Top Sunflower League Defensive Backs since 2000

Dustin Moomau

1. Dustin Moomau, Olathe North, 2002-2004

Moomau holds the Olathe North record for career interceptions with 19, and that very well could be the top number among any Sunflower League school.  He helped Olathe North to three state championship appearances as the starting safety, and he was your prototypical ballhawking defensive back.

2. Kyson Ginavan, Olathe South, 2005-2007

Ginavan, also a safety, was tremendous in run support which is part of the reason he ranks so high on the list.  He combined for 200 tackles and five interceptions in his junior and senior seasons, helping Olathe South to a state championship appearance in 2007.

 3. Anthony Parks, Olathe East, 2001-2003

Parks was a great all-around athlete on the football field, but he might have had the best individual season of any defensive back as a junior in 2002.  During that season he snagged 11 interceptions, four of which came in a week five game against SM North.

4. Junior Williams, Olathe East, 2009-2011

In his junior and senior seasons, Williams combined to collect 10 interceptions.  It wasn't just the quantity of interceptions that made him special, but rather when he made big plays.  Three of his seven interceptions as a senior came while covering the 6-foot-10 Willie Cauley of Olathe Northwest in an all-important Regional Round playoff game.

5. Derahn Williams, Olathe East, 2006-2008

Despite being a bit undersized (he was generously listed at 5-foot-9) Williams proved to be yet another lockdown corner for Olathe East.  In 21 games as a junior and a senior he combined to intercept 14 passes, becoming the top shutdown corner in the league in the late 2000s.

Adam Parks

6. Adam Parks, Olathe East, 2003-2005

Much the way he did on the offensive side of the ball, Parks' shiftiness allowed him to be one of the top players in the league.  He used his agility on defense to shut down some of the league's top receivers as a senior and with Derek Miller playing behind him at safety, Parks was able to take more risks.

7. Andre Jones, Olathe East, 2002-2004

Technique wise Jones wasn't exactly the greatest cornerback in the history of the league but his freakish athletic ability made up for the lack of fundamentals.  As a senior in 2004 he intercepted eight passes including three in one game against SM East.

8. Sean Hammons, Olathe South, 1999-2001

Hammons recorded 12 career interceptions, including seven in his senior season.  His efforts as a senior earned him all-metro and all-state honors.  He was among the group of top-flight talent from Olathe South that failed to make the playoffs in 2000 and 2001 because they were in the same district as the mighty teams from Olathe North.

9. Jonathan Lamb, Olathe North, 1999-2001

Lamb is one of the more unheralded players of the Olathe North dynasty of the early 2000s, and some of that may have to do with the fact that he missed all of the 2001 playoffs with a broken hand.  Regardless, he was a stellar defensive back who on two separate occasions intercepted three passes in a single game.

10. Codi Willard, Olathe North, 2001-2003

Willard wasn't the most athletic defensive back we've ever seen but he was a solid corner and he helped Olathe North to three consecutive state championships during his time on the varsity level.  As a senior in 2003 he snagged seven interceptions, including the game sealing interception in the state championship against Hutchinson.

Top Sunflower League Wide Receivers since 2000

David Leonard.  Photo courtesy
Nick Allen (2006).

*Disclaimer: No current Sunflower League players were eligible in the selection process.

1. David Leonard, SM West, 2004-2006

Leonard was basically an ATM (automatic touchdown machine) for SM West whenever they reached the redzone territory.  His fades routes to the corners of the endzones became legendary, as did his talents across Kansas.  In SM West's run-heavy offense Leonard combined to catch 53 passes for 930 yards and 19 touchdowns in his junior and senior seasons, helping SM West to win 21 games in that time frame.  He went on to play at Wyoming where he became one of the top receivers in the history of the school.

2. Anthony Parks, Olathe East, 2001-2003

Parks was a star-performer on both sides of the ball and on special teams for Olathe East during his career.  As a senior he caught 42 passes for 750 yards and 11 touchdowns helping Olathe East to an undefeated regular season and Sectional Round playoff appearance.  He went on to player receiver at Oklahoma State after a stop at Butler County C.C., but his career was cut short when a visit to the hospital revealed that Parks only had one kidney, and continuing to play would risk injury to the kidney and possible death. 

3. Nathan Winslow, SM North, 1999-2001

I don't have any season stats for Winslow, but he was easily one of the top receivers the league over the past decade or so.  A good portion of John Martin's 4,000 career passing yards were to Winslow, and Winslow was an Class 6A All-State performer in his junior and senior seasons, helping SM North a Sub-State appearance in 2000.

4. Adam Parks, Olathe East, 2003-2005

Parks teamed up with Anthony Riley (who narrowly missed this list) to make one of the top receiver tandems in in the city in 2005.  Parks was the favorite target of quarterback Derek Miller in 2004 and 2005, as he used his small stature (5-foot-10, 165 lbs.) to find openings in opponents' secondaries.  He was arguably the top receiver in the metro in 2005, catching 41 passes for 652 yards and eight touchdowns.

5. David Lewis, SM South, 2000-2002

Lewis would have received alot more publicity had the SM South teams he was on done a little better during his time as a Raider.  As a senior he led the state of Kansas in receiving yardage with 1,141 yards on 65 catches in nine games.  His efforts helped SM South to a near defeat of Olathe North (who carried a 27-game winning streak when the two teams met that season) in week four.

Bryce Morris. Photo
courtesy the Lawrence
Journal World.

6. Bryce Morris, Olathe South, 2002-2004

Morris was a dominant possession receiver and he had a tremendous ability to go up and snag a ball over defenders--this ability likely carried over from his prowess on the basketball court.  As a senior he caught 40 passes for 659 yards and 11 touchdowns in helping Olathe South to a state championship game appearance. 

7. Elliot Faerber, SM East, 2009-2011

Over the course of his two seasons as a starter Faerber combined to catch 103 passes for 1,563 yards and 12 touchdowns despite battling several injuries as a senior.  He was an essential piece of the Lancers' playoff berths in 2010 and 2011 and next fall he'll be taking his talents to the University of Illinois to play receiver.

8. Willie Cauley, Olathe Northwest, 2011

Cauley used his extraordinarily tall 6-foot-10 frame to hover above SL defensive backs for his lone season of football at the high school level.  He caught 64 passes for 1,265 yards and 15 touchdowns this past year, and in doing so he helped Olathe Northwest to a 5-5 record and playoff berth.

9. Brett Woods, SM North, 2002-2004

Woods was Mack Brown's go-to receiver in 2004 as he caught 46 passes for 769 yards in the Indians' nine game season. Despite predecessors like Winslow, Drew Murrell and Brooks Faddis, Woods has gone down statistically as one of the best receivers in SM North school history.

10. LaDrew Murrell, SM North, 2000-2002

Murrell was another great SM North receiver in the early 2000s.  He capped off his career by catching 50 passes for just over 900 yards during the 2002 season, helping SM North to a Regional Round playoff berth.

Thursday Report

Week Nine Matchups

All games times 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted

Leavenworth (1-7) at SM North (1-7)

Last season the "Toilet Bowl" featured two 0-8 clubs, Leavenworth and Lawrence, squaring off in a week nine battle for supremacy of the cellar. It's ironic that this season the two teams with the worst records in the Sunflower League would be playing eachother in week nine once again. Fortunately both teams were able to collect wins against Wyandotte, so neither team will go out winless. The crazy thing it that due to the wacky district playoff qualifications, the winner of the game will make the playoffs. SM North head coach Dennis Grayless (above) could really make folks forget about the team's 0-7 start if he could will the team to a victory.

SM South (2-7) at SM East (7-1)

Senior Robby Moriarty will be making his first start at quarterback for SM East this season following the injury to starter John Schrock in last week's game. Don't expect much of a drop off though. Moriarty passed for 765 yards last season and was SM East's starter for much of the year. The Lancers need to watch out for a letdown as well. Last week's big win over SM West was huge for the program, but a loss to SM South would be equally disappointing.

Wyandotte (2-6) at SM Northwest (4-4)

SM Northwest had their way with SM North and Leavenworth, and this one should be no different at their home stadium. The Cougars can match last season's win total of five games with a win in this game, but more importantly the team is in the playoffs and this game will be a great opportunity for a tune-up before the playoffs begin.

Lawrence Free State (4-4) at Lawrence (3-5)

Despite the presumed disparity between these two programs we find them battling it out in week nine with similar records. Free State who is 1-1 in district play can seal a playoff berth with a win by any margin. Lawrence, 0-2 in district play, can claim a playoff spot if Olathe North beats Olathe Northwest, and they manage to beat Free State. This game is always a heated contest, but this year's playoff implications should add a whole new meaning.

SM West (6-2) at Blue Valley North (3-5)

The last thing SM West wants to become is a poster child for why the KSHSAA should reformat the way they determine playoff qualifiers, but with a loss the Vikings would become just that. SM West will be entering an unfamiliar venue against an unfamiliar team, and those elements have not treated the Vikings well in the past. The team has gone 0-3 since 2007 against Blue Valley opponents, with two of those losses coming in the playoffs. Right now, SM West is focused on just making the playoffs.

Olathe Northwest (3-5) at Olathe North (7-1)

Since Olathe Northwest's inception in 2004 they have a grand total of one win in 20 games against Olathe opponents. While the Ravens have shown flashed of brilliance in 2010, they haven't really ever been in consideration as one of the top six teams in the league. Olathe Northwest could shed quite a bit of frustration with a win against Olathe North, but it certainly won't be easy. The Eagles have been on a roll lately and looked primed for a long playoff run.

Game of the Week

Olathe South (6-2) at Olathe East (7-1)

These two programs have squared off in some pretty heated battles over the last decade. The game that first comes to mind was the 2005 regular season finale between these two. Both teams were 8-0 heading into the game, and there was a great cast of athletes in competition including Olathe South's Brady Croucher, Devin Cummings, and Tony Bryant and Olathe East's Derek Miller, Adam Parks, and Dee Bell. Olathe East jumped out to an early lead on a long Bell touchdown run an never looked back. Despite the Hawk's lead throughout the game it remained a heated contest and neither team let down. This year's game doesn't feature quite the stables of talent, but the matchup of running backs should be fun to watch. The Hawks' Brandon Willingham and Austin Fulson lead what may be the top duo in the Sunflower League, while the Falcons' Nick Sands and Jake Crist have been headliners all season in the running game as well. Both teams have qualified for the playoffs so the game will be for bragging rights more than anything.

Photo courtesy the Shawnee-Dispatch