Sunflower League News and Notes 8/21

Frank Seurer.  810Varsity.com

****As I alluded to on Twitter earlier this week, Olathe South quarterback Frank Seurer is 19-5 as a starter and has a shot at overtaking former Olathe East great Derek Miller, who was 31-4 as a starter, as the winningest quarterback in the Sunflower League since 2000.

Seurer currently ranks fourth/sixth on the list of victories for starting quarterbacks in that time frame.  A 12-win season would tie him with Miller and a 13-win season would not only give him the top spot, but also solidify Seurer as arguably the most successful starting quarterback in league history, because 13 wins would mean an undefeated season and repeat 6A title. 

1. Derek Miller, Olathe East, 2003-2005: 31-4
2. David Blazevic*, Olathe North, 2009-2010: 24-2
3. Victor Simmons*, Olathe North, 2009-2010: 24-2
4. DJ Balazs, SM West, 2007-2009: 21-7
5. Tyler Lawrence, SM West, 2003-2005: 20-12
6. Frank Seurer, Olathe South, 2010-2011: 19-5

*Simmons and Blazevic split quarterbacking duties in 2009 and 2010 at Olathe North.  You could make the case either way for whether or not they belong on the list, but I left them on for reader insight.

****Olathe South offensive/defensive tackle Braden Smith recently picked up an offer from Miami (Fl.).  His total offer list varies slightly by site, but we believe that Smith holds 15 FBS offers.  He was also rated the eleventh best player in the nation in the Class of 2014 by the recruiting website 247Sports.com. Rivals.com and Scout.com have yet to release their class of 2014 rankings.

****Here's a look at how Sunflower League teams are being ranked in preseason polls in Kansas City and across the state of Kansas.  League teams are highlighted in bold.

Time Warner Kansas City Metro Sports Preseason Top 25
1. Staley
2. Olathe South
3. Blue Springs
4. Rockhurst
5. Lee's Summit West
6. Blue Valley
7. Blue Springs South
8. Lawrence
9. Bishop Miege
10. Gardner-Edgerton
11. Olathe East
12. Mill Valley
13. Raytown South
14. Liberty North
15. SM West
16. Harrisonville
17. Park Hill South
18. SM East
19. Kearney
20. Olathe North
21. Fort Osage
22. Ray-Pec
23. Basehor-Linwood
24. Eudora
25. Hogan Prep

Hovpensports.com Kansas Class 6A Preseason Top 10
1. Olathe South
2. Hutchinson
3. Wichita Heights
4. Olathe North
5. Derby
6. Gardner-Edgerton
7. Lawrence 
8. Dodge City
9. SM East
10. SM West

810Varsity.com Kansas City Metro Preseason Top 25
1. Staley
2. Olathe South
3. Lee's Summit West
4. Rockhurst
5. Blue Springs
6. Olathe East
7. Blue Valley
8. Liberty North
9. Gardner-Edgerton
10. Fort Osage
11. Bishop Miege
12. Lawrence
13. Kearney
14. Mill Valley
15. Harrisonville
16. Lawrence Free State
17. Eudora
18. Basehor-Linwood
19. Park Hill South
20. Blue Springs South
21. SM East
22. Raytown South
23. Bonner Springs
24. SM West
25. Lansing

 KPreps 6A Preseason Top 5
1. Olathe South
2. Wichita Heights
3. Olathe East
4. Derby
5. Manhattan

Top Sunflower League Quarterbacks since 2000

Derek Miller

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

1. Derek Miller, Olathe East, 2003-2005

Miller is kind of like the Dan Marino of the Sunflower League of the past 11 seasons.  He was an absolutely phenomenal quarterback--in my opinion the best--yet his inability to ever win a title did, in some ways, tarnish his legacy just a bit.  He went 31-4 in three years as a starter, with three of the losses coming in the playoffs.  No quarterback has won more than 21 games since 2000, and the only player currently in scope is Olathe South's Frankie Seurer who has 19.

2. Travis Jackson, Olathe South, 1998-2000

In 1999 Jackson threw for 2,685 yards and 17 touchdowns in leading Olathe South to their first ever state championship game.  Had it not been for mononucleosis he likely would have had an even better senior season, but the illness took its toll and he didn't complete the season.  He still passed for 1,220 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2000, however.

3. Camren Torneden, Lawrence Free State, 2006-2008

The "Tornedo" inherited the reins at the quarterback position as a junior and didn't let go, leading Free State to unprecedented levels.  He led the Firebirds to a 9-4 record and a state championship berth in 2008, and he followed it up by leading the team to an 8-3 Sectional Round berth in 2010.  In his two years as the starter he passed for 2,404 yards and 23 touchdowns, and rushed for 2,297 yards and 24 touchdowns.

4. Mack Brown, SM North, 2002-2004

SM North was running the spread back in early 2000s, but people just didn't know to call it that yet.  Brown, playing under his dad Sam Brown, passed for 2,100 yards and 22 touchdowns as a junior, then nearly matched those numbers as a senior, in the process earning offers from Colorado and Ole Miss.

Alex Carder

5. Alex Carder, SM Northwest, 2005-2007

We still haven't figured out if Carder was arrogant, cocky or just downright oblivious to all social cues, but on the field he was a heck of a quarterback for the Cougars--and there's a very solid chance he'll be selected in the 2013 NFL Draft.  In his career he completed a hair under 50% of his passes for 3,457 yards and 22 touchdowns.  He also added 524 yards and eight touchdowns on the ground in that time span.

6. John Martin, SM North, 1999-2001

I don't have the official stats, but Martin passed for over 4,000 yards and 40 touchdowns in his career at SM North.  The passing combination of Martin to his top two receiving targets, Nathan Winslow and Brooks Faddis, proved lethal.  As a senior in 2001 he led the Indians to a Sub-State appearance.

7. Blake Lawrence, SM West, 2004-2006

Lawrence only started at quarterback for one year at SM West, but he did well enough in the time period to earn an offer from Missouri to play quarterback.  During the 2006 season he passed for 1,346 yards and 15 touchdowns, in addition to rushing for 483 yards and 16 touchdowns.

8. Ryan Murphy, Lawrence Free State, 2004-2006

Murphy began the pipeline we now know as the Free State quarterback position, and for that he deserves at least some mention on this list.  He had a 15-7 record as a starter, accumulating 3,518 passing yards, 1,710 rushing yards, and 50 combined touchdowns in his two years as the starting quarterback.

9. John Schrock, SM East, 2008-2010

Schrock didn't earn the starter title until his senior year, but he took full advantage of the opportunity once it presented itself.  As a senior he helped lead the Lancers to their winningest season ever at eight wins by passing for 1,634 yards and combining for 25 touchdowns.  He was Colorado's third-string quarterback as a true freshman this past year.

10. Dustin Moomau, Olathe North, 2002-2004

September 2004: Moomau keeps the ball on a veer-option play and bolts through a hole in the middle of the opposing defense.  He trucks the safety, but gets tripped up when his cleat gets caught in the facemask of this safety as he attempts to literally run him over.  I've been told that Moomau stood up and asked the player "what's it like catching a cannon ball?"  Most of us will never know, but in his one season as a starter he was like a cannon ball for defenses, passing for 1,007 yards and nine touchdowns, and rushing for 1,273 yards and 21 touchdowns in leading Olathe North to a 12-1 record.

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.

2011 Player Spotlights: Frankie Seurer

Frankie Seurer

Olathe South

Position: Quarterback

Height: 6-foot-1

Weight: 180 lbs.
Year: Junior

Stat to Note
In 2010, in his first year as the starting quarterback, Seurer led Olathe South to 7-4 record which resulted in a berth in the Sectional Round of the playoffs.

Scouting Report

Seurer has football genes--his father, Frank Sr., starred at Kansas and later spent time in the NFL including two starts with the Chiefs in 1987.  With bloodlines like those it's only natural that the younger Seurer has become such a gamer in the Sunflower League.

As a sophomore nothing Seurer did really jumped off the stat sheet.  He passed for 424 yards and four touchdowns, which were modest totals in Olathe South's run-heavy offense, but certainly nothing that would signify an upcoming gunslinger.  Perhaps it was Seurer's game managing ability that was most impressive.  For a sophomore to come in and execute the Falcon's triple option based offense the way he did, in year one, was quite impressive. 

Often times it takes a big-time quarterback a year of being a game manager before they break out of their shell and begin showcasing their talents.  Derek Miller spent a year in that role for Olathe East in 2003, and he turned out to be one of the winningest quarterbacks in league history with 31 career wins as a starter.  Seurer has a chance to leave a sizeable mark in Olathe quarterback history if he is able to progress and build off his successes from 2010.

Thursday Report

Week Nine Matchups

All games times 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Game of the Week

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

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

Photo courtesy the Shawnee-Dispatch

Sunflower League All-Decade Team: Derek Miller

Name: Derek Miller
School: Olathe East
Graduated: 2006
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 180lbs.
Position: Quarterback

Heading into his senior season Derek Miller had one thing on his mind—a state championship. Miller had been a two year starter at quarterback for Olathe East, and he had a career record of 19-2, but that wasn’t nearly enough. In fact the most memorable moments for Olathe East during the 2003 and 2004 seasons were playoff upsets. In 2003 Olathe East was the heavy favorite to win their first ever state title when they were upset by Blue Valley North in the Sectional Round of the playoffs. In 2004 Olathe East was once again the favorite in 6A, but they ran into a hot SM West team and produced a goose egg in the score column, losing 21-0 in the Sectional Round of the playoffs once again.

If redemption was going to happen for Miller and Co., it was going to be in 2005. The unquestioned star of the team, Miller was Olathe East’s starting quarterback, safety, kicker, and punter for the 2005 season. Never leaving the field didn’t seem to bother the seasoned Miller—he seemed to thrive on terrorizing opponents from his various positions.

Miller helped Olathe East to a 9-0 regular season, his second undefeated regular season as the starting quarterback. The 6A playoffs began for Olathe East against SM South. The next three games proved to be arguably the best three of Miller’s career.

In the Regional Round of the playoffs Miller looked flawless, throwing three touchdown passes in a 40-18 defeat of SM South. In the Sectional Round of the playoffs Miller help avenge his team’s worst defeat of 2004, beating SM West 37-7. In that game Miller ran for three scores, and made a timely interception on defense. In the Sub-State matchup with Lawrence High, Miller led Olathe East to a second half comeback to claim a 22-18 victory. His two touchdown passes were enough to overcome the Chesty Lions.

With a 6A title game set against Hutchinson, it appeared Miller would finally claim his ever elusive state championship ring. Unfortunately for Miller and the Hawks the hot streak didn’t continue. Olathe East lost its only game of the 2005 season 24-7 at the hands of Hutchinson. Miller had his worst game of the year throwing four interceptions (equal to the amount he had thrown in the previous 12 games).

The lost prevented Miller from tagging a state championship, but it didn’t tarnish the successes he had claimed. During the 2005 season he threw 21 touchdown passes, rushed for five, and passed for over 2,000 yards. Defensively Miller recorded 82 tackles and intercepted four passes. Miller was named First Team All-State Class 6A, KC Metro Sports All-Purpose Player of the Year, in addition to being a finalist for the Simone Award. Perhaps the most impressive thing about Miller’s career was his 31-4 record as a starting quarterback. The 31 wins were 10 more than any other quarterback achieved during the 2000s in the Sunflower League.

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.

Top Sunflower League Prospects by Year

I did a little research into the Rivals.com prospect database to see the Sunflower League players that have been considered "Division-One Caliber" over the past decade. Unfortunately, Rivals.com did not start ranking prospects nationally until 2002, so the Division-One players from the early 2000s and before do not appear. Here is what I came up with on a year-by-year basis since the class of 2002. Another thing to keep in mind is that "Division-One Prospects" are not necessarily the best players in the Sunflower League. Rivals rankings are based on potential, and not always production.

*Players listed in bold received Division-One offers in high school.

2002

Maurice Mack, Olathe North

Royal Whitaker, Olathe North

Jonathan Lamb, Olathe North

Whittaker Potts, SM East

Mack was ranked by Rivals.com as the 30th best cornerback in the nation, although he went on to play linebacker at Kansas State...Whitaker (right) had a Big Ten offer from Minnesota, but elected to play D1-AA football at Southern Illinois...John Lamb had a successful career as a safety and receiver at Kansas after he earned a spot as a walk on.

2003

Jim Bouknight, Olathe North

Roy Loren, SM East

Andy Schumm, SM South

Derrick Newman, Lawrence

Adam Venegas, Olathe North

Brandon McAnderson, Lawrence

Beau Gadwood, SM Northwest

Venegas went on to have a dominant career on the offensive line at North Texas...McAnderson starred as a running back for Kansas, and helped the Jayhawks to win the 2007 Orange Bowl...despite rushing for 2,793 yards and winning the Simone Award as a senior, Bouknight did not go on to play Division-One football.

2004

Ryan Torain, SM Northwest

Josh Lawrence, Lawrence

Todd Haselhorst, Olathe East

Mike Rivera, SM Northwest

Dain Dillingham, Lawrence Free State

Haselhorst was one of the most highly recruited offensive lineman in the Midwest as a senior, and he went on to play at Kansas...Rivera enjoyed a dominant career at SM Northwest before moving on to player linebacker at Kansas, and now the NFL, where he plays for the Chicago Bears...Dillingham had several offers for football, but elected to attend Drake University to player both football and basketball...Torain didn't receive an offer out of high school, but eventually made it to Arizona State after a couple JUCO seasons at Butler C.C...Torain is now in the NFL as a running back for the Denver Broncos.

2005

Mack Brown, SM North

Connor McKay, SM South

Andre Jones, Olathe East

Adam Booth, Leavenworth

Ian Handshy, Lawrence

Brown attended Colorado for a year before head coach Gary Barnett was fired...Brown is now the starting quarterback at Baker University...Jones was probably one of the best players I have seen in the Sunflower League that didn't go Divison One...Handshy (right) eventually made the Kansas roster and has contributed sparingly over the past few seasons.

2006

Tyler Lawrence, SM West

Derek Miller, Olathe East

Brady Croucher, Olathe South

Anthony Hill, SM South

Justin Pessetto, SM Northwest

Scott Penny, Lawrence

Nathan Hickey, Lawrence

Brandon Lassiter, Lawrence

Hickey and Lassiter both went on to play at the Air Force Academy...Lawrence backed up Todd Reesing at Kansas for three years before completing his degree a year early, and leaving the team as a junior...Hill missed out on his entire senior season due to a knee injury, but he now plays receiver for Oklahoma State...Miller has been a dominate safety for D1-AA Missouri State for several years now...Pessetto is an offensive lineman for Kansas after walking on several years ago.

2007

Dee Bell, Olathe East

Brian Murphy, Lawrence Free State

Ryan Murphy, Lawrence Free State

Christian Ballard, Lawrence Free State

Mike Ruder, Lawrence Free State

Jervon Graves, Olathe South

Victor Butler, Leavenworth

Blake Lawrence, SM West

Dorian Williams, Olathe East

David Leonard, SM West

The class of 2007 was as loaded in terms of talent as any class over the decade...Ballard went on to play defensive end and Iowa, and was a starter there last season...Ryan Murphy (right) plays cornerback at Kansas, while his twin Brian Murphy transferred from Kansas to Emporia State to receive more playing time...Lawrence has received quite a bit of playing time at Nebraska and is penciled in to start in 2009...Leonard has been a focal wide receiver for Wyoming for several seasons now...Jervon Graves has started at defensive end at Utah State since his freshman season...Bell plays running back at Kansas State but still hasn't cracked the top of the depth chart...Ruder had an offer to Wyoming during his senior season before he tore his ACL in a pick up basketball game...Ruder now plays defense at D1-AA Missouri State.

2008

Alex Carder, SM Northwest

Will Brown, Leavenworth

Travis Tannahill, Olathe East

Nick Williams, Olathe Northwest

Terrence Thomas, SM East

Aaron Sawyer, SM North

Jarard Milo, Olathe Northwest

Although deep in talent, the class of 2008 lacked alot of Division-One offers...Milo had an early offer to Minnesota, but he never ended up accepting it and he is now playing at Butler C.C...Tannahill is currently a tight end at Kansas State...Carder plays quarterback at Western Michigan.

2009

Jake Byrd, Olathe South

Justin Scott, SM West

Kevin Young, Olathe North

Grahm Saunders, Lawrence Free State

Darron Harvey, SM West

Mark Fancher, SM Northwest

Fancher (right) received a late offer to play at Air Force where he will be a receiver this upcoming fall...Scott and Harvey both had offers from Army, but Scott elected to play at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, and Harvey at Butler C.C...Kevin Young had offers from all over the nation and ultimately decided on Kansas after decomitting from Nebraska.

2010

Michael Lisher, Lawrence Free State

Lucas Vincent, Olathe North

Tre Walker, Olathe North

Dallas Buck, SM North

So far, the class of 2010 only has four players listed as potential prospects, although that list is sure to grow during the season...Vincent committed to Missouri in April to play defensive line...Walker has committed to Kansas State.