Week Six Review

Lawrence Free State's Kyle McFarland was bottled
up for much of the game against SM East.  Photo
courtesy the Lawrence Journal World.

Three Up

Olathe South
The results say it all for the Falcons.  At 6-0 they're off to their best start since 2005, when they finished the season 9-2.  The only downside for the Falcons is that they won't be able to claim the league title or gain bragging rights over all of Olathe, until they face Olathe East in week nine.

SM East
The Lancers lost ugly last week, but won ugly this week.  Given the injuries suffered, SM East will take being 3-3 heading into districts.  On paper they'll be favored to go 3-0 to close out the season.

Olathe Northwest
After a decent victory on Friday the Ravens are sitting at .500 heading into district play.  If only they could develop something resembling a defense (they've given up 40 or more points four times in six games) they might be able to pull out a couple victories and make the playoffs.

Three Down

Olathe North
We saw this same sort of thing happen last year when Olathe East downed Olathe North 25-0 in late September--and it really didn't make a difference down the stretch.  The only thing is, outside of Olathe East, Olathe North really hasn't beat many good teams.

Lawrence Free State
Overshadowing Free State's last-minute 97-yard touchdown drive was the fact that the team wasn't able to convert a game tying two-point conversion late, or that they missed a PAT earlier which forced them to go for the two-point conversion.  It's little miscues like those that have haunted Free State for years.

SM South
After a solid first half effort the Raiders weren't able to come away with any points in the second half of their 42-17 loss at Lawrence.  If SM South has a shot at making the playoffs it's going to have to come with consistent scoring from their offense--because the defense hasn't bailed them out at all this year.

Week Six Players of the Week

Brad Strauss, Lawrence: In the mold of fomer Sunflower League greats like Derek Miller and Dustin Moomau, Strauss is playing offense, defense, and special teams, and dominating.  He scored six touchdowns on Friday.  One came on a kickoff return, four were on rushing scores, and one was on a pass.

Armani Williams, SM West: Williams has taken quite a few shots from the media and fans alike, and, to be honest, he came into a situation with pretty high standards for the Vikings.  His predecessors included Tyler Lawrence (a 20-game winner who played at KU), Blake Lawrence (a Simone finalist who was offered to play quarterback at Missouri) and DJ Balazs (a 21-game winner).  Williams finally played a great game, tossing three touchdowns passes and running for another in SM West's 28-point win Friday night. 

Week Seven Power Rankings

1. Olathe South (6-0): The Falcons' latest performance was easily their most impressive of the season.  The team's seemingly endless stable of running backs makes them a preparation headache for any school.

2. Olathe North (5-1): In some ways the Eagles may benefit from their loss to Olathe South.  They won't have as much pressure as the top dog, and you know what they say about how hard it is to beat a good team twice--assuming they meet up again with Olathe South in the playoffs.

3. Olathe East (5-1): With all the attention given to their neighbors to the North and South, Olathe East has quietly snuck up at 5-1, with an offensive attack that gets stronger every week.

4. Lawrence (4-2): Lawrence's district poses a good challenge, but regardless of how well they do, be sure to keep an eye on Brad Strauss.  You don't see kids putting up his type of numbers very often in the Sunflower League.

5. SM East (3-3): The Lancers can make up for some of their early season losses by sweeping their district and rolling into the playoffs at a very respectable 6-3... but we've seen what the expectation bug has done to the team in the past.

6. Lawrence Free State (4-2): As has been the case for the last six years, Bob Lisher found an athlete, stuck him at quarterback (Kyle McFarland being the athlete this year), and now has a team with one of the best offenses in the league.

7. SM West (3-3): We'll see if the Vikings can finally string together a two-game winning streak.  They'll be favored against SM South, but they also haven't faced an opponent whose head coach has as intricate of a knowledge of their own strengths and weaknesses as SM South's Ryan Lonergan.

8. Olathe Northwest (3-3): This is Todd Dain's eighth year at Olathe Northwest, and you could make the case that this is his best team yet.  Their district doesn't do them any favors, but to be among the best you have to beat the best.

9. SM Northwest (1-5): You can open your eyes now, Cougars.  The non-district stretch of your season is over.  Awaiting you in your district are three teams with a combined record of 3-15.

10. SM North (1-5): While they did lose to Olathe Northwest, the Indian's showed alot of fight and came within a touchdown of tying the game up in the fourth quarter.  Mason Perez is also a bigtime playmaker that would be getting mentioned among the league's best if he played for a better team.

11. SM South (1-5):  The Raiders should close out the season with at least one more win.  However, despite their poor record, I think things are boding well for the program now and into the future.

12. Leavenworth (0-6): It's do or die time for the Pioneers.  Hopefully they can beat Wyandotte this week and claim at least one victory on the season.  Heck, they may even pull an upset out in one of their next two games and make the playoffs.

Regional Recap

Olathe North 42, SM East 14

Olathe North took home a 28 point victory Friday night using their quarterback rotation of David Blazevic and Victor Simmons to perfection. Blazevic hit Jason Peete on a 60 yard touchdown strike before Simmons scored on a 26 yard option keeper with 2:40 remaining in the first quarter. The Eagles slowed in the second quarter, and SM East closed the margin to seven points before the half when John Schrock hit an outstretched Kevin Hertel with a 26 yard touchdown pass. The second half, however, was all Olathe North. Three touchdown runs and a 49 yard touchdown pass from Blazevic to Adonis Saunders (below) put the Eagles up comfortably in the victory.

Blue Valley Northwest 38, Olathe Northwest 25

Blue Valley Northwest quarterback Koby Chadick came out determined to get his Huskies to the next round of the playoffs--207 rushing yards and five touchdowns later his team came out on top. Olathe Northwest, who was making their second playoff appearance in school history, stayed competitive throughout the game on several big touchdowns from Devon Boyce but it wasn't enough. Chadick threw a touchdown pass to Matt Ornduff in the first quarter, and went on to add at least one touchdown run in each of the last three quarters. Blue Valley Northwest will face rival Blue Valley next week in a rematch of a Sectional round thriller from 2008.

Blue Valley 42, SM West 18

For the second year in a row SM West faced an upstart Blue Valley school district team in the first round of the playoffs, and came up short. Blue Valley was led by senior quarterback Anthony Abenoja (below) who scored a combined six touchdowns--three rushing and three passing. The 42 points were the most a SM West defense has given up since losing 42-0 to Olathe North on September 17, 2004. In his last game as the SM West quarterback DJ Balazs completed 10 of 23 passes for 166 yards and three touchdowns.

Lawrence Free State 38, Olathe East 7

In a strong defensive effort, Lawrence Free State held Olathe East to a mere 132 yards of total offense, allowing the lone touchdown on a 73 yard pass from Carter McEntee to Chris Fields. In total five different Firebirds scored touchdowns in addition to a field goal by Gabe Ballard-Hanson. With the victory Free State avenged a week one loss to the Hawks. The Firebirds other blemish came against Olathe North, a team they will be facing Friday.

Sunflower League Extra

Top Five Player Ratings
*Player ratings subject to change on a week-to-week basis.

1. James Franklin, running back, Olathe North: Franklin finished off his last ever regular season game at Olathe North by rushing for 168 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. He now needs a mere 192 rushing yards to break the school record for career rushing yards set by Darren Sproles.

2. DJ Balazs, quarterback, SM West: In collecting his 21st victory as a starting quarterback, Balazs pushed his season passing total to 1,067 yards. It marks the second year in a row Balazs has passes for over 1,000 yards.

3. Camren Torneden, quarterback, Lawrence Free State: Torneden (below) had a seven yard rushing score, and a nine yard touchdown pass, and record an intereption on defense in his team's 35-14 victory over Lawrence Free State. Torneden has totalled 778 rushing yards on 120 carries thus far.

4. Hayden Groves, running back, Olathe East: Groves finished off the season rushing for 129 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries. Groves fourth quarter touchdown--a 10 yard run--pushed Olathe East ahead by two scores, and ultimately sealed the deal on the victory. The rushing yardage bumped his season total to 1,064 yards on 174 carries.

5. Brandon Willingham, running back/linebacker, Olathe East: Willingham was forced to leave the Olathe East game in the third quarter, but he won't be bumped off the list for a one game injury. His 909 rushing yards on 128 carries are big numbers, but his 64 tackles on defense have made him even more valuable to the Hawks.

Honorable Mention: Kirk Resseguie, Lawrence Free State; Victor Simmons, Olathe North; John Hauk, SM Northwest

Final Power Rankings

*See previous post for commentary on rankings

1. Olathe North (9-0)

2. Lawrence Free State (7-2)

3. SM West (8-1)

4. Olathe East (6-3)

5. SM East (4-5)

6. SM Northwest (5-4)

7. Olathe South (4-5)

8. Olathe Northwest (4-5)

9. SM South (3-6)

10. SM North (2-7)

11. Lawrence (1-8)

12. Leavenworth (0-9)

Sunfower League Extra

Top Five Player Ratings

1. James Franklin, running back, Olathe North: Despite only receiving one carry in the second half of his team's win over Blue Valley West, Franklin managed 159 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. That brings his season total to 1,759 yards rushing and 23 touchdowns.

2. DJ Balazs, quarterback, SM West: Balazs rushed for a touchdown and threw for another in helping SM West to collect their seventh win of the season. With the victory Balazs reached 20 career victories as the starting quarterback at SM West.

3. Camren Torneden, quarterback, Lawrence Free State: Torneden (below) had another stupefying game on Friday. He first carry of the game--a 71 yard touchdown run--set the tone for the contest. He totalled 170 rushing yards and three touchdowns on runs of 27, 52, and 71 yards. Through the air he completed three of four passes for 86 yards and one touchdown.

4. Brandon Willingham, running back/defensive back, Olathe East: Willingham continued his dominant play rushing for 159 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries. The 159 rushing yards brings his season total to 901.

5. Hayden Groves, running back, Olathe East: Groves makes his first appearance on the list after quietly becoming the top rusher not named James Franklin in the Sunflower League. On Friday he ran the ball 22 times for 166 yards and three touchdowns. His season total now sits at 946 rushing yards.

Honorable Mention: Kirk Resseguie, Lawrence Free State; Tanner Dutton, Olathe South; Tre Walker, Olathe North; Matt Nowak, SM Northwest; Josh Lemke, Olathe Northwest

Week Seven Power Rankings

*Power Rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis

**See previous post for commentary on Power Rankings

1. Olathe North (8-0)

2. Lawrence Free State (6-2)

3. SM West (7-1)

4. Olathe East (5-3)

5. Olathe South (4-4)

6. Olathe Northwest (4-4)

7. SM East (4-4)

8. SM Northwest (4-4)

9. SM South (3-5)

10. SM North (2-6)

11. Lawrence (0-8)

12. Leavenworth (0-8)

*Stats will be posted as soon as they come in.

Week Eight Review

Three Up

SM East

The Lancer's 13-12 victory over SM Northwest was one of the bigger upsets of the season in the Sunflower League. After a tumultuous 0-3 start it looked as if the Lancers were on pace for another very mediocre season. Since that time the team has gone 4-1, and with their victory Friday night they sealed a playoff berth.

Olathe Northwest

Olathe Northwest may have represented themselves poorly against the other Olathe schools, but they will be making the playoffs in 2009, which is ultimately the bigger goal. Granted, the Raven's two district wins have come against teams that are a combined 0-16, but the dominate fashion of their victories provides evidence that the team may be clicking.

Olathe North (below)

The Eagles took care of business for the eight time this season, and their star running back James Franklin was able to rest the entire second half. The victory over Blue Valley West sealed the district crown, and with a win against Olathe South on Friday the Eagles will also stake claim to an outright Sunflower League title. It would be the school's first since 2004.

Three Down

SM Northwest

By losing to SM East on Friday the Cougars were officially eliminated from playoff contention. No one saw this coming. The team played inconsistent football throughout the year, but it appeared the duo of Matt Nowak and John Hauk would be enough to propel the team to the playoffs. In the end the end the Cougars had no such luck.

Olathe South

Much like SM Northwest, the Falcons possessed a decent group of talent, but were haunted by inconsistency and a difficulty schedule. When reviewing the Falcon's stats more closely it also became obvious that the team struggled to score as many points as their stats would indicate. Tanner Dutton routinely passed for 250+ yards, but often that would only equate to one or two touchdown passes. With defensive liabilities the Falcons couldn't come through in district play.

SM South

At one point in time it looked like SM South had turned the corner and had a decent shot of improving to 4-3 through seven games. Things did not go their way and two consecutive losses have eliminated the Raider's playoff chances. With Olathe East on tap for week nine, that fourth win looks even more elusive.

Individual Highlights

**SM East's Kevin Hertel caught touchdown passes of 14 and 43 yards--the Lancers only scores of the game. The last touchdown was ultimately the score that elevated SM East to the win.

**Olathe North's James Franklin only ran the ball in the first half, but still totalled 159 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries.

**Josh Lemke, Brandon Bouvilom, and Cullen Phillips combined for seven touchdowns in Olathe Northwest's 63 point offensive performance. Phillips had touchdowns runs of 10 and 49 yards, Bouvilom had runs of 1 and 24 yards, and Lemke threw touchdown passes of 23, 29, and 34 yards.

**SM West's DJ Balazs collected his 20th career victory as a starting quarterback in the Viking's 49-7 victory Friday night. Balazs joins an elite group of Sunflower League quarterbacks who have accomplished the feat. Here is a list of some of the most recent members:

Name, school, graduation year, wins

Derek Miller, Olathe East, 2006, 31

DJ Balazs, SM West, 2010, 20

Tyler Lawrence, SM West, 2006, 20

**Olathe East's Hayden Groves ran the ball 22 times for 166 yards and one touchdown. He also caught a 19 yard touchdown pass in the Hawk's victory.

Week Nine Power Rankings

1. Olathe North (8-0): The Eagles are one win from claiming their first Sunflower League crown since 2004.

2. Lawrence Free State (6-2): The Firebirds will be looking to give Olathe Northwest a reality check.

3. SM West (7-1): The Vikings are peaking at the right time; their 49-7 win on Friday shows that both their offense and defense are well prepped for the playoffs.

4. Olathe East (5-3): If the Hawks take care of business against SM South they will be looking at their eighth straight playoff appearance.

5. Olathe South (4-4): A season that once showed alot of promise will be over all-to-soon for the Falcon faithful.

6. Olathe Northwest (4-4): The Ravens are already in the playoffs, but their game against Lawrence Free State will be a gut check.

7. SM East (4-4): The Lancers have already qualified for the playoffs and get a chance at their rival SM West on Friday, a team they haven't beaten in over a decade.

8. SM Northwest (4-4): The Cougars are a better team than their 4-4 record shows, but they were never able to put it all together in 2009.

9. SM South (3-5): The Raiders have nothing to lose against Olathe East; a four win season should be good motivation for the Green and Gold.

10. SM North (2-6): The Indians two wins came against winless Lawrence and Leavenworth.

11. Lawrence (0-8): It's time to see who wants it more.

12. Leavenworth (0-8): See Lawrence.

Sunflower League Extra

Top Five Player Ratings

Player Ratings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis

1. James Franklin, running back, Olathe North: Franklin's 241 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 29 carries pushed his season rushing total to 1,600 yards. He has now scored 21 touchdowns for the Eagles.

2. DJ Balazs, quarterback, SM West: Balazs (below) looked nearly flawless in passing for 106 yards Friday night, but it was his 69 yard touchdown run out of the shotgun formation that really raised some eyebrows. Balazs is now one win short of recording his 20th career victory as a starter.

3. Camren Torneden, quarterback, Lawrence Free State: Torneden had another amazing game scoring five touchdowns in three different manners. He passed for 155 yards and one touchdown, rushed for 21 yards and three touchdowns, and returned a punt 71 yards for a score.

4. Brandon Willingham, running back/defensive back, Olathe East: In his team's week seven loss Willingham ran the ball 29 times for 163 yards. Willingham was the go to player for the Hawks all night, gaining crucial yardage throughout the contest, and almost willing the team to a comeback victory.

5. Kirk Resseguie, running back, Lawrence Free State: Resseguie rushed for 132 yards and three touchdowns in Free State's 55-0 victory over Leavenworth. Resseguie's touchdowns came on runs of 1, 3, and 10 yards.

Honorable Mention: Tanner Dutton, Olathe South; Matt Nowak, SM Northwest; Tre Walker, Olathe North

Week Seven Power Rankings

*Power Rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis

**See previous post for commentary on Power Rankings

1. Olathe North (7-0)

2. Lawrence Free State (5-2)

3. SM West (6-1)

4. Olathe East (4-3)

5. Olathe South (4-3)

6. SM Northwest (4-3)

7. Olathe Northwest (3-4)

8. SM South (3-4)

9. SM East (3-4)

10. SM North (2-5)

11. Lawrence (0-7)

12. Leavenworth (0-7)

Stat Check

Sunflower League Leaders

Passing Yards

Tanner Dutton, Olathe South: 1,795

Ryan Goodburn, SM North: 801

DJ Balazs, SM West: 790

Camren Torneden, Lawrence Free State: 784

Carter McEntee, Olathe East: 748

Matt Nowak, SM Northwest: 723

Robby Moriarty, SM East: 532

Josh Lemke, Olathe Northwest: 456

John Schrock, SM East: 419

David Blazevic, Olathe North: 359

Grant Hilton, SM South: 337

Mark Dabeck, Leavenworth: 310

Chris Gaston, Lawrence: 131

Rushing Yards

James Franklin, Olathe North: 1,600

Hayden Groves, Olathe East: 780

Kirk Resseguie, Lawrence Free State: 757

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 742

Tyrae Jenkins, Lawrence: 657

Johannes Swanepoel, SM South: 610

Camren Torneden, Lawrence Free State: 543

Kendall Kelly, SM North: 513

Cordi Pascal, SM West: 508

Brandon Bouvilom (below), Olathe Northwest: 484

Barry Sargent, Olathe South: 472

Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 455

John Hauk, SM Northwest: 452

Josh Lemke, Olathe Northwest: 426

Warren Brown, Leavenworth: 393

Receiving Yards

Marquis Addison, Olathe South: 728

Chris Fields, Olathe East: 459

Kendal Harland, Olathe South: 349

Antonio McFadden, SM South: 273

Grant Ellis, SM East: 245

Chris Mansker, SM Northwest: 244

Connor Stremel, Lawrence Free State: 242

Will Maynard, SM North: 230

Keene Niemack, Lawrence Free State: 222

Aundre Allen, Lawrence Free State: 221

Jason Peete, Olathe North: 219

Kevin Hertel, SM East: 214

Kevin Webster, SM West: 213

Arthur Rucker, SM North: 204

Tackles

Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 95

Adam Olsen, SM South: 88

Darrin Sorrem, Lawrence: 71

Gavin Blankenship, SM South: 69

Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 67

Trip Hiller, Olathe South: 63

Dylan Hanson, Olathe South: 62

Chandler Smith, Olathe Northwest: 62

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 61

Derrick Crandall, SM South: 56

Delon Barbour, Olathe East: 53

Rodney Harris, Olathe East: 53

Seth Krug, Olathe Northwest: 52

Interceptions

Brad Gourley, Olathe South: 5

Stephan Mangelsdorg, SM Northwest: 3

Jason Peete, Olathe North: 3

Stephem Anselmi, Olathe Northwest: 2

Ricky Ashley, SM South: 2

Delon Barbour, Olathe East: 2

Will Greenhaw, SM Northwest: 2

Kevin Hertel, SM East: 2

Adam LeBlanc, SM West: 2

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 2

Week Seven Review

Three Up

SM West

The Vikings (below) quietly defeated a solid SM Northwest team 20-8 on Friday and bumped their record to 6-1 overall. Assuming the Vikings play to their potential an 8-1 finish to the season is feasible with SM North and SM East on tap in the upcoming weeks. Quarterback DJ Balazs has also established himself as the most consistent signal caller in the league.

Olathe Northwest

The Ravens beat Lawrence Friday, and should collect at least one more win in districts en route to a probable playoff berth. Despite enduring some disappointing games in previous weeks, the Ravens have a new optimism to build off of for the rest of the season.

SM East

The Lancers Nut Cup victory of SM North was huge. Not only did they capture a win over a big rival, but they also kept themselves in contention for a playoff berth. A win against SM West or SM Northwest in the upcoming weeks will be a tall task for the team from Prairie Village, but Lancers look much better than the team that started the season 0-3.

Three Down

Sunflower League teams vs the EKL
Four teams from the Sunflower League played EKL teams in the first week of districts, and three of those teams lost. Olathe East, SM South, and Olathe South all fell at the hands of their EKL neighbors to the East, while Olathe North felt more pressure against Blue Valley than they had all season long.

SM North

A season that was once so promising has turned out to be very depressing for the Indians of SM North. The team has now lost five straight games after starting the year out 2-0. What's more, the team lost a nail biter to rival SM East on Friday--which acted like salt in the wound to the Indians.

Lawrence

The Chesty Lions were blown out once again in a 49-6 loss to Olathe Northwest, but despite all of the negativity some hope still remains. The Lions play crosstown rival Lawrence Free State on Friday and in that game both team's records might as well be thrown out. The game should be a dogfight for respect in Lawrence (for the Chesty Lions it may be there last thread of life on an otherwise awful season).

Individual Highlights

**Olathe North's James Franklin ran the ball 29 times for 241 yards and two touchdowns against Blue Valley. Franklin is racking up arguably the best season a running back has ever had in Sunflower League history.

**Lawrence Free State's Camren Torneden bounced back from an awful game against Olathe North by scoring five touchdowns--three by ground, one by air, and one on a punt return--in helping Free State to a 55-0 victory over Leavenworth.

**Cullen Phillips of Olathe Northwest rushed the ball 20 times for 96 yards and two touchdowns in his team's win. The totals aren't among the best we have seen all season, but Phillips effort was crucial to the Raven's momentum meter throughout the game.

Week Eight Power Rankings

1. Olathe North (7-0): The Eagles played lackluster defense against Blue Valley, but ultimately it didn't matter--Olathe North's offense was simply overpowering.

2. Lawrence Free State (5-2): The Firebirds collected their token victory against Leavenworth and now must prepare for their 0-7 rival Lawrence High.

3. SM West (6-1): The Vikings are looking more and more impressive by the week--shutting down Matt Nowak is no easy task and the Viking's defense did just that Friday.

4. Olathe East (4-3): The former assistant got the best of the Hawks on Friday but the playoffs are still very likely for Olathe East.

5. Olathe South (4-3): For once Olathe South's defense outperformed their offense. However, the six offensive turnovers were too hard to overcome.

6. SM Northwest (4-3): The Cougars suffered a tough defeat at the hands of their rivals, but their power running game did show well and will probably be utilized quite a bit in the next few weeks.

7. Olathe Northwest (3-4): The Ravens (above) are on a high; lets see whether or not they are capable of playing at that level for more than one week.

8. SM South (3-4): The Raider's loss to Blue Valley North was a poor showing from the team who had been playing well of late.

9. SM East (3-4): The Lancers collected a nice win over SM North, but now face the tall task of SM Northwest and SM West is consecutive weeks.

10. SM North (2-5): The Indians, like the Lancers face a difficult slate to end the season. A good time to insert some miracle victories would be now.

11. Lawrence (0-7): The Chesty Lions could win out and make the playoffs, and with rival Free State and winless Leavenworth on the schedule, never say never.

12. Leavenworth (0-7): The Pioneers still have two weeks to make a memorable statement on the season.

Sunflower League Extra

Top Five Player Ratings

Player Ratings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis

1. James Franklin, running back, Olathe North: Free State's defense was developing a stingy nickname until Franklin came to town. His made his 287 rushing yards and four touchdowns look easy in his team's victory. He has now rushed for 1,3469 yards (224.3 ypg) and 18 touchdowns on the season. At this rate he will break Darren Sproles' career rushing record at Olathe North by season's end.

2. DJ Balazs, quarterback, SM West: Balazs had another solid game passing for 99 yards and and one touchdown. He is now just two wins short of 20 career wins as a starting quarterback, a number many great quarterbacks in the league have fallen short of.

3. Camren Torneden, quarterback, Lawrence Free State: Torneden (below) completed nine of 19 passes for 97 yards and two touchdowns on Friday, but on the ground (the area where he usually makes the biggest impact) he was held to just 20 yards. Torneden drops one spot, but could easily jump back to #2 next week with a good game.

4. Brandon Willingham, running back, Olathe East: Against Leavenworth Willingham received limited playing time to reduce the chance of injury, and to give other players more reps. Regardless, he still rushed for 80 yards and a touchdown, and recorded nine tackles on defense.

5. Matt Nowak, quarterback, SM Northwest: Nowak bumped himself back into the Top Five Ratings with a stellar bounce back game against Olathe Northwest. Nowak rushed the ball eight times for 23 yards and a touchdown, in addition to completing six of nine passes for 93 yards and a touchdown. He also successfully booted two field goal attempts.

Honorable Mention: Kirk Resseguie, Lawrence Free State; Tre Walker, Olathe North; Lucas Vincent, Olathe North; Tanner Dutton, Olathe South; Hayden Groves, Olathe East

Week Seven Power Rankings

*Power Rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis.

**See previous post for commentary on power rankings

1. Olathe North (6-0)

2. Lawrence Free State (4-2)

3. SM West (5-1)

4. Olathe East (4-2)

5. Olathe South (4-2)

6. SM Northwest (4-2)

7. SM South (3-3)

8. Olathe Northwest (2-4)

9. SM North (2-4)

10. SM East (2-4)

11. Lawrence (0-6)

12. Leavenworth (0-6)

Stat Check

Sunflower League Leaders

Passing Yards

Tanner Dutton, Olathe South: 1,418

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 685

DJ Balazs, SM West: 684

Matt Nowak, SM Northwest: 674

Camren Torneden, Lawrence Free State: 629

Carter McEntee, Olathe East: 552

Robby Moriarty, SM East: 441

Josh Lemke (below), Olathe Northwest: 410

David Blazevic, Olathe North: 313

Grant Hilton, SM South: 312

Mark Dabeck, Leavenworth: 283

Chris Gaston, Lawrence: 131

Rushing Yards

James Franklin, Olathe North: 1,349

Hayden Groves, Olathe East: 718

Kirk Resseguie, Lawrence Free State: 625

Tyrae Jenkins, Lawrence: 592

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 580

Johannes Swanepoel, SM South: 571

Camren Torneden, Lawrence Free State: 522

Kendall Kelly, SM North: 477

Brandon Bouvilom, Olathe Northwest: 439

Cordi Pascal, SM West: 433

Barry Sargent, Olathe South: 388

Will Livingston, SM West: 365

KC Waterman, SM Northwest: 358

Receiving Yards

Marquis Addison, Olathe South: 517

Chris Fields, Olathe East: 310

Antonio McFadden, SM South: 273

Kendal Harland, Olathe South: 253

Will Maynard, SM North: 230

Keene Niemack, Lawrence Free State: 215

Connor Stremel, Lawrence Free State: 209

Grant Ellis, SM East: 208

Kevin Webster, SM West: 207

Chris Mansker, SM Northwest: 198

Arthur Rucker, SM North: 198

Jason Peete, Olathe North: 191

Charles Davis, Leavenworth: 186

Griff Gans, SM East: 183

Justin Austin, SM West: 182

Tackles

Austin Folson, Olathe East: 86

Adam Olsen, SM South: 73

Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 61

Darrin Sorrem, Lawrence: 61

Gavin Blankenship, SM South: 60

Dylan Hanson, Olathe South: 58

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 58

Trip Hiller, Olathe South: 54

Chandler Smith, Olathe Northwest: 53

Rodney Harris, Olathe East: 52

Derrick Crandall, SM South: 50

Seth Krug, Olathe Northwest: 47

Paden Murray, Olathe East: 46

Sunflower League Extra

Top Five Player Ratings

Player Ratings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis

1. James Franklin, running back, Olathe North: Franklin continued his stellar season with a 23 carry, 200 yard rushing performance Friday. He also addded three rushing touchdowns, boosting his season total to 14.

2. Camren Torneden, quarterback, Lawrence Free State: Torneden once again showed his versatility, rushing for 142 yards and a touchdown, in addition to returning a punt 52 yards for a touchdown.

3. DJ Balazs, quarterback, SM West: Balazs came back from a disapointing game against Free State with one of his best performances of the season. The senior signal caller completed 12 of 20 passes for 151 yards and one touchdown in leading SM West to a 23 point victory.

4. Brandon Willingham, running back/defensive back, Olathe East: Willingham (below) gets a bump up to the #4 spot after rushing for 168 yards on 19 carries in Olathe East's victory. Willingham's emergence from the woodwork this season has been quite impressive, and he has seemingly become one of the most complete players in the Sunflower League.

5. Kirk Resseguie, running back, Lawrence Free State: Ressguie has been on a tear the past few weeks and because of that he makes his first appearence on the list. In Free State's victory Friday Resseguie rushed for 201 yards and three touchdowns.

Honorable Mention: Matt Nowak, SM Northwest; Tre Walker, Olathe North; Lucas Vincent, Olathe North; Hayden Groves, Olathe East; Tanner Dutton, Olathe South

Week Six Power Rankings
*Power Rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis.
*See previous post for commentary on power rankings

1. Olathe North (5-0)

2. Lawrence Free State (4-1)

3. SM West (4-1)

4. Olathe East (3-2)

5. Olathe South (3-2)

6. SM Northwest (3-2)

7. Olathe Northwest (2-3)

8. SM North (2-3)

9. SM South (2-3)

10. SM East (2-3)

11. Lawrence (0-5)

12. Leavenworth (0-5)

Stat Check

Sunflower League Leaders

Passing Yards:

Tanner Dutton, Olathe South: 1,114

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 612

Matt Nowak, SM Northwest: 592

DJ Balazs, SM West: 584

Camren Torneden, Lawrence Free State: 533

Robby Moriarty, SM East: 402

Carter McEntee, Olathe East: 361

David Blazevic, Olathe North: 313

Josh Lemke, Olathe Northwest: 309

Grant Hilton, SM South: 283

Mark Dabeck, Leavenworth: 145

Chris Gaston, Lawrence: 89

Rushing Yards:

James Franklin (below), Olathe North: 1,062

Hayden Groves, Olathe East: 595

Kirk Resseguie, Lawrence Free State: 595

Tyrae Jenkins, Lawrence: 556

Camren Torneden, Lawrence Free State: 502

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 500

Johannes Swanepoel, SM South: 428

Brandon Bouvilom, Olathe Northwest: 400

Kendall Kelly, SM North: 388

Cordi Pascal, SM West: 366

Will Livingston, SM West: 365

KC Waterman, SM Northwest: 358

Barry Sargent, Olathe South: 327

Receiving Yards:

Marquis Addison, Olathe South: 498

Antonio McFadden, SM South: 237

Chris Fields, Olathe East: 233

Will Maynard, SM North: 230

Kevin Webster, SM West: 201

Griff Gans, SM East: 183

Keene Niemack, Lawrence Free State: 170

Justin Austin, SM West: 169

Chris Mansker, SM Northwest: 165

Tackles:

Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 67

Adam Olsen, SM South: 65

Darrin Sorem, Lawrence: 51

Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 49

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 49

Dylan Hanson, Olathe South: 48

Chandler Smith, Olathe Northwest: 46

Trip Hiller, Olathe South: 44

Delon Barbour, Olathe East: 41

Gavin Blankenship, SM South: 41

Taylor Coleman, Lawrence: 41

Rodney Harris, Olathe East: 41

Interceptions:

Brad Gourley, Olathe South: 4

Stephen Anselmi, Olathe Northwest: 2

Stephan Mangelsdorg, SM Northwest: 2

Chris Pinne, SM East: 2

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 2

Week Five Review

Three Up

1. Lawrence Free State

The Firebirds roasted SM Northwest 42-0 on Friday and their running back Kirk Resseguie is making people forget about Chucky Hunter. Camren Torneden has hit his mid-season stride and is playing at a Simone level once again. All in all, it looks like Free State is about as prepared as they can be for their showdown with Olathe North Friday.

2. SM West

The hangover from the Vikings loss last week carried throughout the first half, as they were tied at six all with SM South. In the second half the Vikings finally put it all together and outscored SM South 31-8. Also, it looks like the running back combination of Cordi Pascal and Will Livingston is getting stronger ever week.

3. Olathe North

The Eagles are in control of their own destiny when it comes to winning the Sunflower League crown. Their showdown at Lawrence Free State this Friday may be the game of the year in the conference, and with a victory it looks like Olathe North will have a fairly simple route to an undefeated regular season.

Three Down

1. SM Northwest

Just when it looked like the Cougars were hitting on all cylinders they go and lose by 42 points to Lawrence Free State. SM Northwest's efforts against their two toughest opponents have been unimpressive to say the least (they lost to Olathe North 41-12 in week two).

2. Olathe Northwest

For another season, Olathe Northwest (below) will be the lowest on the Olathe school totem pole. Although their defensive effort against Olathe East was impressive on Friday their offense left quite a bit to be desired. The Ravens 0-3 mark against fellow Olathe schools is a sour note on what was looking to be a decent season.

3. SM North

Early on it looked like SM North might be primed for their best season in years. But the last three weeks have exposed the Indians. The Indians two wins have come against teams that are a combined 0-10, and the 42 point loss to Olathe North on Friday was not a great sign.

Individual Highlights

**Lawrence Free State's Camren Torneden rushed for 152 yards and a touchdown, in addition to a 52 yard punt return for a touchdown.

**In addition to Torneden's totals, Free State running back Kirk Resseguie totalled 201 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns. In his last three games he has rushed for 503 yards and nine touchdowns.

**Olathe North's James Franklin ran the ball 23 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns in a mere three quarters of work.

**SM West's DJ Balazs completed 12 of 20 passes for 151 yards and one touchdown, and collected his 17th career victory as a starter--tops among active quarterbacks in the Sunflower League.

Lawrence Free State's new stadium (above) will be the site of the big clash this Friday.

Week Six Power Rankings

1. Olathe North (5-0): The Eagles face their biggest test of the regular season this Friday.

2. Lawrence Free State (4-1): See Olathe North

3. SM West (4-1): The Vikings still haven't peaked, but did look impressive following their week four stumble.

4. Olathe East (3-2): The Hawks may be primed to run the table on the rest of the regular season.

5. Olathe South (3-2): This time around it was Olathe South who made a big comeback to win the game.

6. SM Northwest (3-2): Cougars latest performance leaves much to be desired; especially with SM West coming up in two weeks.

7. Olathe Northwest (2-3): The Ravens once again sit as the low-team on the Olathe school totem pole but amendments can always be made come playoff time.

8. SM North (2-3): The Indians have a good chance of getting back on track with school district rivals SM East and SM South coming up the next two weeks.

9. SM South (2-3): The Raiders fell apart after a solid first half against SM West.

10. SM East (2-3): The Lancers two victories have come against winless Lawrence and Leavenworth, but perhaps the momentum will carry.

11. Lawrence (0-5): Lawrence came close to beating Olathe South Friday but they still weren't able to get it all together.

12. Leavenworth (0-5): The Pioneers held SM East scoreless in the first quarter of their game Friday before the Lancers took off.

Game Scores and Notes

Week Five Game Results

Olathe North 42, SM North 0

While Olathe North kept it's title as the lone undefeated team in the Sunflower League, the Indians from SM North lost their third straight game. The contest might as well have been called the James Franklin show. He ran the ball 23 times for 200 yards and three touchdowns in just three quarters of work. Olathe North will now begin preparing for their upcoming showdown with the red-hot Free State Firebirds--a game that has stood out on the Sunflower League calendar for weeks.

Olathe South 26, Lawrence 23

Despite playing their best game yet, the Lawrence Lions were unable to notch a victory against Olathe South's spread attack. Lawrence jumped out to a 15-0 lead on touchdown runs from Tyrae Jenkins and Christopher Gaston, but the lead would not hold. Olathe South scored 26 unanswered points before the Lawrence chipped in a fourth quarter score.

Olathe East 7, Olathe Northwest 0

Olathe East's Brooks Smith punched in an 11 yard touchdown run in the first quarter for the Hawks, and that would turn out to be all she wrote. The Sunflower League's lowest scoring affair thus far was the epitome of smashmouth football. Olathe East's Brandon Willingham rushed for 168 yards on 19 carries, while Olathe Northwest's Brandon Bouvilom led the Ravens with 63 yards rushing on 15 carries. Ultimately, Olathe East's opening drive score was the game winner.

Lawrence Free State 42, SM Northwest 0

Everyone knows that Lawrence Free State has been playing well lately, but their clobbering of SM Northwest really put an exclamation point on the idea. The Firebirds rushed for 445 yards in the game, 201 coming from running back Kirk Resseguie (below), and 152 coming from Camren Torneden. SM Northwest quarterback Matt Nowak's 76 yards passing and 15 yards rushing weren't nearly enough to keep the Cougars competitive in the game.

SM West 37, SM South 14

After a less-than-impressive first half, SM West outscored SM South 21-0 in the third quarter to grasp control of the game. Leading the Vikings were DJ Balazs who completed 12 of 20 passes for 151 yards and one touchdown, and running back Cordi Pascal who ran the ball 16 times for 104 yards and two touchdowns.

SM East 34, Leavenworth 7

Leavenworth, like Lawrence, displayed their best for parts of their game Friday. The Pioneers were able to hold SM East scoreless in the first quarter before the Lancers took off en route to 34 points. Leavenworth's lone score came in the fourth quarter on a three yard run by Cody Frazee. SM East on the other hand has won its last two games after beginning the season 0-3.

Sunflower League Extra

Top Five Player Ratings

Player Ratings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis

1. James Franklin, running back, Olathe North: Olathe North's use of Franklin out of the Wildcat Formation has been brilliant thus far. In their last outing, Franklin rushed for 218 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries, with both of Franklin's touchdown runs coming out of the Wildcat. Franklin has now carried the ball 95 times for 857 yards (9 yards per carry average) and 11 touchdowns.

2. Camren Torneden (below), quarterback, Lawrence Free State: Free State's recent surge could probably be credited to Torneden's poise more than anything. In his last outing against SM West, Torneden rushed for 47 yards and a touchdown on 15 carries, and also completed 11 of 16 passes for 115 yards (and to be honest, that was probably the least impressive game he has had all season). Torneden gets a bump up on the list not only because of his stat production, but also because of the way he has led Free State since their week one stumble.

3. DJ Balazs, quarterback, SM West: Balazs slips one spot after his team's loss Saturday. In the game he completed eight of 18 passes for 126 yards, giving him 448 yards passing on the season. With SM West struggling offensively, it will be important for Balazs to be as productive as possible from the quarterback position--and if history is any indication Balazs is capable.

4. Matt Nowak, quarterback, SM Northwest: Nowak had another very impressive week, completing 10 of 13 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns in leading his team to a 34-0 victory over Leavenworth. If Nowak continues to produce the way he has the past several weeks, he could see his name quickly climbing the list.

5. Brandon Willingham (below), running back/defensive back, Olathe East: By Willingham's standards, Friday night was probably a disappointment. He ran the ball 11 times for 73 yards and a touchdown, however, he has established himself as one of the most versatile players in the Sunflower League, and his statistics speak for themselves. He's near tops in the Sunflower League in tackles (44) and interceptions (2), and he has also rushed for 339 yards on 50 carries. More importantly he did so during the toughest four game stretch in the Sunflower League. From here out the Hawk's schedule appears much less difficult, and likely Willingham's production will increase.

Honorable Mention: Tre Walker, Olathe North; Lucas Vincent, Olathe North; Tanner Dutton, Olathe South; Kirk Resseguie, Lawrence Free State; John Hauk, SM Northwest; Kendall Kelly, SM North; Hayden Groves, Olathe East

Week Five Power Rankings

*Power Rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis.

*See previous post for commentary on power rankings

1. Olathe North (4-0)

2. Lawrence Free State (3-1)

3. SM West (3-1)

4. Olathe East (2-2)

5. SM Northwest (3-1)

6. Olathe South (2-2)

7. Olathe Northwest (2-2)

8. SM North (2-2)

9. SM South (2-2)

10. SM East (1-3)

11. Lawrence (0-4)

12. Leavenworth (0-4)

Week Five Q and A

My take on the goings-on in the Sunflower League

Q: What has been the Sunflower League's most notable trend in 2009?

A: I find it interesting that the league has essentially divided itself into three sub-groups in the course of four weeks of football. You have the top group (Olathe North, Free State, SM West, Olathe East, and SM Northwest) who all seem to be a reflection of the dominant programs they have consistently fielded in the previous years. Here is a fun stat to go along with this upper group--they are a combined 10-0 against the other seven teams in the league.

The middle group consists of Olathe South, Olathe Northwest, SM North, and SM South. All of these teams have had very up and down seasons thus far. Do I feel that any of the four has potential to for a very successful end to the season? Yes, very much so. Olathe South is a couple blown leads away from being 4-0, and all three of the other teams have shown off some impressive play in the first four weeks. However, all four teams have a ways to go to truly prove their worth.

The lower group has put together a pretty poor display so far. Lawrence appears (at least on paper) to have the talent to be at least a .500 team in the league, and SM East has a decent collection of talent as well. Leavenworth on the other hand is really struggling to get by this season. Regardless, it has been four weeks and these three teams are a combined 1-11, with the one winning coming within their trio.

Q: How many Sunflower League players have the potential to be Simone Award candidates come late fall?

A: As of right now, I would say James Franklin is in the drivers seat for the award, and Camren Torneden is steadily putting in a decent resume to at least be in the top four of the voting. Both players meet the initial two criteria: great stats for a top rated football program. The third criteria, a state championship (or at least an appearance) will be determined later. But for now both players credentials are looking very promising, and a few other players from the league may enter their name into the race in the coming weeks.

Q: How bad is this 2009 Leavenworth team (below)?

A: As far as I can tell they are on pace to be one of the worst Sunflower League football teams of all time. They have only scored one touchdown in four games (and they missed the extra point on that touchdown). Keep in mind I'm not trying to harp on the hapless Pioneers, but rather point out some facts that currently hold true. Also, they still have SM East and winless Lawrence on the schedule, so decent chances for success are still to come.

Q: How good is this 2009 Olathe North team?

A: From what I have gathered, and based on the statistics that they have put forth, this year's Olathe North squad is easily the best team they have had since 2004. Olathe North appears to have more speed, size, and talent than any other team in 6A...keep in mind the 2004 team looked invincible until the 5A state championship game...regardless, their true level can't be told until all is said and done, but so far they are doing a great job of convincing everyone of their worthiness.

Week Four Review

Three Up

1. SM Northwest

After taking care of Leavenworth 34-0 on Thursday, the Cougars sit at 3-1 with their one loss coming to conference powerhouse Olathe North. More importantly, it appears that SM Northwest has hit their stride, feeding off the abilities of Matt Nowak, John Hauk, and KC Waterman.

2. Lawrence Free State

Since stumbling in week one, the Firebirds have looked more and more like the team their 6A state runner-up team from 2008. After putting on an impressive display in a victory over SM West Saturday, it looks like Free State is capable of beating anyone in the league. Their much anticipated battle with Olathe North in two weeks should sum things up well.

3. Olathe South

For once it was the Falcons who made a comeback to collect a victory. Olathe South used a versatile aerial attack to come back from a 14 point halftime deficit to defeat SM North. The Falcon's offense is legit, its just a matter of when they get things together on the defensive side of the ball.

Three Down

1. SM North

After a great 2-0 start, Kendall Kelly (below) and SM North have been less than impressive in the past two weeks. The Indians followed up a blowout loss to Lawrence Free State by blowing a 14 point halftime lead against Olathe South. Maybe the most disheartening thing for the Indians was that they were outscored 28-7 in the second half of their loss to Olathe South.

2. SM West

The Vikings inability to score has been their achilles heel this season and it finally caught up with them against Lawrence Free State. SM West had an ample amount of opportunities to match Free State's 22 points, but failed to do so on several occasions.

3. Olathe East

The Hawks have played, without a doubt, the toughest schedule of any team in the Sunflower League and now sit at a disappointing 2-2. Their four opponents have a combined record of 12-4 (two of the losses Olathe East dished out), but after playing Olathe North on Friday it appears the Hawks will have a much easier run to finish off the season.

Individual Highlights

**Olathe North's James Franklin carried the ball 25 times for 218 yards and two touchdowns. His touchdowns came on runs of 35 and 63 yards. Teammate Tre Walker (below) also chipped in 19 carries for 80 yards and a touchdown.

**SM Northwest quarterback Matt Nowak had another solid game, completing 10 of 13 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns.

**Lawrence Free State running back Kirk Resseguie had 22 carries for 109 yards and two touchdowns. In the past two weeks combined Resseguie has rushed for 302 yards and six touchdowns.

**Olathe North's Jason Peete only had one catch Friday, but it was a big one--a 71 yard touchdown that put Olathe North up 14-0 on Olathe East.

Week Five Power Rankings

1. Olathe North (4-0): The Eagles finished off their rival Olathe East fairly easily, and still remain the team to beat in the Sunflower League, and Class 6A.

2. Lawrence Free State (3-1): The Firebirds have been getting more impressive every week and with the exception of Olathe North, you really can't say that about any other team in the league.

3. SM West (3-1): SM West is still a top three team in the league, but their offensive woes need to be addressed.

4. Olathe East (2-2): The Hawks finished off their brutal stretch 2-2; winning out the rest of the regular season is a definite possibility.

5. SM Northwest (3-1): Two consecutive wins have been impressive by the Cougars, and it looks like they are coming together as a unit.

6. Olathe South (2-2): Unfortunately, offense generally isn't noted for winning championships. The Falcons have a great offense, but the improvement needs to happen defensively.

7. Olathe Northwest (2-2): Olathe Northwest had a nice 25-7 victory over SM South, but to get respect in Olathe they need to defeat their city foes.

8. SM North (2-2): The Indians are backpedaling after a great start to the season. Facing Olathe North this Friday probably won't help the situation.

9. SM South (2-2): The Raiders are working hard to capture their first respectable season in years.

10. SM East (1-3): The Lancers finally garner a victory for new head coach, Chip Sherman. Now let's see if they are capable of doing it again versus Leavenworth.

11. Lawrence (0-4): The Chesty Lions 0-4 start is quite the contrary to where their program was at 15 years ago.

12. Leavenworth (0-4): Leavenworth's battle to not be the worst Sunflower League team ever is getting tricky. They have now been outscored 195-6.

Game Scores and Notes

Week Four Game Results

Olathe North 28, Olathe East 14 (All Star Video Sports Highlight Video)
Trailing 14-0 with minutes left before halftime, Olathe East's Hayden Groves sprang loose for a 64 yard run, which led to a Hawk touchdown with 29 second remaining in the half. Olathe North on the other hand would not faulter, and went on to outscore Olathe East 14-7 again in the second half for their fourth win of the season. The Eagles were led by none other than James Franklin, who rushed for 218 yards on 25 carries, and scored two touchdowns. Tre Walker chipped in 80 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles, with his last score putting the cap on a victory over their crosstown rival.

Lawrence Free State 22, SM West 15
Despite being outgained 362 to 210 in terms of total offense, SM West was in position to make another comeback againt Free State on Saturday. A long pass from DJ Balazs to Kevin Webster put SM West in position to tie things up with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter, but ultimately the Free State defense held for the victory. Free State was led by Kirk Resseguie who rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.

SM Northwest 34, Leavenworth 0
For the third week in a row Leavenworth failed to score any points. But the true story of the game was dominance of SM Northwest seniors John Hauk and Matt Nowak. Nowak completed 10 of 13 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns, and Hauk carried the ball 17 times for 77 yards and two touchdown of his own. The combo accounted for all of SM Northwest's touchdowns and helped the team to a 20-0 halftime lead, before adding two second
half touchdowns.

SM East 25, Lawrence 7
The fourth straight loss for Lawrence High turned out to be downright ugly. A plethora of first half turnovers and mistakes helped SM East to build a 19-0 lead. In the second half both teams scored a touchdown keeping the deficit of loss at 19 for Lawrence. Tyrae Jenkins' (below) 20 carries for 104 yards were little solace for the Chesty Lions who now, along with Leavenworth, remain winless on the season.


Olathe South 35, SM North 28
SM North gained a 21-7 lead at the half after a Kendall Kelly touchdown run, and two Ryan Goodburn touchdown passes but the 14 point cushion wasn't enough. Olathe South used their big play ability in the second half to outscore the Indians 28-7. Tanner Dutton put in two passing touchdowns and a rushing score for the Falcons, who improved to 2-2 on the season.

Olathe Northwest 17, SM South 7
Things looked good early for the SM South. After thwarting a promising Olathe Northwest drive, the Raiders completed an 81 yard drive of their own, highlighted by a 79 yards pass from Nick Johnson to Ricky Ashley, and capped off with a four yard run by Johannes Swanepoel. But the seven early points proved to be all the Raiders would manage. Olathe Northwest quarterback Josh Lemke used his ground abilities to add 79 yards and two touchdowns. A Nick Prologo field goal also contributed to the Raven victory.

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Players Ratings

Player Rating are subject to change on a week-to-week basis

1. James Franklin, running back, Olathe North: After breaking a school record by rushing for 340 yards last Friday, its hard to argue against Franklin. He has quite simply been the most dominant player in the Sunflower League thus far. Franklin has rushed for 628 yards and nine touchdowns on the season, and at this point in time is likely a frontrunner for the presitgious Simone Award.

2. DJ Balazs, quarterback, SM West: Balazs has played like the most calm and collected quarterback in the league in his first three games. Although his stats haven't been eye-popping, his team's 3-0 record speaks for itself. Balazs' three touchdowns in his last game are also a sign that his numbers will likely be picking up.

3. Camren Torneden, quarterback, Lawrence Free State: Torneden is making a strong push at climbing higher on this list. His last game was just about perfect--nine of 10 passing for 163 yards and a touchdown, in addition to 75 yards rushing and a touchdown. When Torneden is on top of his game he is nearly impossible to contain.

4. Tre Walker, linebacker, Olathe North: Walker has been a focal point on an Olathe North defense that has surrendered a mere 31 points on the season. His presence from the linebacker position has made opposing offenses crumble in the first three weeks of the season.

5. Matt Nowak, quarterback, SM Northwest: Nowak (below) got back on track with a great game against Lawrence. He completed eight of 11 passes for 168 yards, and he rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown. Numbers like that will guarantee W's for the Cougars.

Honorable Mention: Lucas Vincent, Olathe North; Tanner Dutton, Olathe South; Brandon Willingham, Olathe East; Hayden Groves, Olathe East

Week Four Power Rankings

*team power rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis

**check previous post for commentary on Week Three Power Rankings

1. Olathe North (3-0)

2. SM West (3-0)

3. Olathe East (2-1)

4. Lawrence Free State (right) (2-1)

5. SM Northwest (2-1)

6. Olathe South (1-2)

7. SM North (2-1)

8. SM South (2-1)

9. Olathe Northwest (1-2)

10. Lawrence (0-3)

11. SM East (0-3)

12. Leavenworth (0-3)

Poll Watching

A look at where Sunflower League teams rank in local media polls

Hovpensports.com Class 6A Top 10

2. Olathe North

4. SM West

9. Olathe East

Preppowerindex.com (statistical analysis)

1. Olathe North

5. Lawrence Free State

6. SM West

10. Olathe East

11. SM Northwest

13. SM South

15. SM North

18. Olathe South

19. Olathe Northwest

28. Lawrence

29. SM East

32. Leavenworth

KC Metro Sports Super 25

1. Olathe North

11. SM West

16. Lawrence Free State

20. Olathe East

KC Star's Big Class Top 5

1. Olathe North

5. SM West

Kansasprepfootball.com Super 20

2. Olathe North

12. SM West