The 2011 Season in Review

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

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

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

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

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

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

Best Individual Performances:

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

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

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

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

Top Three Storylines from 2011:

1.) Transfers

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

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

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

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

3.) The "SMeasters" in General

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

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

Top Three Early Storylines for 2012:

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

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

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

Way-too-Early Top Three for 2011:

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

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

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

Olathe South 41, Wichita Heights 37

Olathe South's Jordan Ward scored a late go-ahead
touchdown on a run of 41 yards.  Photo courtesy
the Wichita-Eagle.

Kansas Class 6A State Championship

Olathe South 41,
Wichita Heights 37

You would be hard pressed to ever witness a high school football game as exciting as what took place in the 6A State Championship between Olathe South and Wichita Heights on Saturday in Topeka.  It could go down in Kansas high school football history as one of the greatest games of all time.

With just minutes remaining the fourth quarter Olathe South was faced with a 4th down and 10 in their own territory.  If they didn't convert the first down the game was virtually over. 

Olathe South snuck Matt Elliott out of the backfield on a wheel route towards the sideline and quarterback Frankie Seurer found him with a perfectly timed pass.  Elliott caught the ball and raced 24 yards, converting the first down and putting Olathe South in great position to score. 

Two plays later Jordan Ward took a handoff up the middle, broke through the Wichita Heights line of defense and dashed 41 yards for a touchdown.  He was hit at the five yard line but he managed to drag the defender to the goal line where he made a staggering reach for the endzone, resulting in a touchdown and an Olathe South lead.

Wichita Heights received the ensuing kickoff with just over 40 second remaining in the game, but they were unable to drive down the field and score.  The loss broke their 25-game winning streak.

The scoring explosion began when Olathe South's Teddy Colbert took a handoff and raced untouched 63 yards for a touchdown early in the first quarter.  Wichita Heights wasn't able to corral the ensuing kickoff, and Olathe South recovered the ball near the Wichita Heights 10-yard line.  However, Wichita Heights' defense stood tall and forced an Olathe South field goal, which went wide left.

The miss gave Wichita Heights the ball at their own 20-yard line.  They responded with an 80-yard touchdown drive which was capped off with a two-yard touchdown run from Marquel Moore.

On the ensuing kickoff Olathe South did just as Wichita Heights had done previously, fumbling the kickoff and turning the ball over to Wichita Heights deep in their own territory.  A few plays later Jon Wilcoxson took a toss 15 yards for a touchdown to give Wichita Heights a 14-7 lead.

Unfazed, Olathe South drove down the field on their next possession and capped off the drive with a two-yard touchdown run from Ward.  Olathe South missed the PAT, however, and trailed 14-13.

Wichita Heights looked unstoppable on their next drive, completing several long passes and dominating with their run game.  They scored when Moore took a pitch and went 25 yards untouched for a touchdown.  The score gave Wichita Heights a 21-13 lead.

Before halftime Olathe South compiled another long drive which ended with a one-yard touchdown run from Ward.  A toss play to Colbert on the two-point conversion attempt looked like a sure thing, but he was stuck at the one-yard line by Wichita Height's Chris Martin, resulting in no points.  At halftime Wichita Heights led 21-19.

Wichita Heights came back early in the second half with a vengeance, driving the length of the field in no time on their first possession.  A toss to Moore looked like a sure touchdown, but an Olathe South defender jarred the ball loose just before he was able to cross the goal line.  The ball squeaked through the back of  the endzone resulting in a touchback, and Olathe South ball.

Two plays later Ward scored his third touchdown of the game when he took a dive carry straight through the heart of the Wichita Heights defense and raced 83 yards for a touchdown.  A toss play to Elliott on the two-

point conversion was successful, and Olathe South led again, 27-21.

It was at this point in the game that Wichita Heights nearly made their kill-strike.  Quarterback Matt Reed completed a 42-yard pass to Moore which put Wichita Heights in the redzone.  Several plays later Reed punched in a touchdown from a yard out.  Wichita Heights botched the extra point, which left the game tied at 27.

Olathe South's Taylor Sheffield stripped Wichita Height's
Marquel Moore of the ball just before Moore was able to
cross the goal line early in the fourth quarter.  Photo cour-
tesy the Wichita-Eagle.

Olathe South regained possession, but then gave it right back when Ward fumbled the ball in Olathe South territory.  Two plays later Kenneth Iheme took a pitch six yards for a touchdown.  The successful PAT gave Wichita Heights a 34-27 lead.  At this point Wichita Heights was looking unstoppable.

Olathe South was forced to punt on their next possession.  Wichita Heights drove down the field in no time and came within one yard of a touchdown.  Moore took a toss and as he was about the cross the goal line when Olathe South's Taylor Sheffield laid a hit that caused him to fumble.  Olathe South recovered the loose ball at their own one-yard line.

Right on cue with the scoring in this game, Seurer dropped back and found a wide open Drew Johnson on a fade route on the first play of the drive.  Johnson caught the ball in stride and raced 99-yards for a touchdown.  The score tied the game at 34.

Wichita Heights started their next drive with poor field position at their own eight-yard line, but they still managed to drive 88 yards to the Olathe South four-yard line before being stopped on third down.  Wichita Heights converted a 25-yard field goal from David Hoyer, gaining a 37-34 lead with just minutes remaining in the game.

Several plays later Seurer found Elliot on the wheel route, as Olathe South went on to win their first state championship in the program's history. 

Box Score

Wichita Heights (12-1) 14 7 13 3 — 37

Olathe South (12-1) 7 12 8 14 — 41

OS—Colbert 63 run (Douglas kick)
WH—Moore 2 run (Hoyer kick)
WH—Wilcoxson 15 run (Hoyer kick)
OS—Ward 2 run (miss kick)
WH—Moore 25 run (Hoyer kick)
OS—Ward 1 run (run failed)
OS—Ward 83 run (Elliott run)
WH—Reed 1 run (miss kick)
WH—Iheme 7 run (Hoyer kick)
OS—Johnson 99 pass from Seurer (Douglas kick)
WH—Hoyer 25 FG
OS—Ward 41 run (Douglas kick)

Individual Statistics

Rushing—Heights, Moore 21-196, Iheme 11-96, Wilcoxson 7-96, M. Reed 18-89, C. Reed 2-3, Byrd 1-9. Olathe South, Ward 27-263, Colbert 6-84, Wilbur 4-12, Seurer 6-10, White 1-4, Elliott 5-(-2).

Passing—Heights, M. Reed 3-4-86. Olathe South, Seurer 4-5-183-0.

Receiving—Heights, Moore 1-42, C. Reed 1-24, Iheme 1-20. Olathe South, Johnson 2-129, Magott 1-30, Elliott 1-24.

Sub-State Preview: Olathe East at Olathe South

Much of the Sub-State game will be riding on whether or
not Olathe East's defense has what it takes to step up and
stop Olathe South's vicious run game.  Photo courtesy the
 Kansas City Star.

Olathe East (9-2) at Olathe South (10-1)
Where: ODAC
When: 7 p.m. Friday
Spread: Olathe East +5.6

Players to Watch

Olathe East
As has been the case all season, Olathe East will do about as well as their running backs perform.  Running backs John Kelsh and Kendall Kelly have both topped the 1,000 yard rushing mark, while Hayden Frazier is a reliable third back to add to the attack.  Junior Williams is mostly known for his defensive prowess where he leads the SL in interceptions with seven, but he also has the ability to make a big play on offense evidence by his 51-yard touchdown run last week against SM West.

Olathe South
Running back Jordan Ward has been a dominant figure all season but he's taken his game to another level in the last three weeks (one of those games came against Olathe East).  He has the confidence to run against Olathe East's defense and he'll get his fair share of carries.  Fellow running back Teddy Colbert will also get his touches, as it was his 60-yard touchdown run through the heart of the Olathe East defense in week nine which set the tone for the Olathe South victory.  You also can't discount junior quarterback Frankie Suerer.  He's passed for over 1,300 yards this season and he has a knack for completing big passes after defenses get lulled to sleep stopping the run.

Historical Stat
Generally speaking, the best Olathe games in the past ten years or so have come when these teams were each facing Olathe North, not one and other.  The last time these two schools met up in the playoffs was in the Sectional Round of the 2007 playoffs.  Olathe East had won the regular season contest, 35-14, but Olathe South took home the victory in the playoffs winning 21-17.  The victory helped propel the Falcons to a 6A state championship game appearance that year. 

I also remember the 2005 regular season finale between these two being a pretty hyped game.  Both squads were undefeated.  Olathe East was led by quarterback Derek Miller while Olathe South relied heavily on the leadership of their quarterback, Brady Croucher.  Olathe East just had too much speed to burn in that game, as they came away with a 28-14 victory, and eventually made it to the 6A state championship game.

What to Expect
When these two teams met up in week nine it was certainly more of a "do-or-die" situation for Olathe South.  Not only did they need to win to make the playoffs, but they also had to win by 13 points.  Olathe South led 7-6 at halftime, and then they put together a big second half, scoring 29 more points and holding Olathe East to just two more touchdowns, winning 36-18.  Needless to say, the scenario has changed in this game and it's do-or-die for both teams.  Not to say Olathe East didn't play their hardest in week nine, but I think we'll see a game that's much closer throughout.

If Olathe East is going to come out on top this time, it's going to start with the core of their defense.  The Hawks' have been weak up the middle all season long.  Olathe South was able to take full advantage of this deficiency last time around.  As you move outside the Olathe East defense gets stronger, led by and outstanding secondary of Williams, Kelly, and Marcus Banks.  But Olathe South isn't going to live by the pass.  They're going to run straight at Olathe East, and if the Hawks can't contain the rushing attack it's going to be a long night.

When Olathe East has the ball they're going to be running out of their modified three back formation, a sort of Power-I + 1 look.  The Hawks have had success with it throughout the season, but it's been shut down against team's that load the box and have outstanding linebacker personnel--see Olathe South.  The Falcons' linebacking corps, led by Remington Whitley and Chase Hanson, showed the ability to stuff the Olathe East running game in week nine, and they will be relied on to do the same again.

I feel this game is matching up the two best 6A teams on this side of the state and I'm excited to see the outcome.  It's incredibly challenging to beat a top team twice, but it just seems that Olathe South has that extra moxy they may need to carry them the distance.  Moreoever, the winner of this game won't be able to celebrate for long, as Wichita Heights (a 28.4 point favorite over Derby) very likely awaits in the 6A state championship.

Head to Head Stat Comparison

Olathe East

Passing Yards
John Blazevic: 794 yards, 7 TDs

Rushing Yards
John Kelsh: 1,154, 12 TDs
Kendall Kelly: 1,077 20 TDs
Hayden Frazier: 423, 6 TDs

Receiving Yards
Chad Johnson: 638, 6 TDs
DJ McCray: 100

Tackles
Junior Williams: 63
Nathan Guthrie: 55
Matthew Baltimore: 52

Interceptions
Junior Williams: 7
Marcus Banks: 4
Sam McReynolds: 2

Olathe South

Passing
Frankie Seurer: 1,355, 11 TDs

Rushing
Jordan Ward: 1,244, 16 TDs
Teddy Colbert: 885, 8 TDs
Matt Elliott: 356, 3 TDs

Receiving
Drew Johnson: 581, 6 TDs
Matt Elliott: 483, 3 TDs
Teddy Colbert: 114

Tackles
Remington Whitley: 144
Dylan DeVries: 108
Chase Hanson: 99

Interceptions
Matt Elliott: 4
Greg Fry: 3
Drew Johnson: 3
Remington Whitley: 3

Stats courtesy Mid-Statesports.com

Week Seven Game Previews

Olathe South (6-0) at Blue Valley Northwest (3-3) (Thursday Night Game)

Olathe South quarterback Frankie Seurer will play
a key role in how well Olathe South is able to control
the ball and keep the Blue Valley Northwest offense
off the field.  Photo courtesy the Kansas City Star.



Their record doesn't indicate it, but Blue Valley Northwest is not a team to be taken lightly, and I can assure you Olathe South is putting in as much preparation and work into this game as they did last week against Olathe North.  The Huskies from BV Northwest came within a blocked PAT of tying and possibly upending undefeated Blue Valley last week.  Add in the fact that they have a talented quarterback in Garrett Fugate operating a spread system that Olathe South has probably only seen once, against Lawrence, and you have yourself what could be a pretty close ballgame.

Leavenworth (0-6) at Wyandotte (2-4) at Wyandotte

Leavenworth should finally be able to garner their first victory of the season here against Wyandotte.  Last season it was their only win of the year, however, it gave them momentum and they nearly beat SM North in the final week of the season to make the playoffs.  We'll see if a victory here can propel the Pioneers in a similar direction this time around.

Lawrence (4-2) at Olathe North (5-1) at ODAC

This game might feature as many top athletes as we've seen in a SL contest all season long.  Olathe North is coming off their low-point in the season thus far, a 29-10 loss at the hands of Olathe South.  Lawrence may be coming off their high-point, after handling SM South 42-17 with relative ease.  Regardless, it's district time and a win here will be key, because the other two district members (Olathe Northwest and Free State) will certainly not be easy wins.

Blue Valley West (3-3) at Olathe East (5-1) at CBAC

Blue Valley West has been anything but impressive on the season.  Their three wins have come against a winless Blue Valley North, a one-win Blue Valley Southwest, and a blowout non-conference game against Christian High School in St. Louis.  However, don't expect Jeff Meyers and his Hawks to take the Jaguars lightly.  With Blue Valley Northwest and Olathe South remaining on the schedule, a slip up here by the Hawks could prove fatal for their playoff hopes.

SM East (3-3) at Blue Valley North (0-6) at BVDAC

By all means SM East has the personnel to handle Blue Valley North and push their own record to 4-3.  The coaching familiarity is the main question mark at this point in time.  Blue Valley North's head coach, John McCall, was head coach at Olathe North from 2003-2004, winning a 6A championship in 2003.  He knows the Sunflower League's style well, and his son, Bryan McCall, is a coordinator at Olathe North and may have a few tips for his pops on how to contain the Lancers.

SM North (1-5) at SM Northwest (1-5) at SM North District Stadium

The Hula Bowl, for the first time in awhile, looks like it could be a pretty evenly matched game.  SM North has lost four straight games after a week on victory, while SM Northwest has been just as bad, having only won one game, which came on a last-second field goal.  Both units would love a victory over their arch-rival, and a 1-0 start to district play.  And just for the record, SM North hasn't beat SM Northwest since 2001, accumulating seven straight losses in the nine seasons since then.

SM South (1-5) at SM West (3-3) at SM South District Stadium

Technically, this is a matchup between two members of former Olathe North head coach Gene Wier's coaching tree.  SM West head coach Tim Callaghan was an assistant under Wier from the mid-90s through the early part of the 2000s, and SM South head coach Ryan Lonergan was an assistant at Olathe North under Weir in 2002.  While neither team has had a tremendous season, both will be employing similar styles of play and it should be fun to watch.

Game of the Week
Lawrence Free State (4-2) at Olathe Northwest (3-3) (Thursday Night Game) at CBAC

I like what both teams bring to the table in this game, and for that reason I've chosen it as the Game of the Week.  A win here is absolutely crucial.  The other two teams in the district include Lawrence and Olathe North, two of the Sunflower League's best.  The loser of this game will have to defeat both of those teams to make the playoffs, which will be a tall order.  The winner on the other hand will only have to win one of their remaining two games.

Week Three Game Recaps

Lawrence Free State's Kyle
McFarland.  Photo courtesy
the Lawrence Journal World.

Lawrence Free State 26, SM South 21

Eventually SM South is going to come out on the winning side of a close game, but that wasn't the case this past Friday when they hosted Free State.  Kyle McFarland (who may have established himself once and for all as the Firebird's full-time quarterback with his performance) connected with Sam Hearnen on an 11-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter to give Free State a 6-0 lead.  SM South came back with a seven-yard touchdown run from Alex Forslund, and a PAT conversion, to go up 7-6.

McFarland hit Ty Hughes on an 11-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter to give Free State a 12-7 edge.  SM South came back with a one-yard touchdown run from Forslund to regain the lead, 14-12.  The Raiders also started the second half off with a score on a 79-yard touchdown run from Gabe Guild to push the lead to 21-12.  From there it was all Free State.

McFarland found wide receiver Ryan Patterson on a 67-yard touchdown pass later in the quarter.  The Firebirds converted the two-point conversion and pulled to within one, at 21-20.  Late in the fourth quarter with just over a minute left, McFarland connected with Calloway Schmidt on a 28-yard touchdown pass to gain the lead, 26-21.  SM South had one last drive for an attempt at a score, but their chances were thwarted when Free State's McFarland picked off a Forslund pass with 25 seconds remaining.

Olathe East 21, Lawrence 20

Lawrence made a bold decision trying for a late two-point conversion, which would have put them up one point with just over a minute left, but the attempt failed and the Chesty Lions fell to 1-2 on the season.  Olathe East used their usual smash-mouth style of play to jump out to a 21-7 lead at halftime.  Lawrence came back in the second with a touchdown pass from Brad Strauss to Anthony Buffalomeat, which made the score 21-14 late in the third quarter.

The Chesty Lions failed on several close scoring attempts before they compiled their last touchdown drive, which went for 82 yards and concluded with a 15-yard touchdown from Strauss.  Down 21-20, Lawrence had the option to try for two, or attempt the PAT and hope for an overtime victory.  They chose the former and came up short.  As for Olathe East, the Hawks are now 2-1 after completing the most challenging three-game stretch to start the season of any team in the league. 

Olathe South 37, Leavenworth 6
 
It didn't take long for Olathe South to establish their run game, opening the scoring in the first quarter with a 45-yard touchdown run from Teddy Colbert.  Later in the quarter the Falcons finished off a drive with a one-yard touchdown run from Russell White to go up 15-0.  The game hit a stalemate until the third quarter when White added another touchdown run, this time from four yards out to put Olathe South up 23-0 after a successful two-point conversion attempt. 

Olathe South's final two touchdown scores came on a 41-yard pass from Frankie Seurer to Drew Johnson, and a 20-yard pass from Seurer to Matt Elliot, to go up 37-0.  Leavenworth broke the goose egg late with a 50-yard touchdown pass from Mark Dabeck to Michael Coleman.

SM Northwest 23, Olathe Northwest 20

This time around SM Northwest's late comeback worked well enough to garner a victory.  For Olathe Northwest, the loss prevented what would have undoubtedly been the best start in school history.

Olathe Northwest firmly established themselves in the first half, scoring three touchdowns to SM Northwest's one, to go up 20-6 at halftime.  The Ravens' three scores came on a six-yard pass from Dalton Rook to Connor Middleton, a one-yard run from Middleton, and finally a 40-yard pass from Rook to Willie Cauley.  SM Northwest was able to keep things honest with a five-yard touchdown run from Colton Dirks midway through the second quarter.

SM Northwest did all of the scoring in the second half.  Their first touchdown came on a five-yard run from Danny Manning in the third quarter, and their second on a five-yard run from Dirks in the fourth.  The second touchdown pulled the score to a 20-20 tie.  SM Northwest regained possession late in the fourth quarter and made their way to the Olathe Northwest 14-yard line.  With two seconds remaining in the game, Jorn Winklemolen booted a 31-yard field goal through the uprights to give SM Northwest a 23-20 victory--their first of the season.

 SM East 42, SM North 7

In contrast with what we're normally accustomed to seeing from SM East, the Lancers used their run game to fuel an early lead and solid victory over their neighbors from the north.  The Lancers got on the board with two early touchdowns from Jake Libeer on runs of 17 and 39 yards to go up 14-0.  SM North's top playmaker, Mason Perez, answered with a 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown to make things 14-7.  That, however, was as close as the Indians would get to evening the score.  SM East added touchdowns from Jeff Cole and Tyler Nelson to pull ahead 28-7 at halftime.

In the third quarter Adam Lowe scored on an 11-yard run, to give the Lancers a 35-7 advantage.  Their final score came in the fourth quarter on a 10-yard pass from Nick Pirotte to Connor Rellihan.

Sunflower League Extra: Week One

Lawrence High's Brad Strauss.

Top 5 Player Ratings

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

1. Brad Strauss, Quarterback, Lawrence

Strauss is coming off a tremendous sophomore season in which he passed for over 1,000 yards, rushed for over 600, and combined to score 15 touchdowns. The junior signal-caller will be looking to lead the Chesty Lions to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.

2. Tre Burt, Running Back, SM West

Last season Burt rushed for 782 yards and seven touchdowns while splitting the running back duties with Will Livingston. This season (at least early on) it looks like Burt will be carrying the majority of the load himself. The Vikings have had four 1,000 yard rushers since 2004, and we’ll most likely see Burt added to that list if he can stay healthy.

3. Elliot Faerber, Wide Receiver, SM East

With Faerber it’s not a question of his abilities, but rather how well SM East’s new quarterback Dakota Collins can distribute the ball to the talented playmaker. SM East was one of the more impressive teams in the metro in 7-on-7 competition this summer, with Faerber as their top receiver. The SM East faithful hope it will translate onto the gridiron.

4. Treshawn Root, Running Back, Olathe North

Root's transfer to Olathe North during the offseason headlined a plethora of talented running backs that made the transfer attempt to Olathe North, including Orange Mooney (successfully) and Teddy Colbert (unsuccessfully).  To this point in his career Root has been alot of talk, and besides the occassional touchdown here and there, not alot of walk.  But, bigger things are expected of Root in his senior season at Olathe North.

5. Adam Lowe, Running Back, SM East

This fifth slot is always high in liquidity and Lowe could easily climb the list or fall to the honorable mention ranks depending on how he plays at SM Northwest in week one. New faces will inevitably emerge on the scene as well, and they could slip into this slot. What we do know about Lowe is that he was close to 1,000 yards rushing last season, and he’ll probably play an increased role for the Lancers as a senior.

Honorable Mention: Orange Mooney, Olathe North; Connor Middleton, Olathe Northwest; Anthony Buffalomeat, Lawrence; Junior Williams, Olathe East; Teddy Colbert, Olathe South.

Week One Notes

Teams with the Most Pressure to Perform

Olathe North
The Eagles are coming off consecutive state championship appearances and they are seen as the preseason favorite in the SL and in Class 6A by many.  Replacing Victor Simmons and Adonis Saunders certainly won't be easy, and the Eagles don't have much preparation time.  They face Olathe East in week one.

SM East
It won't be easy for SM East to repeat the 8-1 regular season record from last year, but the Lancers will be more focused on the playoffs this time around.  Last year they lost in the first round to Olathe South.  This season the pressure will be on to at least win one playoff game and advance to the Sectional Round.

Lawrence
Lawrence High has become a darkhorse candidate for the league title over the last few months and they have a highly experienced roster returning to match it.  Their biggest hurdle will be their daunting schedule.  The Chesty Lions have road trips to Olathe North, Olathe East and Olathe South, not to mention home contests versus SM West and SM East.

Teams Flying Under-the-Rader

Olathe South
The Falcons return a solid core of talent on both sides of the ball, including their quarterback Frankie Seurer and center Scott Gourley, a First Team All-Sunflower League selection from last year.

SM West

SM West's Tre Burt.

The Vikings, like the Falcons, have the luxury of returning their starting quarterback in Armani Williams.  They also return running back Tre Burt who was a Second Team All-Sunflower League selection in 2010.  If their new starters can step up quickly the Vikings have a chance to make a big push towards the end of the season.

Olathe Northwest
The Ravens have virtually no expectations from the media heading into 2011.  Their only returning starter of note is running back Connor Middleton, and some are even calling into question his ability to carry the load through the nine game schedule.  This would be the perfect time for Olathe Northwest to sneak up on their opponents.

Week One Team Power Rankings
Full preseason analysis of each team available here.

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

Poll Watching

KC Metro Sports Super 25 Poll

5. Olathe North
9. Olathe South
11. Olathe East
15. SM West

Hovpensports.com Kansas Class 6A Top 10

1. Olathe North

3. Olathe East

7. SM East

9. SM West

10. Olathe South



 Photos courtesy the Lawrence Journal World

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.

Game Scores and Notes

Week Nine Review

Lawerence Free State 42, Lawrence 20

This matchup definitely lived up to the hype in the first half--but the second belonged to the Firebirds from Free State. Lawrence was able to match Free State's two first half touchdowns with two of their own from running back Charles Jackson. The game was tied 14 all at halftime. The Firebirds were able to blow the game open with 28 straight points in the second half. The scores included a 5-yard touchown run from Dylan Perry, which was set up by a 76-yard run from Preston Schenck (right), as well as a fumble return for a touchdown by Henry Vaeono. Schenck also ran a fumble back for a touchdown, this time in the fourth quarter, ultimately finishing the game off. Lawrence Free State has now won five straight games in the series.

Olathe East 35, Olathe South 14

Early on this game had the makings of a good one. Brandon Willingham put Olathe East on the board in first quarter with a 20-yard touchdown run to give the Hawks a 7-0 advantage. Olathe South matched that when Nick Sands put the final touches on a drive with a five-yard touchdown run in the second quarter. Olathe East was able to drive and score another touchdown on a one-yard run from Willingham, and the Hawks took a 14-7 lead to halftime. The real game changer proved to be Olathe East's Austin Fulson. Early in the third quarter Fulson scooped up an Olathe South fumble and ran it back 26 yards for a touchdown. On Olathe East's next possession Fulson took a handoff 55 yards for another touchdown, to give Olathe East a 28-7 lead. Olathe South quarterback Frankie Seurer took a keeper 13 yards for a touchdown later in the third quarter to pull the Falcons within 14, but they weren't able to get any closer. Willingham added a five-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to seal the deal.

Olathe North 35, Olathe Northwest 6

Olathe North used a swarming defensive effort to manhandle Olathe Northwest in the final game of the season. The Eagles got on the board first when Victor Simmons scored on a 17-yard touchdown run. They added another touchdown in the second quarter when Adonis Saunders completed a long drive with a one-yard touchdown run. Saunders, along with Dominick Wilson and Trey Geiger recorded interceptions during the game, and Connor Mashek blocked an Olathe Northwest punt in the fourth quarter which led to an easy one-yard touchdown run from Wilson.

SM Northwest 41, Wyandotte 14

A big first quarter was all it took for SM Northwest to ensure a victory. Antoine Smith first scored on a thee-yard touchdown run. Next, James Gregory added a 42-yard score. Smith chipped in a nine-yard touchdown run, and AJ Spencer returned a punt 67 yards for a touchdown to give SM Northwest a 28-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. SM Northwest's starters played sparingly throughout the rest of the game, with Gregory adding a one-yard touchdown run, and senior KC Waterman scoring on a two-yard run in the third quarter.

SM North 28, Leavenworth 24

Despite these teams only having a combined two wins on the season, the game turned out to be a thriller. Leavenworth opened the game with two touchdowns in the first quarter. The first came on a 14-yard from Anthony Powell, and the second on a eight-yard pass from Judson Cole to Alec Zeck. SM North then responded with three unanswered touchdowns in the third quarter. Kendall Kelly scored on a 10-yard run, Mitch Paden added a one-yard touchdown run, and Kelly added another 18-yard running score before the half. In the third quarter Leavenworth tied the game, 21 all, on a 25-yard touchdown run from Powell. The Pioneers reclaimed the lead in the fourth quarter on a 26-yard field goal from Cole. Trailing 24-21, Kelly broke loose on perhaps the biggest play of the season for the Indians. Kelly took a carry 69-yards for a touchdown to put SM North up 28-24, which turned out being the final score.

SM West 34, Blue Valley North 10

It was a scary start for the Vikings. Blue Valley North successfully pulled off a flee-flicker on their opening possession that resulted in a 35-yard touchdown pass from Danny Dolen to Michael Widgrig to give the Mustangs a 7-0 advantage. SM West answered the score with a 51-yard touchdown run from Will Livingston on their next possession. The Vikings added two Mark Whitrock field goals as well as a five-yard touchdown run from Cordi Pascal to head to halftime up 20-10. In the third quarter Armani Williams found DeAndre Graves on a 24-yard touchdown pass to basically ice the game. A one-yard touchdown run from Danny Dowling in the fourth quarter gave the Vikings the 34-10 edge. With the victory, SM West qualified for the 6A state playoffs and closed out the regular season with a record of 7-2. It's the seventh year in a row that SM West has had a winning regular season record.

SM East 28, SM South 12

Since no official box score was reported for this game there is no official script of the scoring that took place in the game. What we do know--SM East claimed a share of the Sunflower League title, won their district, and set the record for wins in school history with eight. The Lancers play Olathe South next week in the Regional Round of the playoffs. For SM South, the team would have liked to at least match last season's three game win total, but overall the Raiders did have their bright spots on the season.

Photo 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