His top target might actually be a tight end, junior CJ Perez (6-3, 220), who had a solid sophomore season and could really be a threat this fall. At the end of the day, Drouillard's performance will probably be the best gauge for the quality of team SM Northwest is able to field. That's not to say a new crop of players can't keep the tide moving in the right direction after last year's playoff berth, but it's going to be an uphill battle for the orange and black.
Concerns: The Cougars lost most of their marquee talents to graduation and it's going to take one helluva coaching effort to piece together a team that can go out and be competitive in the Sunflower League.
Projected record: 2-7
Key game: 9/12 at SM North
For the Cougars' sake, they need to establish early on that they're still the better team in Shawnee. Especially against a rival that went 0-9 last fall.
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| Sophomore quarterback Will Schneider will be the crux of what the SM North hopes is a revival of the football program this year. |
Head Coach: Ben Barlett (First season)
Last season: 0-9
Outlook: SM North looked improved in their first year under Simmons a season ago, but his late departure has left the program with more questions than answers. On the bright side, they did establish quite the foundation last fall, starting 17 non-seniors -- a move which will undoubtedly pay off. The Indians' most important player will be sophomore quarterback Will Schneider (6-4, 195), who became one of the first freshman in Sunflower League history to start as a quarterback. He should improve on the 1,478 passing yards and 12 touchdowns he put up last season. His top receivers will be Nick Perez (6-2, 170), Isaiah Shields (5-9, 150) and junior Tyler Burnett (6-1, 175). Perez hauled in 45 catches for 843 yards and eight touchdowns a season ago and should be more lethal as a senior. On defense, junior Greg Sloan (6-2, 200) tallied 67 tackles as a sophomore and has a very high ceiling as a linebacker. Perez will also be one of the league's better defensive backs.
Concerns: The Indians return as many starters as Olathe North and SM East, but until SM North can curb the culture of losing, the program will continue to struggle.
Projected record: 2-7
Key game: 9/12 SM Northwest
The Indians will buck their current 19-game losing streak at some point this fall. If they can't get it done in week one, there wouldn't be a better gift for their rival than the unloading of a 500-pound gorilla.
Disclaimer: All players names are accompanied by their heights and weights. Current players whose classification's are not listed, are seniors, while classification is provided for all those players who are not going to be seniors (i.e., junior Duron Lowe). Many times players quit, move or transfer during the offseason, and for this reason it's extremely difficult to to be 100% accurate when noting returning players. Poorly documented rosters can sometimes result in misdocumentation of a player's classification, heights, and weights. Preseason Power Rankings are based on a combination of returning talent, strength of schedule, potential, coaching, program history, and program momentum.
18 comments:
SFL is stacked again. For my beloved 'Birds, they will come together quickly. These guys are really good, but they have an incredible class to follow. Now it's their turn and Lisher has a habit of reloading, so I'm excited!! Tough schedule with this year being the 4 home/5 away game cycle - two of which are O-North and SM-East... really glad those are at home. It'll be weird being in the West half for districts. Also looking forward to Lawrence High being solid again. Makes Friday's fun in Larryville. Go 'Birds!
Kris Messer Graduated. He see much play time last year due to a hereditary knee condition and Coach Litrell didn't want to cause an injury to this condition.
didn't see much play time
This is just nitpicking here but Rigel Bales-Woods will likely be a key factor on the O-Line of Olathe North after climbing to a starting role midway through last season. The entire offensive line looks stacked for ON
This should be a good one EagleGrad!
Hope to be talking plenty of #SFL Football in the weeks and months to come!
its nice to see people getting back into the groove conversation-wise
Im at a loss as to how Olathe East finds its way to a number three pre-season ranking here?? This could be one of the biggest miscalculations made here in quite some time. I'm seeing the Hawks coming in around 4-5...at best. They weren't very good last year and as you say they are returning next to NO ONE! Bransen and Hinson are awesome and there is no denying that but the rest of the team will suffer because of a coaching philosophy that refuses to give players other than his starters any field time.
Excellent write up, as expected! Can not wait until they get things going...
For SMN-
*CORRECTION* it is NICK Perez, not Mason Perez who graduated from the brick house in 2012.
SMN is going to SMASH The Dotte and Harmon though, they compete with 6A big boys
I still have a belief that Olathe East will be able to make things work with what they have. I'm positive Olathe East will falter at some point, but I don't think this will be the year.
I'm not too confident that the Vikings will stay that high up throughout the season though.
I'm not 100% that OE will be that high, nor am I a big fan of OE, but it always makes me laugh when fans dog a consistently successful coach. I don't know if Coach Meyers has all the answers but it's hard to bag him too much. The argument might be that they could be MORE successful but there are many teams in the SFL, or metro area for that matter, that would love to have that much success.
Usually the complaints come from a player, or parent, that thought they were better than they actually were...possibly?
And...
My Vikes are a HUGE question mark. Not a lot of talent in the senior class but potential in the other classes. It could be a difficult year for my boys but hopefully we can at least keep some of the losses close.
West will have it's struggles. The right guys are there, and it will take some time to make things happen in the right again. From a 12-1 to 4-5 is a drastic change, but the talent it will be good in the years to come. In 3 of 11 years of Callaghan's tenure, the playoffs have been missed. 03-07-13.
I'm expecting big things out of Chaz Burgess this season on the offensive side as a receiver. He didn't necessarily have the same numbers as Moore and Chio, but he has the capability to make big-plays in the form of catching those hard to reach passes. I'm expecting a much bigger role from him this year.
Hey c3p0, Or who ever you are with the long ID. Name one Coach who doesnt give his starters all the field time possible !! Maybe you meant Seniors. Anyway the truth about East is that they will be as good as last year if not better. Here is what to look for. Offensively they are solid across the board Great running backs, 6'3" QB who may be one of the best Passers in the conference, Wr's are really good 4 deep, and the offensive line is stacked with big strong road graders. The defense will be strong on the DL, DB's, and middle LB. OLB may be the only ?. Coach Meyers does have a tendency to play seniors more than most coaches but in this case its warranted. Dont underestimate this class they are just the next pieces plugged into the OE puzzle. If he uses the play action game to compliment Branson this team should be undefeated when they meet Olathe North.
WYD - I agree with you on a lot of your points compared to the c3po from above... I may not know many of the players on the OE roster at all, or be able to say how many SR's were lost to graduation from the previous season but routinely OE has started off slow and finished on strong notes each of the last three seasons.
I am not sure where the doubt from c3po comes from but the OE kids have talent all over the ball. Underestimating any one of the 4 Olathe schools is an opponents worst downfall.
My compliments to the SFL schools that took advantage of scheduling to play other people. I think it will be to their advantage later.
My top 5 props to: 1. OS for going to Hutch (Love the gamesmanship, double-props!); 2. ON for going to Arkansas to play (Great test for ON. My pre-season team to rep the East side); 3. OE for hosting Garden City (Smart move to see a good West team); 4. SME for going to Gardner-Edgerton (Great week 1 match-up); and 5. ONW for hosting Hays (See OE comment).
Honorable Mention: LAW going to Blue Valley West; SMNW hosting Blue Valley; and LV hosting Great Bend.
Falling into the rut: Snoozer #1 - FS vs. SMW. Snoozer #2 - SMN vs. SMS. C'Mon Man! All four of us missed a chance to see some new things.
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