SM East defeats Hutchinson 33-14, wins 6A title

Sam Huffman and SM East's offense managed to keep the Hutchinson defense off balance and
guessing during Saturday's 6A state title game. SM East was victorious, 33-14. Photo Kansas City Star.

It took 57 years, but at long last SM East was the final team standing. The Lancers claimed their first ever state championship Saturday, defeating Hutchinson 33-14 in the 6A state title game in Emporia.

Hutchinson, the winner of seven big-class state titles since 2004, received the opening kickoff to start the game. A play later they gave SM East a "welcome to Hutch football" moment when running back Blaik Middleton ran around the Lancer defense on a 22-yard run. The Salthawks went to Middleton again shortly thereafter, but he fumbled the ball and SM East recovered near midfield.

The Lancers put together one of their hallmark drives, going 52 yards over 14 plays, and converting two fourth down attempts. Wyatt Edmisten took a fullback dive into the endzone for the first score of the game, and SM East led 7-0.

The two teams traded punts, before Hutchinson began their third possession of the game to start the second quarter. A 46-yard run from Turner Wintz on a bootleg play put Hutchinson in SM East territory. A few plays later Middleton took a carry off the right tackle, made it to the second level, then cut back against the grain and curved toward the endzone on a 39-yard touchdown run. The score tied the game at 7.

SM East began their next possession at their own 20-yard line, and put together what might have been their most impressive drive of the day. Sam Huffman took the first play of the drive 20 yards. Two 20-yard runs from Edmisten put SM East deep in Hutchinson territory, before he scored his second touchdown of the game from one yard out. The PAT missed, but SM East led 13-7 at the 8:09 mark of the second quarter.

Hutchinson answered right back, driving over 60 yards into the SM East redzone. On a fourth down play, Wintz fumbled the snap, recovered the ball, rolled to his right, then found receiver Ryan Stocklein in the middle of the endzone for a touchdown. The Salthawks converted the PAT and took a 14-13 lead on the 73-yard drive.

SM East would respond, again.

Cued by a kickoff return to the 45-yard line by Jack Tyler, the Lancers compiled a nice drive, taking the ball into Hutchinson territory and driving the clock under two minutes.

Quarterback Gunnar Englund found a good time to complete his only touchdown of the day, dropping a 35-yard strike on the money to Charley White who caught the ball and ran untouched into the endzone. SM East couldn't convert the two-point conversion, but led 19-14.

On their ensuing possession, Hutchinson made quick work getting down the field and into SM East territory. However, their last-second Hail Mary pass was batted down by the Lancers' secondary, and the game went to the intermission with SM East leading, 19-14.

That proved to be Hutchinson's last gasp at getting back into the game.

To start the second half, the Salthawks attempted a surprise onside kick, but SM East was alert and recovered the loose ball. A quick drive later, the Lancers scored on a six-yard touchdown run from Edmisten to go up 26-14.

Hutchinson managed to drive to the SM East 27-yard line on their next possession, courtesy of a 33-yard run from Wintz. But Wintz fumbled the ball on a carry up the middle, and SM East recovered and took over at their own 17-yard line.

The Lancers drove to midfield, and actually had a 50-yard touchdown run from Huffman called back on a holding call, before being forced to punt.

Hutchinson didn't manage anything on their next possession, and dug themselves into a deeper hole when SM East sniffed out their fake punt attempt.

The Lancers ran the remaining minutes of the third quarter off the board, before punting the ball back to the Salthawks to begin the fourth quarter.

Hutchinson drove to midfield, but surrendered possession when they were unable to convert a fourth down try with just over eight minutes left in the game.

SM East then put together what would be be the deciding drive of the game. On the first play of the drive, a pitch to Mike Bamford took the Lancers to the Salthawk 26-yard line. A couple runs ran more time off the clock, before Englund surprised everyone on third down, finding White on a 22-yard touchdown pass in the corner of the endzone.

A successful PAT gave SM East a controlling 33-14 lead, with just 5:37 remaining in the game. Hutchinson would turn the ball over on downs, before SM East regained possession and ran out the clock.

The victory put the exclamation point on SM East's perfect season, just the fifth of its kind among all Sunflower League teams since 2000. It also improved second-year Lancer head coach Dustin Delaney's record to 24-2 overall.

The Lancer defense had a bend-but-don't-break mentality against Hutchinson. SM East allowed
346 rushing yards, but also forced two turnovers, and only gave up two touchdowns. Photo Kansas City Star. 

Box Score

SM East (13-0) 7 12 7 7 -- 33
Hutchinson (8-5) 0 14 0 0 -- 14

SME - Edmisten 1 run (Tamblyn kick)
HHS - Middleton 39 run (Culley kick)
SME - Edmisten 2 run (Tamblyn kick failed)
HHS - Stocklein 13 pass from Wintz (Culley kick)
SME - White 36 pass from Englund (Huffman run failed)
SME - Edmisten 6 run (Tamblyn kick)
SME - White 22 pass from Englund (Tamblyn kick)

Passing - SM East, Englund 2-7-58-0; Hutchinson, Wintz, 2-5-23-0

Rushing - SM East, Edmisten 32-142, Huffman 7-55, Bamford 5-45, Englund 7-28; Hutchinson, Middleton 28-163, Wintz 13-161, Hardenberger 6-22.

Receiving - SM East, White 2-58; Hutchinson, Stocklein, 2-23.

6A State Championship Game Score

Saturday, Nov. 29

SM East 33, Hutchinson 14

6A State Title Preview: Hutchinson vs. SM East

Emporia State's Welch Stadium is the site of Saturday's
6A state title tilt. 

Hutchinson (8-4)
vs. SM East (12-0)
Where: Welch Stadium, Emporia State University
When: 1:00 p.m., Saturday
Radio: 1510 AM
TV: None (810 WHB will have online stream)
Topeka CJ spread: SM East -12

Hutchinson

**The Salthawks are the first team to enter the 6A state title game with four or more losses since Wichita Heights in 2009. Hutchinson is hoping for fair better than the Falcons, who lost to Olathe North 37-3 that year.

**Hutchinson running back Blaik Middleton is averaging 218 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns per game.

**Since 2003, Hutchinson has gone 39-3 in the postseason, winning seven state titles.

SM East

**The Lancers' 567 points scored are the most ever by a Sunflower League team during one season, and there's still a game left to go.

**SM East is seeking their first state football title in school history. Last year they fell just short, losing 28-21 to Derby in the 6A state title game.

**SM East has gone a combined 30-5 over the last three seasons, and this fall they became the first program in the Sunflower League since Olathe North in 2010 to win 10 or more games in back-to-back seasons.

Three things to watch

1.) Can SM East slow Blaik Middleton? 

When a guy has been averaging over 200 rushing yards per game for the duration of the season, it's safe to say he's going to have success against whoever he faces. SM East did a solid job limiting Olathe North's Venus Triplett, one of the better backs in the league, last week, but it's going to take a much better performance to slow Middleton. And here's the truth -- Middleton is going to get some big plays here and there. It's inevitable with a running back of his ability. The question is, how well can SM East limit those big plays, and how will they respond if and when Middleton makes a big play(s)? At the end of the day, this game will be won or lost based on how well Middleton is able to perform.

2.) Can Hutchinson limit SM East in the first half?

For the fist time all season last week, SM East didn't steamroll their opponent in the first half. And the result was a game that went down to the wire. The Lancers put together a nice opening touchdown drive, and came close to jumping ahead 14-0, but the Olathe North defense locked things down and kept the game close. It will be essential that Hutchinson doesn't allow the Lancers to get out to a big first half lead. If SM East is up more than two touchdowns at halftime, they will be able to drain the clock and control the tempo in the second half, as they've done for the better part of every game this season.

3.) Who will make the big play when it counts?

The past three 6A state title games have been decided by a touchdown less, and each of those games came down to big second half touchdowns which swung the tide in favor of the winning team. For SM East, the Lancers have had 365 days to think about  their loss to to Derby last year, when the Panthers put together a late drive and scored the go-ahead touchdown with 1:21 remaining in the game. If this game stays close (and with both teams favoring the run it always could) it's going to come down to one or two really big plays late.

6A State Championship Statistical Comparison

Hutchinson's Blaik Middleton. Photo Hutch News.

Passing Yards

Hutchinson

Turner Wintz: 525, 5 TDs

SM East
Gunnar Englund: 1,191, 19 TDs

Rushing Yards

Hutchinson
Blaik Middleton: 2,616, 36 TDs
Turner Wintz: 838, 11 TDs
Jacob Hardenberger: 828, 5 TDs

SM East
Wyatt Edmisten: 1,370, 29 TDs
Gunnar Englund: 678, 6 TDs
Jackson Gossick: 596, 6 TDs
Calvin Jones: 508, 4 TDs
Sam Huffman: 456, 6 TDs
Mike Bamford: 312, 2 TDs
Parker Shirling: 101, 2 TDs

Receiving Yards

Hutchinson
Blaik Middleton: 200, 2 TDs
Ryan Stocklein: 170, 1 TD

SM East
Alec Dean: 513, 8 TDs

SM East's Gunnar Englund. Photo SME Harbinger.

Sky Tate: 208, 4 TDs
Jackson Gossick: 163, 2 TDs
Charley White: 136, 2 TDs

Tackles

Hutchinson
Lucas Dunbar: 94
Josh Patterson: 58
Ryan Stocklein: 56
Gabe Raigoza: 51
Heath Davidson: 42
Colton Fee: 42

SM East
Kyle Ball: 112
Rider Terry: 76
Jack Anderson: 74
Sam Pottenger: 65
Sam Williams: 54

Sacks

Hutchinson
Gabe Raigoza: 2.5
Heath Davidson: 1.5
(five with one)

SM East
Kyle Ball: 10
Sam Williams: 5
Rider Terry: 4
Luke Heisdorffer: 3
John Aliber: 2
Sam Pottenger: 2
(four with one)

Interceptions

Hutchinson
Colton Fee: 3
Peyton Pendergrass: 3
Turner Wintz: 1
Ryan Stocklein: 1
Josh Patterson: 1
Quinten Ruiz: 1

SM East
Charley White: 5
Taylor Robinson: 2
(five tied with one)

Hutchinson and SM East program profiles

Hutchinson quarterback Turner Wintz' return from
the injured reserve list helped fuel the Salthwaks late
season run. They've won six of their last eight games.
Photo courtesy Kansas.com

Hutchinson
Location: Huchinson
Enrollment: 1,510
Previous state title appearances: 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012
State championships: 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011
Current FBS alumni: Ben Heeney (Kansas), Geneo Grissom (Oklahoma)

Salthawk Football
Head coach: Ryan Cornelson
Record: 8-4
Last 20: 12-8
Offense: Power-I (pro style)
Defense: 4-3-4
Points scored per game: 35.3
Points allowed per game: 27

Program Persona
If Kansas has ever had its own version of some mythical west Texas football community, it would be Hutchinson. The Salthawk nickname stems from the abundance of salt mines which rest in the area, providing employment opportunities to thousands within the community. The town has distinctive good and bad sides of the railroad tracks, and like any other "big" small town, the locals can all name the five to ten powerful families who have all the money and control commerce.

In 1997, former head coach Randy Dreiling ventured to the football program like some 1700s Spanish missionary in southern California, seeking to establish a collective "well-being" in the community. At that time the Salthawk program was the laughingstock of big-class football. They were amid a 26-game losing streak and had zero state titles to their name. Dreiling broke the losing streak in his first game, and by his seventh season the program was making its first state title appearance.

From 2004 to 2011, Hutchinson basically owned big-class Kansas football. They won seven state championships in that time frame (four in 6A, and three in 5A) and set the gold-standard for high school football in Kansas. The town's inhabitants took great pride and ownership of the success. The program's iconic gold 'H' logo adorned the front license plate holders of what seemed like every vehicle in the Reno County area. The outstanding fanbase even travelled notoriously well on the road, making a name for themselves with their ability to outnumber a home crowd's attendance in communities hours away from Hutchinson. The program and its constituents were cocky -- and they could be. In the 10 seasons from 2003 to 2012, they won 116 games and lost just 13.

Then the unthinkable happened, when following the 2013 season Dreiling announced he was leaving the program after 17 years to take the job at St. Thomas Aquinas. Dreiling's assistants followed him east, so the school administration made an external hire in Cornelson. There's no telling if Hutchinson football can keep their identity alive. The program made a nice rebound this year, and made the coveted state title game for the 10th time in 12 years, but the true tell-tale sign will be where they're at two years from now, when Dreiling's final leftovers graduate and move on. In the meantime, the Hutchinsonians will continue to show up in force to support their program, with the hope Cornelson will keep those gold 'H' logos on their vehicles for years to come.

Notes

**Nobody (myself included) expected the Salthawks to make a return to the 6A state title game this fall once Dreiling announced his intentions to take the St. Thomas Aquinas job. It certainly hasn't been all smooth sailing in year one under Cornelson, either. Through week six, the Salthawks' record sat at 2-4, and one of those victories had been by three points in overtime. But around week six many of their injured starters began returning to the starting lineup, and they've gone 6-0 since. Last week they absolutely manhandled a Free State program, on the road, that had been playing very well.

**You can't say enough about Hutchinson's running back, Blaik Middleton. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound senior hasn't garnered any FBS offers, but that may change once college coaches have a chance to sit down and evaluate his senior game film between now and January. Last week Middleton gashed Free State for 353 rushing yards and six touchdowns on a mere 21 carries. Most of his yardage came between the hashmarks, which made the numbers even more impressive. On the season he leads all big-class running backs in rushing yards, with 2,621, and he's also added 36 touchdowns for good flavor.

SM East's Mike Bamford (45) and Will Kost 
celebrated their victory against Olathe North last
Friday. The Lancers have gone 23-2 since the start
of the 2013 season. Photo Kansas City Star.

SM East
Location: Prairie Village
Enrollment: 1,639
Previous state title appearances: 2013
State championships: None
Current FBS alumni: Jordan Darling (Kansas)

Lancer Football
Head coach: Dustin Delaney
Record: 12-0
Last 20: 18-2
Offense: Flexbone
Defense: 3-4-4
Points scored per game: 47.3
Point allowed per game: 11

Program Persona
There's an identity crisis in the far northeast corner of Johnson County. SM East, a high school which pulls a substantial portion of its student body from Kansas' two wealthiest cities -- Mission Hills and Leawood -- isn't supposed to be dominating a sport which isn't offered at any of the exclusive country clubs which dot that part of the county. The Lancers own 52 state titles in men's sports, but not one of those championships falls under the category of football.

Take a step into the SM East world. It's set in a part of the county canopied by towering oaks and sycamores. There are houses the size of high schools. Its narrow, winding streets are sprinkled with quaint shops and high-end boutiques. Traverse those streets, among the BMWs and Volvos, and you gain a sense of why the program isn't a historic football power. This isn't some mining community. They aren't reliant on manual labor opportunities provided by the ebbs and flows of some oil boom, and there's not a collective chippiness among the locals. Those sorts of rustic qualities have been a staple of the communities surrounding some of the region's most successful high school football programs (see Hutchinson).

But, you can immediately recognize why it could be the state's next dynasty in the making. The program is buoyed by a support system of high-achieving students, highly-involved parents, strong community, and a seemingly endless line of sponsors willing to do their part to help create a winning atmosphere. SM East has small-town support with high-rise money.

More importantly, the country club school has bought into the blue collar offense carried to its shores by Delaney. The Lancers have never been a terrible program. For years they seemed to have final ledgers which fell between two and five wins. Former head coach Chip Sherman was able to get the Lancers over the hump in the late 2000s, but he left before seeing the program through to playoff successes. Delaney's arrival took what was an already steady program, and turned them up several notches. The result has been a 23-2 record since September of 2013. If they win a state title Saturday, the notions of the Lancers being solely a country club campus can be put out to pasture.

Notes

**SM East's identity sits with its flexbone offense -- the offense Delaney learned and used as the offensive coordinator at Hutchinson from 2006 to 2009. While the Hutchinson offense of the Dreiling years and SM East's offense essentially have the same bloodlines, there seem to be some minor variations. For one, the Lancers appear willing to throw the football more than what we saw from Hutchinson. Quarterback Gunnar Englund has passed for 1,191 yards and 19 touchdowns, and SM East is almost as potent through the air as they are on the ground. Second, SM East seems to run a more methodical version of the offense. While Hutchinson keyed on big plays from their fullbacks and slotbacks, the Lancers will run four straight fullback dives if it means they'll get 2.5 yards per carry. Those differences might stem completely from personnel differences, or simply subjectivity in the mind of the viewer, but I think they're worth noting.

**I don't think anyone would disagree defensive end Kyle Ball is the Lancers' best player. The 6-foot-2, 235-pound defensive force is as good of a defender as the Sunflower League's had since SM Northwest's Mike Rivera in 2003. Dating back to the beginning of the 2013 season (25 games) Ball's recorded 219 tackles (65 tackles for loss), and 18 sacks. He holds an offer from Kansas, but like Middleton, could see a few more come his way once his senior tape is released.

Kansas 6A Sub-State Game Recaps

Several Lancer defenders worked to bring down Olathe North receiver Mark Keeling. SM East
won the game, 36-35, in double overtime. Photo Kansas City Star.

SM East 36, Olathe North 35, 2OT

The matchup folks had been talking about since August turned out to be better than the hype. Two 11-0 clubs, Co-Sunflower League Champions, squaring off in Sub-State. It doesn't get much better than that, and the action on the field made for a legendary game that will be talked about for years to come.

SM East had the first offensive possession of the game, receiving the opening kickoff. The Lancers put together a clinical opening drive against the vaunted Olathe North defense, driving down the field with little resistance and scoring on a 24-yard touchdown run from Sam Huffman. The Lancers connected on the PAT and led 7-0.

Olathe North converted one first down on their next possession, but was forced to punt. The Lancers put together another impressive drive, taking the ball inside Olathe North's 5-yard line. But on a fourth and one try, Olathe North linebacker Jesse Kendricks put a big hit on quarterback Gunnar Englund, stopping him short of the first down.

The Eagles got the ball out of the shadow of their endzone, and converted a couple first downs, but were eventually forced to punt again. By now it was midway through the second quarter.

SM East drove methodically down the field again, but things were slowed to a halt. They had a 23-yard touchdown run from Huffman called back on penalty, before turning the ball over on downs. The teams traded possession three times, before Olathe North took the final snaps of the half. At the intermission SM East held a 7-0 lead.

Each team punted the ball twice to begin the third quarter. SM East looked like they had something going on their third offensive possession, but an uncharacteristic Englund pass was picked off by Olathe North's Chaz Burgess who returned the interception 81 yards for a touchdown to tie the game.

SM East got the ball back but was soon forced to punt. Olathe North's Isaiah Simmons was able to make his way through the punt unit to block the punt, and Olathe North took over at the SM East 15-yard line. A few plays later Venus Triplett took a carry in from a couple yards out, to give Olathe North a 14-7 lead with 45 second remaining in the third quarter.

The Lancers answered back quickly, driving the ball down the field and scoring on a 48-yard touchdown run from Huffman. However, the PAT missed, and Olathe North held onto a lead at 14-13.

Olathe North was forced to punt on their next possession. SM East was then able to put together another long drive, and eventually scored on a five-yard touchdown run from Wyatt Edmisten. The Lancers also converted on the two-point try, and went ahead 21-14.

Olathe North received the kickoff, and had just over four minutes to score. The Eagles put together one of their better drives of the season, but ended up facing a fourth down and goal at the SM East 11-yard line. Quarterback Cole Murphy lobbed a short flag route to Burgess, who made the catch around the defender for a touchdown. The PAT tied the game at 21.

SM East kneeled the ball to go to overtime. Olathe North won the toss and elected to play defense first. SM East made it into the endzone on their opening possession, scoring a one-yard touchdown run on fourth and goal. Olathe North matched the score on their possession, on a Murphy bootleg, to tie things at 28 and move to a second overtime.

The Eagles had the first possession, and scored relatively easy on a run up the gut from Triplett. SM East took four downs, but also made their way into the endzone on a one-yard touchdown run from Edmisten. But the Lancers weren't content kicking a PAT and moving on to a third overtime.

The Lancers called a rocket toss to right edge, for Huffman, who motioned to the right. Huffman headed toward the boundary, but then made a sharp cut north, and slipped into the endzone past several Olathe North defenders. The score put SM East ahead 36-35, awarding the Lancers the victory, and a second consecutive 6A state title berth.

Hutchinson running back Blaik Middleton had a career night against Free State. He carried the ball
21 times for 353 yards and six touchdowns. The totals gave him 2,621 rushing yards and 36 rushing
touchdowns on the season. Photo Hutchinson News.

Hutchinson 42, Lawrence Free State 14

Free State had put together an impressive late-season run, rattling off five straight victories, including two in the playoffs. But that streak wouldn't continue as they ran into an equally on-fire Hutchinson team, led by Blaik Middleton, likely the best running back in the state of Kansas.

The Salthawks set the tone early. On their opening possession they converted a fourth down try, then followed that up with a 59-yard touchdown run from Middleton to go ahead 7-0.

Free State took the ensuing kickoff into Hutchinson territory, but a fumble on their first play turned the ball over to Hutchinson. Salthawk quarterback Turner Wintz got Hutchinson deep into Free State territory on a 46-yard run, but a pass into the endzone was picked off by Carson Bowen, slowing some of the momentum.

Free State's offensive possession stalled near midfield, and Hutchinson regained possession. A few plays later, Middleton busted up the middle of the Firebird defense on a 38-yard touchdown run. The Salthawks then pulled off a successful surprise onside kick, and led 14-0 at the beginning of the second quarter.

Hutchinson drove with ease on the Firebird defense, before a Middleton touchdown run was called back on a penalty, and they stalled and turned the ball over on downs. Free State finally answered, with several long runs from Bowen. They eventually punched in a touchdown on a seven-yard touchdown run from Bowen, to make things 14-7.

But the Salthawk machine couldn't be slowed. Middleton came back a few years later, busting a 66-yard touchdown run up the middle to make things 21-7, Hutchinson.

Free State managed a nice kickoff return, and scored on a 13-yard touchdown run from Bowen a few plays later to make things 21-14. But that was all she wrote for the Firebird offense. Middleton added a 57-yard touchdown run on Hutchinson's next possession to go up 28-14. A Free State drive stalled inside the Salthawk 10-yard line, before the game went to halftime.

Free State showed promise on their first drive of the second half, but a Bryce Torneden pass was picked off in the endzone by Peyton Pendergrass. The Salthawks used that momentum to drive 80 yards, scoring on a two-yard touchdown run from Middleton. That made things 35-14 in favor of Hutchinson.

Free State drove all the way down to the Hutchinson one-yard line on their next possession, but unable to punch it in, they turned the ball over on downs. The clubs traded possessions to start the fourth quarter, before Middleton added his sixth touchdown of the day on a 29-yard touchdown run. The score put Hutchinson up 42-14.

Neither team scored in the final 6:38, and Hutchinson took the victory. The Salthawks will be making their 10th state title appearance since 2003 on Saturday against SM East. For Free State, the program dropped to 1-3 all-time in Sub-State games.

Jeff Meyers done as Olathe East's head coach

Former Olathe East head coach Jeff Meyers.

Jeff Meyers is no longer the head football coach at Olathe East.

The Sunflower League Football Blog had received word his coaching departure was imminent, but nothing materialized until Friday afternoon.

The announcement became official when the Olathe School District website posted a job opening for the Olathe East head coaching position.

Meyers' exit comes on the heels of a 3-6 campaign, which marked the program's first losing season since 1999.

The Hawks began the year 3-1, but closed out the season on a five-game losing streak.

Sources close to the program say the poor results on the field this fall were correlated with a general decline in the condition of the program the past few years.

The sources cited intrasquad conflicts of interest, apathy from the coaching staff, and a general lack of cohesion as a handful of the the problems that had arisen.

Meyers was the first and only head football coach in Olathe East history. He took over in the fall of 1992 when the building opened its doors, and had remained the head coach ever since.

In Meyers' 23 years at the helm, the Hawks combined to go 163-74. His teams advanced to the Sub-State round of the playoffs on six occasions ('94, '02, '05, '10, '11, '12) and his 2005 team finished as the 6A State Runner-Up. 

A seasoned veteran, Meyers' 23-year tenure in the Sunflower League was the longest active streak of seasons coached within the league.

Meyers, who's served as the Mayor of Shawnee since 2004, has been linked to the Blue Valley Southwest head coaching job. The position came open last week after Bill Lowe stepped down as head coach.

As far as Meyers' replacement goes, early reports indicate the program will likely seek an external hire.

Kansas 6A Sub-State Scores

Friday, Nov. 21

SM East 36, Olathe North 35, 2 OT
Hutchinson 42, Lawrence Free State 14

Sunflower League Sub-State Round Previews

SM East edged Olathe North, 37-27, in the 6A East Sub-State game a season ago.
Photo Marisa Walton, SME Harbinger.

Olathe North (11-0) at SM East (11-0)
Where: SM North District Stadium
Last meeting: SM East beat Olathe North, 37-27, in Sub-State last year.
Topeka CJ spread: Olathe North -2

Gamechangers

Venus Triplett, Olathe North: Statistically speaking, nothing Triplett's done this year will go down in the Olathe North record books. But his ability to make a big play, at the biggest moments, it what makes him an elite back. Look no further than his 83-yard touchdown reception out of the backfield last week as the key play which sprung the Eagles to a lead and the victory.

Kyle Ball, SM East: The FBS-bound Ball has been a stud all season, but especially in the playoffs. Through two games he's recorded 27 tackles (eight for loss) and a sack. What's more, the Lancers have surrendered just one touchdown, and it came on Lawrence's opening drive of the Regional game. Ball is a relentless, physical freak, and he has the potential to make as big of an impact on the game as anyone.

Significance

Olathe North
A win would put the Eagles in a state title game for the 10th time in the last 19 years, which is really an insane statistic, if you think about it. It's even close to Lawrence's historic hay day, where the Chesty Lions made 13 state title games in 18 years. Lawrence holds the all-time record for Kansas state titles with 10. A state title victory would put Olathe North at nine.

SM East
If SM East wins they would be the first team from 6A East to make back-to-back state title games since Olathe North did it in 2009 and 2010. A win would also give the Lancers 12 wins on the season, which would be the most ever in a single season for the program. Last, but not least, it would give head coach Dustin Delaney 23 career wins with SM East, which would be the most ever by a Sunflower League coach through their first two seasons.

Analysis

Well, it's pretty obvious what we'll see in this one. The league's best offense (SM East) versus its best defense (Olathe North). We've been waiting for this game since August, and it's played out like a fairytale: co-league champions, both undefeated, in a rematch of the 6A East Sub-State game from a year ago, with the winner advancing to the state title game. Some are even calling this matchup the de facto 6A state title game, although the Firebirds or Salthawks will have something to say about that. But I'm not going to analyze this one any more. We've been analyzing it for 11 weeks. It's time to see who wants it the most on the field.

Hutchinson (7-4) at Lawrence Free State (8-3)
Where: Free State Athletic Stadium
Last meeting: N/A
Topeka CJ spread: Free State -4

Gamechangers

Bryce Torneden, Free State: The Firebirds have an outstanding lineage of dual-threat quarterbacks. In fact, Torneden is the fourth different starting quarterback to lead Free State to a Sub-State game since 2006. But he can sort of separate himself from the rest if he can lead his team to a state title as a junior. His stats speak for themselves: 1,237 rushing yards and 15 rushing touchdowns, plus 958 passing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns. He's also a pretty solid free safety when he's not taking snaps under center.

Blaik Middleton, Hutchinson: Middleton's 2,268 rushing yards this fall set the Hutchinson record for most rushing yards in a single season. And he accomplished the feat in just 11 games. That should tell you something, especially considering the Salthawks have had guys like Kerry Gamble, Romero Cotton, Josh Smith and Ben Heeney in their backfields. Also of note: Middleton has punched in 30 touchdowns. He will be the best running back the Firebirds have faced all year.

Significance

Free State
A win would put Free State in the state title game for the second time in seven years, and bring longtime head coach Bob Lisher one step closer to the elusive state title ring. It would also mark Free State's sixth win in a row, which would be quite remarkable considering they began the year 2-3.

Hutchinson
The Salthawks are aiming for their 10th state title trip in the last 12 seasons (they've gone 7-2 in state title games in that time frame). Perhaps more importantly, it would instill confidence in the Hutchinson community that first-year head coach Ryan Cornelson is capable of carrying on Randy Dreiling's legacy of winning football, if the Sub-State run hasn't already done that.

Analysis

If Hutchinson still makes a state title game without Dreiling, then we all lose. Okay, that's just me playing to the Sunflower League's collective pathos, but there is some truth in the statement. An All-Sunflower League state title game would be epic for those who follow the Sunflower League, regardless of which league team you root for. I think Free State's going to have the fight of their lives slowing Middleton, but I've seen the Firebirds step up to every task they've faced since districts, and there's no reason to believe it will stop now.

Sunflower League News & Notes, and statistics

Olathe North quarterback Cole Murphy is going for
his 19th career victory, as a starter, on Friday against
SM East. Photo KC Star.

Eli's News and Notes

**SM East running back Wyatt Edmisten and Free State quarterback Bryce Torneden lead all remaining Sunflower League players with 26 touchdowns apiece. If either player records four more touchdowns, they will join the prestigious 30-Touchdown Club. Since 2000, just nine Sunflower League players have scored 30 or more touchdowns in one season.

**Torneden is also closing in on the 1,000/1,000 Club, representing players who've both passed and rushed for 1,000 yards in the same season. The 1,000/1,000 Club is more exclusive, as just four league players have accomplished the feat since 2000.

**If Olathe North wins the 6A state title, and quarterback Cole Murphy starts both the game this week against SM East (as expected), and the state title game, Murphy would have 20 career victories as a starting quarterback to his name. Just six players have accomplished this since 2000 (four if you want to get technical).

(For more information on Sunflower League statistical feats, refer to the 'Hall of Fame' tab.)

**If you're looking for a lifetime achievement award, look no further than Olathe North running back Venus Triplett. The talented three-year starter still has at least one game remaining, but his rushing totals through 33 career starts tells a tale of tale of dominance: 680 carries, 3,715 rushing yards, and 57 touchdowns.

**Olathe North head coach Gene Wier has a 6-2 record in Sub-State games. Free State's Bob Lisher is 1-2, and SM East's Dustin Delaney is 1-0.

**Top Five List: Best Sunflower League Sub-State games since 2000

1. Olathe North 16, Blue Valley 14, 2009
Eagles' Jared Morss chips in game-winning 33-yard field goal as time expires.

2. Olathe East 22, Lawrence 18, 2005
Hawks overcome early 12-0 deficit, win on the lone score of the second half.

3. Olathe North 12, Olathe East 10, 2002
Botched snap prevents Hawks from attempting game-winning field goal as time expired.

4. Lawrence Free State 14, Blue Valley 7, 2008
Free State puts together miraculous road victory against heavily favored 10-1 Blue Valley.

5. SM West 31, Lawrence Free State 14, 2006
Two 11-0 teams, with a combined six FBS players, produces big play after big play.

Statistical Leaders

Passing Yards (QB rating) (Wins-loss record as starter)
Gunnar Englund, SM East: 1,176 yards, 19 TDs (123) (14-1)
Cole Murphy, Olathe North: 1,034, 11 TDs (111) (18-7)
Bryce Torneden, Free State: 958, 10 TDs (86) (8-3)

Rushing Yards
Venus Triplett, Olathe North: 1,237, 21 TDs
Wyatt Edmisten, SM East: 1,216, 26 TDs
Bryce Torneden, Free State: 1,190 15 TDs
Gunnar Englund, SM East: 644, 6 TDs
Jackson Gossick, SM East: 528, 6 TDs
Calvin Jones, SM East: 508, 4 TDs
Vinnie Shabazz, Olathe North: 464, 4 TDs
Carson Bowen, Free State: 436, 4 TDs
Cole Murphy, Olathe North: 403, 6 TDs

Receiving Yards
Joel Spain, Free State: 553, 13 TDs
Alec Dean, SM East: 498, 8 TDs
Jeighlon Cornell, Olathe North: 347, 4 TDs
Josh Moore, Olathe North: 264, 3 TDs
Venus Triplett, Olathe North: 252, 2 TDs
Sky Tate, SM East: 208, 4 TDs
Tye Carter, Free State: 163, 4 TDs
Charley White, SM East: 136, 2 TDs

Tackles
Kyle Ball, SM East: 102
Jadon McGaha, Olathe North: 90
Rider Terry, SM East: 69
Jack Anderson, SM East: 67
Marcel Spears, Olathe North: 64
Jay Dineen, Free State: 61
Bryce Torneden, Free State: 57
Paul Bittinger, Free State: 53
Shane Hofer, Free State: 53
Jesse Kendricks, Olathe North: 50

Sacks
Kyle Ball, SM East: 10
Sam Williams, SM East: 5
Josh Moore, Olathe North: 4

Interceptions
Andrew Keating, Free State: 5
Charley White, SM East: 5
Joel Spain, Free State: 4
Vinnie Shabazz, Olathe North: 3
Isaiah Simmons, Olathe North: 3

Takeaways
Free State: 31 (17 ints, 14 fum rec.)
Olathe North: 23 (12 ints, 11 fum rec.)
SM East: 21 (12 ints, 9 fum rec.)

Passing Yards
Olathe North: 1,255 (114 ypg), 13 TDs
SM East: 1,176 (107 ypg), 19 TDs
Free State: 985 (90 ypg) , 10 TDs

Rushing Yards
SM East: 3,878 (352 ypg), 55 TDs
Free State: 2,696 (245 ypg) , 28 TDs
Olathe North: 2,690 (245 ypg), 38 TDs

Sunflower League Sectional Round Review

Quarterback Gunnar Englund and the SM East flexbone offense were too much for SM West's
defense to handle on Friday night. The Lancers won, 41-0. Photo David Compton.

The Good

**With Olathe North's victory against Blue Valley, the Sunflower League was guaranteed a representee in the 6A state title game for the 46th year in a row. The 6A classification has only been around for 46 years.

**Lawrence Free State's victory against Junction City kept the Firebirds alive in the 6A West bracket. If Free State can beat Hutchinson on Friday, the 6A state title game will feature two Sunflower League teams for the first time in history.

The Bad

**An undefeated team will suffer their first and only lost of the 2014 season this week, and be done for the year. Olathe North (11-0) and SM East (11-0) will be the first teams to square off in the 6A East Sub-State round, undefeated, since 2007, when Free State and SM West were in the same position.

**Leavenworth wasn't able to fully capitalize on a weak 5A East. With Blue Valley making the jump to 6A, and Bishop Miege dropping to 4A, the East side of the 5A landscape was particularly undermanned this fall. The Pioneers did an excellent job advancing to Sectionals, but in the end, they just couldn't get past Aquinas.

The Ugly

**SM East has outscored their opponents 531-97 this fall, for an average margin of victory of 48-9. That's a beautiful stat if you're a Lancer, but to the rest of the league, that's complete domination.

**Lawrence Free State begin playing 6A West opponents six weeks ago. They've gone 5-0 since. Their opponents' records, as of each game, were as follows: 2-5, 6-1, 7-1, 7-2, and 8-2. Needless to say, it's been an impressive run for a Free State team that entered that stretch at 3-3. If the Firebirds knock off Hutchinson (7-4) Friday, it would suggest they really exposed 6A West (if they haven't already).

Sectional Round Player of the Week

Bryce Torneden, Free State: Across the board, there wasn't one player who jumped out as having a completely dominant performance that would rank head and shoulders above the rest. But as far as production goes, no player had the impact of Torneden. The junior quarterback combined for 313 total yards, from a variety of sources. He completed nine of his 16 passes for 145 yards, carried the ball 19 times for 89 yards and two touchdowns, returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown, and had 47 kick return yards.

Down and Out

Leavenworth (6-5)
Well, it appears the Pioneers have found their niche in class 5A. They should do all in their power to remain in 5A going forward. The team went 5-1 against 5A competition, but just 1-4 against 6A clubs. But we also can't lose sight of the big picture. Head coach Mark Littrell and his staff know how to win, and Leavenworth is no longer going to be the perennial doormat we grew accustomed to for so many years. No, Leavenworth is finally a program capable of doing some damage.

SM West (6-5)
The 41-0 loss to SM East was a rotten ending to what turned out to be a pretty solid season for one of the league's youngest teams. With the amount of youth they broke in this fall (their defense, for instance, featured eight starters who were non-seniors) it's reasonable to believe the Vikings could return to being one of the league's more dominant fixtures starting next fall.

Sectional Round Game Recaps

Olathe North's defense suffocated Blue Valley's balanced offensive attack, limiting the Tigers to just
one offensive touchdown. Photo Kansas City Star.

Olathe North 27, Blue Valley 14

Blue Valley had been on a roll the past seven weeks, but Olathe North was able to put an end to their success, thanks to a stellar effort defensively. After a scoreless first quarter, Olathe North added a 15-yard touchdown run from Venus Triplett to go up 7-0. Blue Valley answered immediately when Gannon Cornley returned the ensuing kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown. However, a missed extra point left Blue Valley one point down, at 7-6. In the third quarter Olathe North tacked on a 16-yard touchdown run from Marcel Spears to make the lead 14-6. Blue Valley didn't waste much time, coming back early in the fourth quarter with a 10-yard touchdown run from Colton McCumber. McCumber also converted the all-important two-point conversion on a pass to Trenton Schroeder to even the game at 14. On Olathe North's next possession they dialed up a perfect play call -- a wheel route to Triplett after misdirecting the Blue Valley defense. Triplett caught a well-timed ball from Cole Murphy and went 83 yards for a touchdown to put the Eagles up 21-14. Olathe North forced a turnover late in the quarter, then added a 10-yard touchdown pass from Murphy to Josh Moore to seal the deal on their fifth Sub-State trip in nine years.

Lawrence Free State 37, Junction City 17

It's becoming a trend for Free State to overpower their 6A West opponents with an explosive spread attack which seems to be peaking at just the right time. Junction City struck first on a 27-yard field goal from Wayne Shirley to go up 3-0. The Firebirds answered with a five-yard touchdown run from Bryce Torneden midway through the first quarter go ahead 7-3. On Junction City's next possession, the Blue Jays delivered a home run on a 75-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Henington to Jovon Baldwin to go up 10-7. Free State answered with a second quarter run which put the game out of reach. First came field goals of 26 and 25 yards from Daniel Clarke. After those, Torneden returned an interception 32 yards for a touchdown. Then Clarke added his third field goal of the game from 23 yards out to make things 23-10 at the half. In the third quarter Free State tacked on touchdowns runs of two yards apiece from Torneden and Carson Bowen to go up 37-10. Henington added a 10-yard touchdown pass to Jake Bazan in the final minutes to make things 37-17.

SM East 41, SM West 0

The machine that is SM East had no problems for the 11th week in a row, taking care of SM West in mechanical fashion. The Lancers went up 12-0 in the first quarter on a six-yard touchdown run from Wyatt Edmisten and a 34-yard from Gunnar Englund. A 13-yard touchdown run from Englund in the second quarter gave the Lancers a comfortable 19-0 lead at intermission. In the third quarter Jackson Gossick took a carry in from 35 yards out, before Edmisten added a three-yard touchdown run, his second of the day, to make things 35-0. SM East added a a two-yard touchdown run from Edmisten in the fourth quarter to seal the deal, and hit the 40-point mark for the 10th time in 11 games.

St. Thomas Aquinas 27, Leavenworth 7

A 27-point Aquinas lead at halftime was all the Saints needed to coast to the victory. They scored first on a four-yard touchdown run from Kyle Bollig. In the second quarter they added a four-yard touchdown run from Karter Odermann, a 40-yard touchdown pass from Odermann to Nathan Burditt, and a 10-yard touchdown run from Ben Ewing. Leavenworth's last gasp of the season came on a four-yard touchdown run from Isaiah Ross in the third quarter.

Kansas 6A & 5A Sectional Playoff Scores

Friday, Nov. 14

6A East
Olathe North 27, Blue Valley 14
SM East 41, SM West 0

6A West
Lawrence Free State 37, Junction City 17
Hutchinson 35, Derby 28

5A East
St. Thomas Aquinas 27, Leavenworth 7
Shawnee Heights 34, Pittsburg 14

5A West
Bishop Carroll 48, Wichita Heights 7
Salina South 49, Maize South 28

Sunflower League Sectional Round Playoff Preview

On November 19th, 2009, Blue Valley and Olathe
North played one of the best playoff games in
Kansas City high school football history. James
Franklin, pictured, rushed for 213 yards on 30
carries in the game. Olathe North ultimately won
the contest, 16-14. Photo Kansas City Star.

Class 6A

Blue Valley (9-1)
at Olathe North (10-0)
Where: ODAC
Last meeting: Olathe North defeated Blue Valley, 16-14, in the Sub-State Round of the 2009 playoffs.
Topeka CJ spread: Blue Valley -3

What's on the line

Blue Valley
The Tigers have won six 5A state titles, but they've yet to claim a 6A title, despite coming pretty close in 2008 and 2009. A 6A state championship would put Blue Valley up there with Hutchinson as the only program in Kansas high school football history with state titles in both 5A and 6A. They would still need two playoff victories, but getting a win here would do wonders for their confidence, which is already sky-high.

Olathe North
It's all about pride for this group of Eagles. Win, and they get one step closer to Olathe North's ninth 6A state title, and a place at the table in the Eagle program's shrine of fame. A loss and they're no different than Olathe North's 1992, 2005, or 2008 teams who lost in Sectionals (which would be a shame given how good of a season the Eagles have had this fall).

Did you know
These programs met in 2004 and 2005 in the 5A state playoffs, and 2009 in the 6A state playoffs. In the 2004 game, Olathe North ransacked Blue Valley's defending Class 5A champion club, 47-21. Blue Valley returned the favor in 2005, crushing the Eagles 49-0. In 2009 (pictured above) it took an Olathe North field goal with under 15 second remaining in the game for the Eagles to squeak away with the victory.

SM West (6-4) at SM East (10-0)
Where: SM North District Stadium
Last meeting: SM East defeated SM West, 42-19, in week four.
Topeka CJ spread: SM East -20

What's on the line

SM East
The Lancers have two bigger ideas they're working with. For one, they're probably as hungry as any team remaining in 6A, given how they came up a couple minutes late and a touchdown short in last year's state title game. They know the agony of defeat, and want to forever cleanse that feeling by going back and claiming the title. And on the other hand -- and this is way, way too early to say, but it is something you have to consider -- if the Lancers can win this game and power their way to a state title, they would be 24-2 over the last two seasons, with two title appearances and a championship. That has the inklings of the beginning of a dynasty, something currently absent (but always lurking) in Class 6A.

SM West
When I played at SM West, the one team on the calendar you had to beat was SM East. The past two seasons the Vikings have gone 0-2 against the Lancers, and have been outscored 69-19. Those two statistics alone should be enough motivation for SM West to leave everything on the field when the teams square off on Friday. And, from an overall rivalry perspective, there probably couldn't be a better gift for your rival than spoiling their undefeated season this late in the year.

Did you know
SM East and SM West have only played once before in the playoffs, in 1985. SM West won the game, 14-0, en route to winning the Class 6A state title (h/t @BookterT3).

Lawrence Free State (7-3) at Junction City (8-2)
Where: Junction City High School
Last meeting: Junction City defeated Free State, 19-14, in the 2008 6A state title game.
Topeka CJ spread: Free State -11

What's on the line

Junction City
The Blue Jays are really a forgotten program across the Kansas high school football scene, especially given the relative success they've had the past seven seasons. In that time frame, Junction City has gone 54-16, and they've never lost more than three games in any one of those seasons. They have also infamously missed the playoffs four of those years despite having records of 6-3 or 7-2 in the regular season. The reality is, at the end of the day, Junction City is a solid program and one of just five outside of Hutchinson and Olathe North with a 6A crown since 1996. A victory here might really wake the masses up to what the program's all about.

Lawrence Free State
I'm imagining and kind of hoping the Free State coaching staff has been littering the Firebirds' locker room and facilities with press clippings from the 2008 6A state title game -- you know, the one where Junction City beat the Firebirds 19-14? Granted, that was six years ago, and many of Free State's current starters were 10, 11 and 12 years old at the time, but those sort of vendettas have a way of staying with a program. I can assure you the Free State coaching staff would enjoy a victory here as much as any they've had all season.

Did you know
A Free State victory would mark the program's fourth Sub-State berth in the last nine years. That would tie them with Olathe North for the most Sub-State appearances in that time span.

Other 6A
Hutchinson (6-4) at Derby (9-1)

Class 5A

St. Thomas Aquinas (7-3) at Leavenworth (6-4)
Where. Pioneer Stadium
Last meeting: N/A
Topeka CJ spread: Aquinas -11

What's on the line

Leavenworth
It's hard to fathom the idea Leavenworth is one win away from playing in Sub-State. Heck, it's crazy to think Leavenworth is sitting at 6-4 and on the verge of playing in a Sectional game for the first time in 24 years. Mark Littrell has done a remarkable job with his club and you can't give him enough praise for what they've been able to accomplish. But could you imagine the kind of praise Littrell would get if he can somehow coach his Pioneers past Randy Dreiling and St. Thomas Aquinas?

St. Thomas Aquinas
This game has everything to do with Dreiling imposing his will on Kansas 5A East high school football. Dreiling's a legendary head coach and a future Kansas Hall-of-Famer for sure, but to just waltz into Aquinas and lead the program to a Sub-State berth (or better) in year one would be embarrassing for the longstanding 5A East programs like Blue Valley West and and Mill Valley. With Dreiling at the helm it was only a matter of time before the program was elite, but in year one? The Saints can crush the hopes and dreams of many 5A East programs if they can find their way to Sub-State this quickly.

Did you know
Littrell and Dreiling have squared off twice before as head coaches, and both times were in 6A state title games. Dreiling's Hutchinson clubs beat Olathe South for the 6A state title in both 2004 and 2007.

Other 5A
Salina South (9-1) at Maize South (8-2)
Shawnee Heights (6-4) at Pittsburg (9-1)
Wichita Heights (8-2) at Bishop Carroll (10-0)

Sunflower League Sectional Statistics Update

Free State's Joel Spain ranks fourth in the Sunflower League in receiving yards. He caught four passes for
101 yards and a touchdown against Wichita Northwest in Regionals. Photo Lawrence Journal World.

Statistics

Passing Yards (QB rating)
Will Schneider, SM North: 1,976, 21 TDs (89)
Gunnar Englund, SM East: 1,176, 19 TDs (124)
Jake Seurer, Olathe South: 1,043, 10 TDs (101)
Chase Miller, Olathe East: 906, 7 TDs (56)
Landry Hodges, Leavenworth: 849, 9 TDs (66)
Cole Murphy, Olathe North: 829, 9 TDs (100)
Bryce Torneden, Free State: 813, 10 TDs (86)
Matt Hollingsworth, SM South: 796, 40 TDs
Jack Hatzfeld, Olathe Northwest: 765, 7 TDs (70)
Adam Rellihan, SM West: 583, 7 TDs (52)
Clay Drouilliard, SM Northwest: 327 (21)
Alan Clothier, Lawrence: 343 (22)

Rushing Yards
JD Woods, Lawrence: 1,665, 20 TDs
Venus Triplett, Olathe North: 1,191, 20 TDs
Bryce Torneden, Free State: 1,101, 13 TDs
Wyatt Edmisten, SM East: 1,074, 23 TDs
Sanchez Williams, Leavenworth: 1,029, 12 TDs
Tarik Watson, SM West: 1,004, 7 TDs
Jalen Branson, Olathe East: 801, 9 TDs
Duron Lowe, SM Northwest: 591, 5 TDs
DaeVonte Nance, Olathe South: 566, 6 TDs
Dalton Lewallen, SM South: 555, 6 TDs
Marshall Bland, SM South: 538, 3 TDs
Isaiah Ross, Leavenworth: 537, 5 TDs
Khaury El-Amin, Free State: 526, 6 TDs
Gunnar Englund, SM East: 511, 4 TDs
Calvin Jones, SM East: 508, 4 TDs
Adam Harter, Olathe Northwest: 504, 1 TD
Jake Seurer, Olathe South: 500, 11 TDs

Receiving Yards
Nick Perez, SM North: 949, 13 TDs
Alec Dean, SM East: 498, 8 TDs
Isaiah Ross, Leavenworth: 459, 5 TDs
Joel Spain, Free State: 422, 5 TDs
Zach Cahill, Olathe East: 378, 5 TDs
Jeighlon Cornell, Olathe North: 347. 4 TDs
Coleman Clanton, Olathe South: 322, 3 TDs
Manny Psihountas, Olathe Northwest: 318, 2 TDs
Tyler Burnett, SM North: 300, 3 TDs

Tackles
David Burton, Olathe Northwest: 128
Anthony Hunt, Leavenworth: 124
Price Morgan, Lawrence: 120
DJ Turner, SM West: 114
Dalton Lewallen, SM South: 101
Nick Perez, SM North: 98
Josh Compton, SM West: 91
Micquel Riddle, Leavenworth: 91
Kyle Ball, SM East: 90
Jadon McGaha, Olathe North: 90
Joe Fales, SM South: 88
Josh Morgan, Leavenworth: 82
Caesar Delgado, SM North: 80
Jake Seurer, Olathe South: 80

Sacks
Amani Bledsoe, Lawrence: 13
Kyle Ball, SM East: 9
Eli Pruss, Olathe Northwest: 5
Sam Williams, SM East: 5
Parker Soukup, Olathe South: 4.5
Mitch Holsinger, Olathe Northwest: 4
Noah McGinnis, SM North: 4
Josh Moore, Olathe North: 4
Jonathan Pressler, SM North: 4
DJ Turner, SM West: 4

Forced Fumbles
David Burton, Olathe Northwest: 3
Joe Fales, SM South: 3
Shane Hofer, Free State: 3
Josiah Lebrun, Free State: 3
Nick Perez, SM North: 3

Fumble Recoveries
Braxton Allen, Leavenworth: 3
Joe Fales, SM South: 3
DJ Turner, SM West: 3

Interceptions
Johnathon Sands, Olathe South: 7
Isaiah Macklin, SM West: 6
Jordan McKinney, SM West: 6
Isaiah Ross, Leavenworth: 6
Asher Goldston, SM West: 5
Andrew Keating, Free State: 5
Charley White, SM East: 5
Cole Browning, Olathe South: 4

Kick Return/Punt Return TDs
Nyle Anderson, Lawrence: 2 KR TDs
Juwan Potts, Leavenworth: 2 KR TDs
Venus Triplett, Olathe North: 2 PR TDs
Carson Bowen, Free State: 1 KR TD
Duron Lowe, SM Northwest: 1 KR TD
Isaiah Macklin, SM West: 1 KR TD
Charley White, SM East: 1 PR TD

Field Goals
Tyler Thayer, SM West: (7/10)
Chris Diddle, Olathe East: (5/7)
Devin Antcil, Olathe Northwest: (5/9)
Jonathan Killeen, SM Northwest: (4/)
Daniel Clarke, Free State: (3/3)
Logan Swartz, Olathe South: (3/4)
Cody Corbin, SM South: (2/2)
Ellis Springe, Lawrence: (2/3)
Jake Boyce, Leavenworth: (2/7)
Paige Miller, SM North: (1/1)

Sunflower League Regional Round Review

SM West's Jose Montoya forced a fumble from Olathe South's DaeVonte Nance in Friday
night's game. SM West won, 26-20. Photo Kansas City Star.

The Good

**Leavenworth won their first playoff game in program history, taking home a 35-6 victory against Topeka Seaman. It marks the first time the Pioneers have been in the Sectional Round of the playoffs since 1980. They will face a stiff test this Friday in St. Thomas Aquinas, led by none other than former Hutchinson coach Randy Dreiling, but regardless of the outcome, Leavenworth's football program should be proud of their accomplishments. Their six wins are also the most we've seen on record from the program.

**Olathe North pushed their record to 10-0 when they handled SM North, 68-20, on Friday. Since 2000, the Eagles have nine seasons of 10 or more wins. In that same time frame, the rest of the league has a combined 12 seasons of 10 or more wins.

**SM East's 35-7 victory against Lawrence also bumped their record to 10-0 on the season. It marks the second consecutive season in which the Lancers have won 10 or more games. Since 2000, that feat has only been accomplished by one other program -- Olathe North. The Eagles accomplished back-to-back-to-back-to-back 10+ win seasons from 2000 to 2004, and back-to-back 10-win seasons from 2009 to 2010.

**By taking care of business against Wichita Northwest, Lawrence Free State earned a rematch with Junction City in Sectionals. If you recall, Lawrence Free State lost to a Ty Zimmerman led Junction City team, 20-14, in the 2008 6A state title game. Temperatures are expected to be frigid this Friday, and remember, revenge is best served cold.

The Bad

**Olathe South was a 16-point computer favorite against SM West, but after getting down early they didn't have enough left in the tank to finished a late rally, losing 26-20. The Falcons have zero playoff wins since they won the 6A state title in 2011.

**SM North and SM South both made it into the playoffs with losing records, and neither fared well. The Indians lost by 48 points to Olathe North, while SM South lost by 41 to Blue Valley.

The Ugly

**SM East -- known for breaking open a lead through the air -- threw exactly one pass against Lawrence, and still defeated the Chesty Lions by 28 points. Also of note: the pass was incomplete. Lawrence's defense had no answer for the intricacies of the flexbone offense and its running schemes.

**SM North hasn't won a playoff game since 2000, while SM South hasn't won a playoff game since 1990.

Regional Round Players of the Week

Sanchez Williams, Leavenworth: Williams has been turning heads in the latter portion of this season. On Friday night he rushed for 305 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries. It marked the first time a Sunflower League player has rushed for more than 300 yards in a game this season. More importantly, Williams and the Pioneers bumped their record to 6-4, and advanced to Sectionals.

Jonathan Shull, SM West: Shull, a senior, had to swallow his pride earlier in the year after he was beat out at the starting quarterback position by junior Adam Rellihan. But on Friday night Rellihan went down with an injury, and Shull was forced into duty. He responded as well as SM West could have hoped, completing six of his seven passes for 108 yards, and adding two rushing touchdowns on the ground, including the game-winner with 14 second left in the game.

Down and Out

Lawrence (5-5)
The Chesty Lions didn't end the season on a high-note, but they return a loaded deck in 2015. Their two top players will be Amani Bledsoe and JD Woods, who both figure to be unanimous First Team All-Sunflower League selections for their efforts this season. Alan Clothier, Price Morgan, Trey Moore and a host of other talented players also return, to help lead what could be the league's top unit.

Olathe South (7-3)
The 2015 season will mark the first time since 2009 the Falcons don't have a Seurer brother as their starting quarterback. Their offensive framework will be built around running backs DaeVonte Nance and Brady Noernberg, who could eclipse 1,000 rushing yards apiece next fall. The Falcons should continue to be one of the league's top programs.

SM North (2-8)
Would it be a surprise if SM North won three or four games next season? Not at all. Quarterback Will Schneider will return as a junior with two years of experience under his belt, and the the rest of the roster will naturally coalesce around his talents. The big question for SM North is will they remove the interim tag next to Ben Bartlett's name and make him the full-time head coach.

SM South (3-7)
It's not always easy being the smallest school in Class 6A, and that's where SM South stands. The Raiders have been better than their 11-17 record over the past three seasons suggests, but at the end of the day it's about wins and losses. With zero Division One players since 2000 (Leavenworth is the only other league program that can say the same), you've got to imagine SM South is long overdue for some sort of talent influx.

Regional Round Playoff Recaps

After allowing a touchdown on the opening drive, SM East's defense was able to shut down
Lawrence's scoring for the remainder of the game. Photo Lawrence Journal World.

SM East 35, Lawrence 7

Lawrence opened scoring when they capped their first possession with a 36-yard touchdown run from JD Woods, but from that point on it was all SM East. The Lancers added a touchdown later in the quarter on a three-yard touchdown run from Jackson Gossick to tie the score at 7. Next, in the second quarter, they added a one-yard touchdown run from Wyatt Edmisten and a four-yard touchdown run from Sam Huffman. SM East led 21-7 at the half. In the third quarter, Huffman added touchdown runs of four and 29 yards to give the Lancers a 35-7 lead which they held onto for the victory.

SM West 26, Olathe South 20

SM West scoring first was a bad omen for the Falcons, given the way they (Olathe South) so often dominated first quarters. The Vikings' score came on a 22-yard touchdown pass from Adam Rellihan to Isreal Watson. Olathe South was able to answer right back, when DaeVonte Nance capped a drive with an eight-yard touchdown run to tie the game. In the second quarter SM West tacked on 10 points with a three-yard touchdown run from Jonathan Shull and a 31-yard field goal from Tyler Thayer. The Vikings led 17-7 at halftime. Thayer put a 37-yard field goal through in the third quarter to make the lead 20-7, before Olathe South made a furious comeback. The Falcons added a six-yard touchdown run from Jake Suerer later in the quarter to make things 20-14, before Brian Carpenter added a one-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to tie the game. The all-important PAT was blocked, and SM West took possession of the ball, tied at 20, late in the fourth quarter. The Vikings were eventually able to score on a two-yard touchdown run from Shull with a mere seconds remaining, to claim the lead and victory.

Olathe North 68, SM North 20

The Eagles had a "take-no-prisoners" approach in this one, ensuring they wouldn't have any Regional lapses. SM North actually scored first on a two-yard touchdown run from Jake Langley. Olathe North answered with four first quarter touchdowns, coming in order on a 57-yard pass from Cole Murphy to Isaiah Simmons, a four-yard run from Venus Triplett, a one-yard run from Triplett, and a five-yard run from Murphy. The Eagles began the second quarter with a 26-yard yard touchdown pass from Murphy to Josh Moore. SM North answered the barrage with a 67-yard touchdown pass from Will Schneider to Nick Perez to make the game 35-14. Olathe North came back with three touchdowns -- an eight-yard run from Triplett, a 15-yard run from Simmons, and 64-yard run from Triplett -- to take a 55-7 lead to halftime. A 22-yard touchdown run from Marcel Spears in the third quarter made things 62-7, Olathe North. Vinnie Shabazz added a five-yard touchdown run early in the fourth, to make the lead 68-14. SM North's final score of the season came on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Schneider to Langley.

Blue Valley 48, SM South 7

No box score was reported. Blue Valley controled the game from start to finish. Running back William Evans was the star of the game, adding 163 yards and three touchdown on 20 carries. The Tigers also scored once on a passing touchdown, and once on an interception returned for a score.

Lawrence Free State 27, Wichita Northwest 16

Free State continued their impressive late-season run, knocking off a very good Wichita Northwest team. Wichita Northwest answered a 23-yard field goal from Free State's Daniel Clarke with a 10-yard touchdown run from KeShaun McGaughn to go up 7-3. In the second quarter the teams traded scores, as Free State scored a touchdown on a 29-yard touchdown run from Carson Bowen and Wichita Northwest added a 32-yard field goal from Adam Travis. The teams were tied, 10-10 at the half. Bryce Torneden scored on a five-yard touchdown run in the third quarter to put Free State up 17-10. Wichita Northwest answered with a 28-yard touchdown run from Karol Williams. However, a missed extra point kept Free State ahead, 17-16. The Firebirds took over in the fourth quarter, adding a 29-yard touchdown pass from Torneden to Joel Spain and a 33-yard field goal from Clarke.

Leavenworth 35, Topeka Seaman 6

The Pioneers took an early lead and made sure they wouldn't have to sweat out their first playoff victory in school history. Scoring opened in the first quarter when Landry Hodges found Juwan Potts on a 20-yard touchdown pass to go up 7-0. In the second quarter Sanchez Williams had touchdown runs of 34 and four yards to give Leavenworth a 21-0 halftime lead. Seaman got on the board in the third quarter with a 13-yard touchdown run from Reid Fehr. But a 14-point fourth quarter from Leavenworth, led by a five-yard touchdown run from Isaiah Ross and an 11-yard touchdown run from Williams iced the game.

Regional Round Playoff Scores

Friday, Nov. 7

6A East
SM East 35, Lawrence 7
SM West 26, Olathe South 20
Olathe North 68, SM North 20
Blue Valley 48, SM South 7

6A West
Lawrence Free State 27, Wichita Northwest 16

5A East
Leavenworth 35, Topeka Seaman 6

Sectional Round Playoff Previews

JD Woods will be the most talented running back
the SM East defense has faced. Photo LJWorld.

Lawrence (5-4)
at SM East (9-0)
Where: SM North District Stadium
Last meeting: SM East beat Lawrence, 26-3, in week two of 2013.
Topeka CJ spread: SM East -17

Key players

JD Woods, Lawrence: The league's top rusher has rushed for 624 yards and six touchdowns the past three games.

Amani Bledsoe, Lawrence: Rivals.com's 13th ranked defensive end prospect in the class of 2016 leads the league with 13 sacks.

Gunnar Englund, SM East: The league's top rated quarterback has combined for 1,643 yards of total offense and 23 touchdowns.

Kyle Ball, SM East: SM East's stalwart defensive line force has logged 75 tackles (27 for loss) and nine sacks.

Talking points

SM East
**Last year's 6A State Runner-Up is 20-2 over their last 22 games.
**Six Lancers have over 200 rushing yards, and they average 338 rushing yards per game.
**SM East has outscored their opponents 455-90 through nine games.

Lawrence
**All 26 of Lawrence's offensive touchdowns have been rushing touchdowns.
**The Chesty Lions rank second in the league in rushing yards per game with 287.
**Lawrence has won 10 state titles, but they haven't made it to a state title game since 1995.

Preview

The Lancers drew the toughest Regional draw of the Big Three, but it's only fair -- their regular season strength of schedule ranked 30th out of 32 teams in 6A, according to the Prep Power Index. As much as SM East loves to run the football, the Lancers will test Lawrence's secondary early and often. If they can hit on a few big pass plays early (like they have all year) the game could be decided in the first half. Lawrence will live and die by the success of their rushing attack, and will rely on big plays from Woods and Trey Moore to keep the game competitive.

Olathe South (7-2) at SM West (5-4)
Where: SM South District Stadium
Last meeting: Olathe South beat SM West, 31-21, in week five.
Topeka CJ spread: Olathe South -16

Key players

Jake Seurer, Olathe South: Gritty senior has 1,540 yards of total offense and 21 touchdowns, on top of 80 tackles defensively.

Johnathon Sands, Olathe South: Ballhawking defensive back leads the league in interceptions with seven.

Asher Goldtson, SM West: Big-play threat has five interceptions, two defensive touchdowns, and four rushing touchdowns.

Isaiah Macklin, SM West: League's best cover corner has six interceptions to go along with two non-offensive touchdowns.

Talking points

Olathe South
**The Falcons' two losses came against opponents who are a combined 17-1.
**Olathe South hasn't lost a playoff game since 2010, and is 5-1 in their last six playoff games.
**The Falcons are 7-0 when leading at halftime this season.

SM West
**The Vikings lead the league in takeaways with 26.
**SM West hasn't lost a playoff game since 2011, and is 5-1 in their last six playoff games.
**After beginning the season 1-4, the Vikings have strung together four wins in a row.

Preview

The last playoff appearance for both of these clubs came in the 6A state title games in 2011 (Olathe South) and 2012 (SM West), games which both teams won. In their week four matchup, Olathe South jumped out to a commanding 28-7 first half lead, before SM West chipped in a couple second half touchdowns to make the game more competitive. Olathe South ultimately won the contest, 31-21. This game could very well be decided in the first half if Olathe South is able to jump out to one of their patented first half leads. They Vikings must limit the opening onslaught to stay in this one.

SM South (3-6) at Blue Valley (8-1)
Where: Blue Valley High School
Last meeting: N/A:
Topeka CJ spread: Blue Valley -35

Key players

Dalton Lewallen, SM South:Do-it-all athlete has 739 yards of total offense, eight touchdowns, 101 tackles and three takeaways.

Marshall Bland, SM South: Raider's best big-play threat has averaged 8.7 yards per play on 91 offensive touches.

AJ Harris, Blue Valley: Mizzou commit is one of the nastiest, most relentless lineman in the Kansas City metro.

Colton McCumber, Blue Valley: Balanced quarterback completes 61% of his passes and has 1,528 yards of total offense and 16 touchdowns.

Talking points

Blue Valley
**The Tigers have gone 28-6 in the playoffs since 2000.
**In the last 10 playoffs, Blue Valley claimed 5A state titles four times: 2003, '06, '10 and '13.
**Blue Valley has outscored their last three opponents 138-42.

SM South
**The Raiders' last playoff victory came against Blue Valley North in 1990.
**This is SM South's first playoff berth since 2007.
**Celebrity SM South alum Rob Riggle congratulated the Raiders on Twitter earlier this week.

Preview

As dominant as the Blue Valley football program has been through the years, there's always been the notion that 5A East isn't nearly as competitive as 6A East. The Tigers are out to dispel this idea, hoping to claim the program's first ever 6A state title. SM South is grateful to have made the playoffs after a pretty average season, and on the surface it would appear they need nothing short of a miracle to sneak away with a victory against arguably the state's best playoff program.

SM North (2-7) at Olathe North (9-0)
Where: ODAC
Last meeting: Olathe North beat SM North, 41-14, in week six.
Topeka CJ spread: Olathe North -43

Key players

Will Schneider, SM North: League's top pocket passer has thrown for 1,786 yards and 22 touchdowns as just a sophomore.

Nick Perez, SM North: Leads the league in receiving with 900 reception yards and 12 touchdowns, and has 93 tackles a five takeaways on defense.

Marcel Spears, Olathe North: Iowa State commit has 59 tackles, two interceptions, one forced fumble and a blocked kick.

Vinnie Shabazz, Olathe North: Lockdown defensive back has three interceptions and provides a punch as the Eagles' second-string tailback.

Talking points

SM North
**The Indians have 20 total victories since 2004.
**SM North is 2-1 since week seven, after having gone 0-25 the prior 25 games.
**The Indians lead the league in passing yards, but ranked last in rushing yards.

Olathe North
**The Eagles have 16 playoff victories since 2004.
**After an 8-11 stretch from 2011-2012, Olathe North has won 17 of their last 21 games.
**Olathe North has eight state titles all-time, but just one in the last 10 years.

Preview

These two clubs were tied at halftime back in week six (before Olathe North blew open the barn doors in the second half) but it's hard to see that happening again. Olathe North will be more focused as they gear up for the playoffs in what they hope will lead to a ninth state title in program history. If SM North were to pull a major upset in this game it would be their first playoff victory since 2000.

Jahlyl Rounds and Wichita Northwest will be
a tough test for Free State. Photo Kansas.com

Wichita Northwest (7-2) 
at Lawrence Free State (6-3)
Where: Free State Athletic Stadium
Last meeting: N/A
Topeka CJ spread: Wichita Northwest -1

Key players

Keshaun McGaugh, Wichita Northwest: Grizzlies' top offensive threat has rushed for 1,191 yards and 17 touchdowns.

Joseph Weibel, Wichita Northwest: Talented junior linebacker has logged 69 tackles (14.5 for loss) and 5.5 sacks on the season.

Bryce Torneden, Free State: Offensive machine needs 305 passing yards to become league's first 1,000/1,000 player since 2010.

Scott Frantz, Free State: K-State commit has been the league's best offensive lineman and leads the charge up front.

Talking points

Wichita Northwest
**Wichita Northwest will have to endure a bus ride of approximately two hours to this game.
**Quarterback K'Vion Richard, a sophomore, has played well, but only started four games.
**After winning seven straight games, the Grizzlies lost a nailbitter to Hutchinson on Friday.

Free State
**The Firebirds went 3-0 against a district that included Manhattan (7-2) and Topeka (7-2).
**Free State has won five of their last six Regional playoff games under Bob Lisher.
**Since the start of the 2012 season, the Firebirds have gone 25-7 with three playoff victories.

Preview

Free State might be playing as well as any team in the state, given the dominant fashion in which they dispatched Manhattan and Topeka the past two weeks. If the Firebirds win this game, they will likely be favored to make it to Sub-State. Wichita Northwest is stockpiled with speed and athleticism, and that element of their attack will present the most problems to Free State.

Topeka Seaman (4-5) at Leavenworth (5-4)
Where: Pioneer Stadium
Last meeting: N/A
Topeka CJ spread: Leavenworth -20

Key players

Dalton Cowen, Topeka Seaman: Just a sophomore, the talented dual-threat quarterback has over 1,500 yards of total offense.

Reid Fehr, Topeka Seaman: Running back/linebacker combination is Seaman's most impactful player.

Sanchez Williams, Leavenworth: Under-the-radar back has come on strong, tallying 724 yards and nine touchdowns.

Anthony Hunt, Leavenworth: Pioneers' top tackler (115 tackles) has ranked among the league's top five in the category all season.

Talking points

Topeka Seaman
**None of Seaman's victories came against teams who finished with a winning record.
**No Topeka high school has won a big class state title since Washburn Rural in 1989.
**Seaman has advanced to Sectionals four times since 2000 ('00, '01, '02, '06, '09, '10).

Leavenworth
**The Pioneers captured their first ever district championship this year going 3-0 in districts.
**Leavenworth has never won a playoff game in four playoff appearances all-time.
**The Pioneers were just 1-4 against 6A opponents, but went 4-0 against 5A competition.

Preview

There's really no reason Leavenworth shouldn't win this game and claim their first playoff victory in school history. The Pioneers swept their district and have exuded incredible confidence against non-Sunflower League foes all season. Topeka Seaman has looked like your run-of-the-mill type of club this fall, hovering just below .500. Also, when it comes to the playoffs, you can't bet against Leavenworth head coach Mark Littrell, who has coached three different teams into state title games in his career.