Sunflower League 2012: Five Key Questions

Gene Wier has won six titles titles with ON.

How long will it take for Gene Wier to return Olathe North to dynasty form, if ever?

There's a few things to keep in mind with regard to Wier's return to the school that he established as one of the nation's top dynasties in the late 1990s and early 2000s.  First off, despite the rough 5-4 record this past season, Olathe North had all but returned to dominant form in the latter years of former head coach Pete Flood's tenure.

The Eagles went 10-2 in 2007, claimed a state title in 2009 going 13-0, and lost in the state title game in 2010 going 11-2.  For all intents and purposes, 2011 might have just been an enigma and you have to wonder about the kind of impact Flood's departure had on the Eagles' late-season collapse.  Were the players distracted by the rumors of Flood's possible exit?  Were there behind the scenes events taking place that detracted from success on the gridiron?  Ultimately, nobody knows the potential impact those events had.

While Olathe North doesn't return a ton of talent in 2012, the coaches could literally grab 11 kids from a gym class and find a way to go .500.  There's just too much talent at that school to not win big.  Really the only unknown is how long Wier plans on staying with the program before presumably retiring from coaching.  Remember, it took Wier 16 seasons before he finally captured his first state title with Olathe North in 1996. 

Even with an inexperienced offensive line, is Lawrence capable of winning a state title?

It's becoming cliche, but LHS will go as far as quarterback Brad Strauss is capable of taking them.  If he gets injured again the way he did late in 2011 then you can all but cash in LHS' title hopes.  And that's not a dig on their talent but rather a testament to the type of value Strauss adds to the team as a runner, passer and even defender.  LHS has plenty of talent at the skill positions surrounding Strauss and the offensive line will develop in time, but it's imperative that Strauss is consistently putting up 150-250 yards of total offense a game if the Chesty Lions plan on making it far into the playoffs. 

Will teams like SM South and Leavenworth actually be in contention for the league title?

I'm not sure either of these teams will be in position to compete for a league title, strictly speaking, but both should be vastly improved from 2011.  Leavenworth returns a ton of experience at seemingly every group on offense and defense.  SM South took some lumps last year by playing a ton of juniors and underclassman, but the move could pay tremendous dividends for the Raiders this season and into the future.  At the very least both teams each possess one of the league's top running backs.  Leavenworth's Jason Randall can basically be penciled in for 1,500 all-purpose yards and SM South's Gabe Guild will be aiming for that elusive 2,000-yard rushing mark.  At the high school level, especially in the Sunflower League having a big-time running back is going to win you a couple games.  But a couple isn't the number these teams are aiming for.

Who really is the best quarterback in the Sunflower League?

It's all about what you're looking for.  For dual-threat quarterbacks, you've got to go with Strauss or Free State's Kyle McFarland, both of whom have the potential for 1,000-yard passing and rushing seasons (in fact, barring injury, I'll be surprised if they don't both reach those marks).  The best pro-style quarterback in the league is SM East's Jordan Darling, hands down.  He displayed tremendous decision making and accuracy all summer in 7-on-7 events and those type of efforts generally translate well into the passing game.  For an all-around winner look no further than Olathe South's Frank Seurer.  He's won just under 80% of the games he's started during his time with the Falcons and he has an uncanny ability to make big plays and throw precision passes when the game is in its most crucial stages. 

Other thoughts as August 31st is now less than a week away?

I'm sensing a boom or bust type of season for Olathe East.  Either they win six or more games like they always do, or they really struggle to stay above .500.  Their lack of returning talent is a concern but I would still slot them as the #3 team in the preseason rankings.  You can't bet against Jeff Meyers when it comes to harvesting new talent during the offseason... SM West is flying under the radar but the Vikes have a chance to do some damage this year.  After a brutal four-game stretch to begin the season (at Lawrence, Free State, at Olathe North and at Olathe East) the Vikes should be favored to win their final five games and district.  Break even in the first four games and they're very likely looking at a solid 6-3 or 7-2 record heading into the playoffs... Olathe Northwest, SM North and SM Northwest all remain unknowns at this point in time. 

[Not So] Bold Sunflower League Predictions for 2012

Kyle McFarland.  Lawrence Journal World.

1. Lawrence and Free State quarterbacks Brad Strauss and Kyle McFarland, respectively, become the fifth and sixth quarterbacks of the last 10 years to accumulate over 1,000 yards passing and rushing in the same season.  They will join Free State quarterbacks Ryan Murphy, Camren Torneden, Dylan Perry and Olathe North great Dustin Moomau on the list of quarterbacks from the Sunflower League to do so over that time period.

2. There will be movement out of the Sunflower League cellar.  As in, this won't be your older brother's SM South and Leavenworth.

3. Gene Wier's Olathe North ballclub won't win a league title for the first time in his last nine seasons as head coach of the program (Olathe North won SL titles from '95 through '02, the last eight seasons Wier spent at the school before heading to Texas).

4. This will be the proverbial "Year of the Quarterback" in the Sunflower League, with headliners such as Jordan Darling, Frank Seurer, John Blazevic, Strauss and McFarland leading the charges of their respective offenses.  At least one of those players will find themselves among the Simone finalists in December.

5. Lawrence will win 10 or more games for the first time since 2005 and Olathe East will add their 13th consecutive winning season and 11th consecutive playoff berth.

6. The winner of the colossal week five Olathe South vs. Lawrence matchup will finish the regular season undefeated and claim the Sunflower League crown outright.

7. Olathe South's Braden Smith will garner scholarship offers from the rest of the "Who's Who" of college football powers within the next six months, including Alabama who is close to offering but hasn't yet pulled the trigger. SM West's Austin Chambers will also see his offer list grow and at least one other player in the league who does not currently have an FBS will receive one.

8. There will be at least four players on my post-season Elite Eleven team that I did not do a Player Spotlight on and that may or may not have been mentioned, in an capacity, to this point in time on the Sunflower League Football Blog.

9. Some time around week six I will get slightly tired of blogging five or six times a week and struggle to get all of my posts up on time and people will get to work and see I haven't posted and email me with innocuous comments like "Are we getting stats this week?" or "I haven't seen the new Power Rankings, when should I expect those?"  And I will receive at least ONE not so innocuous email from at least ONE not so innocuous parent/patron/"kid who goes to his high school football team's games to 'be seen' and hit on girls and make resoundingly shallow masculine statements common of male high school students of that age who go to games to 'be seen'"/grandparent/creepy uncle about how I am not writing enough about their team, our about how deeply, personally unfair it is that I spelled so-and-so's name wrong or about how I "really have no idea what I'm doing or writing about, do I?"

10. I will enjoy writing about the Sunflower League in 2012.  Thoroughly.

Early 2012 Simone Favorites

The Simone Award.

The History 

Originally, the award for the best high school football player in the Kansas City metropolitan area was the D.M. Nigro Award. The award was given annually from 1931 until 1975 (the year of D.M. Nigro's death). Following Nigro's death, no top player award was handed out from the years of 1975 to 1982.

In April of 1983, Tommy Simone, a 12-year-old from the Northland was stuck and killed by a police car that was responding to a distress call. Tommy was known as the  ultimate competitor and his death left the community in shock. To honor Tommy, his parents came up with the idea of reinstating the annual award for the best high school football player in Kansas City, hence the arrival of the Simone Award.

The Simone Award has been given annually since 1983. The final verdict on the winner of the award is made up of by votes casted by members of the Greater Kansas City Coaches Football Association and select members of the local media. By maintaing the elite prestige of the Simone Award on a yearly basis, the memory of Tommy Simone has been enshrined in Kansas City history.

*****

Past Winners

Perhaps the more recent and most intriguing of the winners include NFL players the likes of Ladell Betts (1996), Darren Sproles (2000), Chase Coffman (2004), and Josh Freeman (2006). But the most interesting thing about many of the winners that haven't gone on to the NFL is the lives they lead after their Simone days that don't necessarily involve the stardom they received in high school.

Josh Brewer (1997) and Michael Keenan (2003) went on to join the Armed Forces after deciding that serving their country was of the very high importance in their lives. Some, like Jason Thoren (1993) have decided the coaching route is the best option (Thoren serves as the defensive coordinator at Baker University). Others, like Arland Bruce (1995) have even headed North of the border to reach their peak (Bruce starred in the Canadian Football League for the Toronto Arganauts).  Recent winner Bubba Starling (2010) was drafted fifth overall in the 2011 MLB Draft and is currently in the Royals' minor league system.

*****

Early Favorites for the 2012 Simone Award 

Montell Cozart. Rivals.com.

Montell Cozart, Bishop Miege  
Quarterback
6-foot-2, 180 lbs.

Cozart was the one of four finalists for the Simone Award last season and he's since committed to play football at the University of Kansas (Miege's previous head coach, Tim Grunhard, took the job as KU's offensive line coach this past spring, all but securing Cozart's commitment).  By all means Cozart enters the fall of 2012 as the prohibitive favorite to claim the award as the top high school football player in the Kansas City area.  His junior numbers were fantastic as he completed 161 of 255 passes for 2,448 yards and 31 touchdowns.  He also added 550 rushing yards.  He did lose his favorite target from 2011 in Tre' Parmalee (a Kansas commit for the class of 2012) but Cozart should still produce big time numbers.

Brad Strauss. LJ World.

Brad Strauss, Lawrence
Quarterback
6-foot-1, 185 lbs.

The LHS faithful would love nothing more than seeing Strauss become the school's first Simone Award winner since linebacker Jason Thoren claimed the award in 1993.  Last season Strauss passed for 1,554 yards and 11 touchdowns, rushed for 707 yards and 11 touchdowns, intercepted three passes on defense and returned a kick for a touchdown.  He's a lights-out type of player that should have no problem producing big numbers in his third year as the starter, assuming he can stay healthy (his shift from safety to cornerback on defense should help).  I would guess that Strauss will have at least a few non-BCS, FBS offers on the table by season's end as well.

Trent Hosick. Rivals.com

Trent Hosick, Staley
Quarterback
6-foot-2, 215 lbs.

Hosick has commited to play quarterback at Mizzou which means he'll get plenty of attention from both high school and Missouri fans alike.  His personal statement, which you can read here, is really a piece of work and the type of monologue that seems geared towards inspiring people to recycle their sandals and/or join the Peace Corps.  He plays in an offense at Staley that is basically designed to produce Simone Award candidates given its fluidity and high intensity.  Right now he's the only player from Missouri who I would consider an early favorite to be amongst the four finalists for the award come December.

Traevohn Wrench. Rivals.com

Traevohn Wrench, Gardner-Edgerton
Running Back
6-foot-0, 185 lbs.

I haven't witnessed Wrench in a game but I've only heard good things about him from those who have.  Wrench is a good enough athlete to basically out-maneuver anyone he goes up against and it explains things like his seven touchdown, 458-yard rushing performance last season in Regionals versus Bonner Springs.  Wrench has early offers from Iowa, Kansas, Kansas State, Missouri and Nebraska, but that list should increase as the season continues.  Also, don't forget that Wrench plays for the legendary Marvin Diener, who's coached Kansas high school greats like Terence Newman, Jake Sharp and Bubba Starling and certainly knows how to the put the ball in the hands of his best athletes.

2012 Player Spotlights: Erick Mayo

Erick Mayo. Lawrence Journal World.

Erick Mayo
Lawrence

Position: Wide Receiver/Cornerback
Height: 5-foot-11
Weight: 175 lbs.
Year: Senior

Stat to Note
Mayo was one of quarterback Brad Strauss' top targets in 2011, catching 31 passes for 519 yards and four touchdowns.

Scouting Report
Mayo will be one of the league's biggest gamebreakers in 2012--mark it down.  He had a great season last year splitting catches with two top flight receivers in Anthony Buffalomeat and Drake Hofer.  This year, with Buffalomeat gone, he and Hofer will be Strauss' go-to receivers, so the adjusted production should be phenomenal.

Mayo has elite speed--he's without a doubt among the league's top 10 fastest players--and his agility is off the charts.  Last season his calling card was out of the slot receiver position.  Lawrence ran a variety of slip screens, jet sweeps and everything in between to put the ball in his hands and most of the time it worked out very well, as Mayo put up 698 yards of total offense in Lawrence's 10 games. 

Looking ahead to this fall I'm excited to see what all Mayo is able to do.  Some players are gritty, some are boring, and then some like Mayo are just downright fun to watch.  He's basically a highlight waiting to happen every time he touches the football.  Players like Mayo should have the LHS faithful very excited about 2012.

2012 Player Spotlights: Frank Seurer

Frank Seurer.

Frank Seurer
Olathe South

Position: Quarterback
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 180 lbs.
Year: Senior

Stat to Note
In last year's 6A state title game Seurer completed 4 of 5 passes for 183 yards and one touchdown, including a bomb that went for 99-yards burning the Wichita Heights secondary.

Scouting Report
Seurer seems to find a way to get the job done regardless of the circumstances.  When you watch him play there's not a whole lot that jumps out at you.  He's not physically imposing, he doesn't have an absolute cannon for an arm and he doesn't have Mike Vick's scrambling ability, but what he does have is a knack for winning.  And in his two years as the starting quarterback at Olathe South he's won as many big games as anybody.

Suerer put up what proved to be pretty gaudy numbers lat season compared to the rest of the league.  He completed 69 passes for a resounding 1,598 yards (an incredible 23.2 yards per competion average) and 12 touchdowns.  His passing yardage total ranked second in the league, while his passing touchdowns total tied for third most.

The competitive juices are going to be flowing for the right to the claim as the Sunflower League's best quarterback in 2012.  Brad Strauss and Kyle McFarland are roaming out in Lawrence at LHS and Free State, respectively, and meanwhile guys like SM East's Jordan Darling and Olathe East's John Blazevic look to be in for special years as well.  It's Seurer, however, that could quietly sneak up and grab the torch by the end of the season.  He's returning with two years of starting experience under his belt (including a 19-5 record as a starter) to quarterback the team with arguably the most returning talent in the league.  That's a pretty good recipe for success.

2012 Player Spotlights: Brad Strauss

Brad Strauss.  Lawrence Journal World.

Brad Strauss
Lawrence 

Position: Quarterback/Safety
Height: 6-foot-1 
Weight: 185 lbs.
Year: Senior

Stat to Note
Last season Strauss was a First Team All-Sunflower League selection as a quarterback and as a defensive back.

Scouting Report
There's no way around it--expectations are sky high for Strauss as he enters his senior campaign with the Chesty Lions.  The 2012 season will be his third as the starting quarterback for Lawrence High and if can build on his numbers from the last two seasons he will not only be the top player in the Sunflower League, but he'll also be in contention for the Simone Award.  And perhaps more importantly, Lawrence High will be among the league's elite.

In his first year as the starting quarterback in 2010, Strauss, then just a sophomore, helped LHS to a 3-6 record just a season after they finished 1-8.  That year he passed for 1,141 yards and 10 touchdowns and rushed for 603 yards and five touchdowns.  He came back huge in 2011, passing for 1,554 yards and 11 touchdowns and rushing for 707 yards and 11 touchdowns (not to mention being one of the top defensive backs in the league) in an injury-shortened season.  LHS qualified for the playoffs and went 6-4.

Looking ahead to this fall it's hard to downplay the impending "make or break" season Strauss and LHS program will have riding on their shoulders.  The Chesty Lions head coach, Dirk Wedd, has described Strauss as a once-in-a-lifetime type of player, and Strauss has lived up to that title the past two years.  His senior season, however, will be where his true legacy is engraved.  If he can stay healthy and continue to produce the way he has in the past LHS could be in for a very fun season ahead.

#SunflowerLeagueFootball #2K12

Olathe North's Gene Wier.

Believe it or not, the "quiet season" for high school football is actually nearing its completion.  The middle and end of May typically mark the beginning of the 7-on-7 season, which leads us through the summertime and into the start of practice in August.

Has it been a quiet offseason in the Sunflower League?  That would depend on who you ask.  We've had a highly touted transfer in Jordan Darling and the return of a coaching legend in Gene Wier to the school where he made his mark.  Besides that?  Yeah, it's been a quiet one.  While there are several seniors who are fringe FBS players in the league, only one senior (SM East's  Darling), to my knowledge, has confirmed an official offer from an FBS school.  I'll get to Olathe South's Braden Smith later...

But, not to worry.  Things will start heating up later this month and within a few short months we'll be looking at the start of the 2012 high school football season.  The forecast for the Sunflower League this year is an epic one.  In the meantime, feast your eyes on the Sunflower League Football Blog including player profiles, preseason rankings, recruiting news, prognostications and everything in between over the course of the next several months.  Here is a look at some of the early trends in the league.

2012 Big Men on Campus

Brad Strauss, QB, Lawrence, senior: The hype has been building for two seasons for Strauss and we'll see if the offensive, defensive and special teams threat can put together the final pieces of the puzzle as a senior.  Last season he ranked as my Offensive Player of the Year in the SL, but this season he's the early favorite for Most Valuable Player.

Remington Whitley, LB, Olathe South, senior: You'd be hard-pressed to find a linebacker anywhere in the Midwest who put up as solid of numbers as Whitley did as a junior.  He combined for 162 tackles, four interceptions and three sacks, not to mention helping Olathe South to win the 6A crown.

SM East's Jordan Darling.

Jordan Darling, QB, SM East, senior: I'm sure some of you cringed at the thought of SM East having one of the league's most hyped players to start the season--a transfer quarterback no less--but Darling is getting a lot of love from the media and the hype meter is booming in Prairie Village.

 Kyle McFarland, QB, Free State, senior: If you're keeping score at home you might want to note that McFarland put up numbers that were as good, if not better than Strauss last season.  The problem was he didn't gain the starting position until week three and his team didn't qualify for the playoffs.  In Free State's offense there's no telling how much damage he'll do this year--and oh yeah, he's also a stellar defensive back.

Braden Smith, DL, Olathe South, junior: Gigantor.  The Human-Man-Child.  Smith's early offer list includes Ohio State, Oklahoma, Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, South Carolina, Stanford, Kansas State, Missouri and TCU.  His 425-pound bench press and 500-pound squat max are impressing the top college football programs in America and his offer list should only grow more impressive as he completes his junior season.

Gabe Guild, RB, SM South, senior: Coming off a season in which he combined for just under 2,000 all-purpose yards and 12 touchdowns Guild is primed for a huge year in 2012.  He's going to be a workhorse for the Raiders as they work towards their first winning record in over 14 seasons.

Frank Seurer, QB, Olathe South, senior: Let's make sure we don't forget about Mr. Seurer.  Last season he came out of nowhere to pass for over 1,600 yards and 12 touchdowns, leading Olathe South to the 6A title.  He could be the best quarterback in the league this year.

Top Stories in 2012

Chip Sherman Cleared of Cancer: SM East's legendary head coach underwent a vicious battle with stage-3 Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma starting last summer, and in February his cells were finally clear of the cancer after endless rounds of chemotherapy.  Sherman will undergo scans every 60 days for the rest of his life, but for now he has come out on top and we look forward to seeing what he does with the Lancers in 2012 and beyond.

Olathe South Seeks Second Straight Title: The Falcons return an absolutely loaded roster with the hopes of bringing home their second banner in as many years.  The league appears as though it will be more competitive on paper with at least seven teams looking like legitimate playoff contenders, but the Falcons are the prohibitive favorite for now.

Jordan Darling Transfers to SM East: Darling made headlines with his transfer to SM East after spending last season at Waco-Midway High School, in Waco, Texas.  He's a big kid with a great arm and he'll fit right in with SM East's pass-happy offense  In the meantime he'll be mulling a commitment to Kansas, his only FBS offer thus far.

Gene Wier Returns to Olathe North: The timing couldn't have been better for one of the state's most legendary coaches to return to the place where it all began.  Olathe North is coming off a 5-4 season in which, quite frankly, they underachieved as much as any team I've ever season. Wier won six state championships at Olathe North and he's likely just what the program needed.

Lawrence's Erick Mayo.

Semi-Early Top Three

1. Olathe South: The Falcons, coming off a 12-1 season in which they absolutely steamrolled the rest of the league, return over half of their starters including the aforementioned Seurer, Smith and Whitley.  Be afraid.  Be very afraid.

2. Lawrence: Last year's offensive coordinator, Mack Brown, left to take a Graduate Assistant job at Mizzou.  He had a great deal of influence in Lawrence's offensive dynamics last year, so we'll see if guys like Strauss, Erick Mayo and Tyrone Jenkins can keep it going in 2012 without Brown.

3. Olathe East: The Hawks under Jeff Meyers are kind of like the Kansas basketball program under Bill Self.  It doesn't matter who they lose to graduation, they're going to dominate the league and compete for a title.  I fully expect Olathe East to win another nine or 10 games in 2012, the way they always do.

Poised to Rise

SM South: The Raiders went 2-7 in their first season under head coach Ryan Lonergan, but they had several losses that went down to the wire and they did show positive signs with regard to coming together as a program.  This will be the first season in which Lonergan has actually had control of the program for an entire year.

Lawrence Free State: Free State was one of the few teams in a long time to go 6-3 and not qualify for the playoffs but they played in a loaded district and things didn't work out their way down the stretch.  With a solid roster returning in 2012 they could make a run in the playoffs.

Leavenworth: Yes, I know, Leavenworth.  But let's be honest, they did look better last season in year two under Kevin Kopecky, winning two games.  With one of the league's most athletic returning players in junior Jason Randall, the Pioneers could push for a .500 record this time around.

SM East's Connor Rellihan. KC Star.

Don't Forget About Us

SM West: The Vikings would be the kings of consistency if it weren't for Olathe East.  The program has had a winning record for eight straight seasons and finally overcame a pesky playoff hurdle, beating Leavenworth in Regionals last season. 

Olathe North: Gene Wier.  That's really all I need to say.  The ingredients on the Olathe North football program are fairly simple: The Best Combination of Athleticism and Size in Johnson County - just add water.  Or in this case, just add Wier.

SM East: I fully expect "Jordan Darling to Connor Rellihan" to be the proverbial saying anytime the Lancers face an opponent.  We'll see quite a few touchdowns through the air from SM East this season and if they can play a little defense you never know how far they'll go.

 Question Marks

SM Northwest: With most programs the talent meter rises and falls about every five years.  After a plethora of talented players went through SM Northwest in the late 2000s (Alex Carder, Mark Fancher, Bryce Atagi, etc.) the program hit a bit of a lull, and has only combined for 15 wins the past three years.  Can the Cougars turn it around in 2012? 

SM North: Losing Mason Perez to graduation is not going to be easy.  He was the heart and soul of the Indians in 2011 contributing big plays and touchdowns left and right.  It's been seven years since SM North had a winning record, but that won't stop this year's team from competing with effort and intensity the way they always do.

Olathe Northwest: The whole Dalton Rook, Connor Middleton and Willie Cauley trio was fun last season, but all three will be lost to graduation.  Coming off a 5-5 season this really could be a make or break point for the Ravens.  They're teetering on the middle of the see-saw--on one side is continued success, and on the other is the two and three wins seasons they were accustomed to in the past.  It'll be interesting to see which side they fall on.

The 2011 Season in Review

Olathe Northwest's Willie Cauley.  Photo
courtesy the Kansas City Star.

Best Team: Top to bottom, beginning to end, Olathe South ruled the Sunflower League (and class 6A) in 2011.  The Falcons' only loss occurred in a fluky week seven loss against Blue Valley Northwest.  Besides that, Olathe South was nearly perfect at 12-1.

Best Upset: Olathe Northwest's coaches, players and fans exercised their demons with Olathe North when they upset the Eagles, 56-28, in week nine.  The win sent Olathe Northwest to the playoffs and Olathe North home packing.

Biggest Surprise Player: I can't settle on one player, so I'll go with two: Olathe South's Jordan Ward and Olathe Northwest's Willie Cauley.  I named Ward my Sunflower League MVP after he rushed for 1,740 yards and 23 touchdowns in helping lead Olathe South to the state title.  Before 2011 began I hadn't even heard of Ward so he really came out of the woodwork.  Cauley's one season of high school football turned out to be one of the top receiving seasons in the history of the league as he caught 64 passes for 1,265 yards and 15 touchdowns.

Biggest Surprise Team: Lawrence Free State was a shocker.  The Firebirds returned virtually no big contributors from 2010, and I had them ranked seventh in my Preseason Power Ratings.  Their new talent gelled rather quickly, and they found their way to a six-win season.  Despite missing the playoffs Free State had a surprisingly good season.

Highest Scoring Output: SM North dropped 69 points on the 'Dotte in a week seven district game, which was the most points any team scored in a single game all year.  I should also mention that Olathe Northwest scored 40 or more points in five of their 10 games.

Best Individual Performances:

**Who could forget Jordan Ward's state championship outburst, where he carried the ball 27 times for 263 yards and four touchdowns?  It was one of the top individual performances in a state championship game that we've seen around the league in some time.

**In week five SM South's Gabe Guild carried the ball 30 times for 342 yards and three touchdowns.  His 342 yards were the most rushing yards I've seen a player put up in a single game since I've followed the league.

**In week nine Olathe Northwest's Connor Middleton nearly outdid Guild's total, rushing for 332 yards on 29 carries.  But that wasn't the most impressive part of Middleton's night.  He totaled seven touchdowns in the game--six rushing and one on a 57-yard halfback pass.

**One of Brad Strauss' best games came in week six against SM South.  He passed for 134 yards and a touchdown, rushed for 115 yards and four touchdowns and returned a kickoff for a touchdown.

Top Three Storylines from 2011:

1.) Transfers

Did you know that neither Jordan Ward, Orange Mooney, Kendall Kelly, Dalton Rook nor Treshawn Root ended their high school varsity careers playing at the same high school they began with?  It's been an ongoing trend, especially within the Olathe School District, for student-athletes to have free reign when transferring, but it really makes you think about how different the complexion of the league would have been had these transfers not taken place. 

2.)  Olathe North's Disappointment - Olathe South's Jubilation

The Eagles, despite possessing one of the most talent-rich rosters in the league, closed out their 2010 campaign with four straight losses and missed the playoffs at 5-4.  They actually even had life in week nine and would have been able to slip into the playoffs with a victory--but they seemed to have lost their mojo by that point in time.  To make matters worse, head coach Pete Flood unexpectedly resigned following the season.  The poor results, combined with a major loss of talent to graduation and a new head coach should make 2012 a very interesting and unique year for the Eagles.

For their rivals to the south, 2011 will go down as the greatest season in program history.  Not only did Olathe South claim their first ever state championship in football but they also did so in a dominant manner.  The Falcons went 11-0 against Sunflower League opponents and they look like the prohibitive favorites to return to the title game in 2012.

3.) The "SMeasters" in General

The SM East football program is never short of media headlines and their fan support--from a social media standpoint--is second to none.  Head coach Chip Sherman was diagnosed with stage-three cancer prior to the start of the season and he underwent chemotherapy throughout the year.  Despite all of this, he still managed to coach the Lancers to a 6-5 record, and Sectional Round playoff berth.  The Lancers probably endured more key injures that any team in the league with players like Elliot Faerber, Dakota Collins and Adam Lowe going down, but they kept at it and finished with a respectable record.  

Olathe South's man-child Braden Smith
headlines a wealth of returning talent for
Olathe South in 2012.  Photo courtesy
Maxpreps.com

Top Three Early Storylines for 2012:

1.) Olathe South returns alot of talent.  Frankie Seurer, Remington Whitley, Matt Elliott and Braden Smith will headline a unit that will be expected to at least make it back to the 6A state title game.

2.) According to a source close to the SM East program, the Lancers will be adding a senior quarterback transfer from Texas this offseason.  The quarterback (whose name I cannot mention until everything is made official) was recently ranked in Rivals.com's Texas Top 100 for the class of 2013.

3.) Lawrence High's Brad Strauss will be working to take the Chesty Lions back to the promise land in his third year as the starting quarterback.

Way-too-Early Top Three for 2011:

1.) Olathe South: The Falcons return a roster that is absolutely loaded.  This may be the most returning talent I've seen on a team in over a decade.

2.) Lawrence: The Chesty Lions would be getting all the hype if it weren't for Olathe South.  Lawrence returns Brad Strauss, Tyrone Jenkins, Kharon Brown and Erick Mayo, among others, on a stacked roster in 2012.

3.) Olathe East: The Hawks always reload.  They return the solid quarterback and running back combination of John Blazevic and Hayden Frazier, and the rest should take care of itself as always.

Sunflower League Elite Eleven Teams - 2011

Before you jump into my second addition of the Sunflower League Elite Eleven, there are a few things to take note of.  First off, I expanded the list to two teams this year.  The Elite Eleven is sort of my First Team, and the Second Eleven is like my Second Team.  It was hard narrowing it down to my top 22 players, let alone the top 11 the way I did last season.

Secondly, I expanded to included defensive lineman on this list, however, I once again did not include offensive lineman.  The reason?  Quite honestly there's too much effort that would have to go into evaluating offensive lineman to come up with a fair and objective group that would fit into these two teams. 

Like I've always said, the best way to evaluate the top offensive lineman in the league is to look at the Coaches All-Sunflower League Team.  The coaches are the ones who evaluate the lineman on a weekly basis and their knowledge of who's best is going to be more accurate that anything you could pick up from going to the games on Friday nights or watching reruns on Metro Sports. 

And lastly, the players are not listed in any particular order, so throw that out if you thought you were on to something.  The Coach of the Year is also listed at the bottom of the Elite Eleven team.

The Elite Eleven

Sunflower League Most Valuable Player

Jordan Ward, Senior – Olathe South

Rushing Stats: 201 carries, 1,740 yards, 23 TDs

Talk about coming out of nowhere and going out with a bang. Ward’s final carry as a high school football player was a 41-yard touchdown run on a dive play that gave Olathe South the lead in the 6A state championship game with just under a minute left. Olathe South held on for the victory, and Ward will forever be remembered for that play.  His offensive line opened up a running lane for the first ten yards, but the next 31 were all on Ward, as he cut back across the middle of the field before dragging a defender for five yards in to the endzone.

Ward’s final five game this season could go down as some of the best numbers we’ve seen in league history. His rushing totals, from week nine through the state championship in week 13 were as follows: 232, 107, 290, 233 and 263 yards, respectively, and his touchdown totals in each of those games were 3, 1, 5, 3 and 4, respectively. That means in the final five games of the year Ward combined to rush for 1,125 yards and 16 touchdowns—against the best competition Class 6A had to offer.

He would have been a shoe-in to break the 2,000 yard rushing barrier had an early season injury not kept him out of several games, as he averaged 9.5 yards per carry for crying out loud. Standing 5-foot-9 and weighing 180 pounds, Ward didn’t necessarily stand out walking off the bus, but he proved his worth with his late explosion—and his game-winning play late against Wichita Heights will go down forever in Olathe South lore.

Offensive Player of the Year

Brad Strauss, Junior – Lawrence

Passing Stats: 117-of-178, 1,554 yards, 11 TDs
Rushing Stats: 85 carries, 707 yards, 11 TDs
Return Stats: 1 Kick Return TD

In his seven and half games of action, Strauss accomplished more statistically than most players do in a career. Not only did he lead the Sunflower League in combined offense with 2,261 yards, but the fact that he accomplished it in so few games is incredible. Just in case you don’t know the story, Strauss started on offense, defense and special teams throughout the season, and push finally came to shove in week eight when he suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter against Olathe Northwest. He didn’t play in week nine, and he only played for a quarter against Olathe South in the Regional Round of the playoffs.

Nevertheless, he had an outstanding season—one of the best we’ve ever season from one player. In each of the seven games in which he was healthy he put up at least 254 yards of total offense. While he didn’t finish out the season the way he would have wanted to, he’ll be back at the helm for the Chesty Lions in 2012, and with a loaded roster returning it could be another brilliant season for Strauss.

Defensive Player of the Year

Remington Whitley, Junior – Olathe South

Defensive Stats: 162 tackles, 4 interceptions, 3 sacks, 1 forced fumble

Nearly every state championship team has a player that you can point to as the heart and soul of the defense. For Olathe South that was Whitley. He converted to the middle linebacker position this past offseason after having played outside linebacker previously.

The move inside worked well, as he led the Sunflower League in tackles from start to finish, not to mention helping Olathe South claim the state title. Whitley was excellent in run support, and his pass defense skills weren’t far behind. His four interceptions tied him for fourth place among league leaders in the category. The scary thing is that Whitley (like Strauss) is only a junior and he’ll be back as an even more improved player in 2012.

Willie Cauley, Senior – Olathe Northwest

Receiving Stats: 64 catches, 1,265 yards, 15 TDs

I had heard rumors in the off-season that Cauley was going out for football but I was a bit skeptical of how well a skinny 6-foot-10 basketball player turned wide receiver would do. Was he fast enough? Did he have good hands? How would he handle getting jarred by defenders? Well, Cauley answered all of those questions by putting up arguably the best season we’ve seen out of a Sunflower League receiver in the last decade.

It all started in week one when he recorded 122 receiving yards and four touchdowns against Leavenworth. From there on out the kid was a machine putting up big receiving totals week in and week out. In a year in which we saw a general shift from league teams to the pass, it was Cauley who stood out as the league’s most consistent receiving threat. Cauley committed to play basketball at Kentucky in week eight, so his dominant senior season on the gridiron won’t be the last we see of the rare 6-foot-10 athlete.

Kendall Kelly, Senior – Olathe East

Rushing Stats: 212 carries, 1,222 yards, 22 TDs
Defensive Stats: 53 tackles, 1 fumble recovery

Kelly really experienced a resurgence in his senior year of football. We had high hopes for the talented running back/defensive back after he capped off a tremendous sophomore season at SM North. However, as a junior, he had a forgettable season for the Indians and more or less fell off the map.

Kelly transferred to Olathe East and it was probably the best thing for him. After a relatively slow start to the season, he picked up steam and became the Hawks go to back in redzone situations, evidence by his 22 rushing touchdowns. He was also a valuable piece of the Hawks’ talented secondary. For Kelly, we always knew he had the talent to be among the league’s best, but it just took the right setting for that to happen.

Junior Williams, Senior – Olathe East

Defensive Stats: 66 tackles, 7 interceptions, 1 forced fumble
Return Stats: 1 Kick Return TD

It’s fair to say that Junior Williams lived up to the standards laid before him by his two older brothers, former Olathe East greats Dorian and Derahn. Junior was arguably the league’s top cornerback this year, and his best game came against Olathe Northwest in the Regional Round of the playoffs. Junior had the challenging task of covering Willie Cauley, Olathe Northwest’s 6-foot-10 behemoth wide receiver who led the league in receiving. Junior picked off three passes and held Cauley to one of his least productive games of the season.

Kyle McFarland, Junior – Lawrence Free State

Passing Stats: 88-of-162, 1,265 yards, 12 TDs

Rushing Stats: 135 carries, 783 yards, 7 TDs

Defensive Stats: 20 tackles, 3 interceptions

Most people didn’t know about McFarland heading into this season—and rightfully so. He hadn’t done much on varsity as a sophomore, and he hadn’t even won the starting quarterback job. It would take a few weeks, but the talented junior finally took the reins of the Free State offense full-time in week three.

He lived up to the standards of the past four Free State quarterbacks admirably, combining for over 2,000 yards of total offense, 19 touchdowns and even gaining a reputation as one of the top defensive backs in the league. We’ll get to see and hear about McFarland all of next season since he is just a junior, but the kid has one heck of a season to reflect back on in his first year as the starting quarterback.

Tanner Gentry, Senior – Olathe North

Receiving Stats: 35 catches, 677 yards, 12 TDs
Return Stats: 1 Punt Return TD
Defensive Stats: 36 tackles, 4 sacks

The one thing Olathe North seemed to lack this season was consistency. They began the season 5-0 and ended it 0-4. If you watched them statistically, it was literally a roller coaster ride on a week-to-week basis. However, the one thing that did stay consistent at Olathe North was the talented Gentry. Before the season Gentry’s name was being thrown around quite a bit due to the stellar junior season he had as a defensive end. While he had another impressive year on the defensive side of the ball, it was his receiving efforts that really gained everyone’s attention.

He started things off with a three-touchdown night against Olathe East in week one and those types of efforts continued as the season went along. While things didn’t shake out the way Gentry and his teammates would have wanted regarding making the playoffs, it certainly wasn’t because of a lack of production from Gentry.

Connor Middleton, Senior - Olathe Northwest

Rushing Stats: 204 carries, 1,275 yards, 21 TDs

Receiving Stats: 23 catches, 200 yards, 2 TDs
Defensive Stats: 99 tackles

Elite wrestlers translate well on the football field. Just take a look at how past Sunflower League greats Justin Dyer of Olathe South, and Josh Carroll and Lucas Vincent of Olathe North did on the gridiron after dominating the mats. You can add Middleton to the list.

While short in stature, Middleton was anything but short in ability. He scored more touchdowns than any player in the league during the regular season and he had an uncanny ability to fill a stat sheet. Middleton’s highlight moment came in week nine when he carried the ball 29 times for 332 yards and six touchdowns, in addition to passing for one score. He scored four consecutive touchdowns in the second half and his efforts helped Olathe Northwest to beat the highly favored Olathe North in the game.

Mason Perez, Senior – SM North

Receiving Stats: 24 catches, 607 yards, 12 TDs
Return Stats: 3 Kick Return TDs, 1 Punt Return TD
Defensive Statistics: 54 tackles, 1 interception

If you were looking for a game breaker you had to look no further than SM North’s Perez. After leading the Sunflower League in interceptions as a junior with six, Perez came back as one of the league’s top returning defensive players, but it was actually his offensive game that earned him the most attention as a senior.

Not only did Perez combine for 16 touchdowns, but seven of those touchdowns came on plays of 40 yards or longer. His defensive game wasn’t anything to look past either. Teams rarely threw the ball his way, and he was excellent in run support recording over 50 tackles.

Gabe Guild, Junior– SM South

Rushing Stats: 199 carries, 1,641 yards, 12 TDs

Receiving Stats: 18 catches, 216 yards, 2 TDs
Defensive Stats: 22 tackles, 1 interception

Guild was a workhorse back for SM South in his junior season. Not only did he lead the Sunflower League in rushing yards during the regular season, but he also made contributions as a receiver out of the backfield and on defense.

Guild’s highlight of the season was in week five when he toted the rock 30 times for 342 yards and three touchdowns. It was the most rushing yards a running back had put up in the league in years and it embodied Guild’s work effort and determination as much as anything.  SM South didn't win many games, but Guild seemed to produce no matter the circumstances.

Coach of the Year

Jeff Gourley, Olathe South

This was one of the easiest choices of any of the picks I had to make.  Gourley coached Olathe South to a 12-1 record and the 6A state championship, the first state title in the program's history.  The Falcons also won the Sunflower League outright for the first time in school history. 

In his first year at the helm at Olathe South in 2008, Gourley won just three games.  The following year the team won four games.  Last season Olathe South made a late run and finished with seven wins.  This year, Gourley's fourth at the helm, the program reached heights that had not yet been seen in its history (no pun intended).  What's more, Olathe South returns a loaded roster in 2012, and Gourley and Co. will be the favorites in Class 6A to repeat as champions. 

The Second Eleven

Elliot Faerber, Senior – SM East

Faerber would have made a much larger impact for SM East had he not been forced to juggle catching passes from different starting quarterbacks or had to deal with several nagging injuries. He still had a solid year catching 60 passes for 764 yards and six touchdowns.

Connor Rellihan, Junior – SM East

Rellihan had an outstanding year catching 48 passes for 881 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’ll be one one of the top returning Sunflower League wide receivers in 2012, and the SM East offense will certainly cater to his abilities.

Dalton Rook, Senior – Olathe Northwest

Sure, it helped he had Willie Cauley to throw to, but Rook did outstanding in his one year as the starting quarterback. In the nine games he started he completed 157 of 253 passes for 1,968 yards and 19 touchdowns—leading the league in passing yards and touchdowns.

John Kelsh, Senior – Olathe East

After a decent junior season, Kelsh came back as a stud senior for Olathe East, rushing 170 times for 1,269 yards and 12 touchdowns. His 7.5 yards per carry average wasn’t too shabby either. He was key in Olathe East’s second consecutive Sub-State appearance.

Orange Mooney, Senior – Olathe North

Say what you want, but Mooney was one of the top running backs in the league this season. He carried the ball 162 times for 978 yards and 11 touchdowns and caught 18 passes for 136 yards and one touchdown. Mooney could have benefited from another year in Olathe North’s system but he put up great numbers in his one year as an Eagle.

Teddy Colbert, Senior – Olathe South

In open field Colbert may have been the fastest play in the Sunflower League.  He carried the ball 97 times for 1,126 yards and 11 touchdowns, and he also caught six passes for 114 yards.  Colbert's rushing average of 11.6 yards per carry meant he averaged a first down, and then some, every time he took a handoff.

Matt Elliott, Junior – Olathe South

Elliot was a multi-purpose nightmare and he’ll be returning to wreak havoc next year. He carried the ball 66 times for 389 yards and three touchdowns, caught 24 passes for 561 yards and three touchdowns, and defensively he recorded 33 tackles and four interceptions, one of which he returned for a touchdown.

Frankie Seurer, Junior – Olathe South

I took some crap for doing a Player Spotlight on Seurer in the preseason, but he sure made me look good. Seuerer passed for 1,634 yards and 12 touchdowns, not to mention going 4-of-5 for 183 yards, including a 99-yard touchdown pass to Drew Johnson in the 6A state title game, which Olathe South won.

Matthew Baltimore, Senior – Olathe East

Baltimore earned much more attention from offenses following his impressive junior year and commitment to play at Northern Illinois, but he still did very well. He totaled 63 tackles, 10 quarterback hurries, four sacks and four fumble recoveries and he was a defensive stalwart for the Hawks.

Jason Randall, Sophomore– Leavenworth

Randall was Leavenworth’s top player, toting the ball 145 times for 833 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. He also caught 26 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns. Randall will return in 2012 as Leavenworth’s top player.

Alex Forslund, Senior – SM South

Forslund was an outstanding player for SM South on both sides of the ball. Offensively, he completed 36 of 96 passes for 440 yards and four touchdowns, and he carried the ball 137 times for 548 yards and 12 touchdowns. On defense he made 89 tackles, two sacks, two interceptions and forced two fumbles.

Stats courtesy Mid-Statesports.com

6A East Regional Recap

The Good

Olathe East's Junior Williams intercepted three passes
on Friday, not to mention shutting down Olathe North-
west's top receiver, Willie Cauley (ground).  Photo
courtesy John Sleezer, the Kansas City Star. 

**SM West broke a three year streak of losing in the first round of the playoffs by soundly defeating Leavenworth 52-7.  The Vikings had been 0-4 in their previous four playoff games.

**Olathe East was able to shut down an upstart group from Olathe Northwest, much due to a dominating first half that included four rushing touchdowns.

The Bad

**In their first appearance in a playoff game in over a decade, Leavenworth proceeded to allow 31 points in the first half, and 52 overall.

**Of SM Northwest's four wins this season, three came against Leavenworth, SM North and the 'Dotte.  They weren't able to pull the Regional Round magic this season.

The Ugly

**Olathe Northwest's potent offense, which had scored 40 or more points five times this season, only managed a field goal in the first half of their loss to Olathe East. 

**Bradd Strauss' ankle probably isn't a thing of beauty right now.  The talented junior was Lawrence's only semblance of an offense Friday, but he re-aggravated his ankle early in the second quarter, which pulled him out of the game for good.

Regional Round Player of the Week

Junior Williams, Olathe East: Williams, arguably the Sunflower League's top defensive back, had the best game of any secondary player that we've seen all year.  Against the pass-happy Olathe Northwest, Williams intercepted three passes, while limiting the Raven's top receiver Willie Cauley.  The three picks put Williams at seven interceptions on the season, which is now tops in the league.

The Remaining Four

1. Olathe South (9-1): Now that the Falcons are on a roll we might look back on their week seven loss as a good thing.  It seemed to have refocused the talented unit and they've dominated three straight games in a row since then.

2. Olathe East (8-2): Run the football and play good defense.  The formula seems pretty simple, but Olathe East might have it down as well as anyone at this juncture in the season. 

3. SM West (7-3): Who would have thought that after the Vikings' week one disaster (a 35-12 thrashing at the hands of Lawrence) that the team would be in Sectionals, one win away from the Sub-State round?  The Vikings have matured quickly, and who could forget the last time the program was an underdog to Olathe East in the Sectional Round.  Head coach Tim Callaghan may be pulling that game film out this week as a pump-up video for his team.

4. SM East (6-4): Olathe South would probably rather be playing SM West in this round, simply because SM East runs the spread and that formation has created problems for Olathe South at times this season.  Don't look now, but an upset here could make the SM East faithful replace 2010 with 2011 as the best season in the program's history.

Kansas 6A East Regional Recaps

The Olathe South defense made life miserable for the LHS
offense all Friday night.  Photo courtesy the Lawrence
Journal World.

Olathe South 37, Lawrence 14

It was going to take a stellar effort on the defensive side of the ball for Lawrence to win this game, but Olathe South didn't let that happen.  The Falcons came out on their first offensive possession of the game and capped off an eight-play drive with a four-yard touchdown run from Fritz Wilbur.  Lawrence sent out Tyrone Jenkins to man the quarterback position, but after they had little success with that they gave the reins to Brad Strauss.  On his first drive at quarterback, early in the second quarter, Strauss marched Lawrence 80 yards down the field capping things off with a 17-yard touchdown pass to Garrett Cleavinger.  The touchdown tied the game at 7 early in the second quarter.

Olathe South made some in game adjustments, including increased pressure on the injured Strauss, and the results were dynamite.  The Falcons reeled off three straight touchdowns on a 33-yard run from Wilbur, a 36-yard pass from quarterback Frankie Suerer to Matt Elliott and a 31-yard run from Elliott with just over a minute remaining in the first half.  Olathe South led 25-7 at halftime.

Early in the third quarter Strauss aggravated his ankle when he was tackled, effectively removing him from the game for good.  Olathe South capitalized with a 22-yard touchdown pass on their next drive from Seurer to Drew Johnson, to gain a 32-7 lead.  Early in the fourth quarter Olathe South tacked on another touchdown on a 24-yard run from Jordan Ward.  Lawrence's final touchdown of the season came on a four-yard run from Isaiah Ross in the final minutes of the fourth quarter. 

SM West 52, Leavenworth 7

SM West was clearly ready to get their playoff win drought out of the way.  Taking advantage of playing Leavenworth in the first round of the playoffs, the Vikings led 31-0 at halftime, and rolled to a 45-point victory.  The Vikings scored first when Armani Williams capped off a drive with a two-yard touchdown run in the first quarter.  Joel Spiller added a 43-yard touchdown run, which was followed up with a four-yard touchdown run from Brett Sterbach.  Before the half was over Williams found Andre Maloney on a 51-yard touchdown pass to make things 28-0.  Kicker Mark Whitrock added a 33-yard field goal before halftime to make things 31-0.

In the third quarter SM West scored touchdown on runs of 42 and 54 yards from Sterbach and Ricco Hopkins, respectively.  Leavenworth's lone touchdown came in the fourth quarter when Judson Cole was able to sneak in a touchdown run from 15 yards out.  SM West closed things out with a six-yard touchdown run from Juanaye Stallings.

Olathe East 40, Olathe Northwest 23

Olathe Northwest's late-season run ended when they dug themselves into a first half hole that they weren't able to climb out of.  Olathe East struck early on a 30-yard touchdown run from John Kelsh in the first quarter to go up 6-0.  Olathe Northwest countered early in the second quarter on a 27-yard field goal from Riley Adam to make things 6-3.  That was as close as the Ravens would come in this one.  Olathe East broke open the game with three consecutive touchdowns from Kendall Kelly, Kelsh and quarterback John Blazevic, all on touchdown runs of less than 10 yards.  Cornerback Junior Williams added two first half interceptions that helped to shut down Olathe Northwest, and at halftime Olathe East led 27-3. 

Olathe Northwest played a good second quarter, scoring a touchdown on a 20-yard pass from Dalton Rook to Willie Cauley and holding Olathe East scoreless.  The Hawks still led by 17 at 27-10 entering the fourth quarter, however.  Olathe East began the fourth quarter scoring on a three-yard run from Kelly to go up 34-10, and basically put things out of reach.  Olathe Northwest's Connor Middleton scored on a five-yard touchdown run to pull the Ravens back within 17, but Olathe East's Hayden Frazier returned the ensuing onside kick 56-yards for a touchdown.  Middleton scored once more for the Ravens late in the fourth quarter on a seven-yard touchdown run, but it wasn't nearly enough.

SM East 38, SM Northwest 21

Like the other three winners, a strong first half from SM East set the tone en route to their sixth victory of the season.  A Jeff Cole touchdown run from two yards out gave SM East an early 7-0 lead.  Later on in the first quarter Dakota Collins found Logan Rose on a 35-yard touchdown pass which extended the lead to 14-0.  SM Northwest answered with an eight-yard touchdown run from Austin Vanderpool to make things 14-7, midway through the second quarter.  SM East was able to get on the board one more time before the half when Collins found receiver Connor Rellihan on an 80-yard touchdown pass.  The Lancers led 21-7 at the half.

SM East extended their lead to 28-7 in the third quarter when Cole scored on another short touchdown run.
SM Northwest made things a bit more interesting, scoring on a nine-yard touchdown run from Danny Manning which made things 28-14, but they were never able to get closer than 14.  SM East's Jake Libeer scored next on a 35-yard touchdown run to make the score 35-14.  SM Northwest's final answer came when Colton Dirks found Manning on a 21-yard touchdown pass.  SM East closed things out with a 32-yard field goal from Sean Luenz.

Sunflower League Extra

Olathe South's Jordan Ward found his way
into the Top 5 Player Ratings after yet
another outstanding performance.  Photo
courtesy the Kansas City Star.

Final Top 5 Player Ratings

1. Brad Strauss, Quarterback, Lawrence
Week Nine Stats: Did Not Play

Strauss was on the sideline with a boot around his ankle following his week eight injury.  The question remains, will he be able to play this Friday against Olathe South?  The Chesty Lions can run without Strauss, but they'll need his passing ability against the Falcons.

2. Willie Cauley, Wide Receiver, Olathe Northwest
Week Nine Stats: 3 receptions, 76 yards, 1 TD

Cauley closed out the regular season by not only helping his team to make the playoffs (by beating a rival), but also committing to play basketball at Kentucky.  It's been a good season for the top statistical receiver in the state of Kansas and we'll see if that carries over into the playoffs.

3. Gabe Guild, Running Back, SM South
Week Nine Stats: 22 carries, 106 yards

Guild went out rather quietly, putting up his "typical" 100+ yards rushing effort.  He wasn't able to score in his final game, but it doesn't taint that fact that he had a tremendous season which saw him lead the Sunflower League in rushing yards with 1,641 yards on 199 carries.

4. Connor Middleton, Running Back, Olathe Northwest
Week Nine Stats: 29 carries, 332 yards, 6 TDs; 1 passing TD; 8 tackles

Middlton makes his first appearance in the Top 5 Player Ratings after a phenomenal week in which he combined to score seven touchdowns.  He's been a playmaker all season long, and his 21 touchdowns lead the league.  He also ranks among the top ten in total tackles in the league.

5. Jordan Ward, Running Back, Olathe South
Week Nine Stats: 19 carries, 232 yards, 2 TDs

With Ward's effort on Friday he went from not being ranked among the league's top ten rushers (statistically), to ranking sixth overall.  Expect his rushing totals to continue to increase as Olathe South isn't looking like an easy out in the playoffs for any team.

Honorable Mention: Dalton Rook, Olathe Northwest; Treshawn Root, Olathe North; Kyle McFarland, Free State; Tyrone Jenkins, Lawrence; Kendall Kelly, Olathe East; John Kelsh, Olathe East; Tanner Gentry, Olathe North; Connor Rellihan, SM East; Mason Perez, SM North.

Stat Check

Passing Yards
Dalton Rook, Olathe Northwest: 1,667, 18 TDs
Brad Strauss, Lawrence: 1,554, 11 TDs
Kyle McFarland, Free State: 1,265, 12 TDs
Jordan Bruce, Olathe North: 1,234, 17 TDs
Frank Seurer, Olathe South: 1,159, 9 TDs
Armani Williams, SM West: 1,032, 6 TDs
Dakota Collins, SM East: 921, 8 TDs
Nick Pirotte, SM East: 850, 5 TDs
Ryan Theis, SM North: 805, 13 TDs
John Blazevic, Olathe East: 756, 7 TDs

Rushing Yards
Gabe Guild, SM South: 1,641, 12 TDs
Connor Middleton, Olathe Northwest: 1,209, 19 TDs
Treshawn Root, Olathe North: 1,034, 5 TDs
Orange Mooney, Olathe North: 978, 11 TDs
John Kelsh, Olathe East: 971, 9 TDs
Jordan Ward, Olathe South: 847, 10 TDs
Kendall Kelly, Olathe East: 826, 17 TDs
Jason Randall, Leavenworth: 822, 11 TDs
Kyle McFarland, Free State: 783, 7 TDs
Brett Sterbach, SM West: 767, 4 TDs

Receiving Yards
Willie Cauley, Olathe Northwest: 1,140, 14 TDs
Connor Rellihan, SM East: 692, 9 TDs
Tanner Gentry, Olathe North: 677, 12 TDs
Ryan Patterson, Free State: 626, 5 TDs
Elliot Faerber, SM East: 636, 4 TDs
Mason Perez, SM North: 607, 12 TDs
Chad Johnson, Olathe East: 600, 6 TDs
Drew Johnson, Olathe South: 553, 5 TDs
Erick Mayo, Lawrence: 519, 4 TDs
Anthony Buffalomeat, Lawrence: 512, 5 TDs

Tackles
Alex Anthony, Olathe Northwest: 116
Remington Whitley, Olathe South: 114
Alex Forslund, SM South: 89
Austin Jackson, Leavenworth: 89
Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 87
Jeramie Fischer, SM South: 87
Chase Hanson, Olathe South: 83
Colin McCarty, SM North: 83
Connor Middleton, Olathe Northwest: 82
Alex Waugh, Leavenworth: 81

Interceptions (Based on return yardage)
Calloway Schmidt, Free State: 5
Tim Mayes, Olathe Northwest: 5 (1 TD)
Marcus Banks, Olathe East: 4
Isaiah Ross, Leavenworth: 4
Junior Williams, Olathe East: 4

Kick Return/Punt Return Touchdowns
Teddy Colbert, Olathe South: 1 KR TD
Tanner Gentry, Olathe North: 1 PR TD
Matt Elliott, Olathe South: 1 KR TD, 1 PR TD
Andy Hiett, SM East: 1 PR TD
Jake Horner, SM Northwest: 2 KR TD
Quint Kelby, SM Northwest: 1 PR TD
Avery Parker, Olathe Northwest: 1 KR TD
Mason Perez, SM North: 3 KR TD, 1 PR TD
Taylor Sheffield, Olathe South: 1 KR TD
Brad Strauss, Lawrence: 1 KR TD
Troy Wilkins, SM East: 1 KR TD
Junior Williams, Olathe East: 1 KR TD

Field Goals
Mark Whitrock, SM West: (8/11)
Anthony Rosen, Lawrence: (6/7)
Jorge Rivero, Olathe North: (3/7)
Dainan Swoope, SM South: (2/2)
Jared Douglas, Olathe South: (2/3)

Stats courtesy Mid-Statesports.com

Week Nine Game Previews

Lawrence Free State, with the help of players like Ryan
Patterson, center, has won six of their last seven games.
Photo courtesy the Lawrence Journal World.

Lawrence (5-3) at Lawrence Free State (6-2) at Lawrence Free State

This game could come down to the durability of an ankle--Brad Strauss' ankle that is. According to the Lawrence Journal World, Strauss' status is pending but he will be making an effort to start. While the talented junior won't be fully mobile if he does play, he still has the arm and the offensive weapons to get things done for the Chesty Lions. On the other hand Free State is arguably the hottest team in the league right now and they wouldn't be an easy out even if Strauss was completely healthy.

SM North (2-6) at Leavenworth (1-7) at Leavenworth

The Indians vs. the Pioneers, round two.  Last year these two teams were in the exact same situation in week nine.  Leavenworth gained an early lead, before SM North came back to claim the victory and playoff berth.  With similar circumstances at play this time around one can anticipate another great game between these two teams.

Olathe North (5-3) at Olathe Northwest (4-4) at CBAC

The winner of this game will most likely qualify for the playoffs.  Olathe Northwest has been the little brother amongst the Olathe schools since joining the league in 2004, but that title could quickly change if they were able to knock off proverbial heavyweight Olathe North.  The Eagles are reeling, but they aren't down just yet.

SM East (4-4) at SM South (2-6) at SM South District Stadium

Win or go home in this game.  SM East is favored especially with a healthy Dakota Collins back at quarterback, but there's no guarantees against a feisty foe from SM South.  The Raiders are led by the most productive running back in the league in Gabe Guild and they've certainly shown flashes of being a pretty good team during the season, despite their 2-6 record. 

SM Northwest (3-5) at Wyandotte (2-6) at Wyandotte

SM Northwest has already qualified for the playoffs and so this game is merely a chance to make their record look a little better heading into next week.  The Cougars haven't been impressive in district play, but they've managed to come away with the necessary wins.

Blue Valley North (0-8) at SM West (5-3) at SM North District Stadium

This has the potential to be a trap game for SM West, given the fact that they've already claimed a playoff berth and BV North hasn't won a game all season long.  Assuming the Vikes take this one seriously it could be a great tune up before they begin playoff action next week.

Game of the Week
Olathe East (7-1) at Olathe South (7-1) at ODAC

There's too much riding on this game for it not to be the Game of the Week.  Olathe South, who began the season on a six game terror, suffered a loss in district play to BV Northwest, and they will only make the playoffs if they are able to beat Olathe East.  If Olathe South is able to come away victorious, they will not only qualify for the playoffs, but they'll also be the outright Sunflower League Champion for 2011.

Olathe East has the chance to play spoiler.  A win would eliminate Olathe South from the playoffs, give the Hawks a share of the Sunflower League title, and also make the Hawks the top overall seed in the Kansas 6A East bracket for the playoffs.