[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.

The 2010 Season in Review

Best Team: Olathe North. The Eagles proved it beating every other formidable foe in the Sunflower League and advancing to the state championship game.

Best Upset: Lawrence High's week five triumph over Olathe East, 27-21, not only shocked the red hot Hawks, but it was also a huge morale boost for the Lawrence football program following a not-so-fun 2009 season.

Biggest Surprise Player: Lawrence Free State's Dylan Perry (left) was really an unknown to most heading into the season, but, as we've come to expect, the quarterbacks at Free State tend to do pretty well in their zone-read option offense. During the off-season Camren Torneden tipped me off that Perry was going to be a special player for the Firebirds, but there wasn't much information out there to read into on Perry. During the 2010 season, Perry became the fourth quarterback to surpass 1,000 yards passing and rushing in the same season since 2004, joining Olathe North's Dustin Moomau (2004), and Free State's Ryan Murphy (2006) and Camren Torneden (2008).

Biggest Surprise Team: We knew in the pre-season talks that the Lancers from SM East had something brewing, but their four-game win improvement over last season was a big deal.

Highest Scoring Output: Olathe North scored 76 points in their week five triumph over Leavenworth.

Best Individual Performances: Many players in the league had great games during the season, but statistically, these three stuck out the most in my mind:

**Brandon Willingham's performance against Free State in Regionals was impressive as he rushed for 190 yards on 33 carries, including three second half touchdowns which pulled Olathe East ahead for the victory.

**In his team's week three loss to SM West, Dylan Perry completed 10 of 17 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown, and he also ran the ball 22 times for 193 yards and two touchdowns.

**In week two, Free State's Preston Schenck filled the box score, carrying the ball 13 times for 84 yards, returning a punt 44 yards for a touchdown, returning a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown, running an interception back 40 yards for a touchdown, and blocking a kick that was returned 91 yards for a touchdown by Perry.

**Honorable mention would include Drew Goodger's first half against Olathe North in week six when he recorded four sacks, and John Schrock's five touchdown outburst against Blue Valley North in week seven.

Best Three Storylines from 2010:

**SM East's best season in decades under second-year head coach Chip Sherman.

**Olathe North's talented duo of Adonis Saunders and Victor Simmons--both Kansas commits--working to defend Olathe North's 6A crown.

**Olathe North squaring off against rivals Olathe South and Olathe East in the playoffs.

Best Three Early Storylines for 2011:

**With only nine returning First or Second Team All-Sunflower League selections in 2011, it looks like the league will be in for an uprising of new talent.

**Just how far can Lawrence High's quarterback, junior-to-be Brad Strauss (left), lead the Chesty Lions in 2011? Strauss might be capable of leading Lawrence High back to the upper echelon of the league. As a sophomore he completed 60% of his passes for 1,321 yards and 10 touchdowns with only four interceptions.

**Who will be Olathe North's next big, strong, fast, athletic running back to dominate the Sunflower League? Since the 1995 season Olathe North has basically featured 10 big-time running backs. Of those 10, two have played or are playing the NFL, five have won the Simone Award, and five have gone the Division One route.

Way-too-early Top Three for 2011:

1.) Olathe East: The Hawks have a solid core returning and under Jeff Meyers the team is always in contention for the top spot in the league.

2.) Olathe North: Tanner Gentry will be the Eagles' only real prominent returning starter, but the program will undoubtedly find athletes to fill the voids left from 2010.

3.) SM East: Adam Lowe and Elliot Faerber will give the Lancers a great base at the skill positions to build off of.

Sunflower League Elite 11 Team

The Sunflower League Elite 11 team is essentially a bigger collaboration of my weekly player ratings. I felt that these 11 players were the top playmakers in the Sunflower League during the 2010 season. Of course there were a few players who were on the fringe of this list that I had to leave off. Overall, however, I feel these 11 were the biggest headliners in the Sunflower League. Included in the list are my MVP, Offensive Player of the Year, Defensive Player of the Year, and if you scroll to the bottom my Coach of the Year.

Most Valuable Player
Brandon Willingham, Olathe East
Olathe East’s senior running back gets the nod as my Sunflower League Most Valuable Player for the 2010 season. He joins former Hawks Derek Miller and Anthony Parks on the list of MVPs. What separated Willingham for this distinction? Simply put, Willingham was the heart and soul of Olathe East’s 10-win season. The Hawks had enough confidence in Willingham to basically scrap their passing game this season. Opposing defenses knew they had to do one thing to beat Olathe East—shut down Willingham. Yet, this task was much more complicated when the defenses actually lined up across from him and the Olathe East offense. Willingham’s most impressive game came against Free State in the Regional round of the playoffs. Trailing 16-0 entering the third quarter, things weren’t looking good for the Hawks. Willingham took his game to another level in the second half, scoring three touchdowns on runs of 59, 53, and three yards to give the Hawks a 20-16 advantage and the win. While some may argue that other players were as talented or produced as good of stats, no player consistently did more for his team than Willingham.

Rushing stats: 1,714 yards, 23 TDs
Defensive stats: 40 tackles

Offensive Player of the Year

Adonis Saunders, Olathe North
While Saunders had a reputation around the Sunflower League of being, well, boisterous, he was usually pretty good at backing it up often in the form of long touchdown runs. Saunders took his first carry of the season 77 yards for a touchdown, and he rattled off four touchdowns runs of 60 or more yards through Olathe North's first four games. The former Kansas Class 6A 100-meter champ was probably the league's fastest player this season, and if you wanted further proof all you had to do was watch Olathe North for a quarter or so. Saunders was pretty much gone once he broke past the second level of a defense. His rushing efforts helped Olathe North to reach their second straight 6A title game, and while Olathe North did come up short, it was fitting that Saunders' last touchdown of the season came on a 79-yard pass reception.

Rushing stats: 1,554 yards, 20 TDs

Defensive stats: 1 interception

Defensive Player of the Year

Kyle Swartz, Olathe North
Big, playmaking linebackers are hard to come by at the high school level, but Olathe North's Kyle Swartz fit the mold and earned my vote as the Sunflower League Defensive Player of the Year. Swartz' most impressive statistic was the 148 tackles he totalled in 13 games from his linebacker position. The 148 tackles were 30 more than any other player in the Sunflower League totalled during the season, and 60 of his tackles came during the Eagle's four playoff games. One of the better examples of Swartz' dominance was in Olathe North's Sectional round playoff game against Olathe South. Up 10-0, the Eagles were looking for a big play to kill any hopes Olathe South had of winning. Swartz jumped in front of an Olathe South pass and intercepted it, then a few plays later pounded in a one-yard run to effectively seal the victory.

Defensive stats: 148 tackles, 1 interception

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest

In some ways it’s a head scratcher that Bandy didn’t get more touches. He was probably among the top five fastest players in the league and he seemed to have the “Midas touch” for the Ravens. Bandy was an excellent contributor for the Ravens on offense, defense, and special teams and he made big plays nearly every week. Of course, that was what everyone had come to expect of the talented senior. One thing I am confident of, had Bandy played for a more successful team he would have been one of the headliners of the league this season.

Offensive stats: 33 catches, 494 yards, 3 TDs
Defensive stats: 44 tackles, 9 pass break ups, 3 interceptions
Special Teams stats: 1 kick return touchdown

Austin Fulson, Olathe East

It was Austin Fulson who led the Sunflower League in tackles last season with 125. We knew those abilities were going to transfer over to his senior year on the defensive side of the ball, but who knew he was going to have such a stellar season on the offensive side? Fulson’s efforts were often overshadowed by coverage of Brandon Willingham, but he was nonetheless a quiet force that kept Olathe East among the league’s best. Perhaps the game that epitomized Fulson’s efforts the most was Olathe East’s Sectional playoff game against SM Northwest. Olathe East was struggling to get anything going offensively, and Willingham was being shut down. Fulson’s number was called on a run play early in the fourth quarter and he ended up taking that carry 89 yards for what proved to be the game-winning touchdown. It was fitting that he was what put Olathe East over the top in that game. Fulson’s defensive efforts shouldn’t be looked past either, as he was one of the league’s leading tacklers for the second season in a row.

Rushing stats: 896 yards, 13 TDs
Defensive stats: 80 tackles, 11 tackles for loss, 4 sacks, 4 forced fumbles, 1 touchdown

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest
Mings, like several other players on this list, really came into his own as a senior. His ability to impact a game from all three aspects—offense, defense, and special teams—was what made him such an asset to SM Northwest and their run to sectionals. Another thing you couldn’t discount about this kid was his ability to make plays on the ball in the air. Mings rarely lost battles with receivers or defensive backs for jump balls. Mings basically willed SM Northwest to their upset of SM West in the playoffs after he returned a blocked punt 65 yards for a touchdown, then sealed the game with an interception at his team’s own one-yard line in the waning seconds of the game.

Receiving stats: 29 catches, 413 yards, 6 TDs
Defensive stats: 38 tackles, 12 pass break ups, 4 interceptions
Special Teams stats: 1 Punt Return TD, 1 blocked punt return for a touchdown

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State

There were questions as to whether Lawrence Free State would be able to carry on their stellar tradition of top notch quarterback play this year, following the graduation of Camren Torneden. Perry proved the doubters wrong and established his name among the best in Free State history. The only disappointment is that we we’re only able to see Perry play the starting quarterback role for one season. His numbers were spectacular—and despite playing with a bum ankle for half the season he still helped Free State to a 5-5 record and a berth in the playoffs. Perry’s explosiveness and speed made him one of the league’s biggest scoring threats in 2010.

Passing stats: 1,124 yards, 7 TDs
Rushing stats: 1,022 yards, 9 TDs
Defensive stats: 1 interception, 1 blocked kick return for a touchdown

Nick Sands, Olathe South
Who was the top workhorse running back in the Sunflower League? You didn’t have to look any further than Nick Sands to find it. Sands was the feature back in Olathe South’s first year of transitioning to a wing based offense. Sands had a lot of carries, and he tallied a lot of yards. After a rough start to the season (for Sands and the Falcons) the team began to click and Sands rushing totals soared. While his hard-nosed running style wasn’t as fun to watch as backs like Willingham or Saunders, Sands got the job done and put up some of the best numbers in the league.

Rushing stats: 1,578 yards, 17 TDs

John Schrock, SM East
John Schrock in some ways reminds me of another former stud from the Shawnee Mission School District. SM West’s breakout season came in 2004, when they went 9-3 and reached the Sub-State round. SM West’s “rebirth” that year had a lot to do with the play of running back DJ Barnett who rushed for over 1,900 yards and was truly the Vikings go-to player. Still to this day, SM West’s arrival in the 2000s is recognized by the name DJ Barnett. Schrock, much like Barnett, will carry that distinction if SM East can keep up the quality level of play in years to come. Schrock, who was easily the best pocket passer in the league, gave SM East that extra something they always needed and it was a shame he wasn’t able to help the Lancers in the playoffs following his collarbone injury. On the bright side, Schrock’s legacy could be tied pretty strongly to SM East football in the future.

Passing stats: 1,634 yards, 9 TDs
Rushing stats: 9 rushing TDs

Victor Simmons, Olathe North
The one player who could have legitimately challenged Adonis Saunders in a foot race this season was Simmons, his explosive teammate. While Simmons was listed as a quarterback his role for Olathe North was hardly that. The senior rarely passed the ball, instead he was used predominately out of the shotgun/pistol offense on option and designed run plays. Simmons topped 1,000 yards rushing for the second consecutive year and also made key contributions on the defensive side of the ball. His 85 tackles were a good indicator of what the coaches at Kansas will be expecting of Simmons next season when he joins the Jayhawks.

Rushing stats: 1,455 yards, 10 TDs
Defensive stats: 85 tackles

Denzell Simpson, SM West
Every Monday I would receive Mid-Statesports’ weekly league statistic updates, and the first thing I would do was check the tackles category to see if Simpson still led it. And he did for the final eight weeks of the regular season. The most impressive thing about his tackle totals was that he was doing it from the safety position. Rarely does a safety lead his team in tackles, let alone the entire Sunflower League. It was Simpson’s tenacity that really made him so good on the defensive side of the ball. I was fortunate enough to catch a few games in which Simpson really laid out an opposing player—and let me tell you, the kid truly defined “hard hitter.”

Defensive stats: 102 tackles (38 solo), 4 tackles for loss

Coach of the Year

Chip Sherman, SM East
Of all the awards this was the easiest to choose. In just two seasons Sherman has transformed SM East from a team that was nicknamed the smurfs into a legitimate league and playoff contender. The Lancers went 8-2 this season, claiming a share of the Sunflower League championship (the school's first since 1966) and winning their district outright. Perhaps two of Sherman's most impressive underlying accomplishments were his helping of the development of John Schrock into the Sunflower League's best passer, and also the intensity and passion his Lancers have started to show on the field.

Photos courtesy Facebook, Olathe North Eagle football, the Kansas City Star, Rivals.com, Mid-Statesports.com, OSfalconfootball.com

Stats courtesy Mid-Statesports.com

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Player Ratings -Final

1. Brandon Willingham, Running Back, Olathe East
Week Nine: 27 carries, 179 yards, 3 TDs

Willingham (right) ended the regular season with yet another big game on the ground. His three rushing touchdowns put him at 18 for the season, and he now sits just 72 yards short of the 1,500 yard mark.

2. Adonis Saunders, Running Back, Olathe North
Week Nine: 25 carries, 171 yards, 2 TDs; 1 defensive interception

Saunders played extremely well on both sides of the ball against Olathe Northwest. His interception in the game provided a preview of what Kansas coaches envision Saunders doing at the next level.

3. Dylan Perry, Quarterback, Lawrence Free State
Week Nine: 26 carries, 187 yards, 4 TDs

Perry only completed three-of-nine passes for nine yards but he didn't need to do any more than that. As usual, his speed was too much for the opponent and he found a way to manufacture four rushing touchdowns.

4. John Schrock, Quarterback, SM East
Week Nine: Injured, Did Not Play

Schrock's injury still has some question marks surrounding it, and the length of time he is out for remains in question. With Schrock SM East can beat anyone--we'll see how well they can play without him.

5. Victor Simmons, Quarterback, Olathe North
Week Nine: 21 carries, 162 yards, 2 TDs

Simmons makes it back onto the list after several weeks on the honorable mentions scroll. He had a big game Friday and this was about the point in time last season where Simmons really lifted his game to the next level. Let's see if he does it again.

Honorable Mention: Austin Fulson, Stephen Mangelsdorf, Will Livingston

Final Regular Season Power Rankings
*Rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis
**See previous post for commentary on Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (8-1)
2. Olathe North (8-1)
3. SM East (8-1)
4. SM West (7-2)
5. Olathe South (6-3)
6. Lawrence Free State (5-4)
7. SM Northwest (5-4)
8. Olathe Northwest (3-6)
9. Lawrence (3-6)
10. SM South (2-7)
11. SM North (2-7)
12. Leavenworth (1-8)

Stat Check

Passing Yards
John Schrock, SM East: 1634, 9 TDs
Stephen Mangesldorf, SM Northwest: 1,345, 13 TDs
Brad Strauss, Lawrence: 1,321, 10 TDs
Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 964, 7 TDs
Alex Forslund, SM South: 852, 6 TDs
Armani Williams, SM West: 814, 10 TDs
Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 690, 5 TDs
Corey Kipp, Olathe Northwest: 512, 3 TDs
Frank Suerer, Olathe South: 409, 4 TDs
Judson Cole, Leavenworth: 368, 3 TDs

Rushing Yards
Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 1,428, 18 TDs
Nick Sands (right), Olathe South: 1,332, 14 TDs
Adonis Saunders, Olathe North: 1,260, 16 TDs
Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 1,067, 7 TDs
Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 1,022, 13 TDs
Will Livingston, SM West: 788, 7 TDs
Tre Burt, SM West: 782, 7 TDs
Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 747, 12 TDs
Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 672, 6 TDs
Adam Lowe, SM East: 620, 5 TDs

Receiving Yards
Elliot Faerber, SM East: 650, 5 TDs
Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 494, 3 TDs
Krey Bradley, SM East: 442, 2 TDs
Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 413, 6 TDs
Shawn Laurent, SM South: 388, 3 TDs
Desmond Wyatt, Lawrence Free State: 370, 5 TDs
Grant Ellis, SM East: 356, 1 TD
Austin Flory, Lawrence: 342, 3 TDs
Jordan Chapman, SM West: 305, 3 TDs
AJ Spencer, SM Northwest: 296, 2 TDs

Tackles
Denzell Simpson, SM West: 98
Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 95
Kyle Swartz, Olathe North: 88
Tristan Opie, Olathe Northwest: 85
Josh Mais, SM East: 79
Dylan Hanson, Olathe South: 75
Seth Hartman, SM East: 74
Vince Gerstner, Olathe East: 70
Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 66
Sam Todd, Olathe North: 66

Interceptions
Mason Perez, SM North: 6
Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 3
Grant Ellis, SM East: 3
Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 3
Taylor Sheffield, Olathe South: 3
Dylan Smith, SM West: 3
Ryan Theis, SM North: 3 (1 TD)

Kick Return/Punt Return Touchdowns
Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 1 KR TD
JaQuan Brunt, SM East: 1 KR TD
Kendal Harland, Olathe South: 1 PR TD
Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 1 PR TD
Cordi Pascal, SM West: 1 KR TD
Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 1 KR TD, 1 PR TD
AJ Spencer, SM Northwest: 1 PR TD

Field Goals
Mark Whitrock, SM West: (7/7)
Nick Prologo, Olathe Northwest: (5/6)
Daniel Gutierrez, Olathe North: (5/8)
Sean Jones, SM West: (3/3)
Jared Douglas, Olathe South: (3/4)
Anthony Rosen, Lawrence: (2/2)
Alex Allen, SM Northwest: (2/3)

Photos courtesy the Kansas City Star

Week Nine Review

Three Up

SM East

Most wins in school history? Check. District Championship? Check. A claim of the Sunflower League crown? Check. Now we'll see how much the Lancers can accomplish in post-season play.

SM North

The Indians (right) were able to pull ahead and claim a playoff berth after trailing Leavenworth in the fourth quarter--the win marked the Indians' second in a row.

Olathe North

The Eagles beat their district opponents by a combined score of 114-16; clearly Olathe North is playing equally well on both sides of the ball.

Three Down

SM South

The Raiders played one of if not the easiest schedules in the Sunflower League and still only managed to come away with two wins.

Olathe Northwest

With their loss to Olathe North the Ravens' all-time record against Olathe opponents dropped to 1-20, and unfortunately for Olathe Northwest, the Olathe standard is what they are held to.

Lawrence

After their big upset win over Olathe East in week five the Chesty Lions went on to finish the season with four straight losses.

Individual Highlights

**SM North's Kendall Kelly took an inside reverse 69 yards for a touchdown to give SM North a fourth quarter lead over Leavenworth, and ensure the school of it's first playoff trip in seven years.

**Lawrence Free State's quarterback Dylan Perry had an amazing game on the ground rushing for 187 yards and four touchdowns. The 187 yards put him over the century mark for the season.

Final Regular Season Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (8-1): The Hawks did an excellent job of shutting down Olathe South, and in the process ended the Falcons' six game winning steak and claimed a share of the Sunflower League title.

2. Olathe North (8-1): The Eagles captured a share of the Sunflower League crown with their blowout victory Friday night, and looked impeccable on the defensive side of the ball.

3. SM East (8-1): John Schrock's absence will be felt, but Robby Moriarity showed that he is plenty capable of managing the position. The Lancers also claimed a share of the Sunflower League title by winning on Friday.

4. SM West (7-2): Early on it looked like yet another Blue Valley school would trip up the Vikes, but they put that scare to rest and physically beat up on Blue Valley North.

5. Olathe South (6-3): The Falcons' six game winning streak is over; now would be a good time to start another winning streak.

6. Lawrence Free State (5-4): The Firebirds' second half fireworks on both sides of the ball proved too much for their cross town rival.

7. SM Northwest (5-4): SM Northwest rolled through the easiest 6A district in the state--we'll see how much they've actually improved this Friday.

8. Olathe Northwest (3-6): Perhaps next season will be Olathe Northwest's chance to shed the title of "little brother" amongst the Olathes.

9. Lawrence (3-6): Lawrence played well Friday considering the amount of injuries they've encountered and the relative youth of their roster.

10. SM South (2-7): The Raiders were a better team than their two wins showed, but their 0-3 district record ended the season on a sour note.

11. SM North (2-7): SM North won two games, lost 14, and has now won two more games ... win number three won't be easy against Olathe North.

12. Leavenworth (1-8): The Pioneers were a score away from beating SM North and claiming a playoff spot; the team showed alot more heart late in the season.

Photos courtesy the Shawnee-Dispatch

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Player Ratings

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

1. Brandon Willingham, Running Back, Olathe East

Week Eight Stats: 21 carries, 213 yards, 2 TDs

Willingham (right) has firmly established himself as the most consistent of the top running backs in the Sunflower League. His 1,249 yards rushing leads the league in that category, and his production should only increase this week, and into the playoffs.

2. John Schrock, Quarterback, SM East

Week Eight Stats: 14-of-27 passing, 184 yards, 1 TD; 1 rushing TD

Schrock played a great game against SM West and he made several big completions on third downs that really helped SM East to win the game. The only down side--Schrock left the game

late with an injury that has been reported by some as "season ending." There is no official word on the injury.

3. Adonis Saunders, Running Back, Olathe North

Week Eight Stats: 21 carries, 101 yards, 1 TD

Saunders didn't have the best game of his career on Friday, and he didn't need to. Olathe North thoroughly dominated Free State and Saunders' one touchdown was enough to give the Eagles a 28-0 halftime advantage.

4. Dylan Perry, Quarterback, Lawrence Free State

Week Eight Stats: 6-of-21 passing, 84 yards, 1 TD; 19 carries, 81 yards

Perry struggled against a talented Olathe North defense on Friday. His 165 yards of total offense were solid, but he threw a crucial first half interception that really put his team in a hole which they weren't able to overcome.

5. Stephen Mangelsdorf, Quarterback, SM Northwest

Week Eight Stats: 16-of-21 passing, 163 yards, 3 TDs; 1 rushing TD

Mangelsdorf's team had another easy victory against Leavenworth but regardless he continues to put up impressive numbers. His 76% passer completion rate and four touchdowns were as good as anyone in week eight.

Honorable Mention: Victor Simmons, Austin Fulson, Tre Burt, Nick Bandy

Week Nine Power Rankings

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

**See previous post for commentary on Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (7-1)

2. Olathe North (7-1)

3. SM East (7-1)

4. SM West (6-2)

5. Olathe South (6-2)

6. Lawrence Free State (4-4)

7. SM Northwest (4-4)

8. Olathe Northwest (3-5)

9. Lawrence (3-5)

10. SM South (2-6)

11. Leavenworth (1-7)

12. SM North (1-7)

Stat Check

Passing Yards
John Schrock, SM East: 1634, 9 TDs
Stephen Mangesldorf, SM Northwest: 1,261, 13 TDs
Brad Strauss, Lawrence: 1,187, 10 TDs
Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 955, 7 TDs
Armani Williams, SM West: 729, 9 TDs
Alex Forslund, SM South: 716, 6 TDs
Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 663, 5 TDs
Corey Kipp, Olathe Northwest: 512, 3 TDs
Frank Suerer, Olathe South: 384, 4 TDs
Judson Cole, Leavenworth: 368, 3 TDs

Rushing Yards
Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 1,249, 15 TDs
Nick Sands, Olathe South: 1,172, 13 TDs
Adonis Saunders, Olathe North: 1,089, 14 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 835, 9 TDs
Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 905, 5 TDs
Tre Burt, SM West: 782, 7 TDs
Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 641, 11 TDs

Adam Lowe, SM East: 555, 5 TDs
Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 544, 6 TDs
Will Livingston, SM West: 515, 6 TDs

Receiving Yards

Elliot Faerber, SM East: 561, 4 TDs

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 450, 3 TDs
Krey Bradley, SM East: 405, 2 TDs
Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 362, 4 TDs
Desmond Wyatt, Lawrence Free State: 361, 5 TDs

Austin Flory, Lawrence: 343, 3 TDs
Grant Ellis, SM East: 317, 1 TD

Shawn Laurent, SM South: 310, 3 TDs

Jordan Chapman, SM West: 305, 3 TDs

Gabe Guild, SM South: 251, 2 TDs

Tackles
Denzell Simpson, SM West: 84

Kyle Swartz, Olathe North: 79

Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 77
Tristan Opie, Olathe Northwest: 75
Josh Mais, SM East: 68

Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 61

Seth Hartman, SM East: 61

Vince Gerstner, Olathe East: 60

Drew Boyce, Olathe Northwest: 58

Sam Todd, Olathe North: 58

Interceptions

Mason Perez, SM North: 5

Nick Bandy (right), Olathe Northwest: 3
Grant Ellis, SM East: 3
Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 3

Taylor Sheffield, Olathe South: 3

Ryan Theis, SM North: 3
Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 2
DeAndre Graves, SM West: 2
Derec Olson, SM Northwest: 2
Dylan Pepper, SM West: 2
Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 2
Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 2 (2 TDs)

Kick Return/Punter Return Touchdowns
Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 1 KR TD

JaQuan Brunt, SM East: 1 KR TD

Kendal Harland, Olathe South: 1 PR TD

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 1 PR TD

Cordi Pascal, SM West: 1 KR TD

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 1 KR TD, 1 PR TD

Field Goals
Mark Whitrock, SM West: (5/5)
Nick Prologo, Olathe Northwest: (5/6)

Daniel Gutierrez, Olathe North: (5/7)

Sean Jones, SM West: (3/3)

Jared Douglas, Olathe South: (3/4)
Anthony Rosen, Lawrence: (2/2)
Alex Allen, SM Northwest: (2/3)

Stats courtesy Mid-Statesports.com

Photos courtesy OEHawksfootball.com, the Kansas City Star

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Player Ratings

1. Brandon Willingham, Running Back, Olathe East
Week Seven: 24 carries, 156 yards, 1 TD

Willingham certainly didn't have his most stellar game of the season, and it was actually fellow running back Austin Fulson whose late touchdown put the Hawks ahead for good. Regardless, Willingham holds the top spot for another week, but it is being challenged.

2. Dylan Perry, Quarterback, Lawrence Free State
Week Seven: 13-of-24 passing, 184 yards, 3 TDs; 19 carries, 96 yards, 1 TD

Perry (above) played arguably his best game of the season on Friday. His three first half touchdown passes virtually sank any hopes Olathe Northwest had of pulling the upset, and his 62-yard touchdown run in the third quarter put the exclamation point on the victory.

3. John Schrock, Quarterback, SM East
Week Seven: 15-of-19 passing, 209 yards, 2 TDs; 9 carries, 56 yards, 3 TDs

Schrock jumps a spot in this week's ratings after another performance in which he really willed SM East to victory. Obviously Schrock has a great supporting cast, but his five touchdowns were as good as we've seen from anybody all season.

4. Adonis Saunders, Running Back, Olathe North
Week Seven: 11 carries, 151 yards, 1 TD

At 10.74 yards per carry, it would be really interesting to see what kind of numbers Saunders could produce if he received the amount of carries James Franklin did last year. In actuality, it's his big plays that have taken away from his carry totals.

5. Stephen Mangelsdorf, Quarterback, SM Northwest
Week Seven: 11-of-13 passing, 133 yards, 3 TDs; 1 rushing TD

I debated whether to promote Victor Simmons back onto the list after his big game on Friday--but that would mean that Mangelsdorf would be dropped. After his seemingly perfect passing game against SM North there is no way he could be taken off the list. Mangelsdorf's production has been excellent and the team hasn't suffered a drop off from Matt Nowak last season.

Honorable Mention: Victor Simmons, Tre Burt, Austin Fulson

Week Seven Power Rankings
*Rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis
**See previous post for commentary on Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (6-1)
2. Olathe North (6-1)
3. SM West (6-1)
4. SM East (6-1)
5. Olathe South (5-2)
6. Lawrence Free State (4-3)
7. SM Northwest (3-4)
8. Lawrence (3-4)
9. Olathe Northwest (2-5)
10. SM South (2-5)
11. Leavenworth (1-6)
12. SM North (0-7)

Eli's Week Eight Q & A
Submit your Sunflower League questions to Eli at eunder@ku.edu

Q: Why don't Sunflower League teams play more out of conference games since only 6 games count towards the league title? - Ben

The answer I will provide is based mostly on here say. I've never officially read out any rules or regulations for the governing of the league, but I've collected bits and pieces about the scheduling through the years. It is also important to note that in beginning in 2008 the Sunflower League made "league games" consist of the last seven games against SL opponents in even years, and the first seven in odd years. Prior to 2008, there were only six "league games."

Back to the out-of-conference issue--prior to the 2004 season the Sunflower League was an 11-team league. To my knowledge, team schedules rotated so that they would play all of the other 10 league opponents every two years. So, most team's had their five league opponents, and three district games (all of which included at least one Sunflower League team so that every team would play a minimum of six Sunflower League opponents), and one out-of-conference game of their choice. That explains why teams played schools the likes of Rockhurst and Lee's Summit in the late 90s and early 2000s.

In 2004 Olathe Northwest was added at the varsity level in the Sunflower League, which bumped it to a 12-team league. The rotation was then worked out so teams would play all of the other 11 teams every four years. As far as I've ever known, the Sunflower League simply instituted a full six game slate of pre-district opponents so that there wouldn't be a situation in which out of conference games would interfere with a team getting their six league games in.

Once again, don't take this as gospel--it's simply what I have collected through the years. I think it would be great if out-of-conference games were allowed again in the Sunflower League. It really prohibits the league's reputation when the only non-Sunlower or EKL opponent for any team is the state championship opponent. If Sunflower League teams were able to branch out and play opponents from other leagues and states I think the overall level of play in the league would increase.

Stat Check

Passing Yards

John Schrock, SM East: 1450, 8 TDs

Stephen Mangesldorf, SM Northwest: 1,098, 10 TDs

Brad Strauss, Lawrence: 961, 9 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 871, 6 TDs

Armani Williams, SM West: 712, 8 TDs

Alex Forslund, SM South: 625, 5 TDs

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 567, 3 TDs

Corey Kipp, Olathe Northwest: 512, 3 TDs

Frank Suerer, Olathe South: 325, 4 TDs

Trent Kuhl, Olathe East: 282, 1 TD

Rushing Yards

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 1,036, 13 TDs

Nick Sands, Olathe South: 994, 10 TDs

Adonis Saunders, Olathe North: 988, 13 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 754, 9 TDs

Victor Simmons (right), Olathe North: 733, 4 TDs

Tre Burt, SM West: 730, 7 TDs

Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 570, 9 TDs

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 509, 6 TDs

Adam Lowe, SM East: 491, 4 TDs

Will Livingston, SM West: 462, 6 TDs

Receiving Yards
Elliot Faerber, SM East: 506, 3 TDs

Krey Bradley, SM East: 376, 2 TDs

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 362, 4 TDs

Desmond Wyatt, Lawrence Free State: 345, 5 TDs

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 334, 3 TDs

Jordan Chapman, SM West: 300, 3 TDs

Shawn Laurent, SM South: 278, 2 TDs

Grant Ellis, SM East: 250, 1 TD

Austin Flory, Lawrence: 230, 2 TDs

AJ Spencer, SM Northwest: 217, 1 TD

Tackles

Denzell Simpson, SM West: 79
Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 77

Tristan Opie, Olathe Northwest: 70

Josh Mais, SM East: 58

Dylan Hanson, Olathe South: 57

Vince Gerstner, Olathe East: 54

Seth Hartman, SM East: 53

Drew Boyce, Olathe Northwest: 52

Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 52

Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 51

Interceptions

Grant Ellis, SM East: 3

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 3

Mason Perez, SM North: 3

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 2

Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 2

DeAndre Graves, SM West: 2

Derec Olson, SM Northwest: 2

Dylan Pepper, SM West: 2

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 2

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 2 (2 TDs)

Kick Return/Punter Return Touchdowns

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 1 KR TD
JaQuan Brunt, SM East: 1 KR TD
Kendal Harland, Olathe South: 1 PR TD
Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 1 PR TD
Cordi Pascal, SM West: 1 KR TD
Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 1 KR TD, 1 PR TD

Field Goals

Mark Whitrock, SM West: (5/5)
Nick Prologo, Olathe Northwest: (4/5)
Daniel Gutierrez, Olathe North: (4/6)
Sean Jones, SM West: (2/2)

Anthony Rosen, Lawrence: (2/2)

Alex Allen, SM Northwest: (2/3)

Jared Douglas, Olathe South: (2/3)

Stats courtesy Mid-statesports.com

Photos courtesy the Kansas City Star, the Lawrence Journal-World

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Player Ratings

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

1. Brandon Willingham, Running Back, Olathe East

Week Six: 30 carries, 142 yards, 2 TDs

Willingham holds claim to the top spot after another excellent week of production. The senior was a workhorse carrying the ball 30 times and scoring two touchdowns. Both scores were essential in Olathe East's 17-0 victory.

2. Adonis Saunders, Running Back, Olathe North

Week Six: 23 carries, 253 yards, 3 TDs

Saunders had the best game of his career on Friday. The 253 yards rushing were a personal best for Saunders, and it was an effort reminiscent of North's career rushing leader James Franklin from last season. Saunders' average yards per carry sits at 10.3 on the season, a number practically unheard of at any level of competition.

3.Dylan Perry, Quarterback, Lawrence Free State

Week Six: 8-of-20 passing, 87 yards; 18 carries, 12 yards

Contrary to Saunders career highs, Perry (right) may have played to career low levels. He was never able to get anything going on the ground and that lack of success carried through to the passing game. Perry must play well for Free State to have success in districts.

4. John Schrock, Quarterback, SM East

Week Six: 15-of-26 passing, 179 yards; 2 rushing TDs

Schrock, despite his gaudy passing numbers, continues to score touchdowns on the ground. This past week he scored two more rushing touchdowns to lift SM East to victory. His aerial assualt is what gets the team in position for the short scores.

5. Stephen Mangelsdorf, Quarterback, SM Northwest

Week Six: 13-of-24 passing, 200 yards, 2 TDs

Mangelsdorf makes his debut on the list after nearly leading SM Northwest to an upset victory over Olathe North. Mangelsdorf's numbers should only continue to get better as he leads his team through what should be a 3-0 district run.

Honorable Mention: Victor Simmons, Brad Strauss, Tre Burt, Austin Fulson, Armani Williams

Week Seven Power Rankings

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

**See previous post for commentary on Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (5-1)

2. Olathe North (5-1)

3. SM West (5-1)
4. SM East (5-1)
5. Olathe South (4-2)

6. Lawrence Free State (3-3)

7. SM Northwest (2-4)
8. Lawrence (3-3)

9. Olathe Northwest (2-4)

10. SM South (2-4)

11. SM North (0-6)

12. Leavenworth (0-6)

Eli's Sunflower League First and 10

1. Best passer in the league? Don't overlook Lawrence sophomore Brad Strauss whose 104 passer rating is 17 points higher than any other quarterback in the league.

2. SM West, a team normally heralded for its defensive work, ranks first in the league in scoring at 35 points per game.

3. Olathe Northwest's Nick Bandy, Shawnee Mission Northwest's Kenny Mings, and SM East's JaQuan Brunt have been the three best all-around playmakers this season--coming soon to a highlight reel near you.

4. The league's top 10 kickers (statistically) have combined to miss 21 extra points this season, a brutally high number.

5. The league's leading tackler, SM West's Denzel Simpson, may also be the most ferocious hitter in the league.

6. Free State's Dylan Perry has run the ball 103 times and not fumbled once. By comparison, the league's other top four rushers have combined for 10 fumbles.

7. Leavenworth has lost 21 straight games. Their last win? September 19, 2008 against SM North, a team who currently holds a 13-game losing streak.

8. Would the real Victor Simmons please stand up? The Olathe North quarterback/defensive back may be the league's best athlete, and we miss his highlight reel runs from earlier in the season.

9. Olathe East's key to success this season has come on the defensive side of the ball. They're only giving up 164 yards per game, 61 yards better than the next best defense.

10. Several Sunflower League teams will get a chance to prove their worth against EKL opponents during the next three weeks--this week marks the first out-of-conference games of the season for any team.

Stat Check

Passing Yards

John Schrock, SM East: 1,241, 6 TDs

Stephen Mangelsdorf, SM Northwest: 965, 7 TDs

Brad Strauss, Lawrence: 849, 9 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 687, 3 TDs

Armani Williams, SM West: 622, 6 TDs

Alex Forslund, SM South: 540, 5 TDs

Korey Kipp, Olathe Northwest: 512, 3 TDs

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 476, 2 TDs

Trent Kuhl, Olathe East: 268, 1 TD

Frank Seurer, Olathe South: 221, 4 TDs

Rushing Yards

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 880, 12 TDs

Adonis Saunders, Olathe North: 837, 10 TDs

Nick Sands, Olathe South: 815, 6 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 658, 8 TDs

Tre Burt, SM West: 608, 7 TDs

Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 543, 3 TDs

Austin Fulson (right), Olathe East: 441, 6 TDs

Jake Crist, Olathe South: 422, 3 TDs

Charles Jackson, Lawrence: 421, 4 TDs

Will Livingston, SM West: 417, 6 TDs

Receiving Yards

Elliot Faerber, SM East: 454, 3 TDs

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 345, 4 TDs

Krey Bradley, SM East: 322, 2 TDs

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 319, 3 TDs

Jordan Chapman, SM West: 300, 3 TDs

Desmond Wyatt, Lawrence Free State: 249, 3 TDs

Shawn Laurent, SM South: 248, 2 TDs

Grant Ellis, SM East: 225, 1 TD
Anthony Buffalomeat, Lawrence: 212, 2 TDs

Aaron Gile, Lawrence: 197, 1 TD

Tackles

Denzel Simpson, SM West: 71

Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 66

Tristan Opie, Olathe Northwest: 62

Dylan Hanson, Olathe South: 53

Brock Burrows, SM North: 50

Josh Mais, SM East: 50

Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 44

Seth Hartman, SM East: 44

Nate Davis, Lawrence Free State: 43

Vince Gerstner, Olathe East: 43

Interceptions

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 3

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 2

Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 2

Grant Ellis, SM East: 2

DeAndre Graves, SM West: 2

Mason Perez, SM North: 2

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 2

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 2 (2 TDs)

Ryan Theis, SM North: 2

Kick/Punt Return Touchdowns

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 1 KR TD

JaQuan Brunt, SM East: 1 KR TD

Kendal Harland, Olathe South: 1 PR TD

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 1 PR TD

Cordi Pascal, SM West: 1 KR TD

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 1 KR TD, 1 PR TD

Field Goals

Nick Prologo, Olathe Northwest: (4/5)

Daniel Gutierrez, Olathe North: (4/6)

Sean Jones, SM West: (2/2)

Mark Whitrock, SM West (2/2)

Alex Allen, SM Northwest: (2/3)

Jared Douglas, Olathe South: (2/3)

Stats courtesy Mid-statesports.com

Photos courtesy the Kansas City Star

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Player Ratings

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

1. Brandon Willingham, Running Back, Olathe East

Week Five Stats: 14 carries, 185 yards, 2 TDs

Willingham's two lost fumbles certainly didn't help Olathe East's cause on Friday, but he still had a great game overall, scoring two touchdowns and averaging 13 yards per carry. Willingham (right) now also leads the Sunflower League in rushing with 738 yards.

2. Dylan Perry, Quarterback, Lawrence Free State

Week Five Stats: 12-of-26 passing, 101 yards; 21 carries, 176 yards, 2 TDs; 1 defensive interception

Perry continues to put up the most impressive numbers of any player in the Sunflower League. He ranks second in the Sunflower League in rushing yards, fourth in the league in passing yards, and he's scored a combined 12 touchdowns.

3. Adonis Saunders, Running Back, Olathe North
Week Five Stats: 6 carries, 116 yards, 2 TDs

Saunders had no problem cutting his way through the Leavenworth defense on six carries for two touchdowns while averaging just under 20 yards per carry. Saunders' big play potential is essential for Olathe North's success.

4. John Schrock, Quarterback, SM East
Week Five Stats: 16-of-21 passing, 180 yards; 46 yards rushing, 2 TDs

Schrock was impressive on Friday night and he was much more accurate with his passing. The 16 for 21 performance bumped his pass completion percentage from 55% to 59% on the season. Schrock also ran the ball well between the tackles, scoring two touchdowns.

5. Victor Simmons, Quarterback, Olathe North

Week Five Stats: 7 carries, 31 yards

Simmons has slipped quite a bit the past several weeks. Obviously his services weren't all that necessary in Olathe North's blowout of Leavenworth, so he made minimal impact in the game. Simmons has the tools to be one of the best players in the league, and we'll see if it shows this Friday.

Honorable Mention: Brad Strauss, Tre Burt, Nick Sands, Preston Schenck, Austin Fulson, Stephen Mangelsdorf, Will Livingston

Week Five Power Rankings
*Rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis
**See previous post for commentary on Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (4-1)

2. Olathe North (4-1)

3. SM West (4-1)

4. SM East (4-1)

5. Lawrence Free State (3-2)

6. Olathe South (3-2)

7. SM Northwest (2-3)

8. Lawrence (3-2)

9. Olathe Northwest (2-3)

10. SM South (1-4)

11. SM North (0-5)

12. Leavenworth (0-5)

Stat Check

Passing Yards

John Schrock, SM East: 1,062, 6 TDs

Brad Strauss (right), Lawrence: 742, 8 TDs

Stephen Mangelsdorf, SM Northwest: 612, 3 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 600, 3 TDs

Corey Kipp, Olathe Northwest: 442, 3 TDs

Armani Williams, SM West: 440, 4 TDs

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 319, 2 TDs

Alex Forslund, SM South: 279, 1 TD

Trent Kuhl, Olathe East: 253, 1 TD

Ryan Lundgren, Olathe Northwest: 203, 3 TDs

Rushing Yards

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 738, 10 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 646, 8 TDs

Adonis Saunders, Olathe North: 584, 7 TDs

Nick Sands, Olathe South: 580, 3 TDs

Tre Burt, SM West: 493, 5 TDs

Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 422, 2 TDs

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 401, 6 TDs

Charles Jackson, Lawrence: 391, 4 TDs

Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 390, 6 TDs

Will Livingston, SM West: 350, 6 TDs

Receving Yards

Elliot Faerber, SM East: 367, 3 TDs

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 275, 2 TDs

Krey Bradley, SM East: 255, 2 TDs

Desmond Wyatt, Lawrence Free State: 239, 3 TDs

Anthony Buffalomeat, Lawrence: 212, 2 TDs

Grant Ellis, SM East: 210, 1 TD

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 209, 2 TDs

Aaron Gile, Lawrence: 184, 1 TD

Gabe Guild, SM South: 158, 2 TDs

Austin Flory, Lawrence: 156, 2 TDs

Tackles

Denzell Simpson, SM West: 61

Tristan Opie, Olathe Northwest: 54

Josh Mais, SM East: 46

Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 43

Brock Burrows, SM North: 42

Kyle Swartz, Olathe North: 42

Vince Gerstner, Olathe East: 39

Nate Davis, Lawrence Free State: 38

Samir Vogan, SM South: 38

Todd Sam, Olathe North: 37

Interceptions

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 3

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 2

Grant Ellis, SM East: 2

DeAndre Graves, SM West: 2

Mason Perez, SM North: 2

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 2

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 2 (2 TDs)

Kick/Punt Return Touchdowns

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 1 KR TD

JaQuan Brunt, SM East: 1 KR TD

Kendal Harland, Olathe South: 1 PR TD

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 1 PR TD

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 1 KR TD, 1 PR TD

Field Goals

Nick Prologo, Olathe Northwest: (4/5)

Daniel Gutierrez, Olathe North: (3/5)

Sean Jones, SM West: (2/2)

Jared Douglas, Olathe South: (2/3)

Anthony Rosen, Lawrence: (1/1)

Alex Allen, SM Northwest: (1/2)

Chase Woofter, SM East: (1/2)

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: (1/3)

Stats courtesy Mid-statesports.com

Photos courtesy (from top) OEhawksfootball.com, the Lawrence Journal-World

Week Five Review

Three Up

Lawrence

Props to the Chesty Lions (right) for forgetting about their dreadful 2009 season when they went 1-8. This year's team has a new attitude and they played a great game at home on Friday in upsetting Olathe East.

SM Northwest

The Cougars are back on track, or so it seems. Kenny Mings has emerged as one of the league's top playmakers and quarterback Stephen Mangelsdorf has done a great job distributing the ball.

SM East

The Lancers have beefed up their run game in recent weeks after previously relying heavily on the passing game. This will benefit the team come district and potentially playoff time.

Three Down

Olathe East

Olathe East had been on fire leading up to their game with Lawrence. The team's four lost fumbles proved too much to overcome in their loss.

Leavenworth

Leavenworth has been a hapless group this season, and their 76-point loss to Olathe North was awful, especially considering the 62-point beatdown they received the week before.

Olathe Northwest

The Raven's have improved quite a bit from last season to this one, but they still haven't proven that they have what it takes to be considered a legitimate threat amongst the Olathes.

Individual Highlights

**SM East's John Schrock became the first quarterback to surpass the 1,000 yard passing mark, throwing for 180 yards which puts him at 1,062 yards for the season.

**Free State's Dylan Perry (right) had another game which filled the box score, rushing for 176 yards and two touchdowns and passing for 101 yards.

**Lawrence High's quarterback Brad Strauss threw for three touchdowns, giving him eight passing touchdowns this season, good for tops in the Sunflower League.

Week Six Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (4-1): My initial inclination was to drop the Hawks a spot, but I didn't see how Olathe North should jump Olathe East when just two weeks ago the Hawks shutout the Eagles.

2. Olathe North (4-1): The Eagle's 76 points marked the highest scoring output by any Sunflower League team this season.

3. SM West (4-1): SM West is a different animal in the second half of games. They dropped 34 second-half points on SM North, and made fourth quarter comebacks the previous two weeks.

4. SM East (4-1): After another solid win on the road at Free State it's looking like SM East is fielding the best team the school has had in years.

5. Lawrence Free State (3-2): Free State's two losses have been very close and they could just as easily be 5-0 right now.

6. Olathe South (3-2): After a third consecutive win the Falcons are starting to look more and more like the team they were hyped to be in the preseason.

7. SM Northwest (2-3): The Cougars had a nice showing on Friday, easily taking care of business against SM South.

8. Lawrence (3-2): The Chesty Lions pulled the biggest upset of the season so far with their win over previously undefeated Olathe East.

9. Olathe Northwest (2-3): The Raven's just can't seem to get over the hurdle with their Olathe opponents.

10. SM South (1-4): The Raiders have been playing poorly lately and their 51-12 loss to SM Northwest was brutal.

11. SM North (0-5): SM North had a bad day giving up 41 points and scoring zero despite a fairly competitive first half.

12. Leavenworth (0-5): Giving up 138 points in two weeks is downright ugly.

Stats courtesy Mid-statesports.com

Photos courtesy the Lawrence Journal-World.

Game Scores and Notes

Week Five Game Results

Lawrence 27, Olathe East 21

Lawrence was able to capture their biggest win in years with a combination of forcing turnovers and precision offense. Treshawn Root put Olathe East on the board first in the second quarter with an eight-yard touchdown run. Lawrence quickly responded with a one-yard touchdown run from Charles Jackson. The game was tied 7-7 at the intermission. Early in the third quarter Brandon Willingham broke loose for a 27-yard touchdown score and it looked like Olathe East would start to take over. But, Lawrence put together a demoralizing 17 play 76-yard drive that ended with a five-yard touchdown pass from Brad Strauss to Aaron Gile. Willingham responded with an 84-yard touchdown run to put Olathe East up 21-14. Lawrence answered that touchdown with another drive that ended with a touchdown pass--this time a 22-yarder from Strauss to Anthony Buffalomeat. Olathe East fumbled the ball away close to their own endzone (their fourth lost fumble of the game) on their next possession. Lawrence once again showed their passing prowess when Strauss hit Chris Gaston seconds later on a 17-yard touchdown pass. The score gave the Chesty Lions a 27-21 lead, and their biggest win in years.

Olathe North 76, Leavenworth 0

Olathe North scored 11 touchdowns and Leavenworth scored zero. That sentence pretty much sums up the week five matchup between these two teams. Nine different Eagles were in on the scoring, including Adonis Saunders who scored two first quarter touchdowns on runs of 18 and 49 yards. The loss marks the second game in a row in which Leavenworth has surrendered over 60 points.

Olathe South 21, Olathe Northwest 13

Olathe South scored the game's first 14 points and then did a stellar job of holding off Olathe Northwest's run game to claim the victory. Nick Sands scored both the early touchdowns for the Falcons, on runs of one and eight yards. Olathe Northwest responded before the half when Justin Pamatmat churned in a four-yard touchdown run. Nick Prologo put the Raven's within four points when he booted a 26-yard field goal late in the third quarter, but the lead was never overcome. Olathe South's Frankie Seurer took an option keeper 64 yards to put his team up 11 in the fourth quarter. Another Prologo field goal was all Olathe Northwest was able to add late in the game.

SM East 28, Lawrence Free State 21

After a scoreless first quarter SM East put together a major 18-play drive that ended with a one-yard touchdown run from Jeff Cole. Free State's Dylan Perry responded with a 19-yard touchdown run, and the half ended with Free State on top 7-6. Adam Lowe's 60-yard run at the start of the third quarter set up John Schrock for a one-yard touchdown run and a two pointer conversion which gave the Lancers a 14-7 advantage. SM East added another touchdown on a two-yard run from Cole to gain a 14 point edge. Perry responded with a 64-yard touchdown run, to which Schrock scored another rushing touchdown to keep SM East comfortably ahead. A late touchdown run by Henry Vaeono put the Firebirds within a touchdown late.

SM West 41, SM North 0

It was all SM West on their homecoming, and for the third week in a row their scoring explosion came in the fourth quarter. Armani Williams connected with Jordan Chapman on a 69-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter that gave the Vikings a little breathing room before halftime. They scored again in the third quarter on a one-yard run from Tre Burt to go up 14. The onslaught came in the fourth quarter when the Vikings rolled out four touchdowns to push the lead to 41 points.

SM Northwest 51, SM South 12

SM Northwest forced a safety early, and then went on to score six unanswered touchdowns. The score was 44-0 before SM South made an entry in the scoring column. The Cougars scored five of their seven touchdowns on runs, with the other two coming on passes of three and 52 yards by Stephen Mangelsdorf.

Photo courtesy Mike Odrowski

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Player Ratings

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

1. Brandon Willingham, Running Back, Olathe East

Week Four: 8 carries, 115 yards, 4 TDs

Willingham (right) little trouble slicing through the rain and the Leavenworth defense. His rushing scores from three, 32, one, and 41 yards out took up half of the eight carries he received in total in the game. Willingham did not play in the second half.

2. Dylan Perry, Quarterback, Lawrence Free State

Week Four: 10 carries, 41 yards; 7-of-9 passing, 107 yards, 1 TD

Perry only played the first half on Friday, partially do to an ankle injury suffered in week three, and partially due to the 32-0 lead he led the Firebirds to. Perry is completing 61% of his passes, which is best among Sunflower League quarterbacks.

3. Adonis Saunders, Running Back, Olathe North

Week Four: 14 carries, 136 yards, 1 TD

Saunders broke loose for another long touchdown run against SM East, this time from 61 yards out. Saunders' speed is hard to corral and it helps to explain his rushing average of 9 yards per carry.

4. Victor Simmons, Quarterback, Olathe North

Week Four: 14 carries, 38 yards; 25-yard touchdown pass

For the second consecutive week a defense did an admirable job of containing Simmons.Simmons was held in check for the majority of the game Friday, and his only touchdown came on a 25-yard pass in the fourth quarter. Two weeks of average play drop Simmons two spots.

5. John Schrock, Quarterback, SM East

Week Four: 17-of-36 passing, 196 yards, 1 TD; 1 rushing TD

Schrock makes his first appearance on the Top 5 Player Ratings despite his team's loss. While Schrock's completion percentage (52%) and touchdown to interception ratio (6:5) could be better, he still accounts for the biggest reason why SM East is 3-1 and a contender in the Sunflower League.

Honorable Mention: Will Livingston, Tre Burt, Nick Sands, Austin Fulson, Preston Schenck

Week Five Power Rankings

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

**See previous post for commentary on Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (4-0)

2. Olathe North (3-1)

3. SM West (3-1)

4. SM East (3-1)

5. Lawrence Free State (3-1)

6. Olathe South (2-2)

7. Olathe Northwest (2-2)

8. SM Northwest (1-3)

9. Lawrence (2-2)

10. SM South (1-3)

11. SM North (0-4)

12. Leavenworth (0-4)

Eli's Week Four Q & A

Submit your Sunflower League questions to Eli at eunder@ku.edu

Q: Why do the Olathe schools dominate the Sunflower League? As far as I can tell their enrollments aren't larger. I have been puzzled by this, and am curious about your opinion? - Aaron

A: This is a great question and it probably has an underlying answer that nobody is 100% sure of. The best I can offer is reasoning I have collected as a fan/player/writer through the years.

My own opinion is that the culture of football in Olathe is one which is much more conducive to successful high school football programs. There seems to exist more of an aura around the football programs in the Olathe high schools (namely North, East, and South) that you don't find in most of the other Sunflower League schools--and much of that is based on past successes. You don't develop a football culture unless the success is there. And let's be honest, outside of the Olathes, which school has had constant success throughout the last decade?

I can say from my own experiences at SM West that the football culture within the school has greatly increased from the time Tim Callaghan took over in 2003 to now. And that's because the football team was good, experienced success, and it led to increased participation and interest in the sport within the school, and in the community. You can take a look at SM East right now and compare the enthusiasm of their fanbase today with what it was two years ago. The difference is success, and the hope of greater successes. The big three Olathe football powers have had notable success throughout the past decade and it helps to explain the culture that exists.

I feel the football culture is ultimately what keeps a program on top but there are key factors at play which get that culture going. Gene Wier's success in the form of six state championships at Olathe North was not by accident, and it's reasonable to believe that his influence is the reason Olathe North is still the caliber of program they are today. The same can be said for Jeff Meyers' lengthy stint as head coach at Olathe East. The moxy associated with these two schools in particular was started with great coaching, and it has carried through with great coaching.

Player ability also contributes a great deal. It helps to explain the fact that Olathe North has more Simone Award winners (six) than any team in the Kansas City Metropolitan and as many state championships. But then again, SM Northwest has produced more NFL players (Chace Johnson, Ryan Lilja, Ryan Torain, and Mike Rivera) than any other Sunflower League school over the past decade and they haven't even fielded a Sub-State berth during that span.

Ultimately, it seems, a foundation is necessary for a dominant football program to emerge. The big three Olathe schools were the ones with the right coaches in place at the time of Lawrence High's split in 1995, and those three schools were able to take the reigns on the league. Since that time, SM West and Lawrence Free State have been the only schools to challenge the big three.

Stat Check

Passing Yards

John Schrock, SM East: 882, 6 TDs

Stephen Mangelsdorf, SM Northwest: 612, 3 TDs

Brad Strauss, Lawrence: 571, 5 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 499, 3 TDs

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 319, 2 TDs

Armani Williams, SM West: 300, 2 TDs

Alex Forslund, SM South: 279, 1 TD

Corey Kipp, Olathe Northwest: 271, 3 TDs

Ryan Lundgren, Olathe Northwest: 203, 3 TDs

Trent Kuhl, Olathe East: 190, 1 TD

Rushing Yards

Nick Sands, Olathe South: 560, 3 TDs

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 553, 8 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 470, 6 TDs

Adonis Saunders, Olathe North: 468, 5 TDs

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 401, 6 TDs

Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 391, 2 TDs

Tre Burt, SM West: 342, 3 TDs

Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 327, 6 TDs

Charles Jackson, Lawrence: 324, 3 TDs

Jake Crist, Olathe South: 307, 2 TDs

Receiving Yards

Elliot Faerber, SM East: 312, 3 TDs

Krey Bradley, SM East: 219, 2 TDs

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 209, 2 TDs

Desmond Wyatt, Lawrence Free State: 208, 3 TDs

Anthony Buffalomeat (right), Lawrence: 187, 1 TD

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 176, 2 TDs

Mason Perez, SM North: 170, 1 TD

Grant Ellis, SM East: 164, 1 TD

Aaron Gile, Lawrence: 145

Shawn Laurent, SM South: 140, 1 TD

Tackles

Denzel Simpson, SM West: 53

Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 43

Josh Mais, SM East: 40

Tristan Opie, Olathe Northwest: 40

Kyle Swartz, Olathe North: 40

Brock Burrows, SM North: 38

Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 36

Dylan Hanson, Olathe South: 35

Sam Todd, Olathe North:33

Taylor Sheffield, Olathe South: 29

Interceptions

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 3

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 2

DeAndre Graves, SM West: 2

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 2 (2 TDs)

Kick Return/Punt Return TDs

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 1 KR TD, 1 PR TD

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 1 KR TD

JaQuan Brunt, SM East: 1 KR TD

Kendal Harland, Olathe South: 1 PR TD

Field Goals

Daniel Gutierrez, Olathe North: (3/5)

Jared Douglas, Olathe South: (2/3)

Sean Jones, SM West: (2/2)

Nick Prologo, Olathe Northwest: (2/3)

Alex Allen, SM Northwest: (1/2)

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: (1/3)

Anthony Rosen, Lawrence: (1/1)

Chase Woofter, SM East: (1/2)

Stats courtesy Mid-Statesports.com

Photos courtesy (from top) OE Hawks football, the Lawrence Journal-World

Game Scores and Notes

Week Four Game Results

Olathe North 24, SM East 13

On Olathe North's second play of their first offensive possession Adonis Saunders busted loose for a 61-yard touchdown run. Saunders had similar big runs early in the Eagles two previous wins, and it was a good omen for the team on Friday. Olathe North built a 10-0 lead in the second quarter before SM East's John Schrock scored on the ground from three yards out to put the Lancers within four points at halftime. In the third quarter SM East claimed their first lead of the game when Schrock hit Krey Bradley for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Down 13-10, Olathe North responded late in the third quarter when backup quarterback Jordan Bruce connected with Saunders for a 38-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown gave Olathe North the lead which they didn't relinquish. Victor Simmons tacked on the final score with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Tanner Gentry late in the fourth quarter.

SM West 36, Olathe Northwest 20

Early on it looked like Olathe Northwest may be able to pull of an upset against SM West. A 68-yard run by Connor Middleton and a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Nick Bandy gave the Raven's an early 14-3 lead. SM West scored on run plays of one and five yards by Danny Dowling and Cordi Pascal, respectively, pushing the Vikings ahead 16-14. Just before the half Nick Prologo added a field goal to give the Ravens a 17-16 halftime lead. In the third quarter Prologo tacked on another field goal, before SM West went on to score 20 unanswered points on three rushing touchdowns. Tre Burt (right) scored two of the touchdowns, on runs from 20 and 27 yards.

Olathe East 62, Leavenworth 6
Olathe East made sure there would be no letdown after their big win last week. The Hawks recorded nine touchdown on the night, and led 49-0 at halftime. Brandon Willingham, who did not play in the second half, led Olathe East in rushing with four touchdowns and 113 yards on only eight carries. In total, Olathe East's 51 carries went for 358 yards and eight touchdowns. Leavenworth's lone touchdown came on a fourth quarter run by Gregg Lowery.

Olathe South 31, SM South 7

Olathe South looked dominant on the ground once again, rushing for 355 yards and three touchdowns in their victory against SM South. Kendal Harland put Olathe South on the board with a 19-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Nick Sands added touchdowns on runs of 45 and one yards before the half. Leading 24-0 in the fourth quarter, Harland had another big play when he returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown. SM South got on the board late in the fourth quarter on a 7-yard run by Alex Forslund.

SM Northwest 23, Lawrence 20

A questionable call late in this game nearly cost SM Northwest their first victory. Leading 23-20, SM Northwest gained possession and proceeded to down the ball on three consecutive plays. With 15 seconds left the Cougars elected to pass the ball instead of punting it away. The play failed miserably, and Lawrence gained possession at the SM Northwest 15-yard line for an easy field goal. A botched snap ruined those chances and SM Northwest claimed their first victory of the season. SM Northwest was led by the defensive effort of Drew Goodger who recorded four first half sacks, and Kenny Mings whose late game interception prevented Lawrence from tying or gaining the lead.

Lawrence Free State 46, SM North 7

An injured ankle did little to slow down Dylan Perry and Free State, despite the fact that he only played the first half. Preston Schenck (right) scored early on a 60-yard touchdown run, and added two more scores on runs of 21 and three yards. The Firebirds led 32-0 at the half, and never looked back.

Photos courtesy (from top) the Kansas City Star, the Lawrence Journal World