2012 Player Spotlights: Jordan Darling

Jordan Darling. Rivals.com

Jordan Darling
SM East

Position: Quarterback
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 235 lbs.
Year: Senior

Stat to Note
Last season at Waco-Midway High School, in Waco, Texas, Darling threw for 16 touchdowns and just over 1,800 yards in 16 games while splitting quarterback duties.

Scouting Report
We've all heard plenty about Darling this offseason.  His transfer to SM East and subsequent commitment to to the University of Kansas.  His exploits this summer with the Lancers, including leading the unit to a first place finish at the Army Strong Border Challenge 7-on-7 Tournament.  This is life with big-name transfers, as we've discovered in the past with players like Orange Mooney and Brett Ginn.

What we're all really waiting to see is how big of an impact Darling can make in the Sunflower League.  I think deep down every high school football player, at some point in time, wonders how good he or his team would do against Texas high school football competition (where Darling did exceptionally well at a major 4A school last season).  Perhaps Darling's 2012 campaign will provide a sort of measuring stick for all of that.

Darling's going to be playing in a pass-happy offense that suits his ability to fire the ball early and often.  He's bigger and and as physically gifted as John Schrock, who starred for the Lancers two years ago and is now making a push to be the starting quarterback at Colorado.  He's also a better passer than Dakota Collins, last year's much maligned Lancer quarterback who showed flashes of dominance but failed to consistently stay healthy.  Let's just hope Darling can play through the entire season so we can truly gauge his impact for SM East.

Top Sunflower League Quarterbacks since 2000

Derek Miller

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

1. Derek Miller, Olathe East, 2003-2005

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

2. Travis Jackson, Olathe South, 1998-2000

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

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

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

4. Mack Brown, SM North, 2002-2004

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

Alex Carder

5. Alex Carder, SM Northwest, 2005-2007

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

6. John Martin, SM North, 1999-2001

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

7. Blake Lawrence, SM West, 2004-2006

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

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

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

9. John Schrock, SM East, 2008-2010

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

10. Dustin Moomau, Olathe North, 2002-2004

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

2011 Player Spotlights: Elliot Faerber

Elliot Faerber

SM East

Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6-foot-5
Weight: 200 lbs.
Year: Senior

Stat to Note
As a junior, Faerber led the Sunflower League in receiving yards with 650 in 10 games, including five touchdown catches.

Scouting Report
Most of the time the division one athletes at SM East are swimmers, tennis players, or golfers--not future B1G Ten receivers.  Faerber is another big-time football player in a new wave of talent at SM East working to buck the school's image of being one of the softer teams in the league.  So far he's done a great job of that and he's already committed to play football at the Illinois.

Last season Faerber was the primary target of Colorado bound quarterback John Schrock.  It seemed like Faerber always found a way to make a the big catch when his team needed it most.  Perhaps his biggest moment was his 21-yard touchdown catch in the second half against SM West that more or less gave his Lancers a comfortable lead en route to their eventual win against the Vikings (it was SM East's first win against their rival SM West in over a decade).

Faerber returns in 2011 as the Sunflower League's top receiver and arguably its most highly touted player.  He won't have Schrock throwing to him, but with his size and ability to catch anything thrown his direction he'll make any quarterback look good.  His efforts this year will go a long way in determining how well SM East is able to build off their 8-2 season from a year ago.

2011 Player Spotlights: Adam Lowe

Adam Lowe

SM East

Position: Running Back

Height: 5-foot-8

Weight: 170 lbs.
Class: Senior

Stat to Note

As SM East's primary ballcarrier in 2010, Lowe racked up five rushing touchdowns and just over 600 rushing yards in the Lancer's pass-heavy offense.

Scouting Report

As a senior, Lowe will be expected to shoulder much more of the Lancer's offensive load than he did as a junior. Last season quarterback John Schrock was often called on to gain ground yardage for SM East.  Lowe also split time in the backfield with Seth Hartman.  Without Schrock or Hartman, much more of the focus will be on Lowe to keep the team's rushing totals up.

Lowe is lightning fast in open field, and his ability to get past second level defenders so quickly is what makes him such a threat. He had an impressive average of six yards per carry as a junior and that number should go up substantially along with his touchdown totals now that he has a year of experience under his belt and another year of maturity in Chip Sherman's offense.

Lowe isn't a bruiser who will be receiving 20 plus carries a game, but when he does get his touches you can bet he'll make them count.  Expect quite a few highlight reel plays from the senior in his second year in the SM East backfield.

Photo courtesy lancergridironclub.com

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

Regional Round Review

The Good

**Three of the first round games turned out to be quite thrilling, with SM Northwest and Olathe East both making substantial comebacks to claim victory.

**The Sunflower League's top four rushers (Brandon Willingham, Nick Sands, Adonis Saunders and Victor Simmons) will be playing for another week.

The Bad

**While second-stringer Robby Moriarty (above) played great in John Schrock's absence, it would have been nice to see what SM East could have done with Schrock--their starter for the first eight weeks--at the helm.

**Only three weeks remain on the 2010 Kansas high school football schedule.

The Ugly

**SM West's first round loss marked the third year in a row in which the Vikings have been dropped in the opening round of the playoffs.

**Lawrence Free State will have an entire off season to think about the 16-0 halftime lead they lost at the hands of Olathe East.

Individual Highlights

**Brandon Willingham recorded 33 carries for 190 yards and three second-half touchdowns in Olathe East's 20-16 victory.

**This is not an individual highlight, but it's worth noting that of Olathe North's seven touchdowns, five came on plays of 35 yards or more.

**SM Northwest's Kenny Mings returned a blocked kick 65 yards for a touchdown, caught a key 17-yard pass that led to SM Northwest's final score, and intercepted a SM West pass at his team's one-yard line which sealed the victory.

The Remaining Four

Olathe East (9-1): The Hawks' second half was spectacular but they can't afford any more first half let downs from here on out.

Olathe North (9-1): For the past several weeks the Eagles have been playing the best football of any team left in the 6A East bracket and they will be a tough out for any team.

Olathe South (7-3): It's been hard to gauge the Falcons this season but their win Friday was impressive. A win against Olathe North would be something else.

SM Northwest (6-4): Perhaps the easiest district in the state wasn't such a detriment after all? The Cougars made big plays when they needed to on Friday.

Photo courtesy the Kansas City Star

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

Week Seven Review

Three Up

Leavenworth

The Pioneers (right) finally snapped their 21-game losing streak that had stretched back to October of 2008. On top of that, if the team can win one of its final two games they will make the playoffs.

Olathe South

Olathe South has now won five straight games and their running game is firing on all cylinders. The Falcons could do some damage if they make the playoffs.

SM West

The Vikings hold the longest winning streak in the Sunflower League at six games. The team has claimed a share of its fourth Sunflower League crown in six years and can win the league outright with a win on Friday.

Three Down

SM North

The Indians' lone score against their most heated rival came in the fourth quarter against SM Northwest's reserves. Also, with Leavenworth's win, SM North now holds the longest losing streak in the Sunflower League at 14 games.

Olathe East

Olathe East's previously impeccable defense looked pedestrian on Friday, surrendering 312 passing yards and two touchdowns through the air to a 1-6 Blue Valley West team. The Hawks also struggled to control the lead, and didn't have the game until late in the fourth quarter.

Lawrence

The Chesty Lions' mid-season heroics looked like a thing of the past during their performance on Friday. The team is in a must-win situation against Olathe Northwest on Friday.

Individual Highlights

**John Schrock led SM East to victory completing 15-of-19 passes for 209 yards and two touchdowns, while also rushing for 56 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries.

**SM Northwest's Stephen Mangelsdorf was nearly perfect in his team's 28-point victory, completing 11-of-13 passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns, and also adding a rushing score.

**Olathe North's Adonis Saunders and Victor Simmons (right) played at their state champion caliber Friday, combining for 334 rushing yards and four touchdowns on 25 carries.

Week Eight Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (6-1): The Hawks' victory was all too close for comfort and a similar lapse in the defensive secondary could prove costly in the playoffs.

2. Olathe North (6-1): The Eagles looked dominant on Friday, and it appears that Victor Simmons is coming out of his slump.

3. SM West (6-1): The Vikings didn't pass their first big game test against Olathe North; their game this week against SM East will be the team's second big game for proving their worth.

4. SM East (6-1): The Lancers' game against SM West is probably the team's biggest game of the season, for multiple reasons.

5. Olathe South (5-2): Olathe South is now playing like one of the top teams in the Sunflower League.

6. Lawrence Free State (4-3): The Firebirds tumultuous schedule continues this week against Olathe North.

7. SM Northwest (3-4): SM Northwest's easy slate to finish the season should give them a big boost of momentum heading into the playoffs.

8. Lawrence (3-4): A win Friday would set up a huge week nine matchup against Lawrence Free State for a playoff berth.

9. Olathe Northwest (2-5): The Ravens' loss against Lawrence Free State may have been the death knell on making the playoffs.

10. SM South (2-5): The Raiders have decent talent, but they just haven't been able to put things together this season.

11. Leavenworth (1-6): Take a breath of fresh air, Pioneers. You're finally out of the cellar (at least for this week).

12. SM North (0-7): Needless to say, things have not gone smoothly for the Indians this season; however, they have two very winnable games to end the season which could qualify them for the playoffs.

Photos courtesy the Leavenworth Times and the Kansas City Star

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