2012 Player Spotlights: Jason Randall

Jason Randall. Lawrence Journal
World.

Jason Randall
Leavenworth

Position: Running Back
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 175 lbs.
Year: Junior

Stat to Note
Randall earned Second Team All-Sunflower League honors at the running back position as a sophomore.

Scouting Report
Watching Randall's highlights I can't help but draw a comparison between his game and that of former Free State great Chucky Hunter.  Hunter was known as an extremely shifty back who didn't have incredible speed but could burn you if you let him into open field.  A player who was tough enough to lower his shoulder and pick up a few tough yards if the situation called for it.  In Randall I see virtually the same type of player.  Low to the ground, shifty, with a great ability to find the holes in a defense.

As a sophomore, in his second full season at the varsity level, Randall carried the ball 145 times for 822 yards and 11 touchdowns.  Solid numbers from any running back, especially given the fact that Leavenworth wasn't exactly a dominant team last year.  The real stat that jumps out to me is that he also caught 26 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns.  His ability to make big plays catching passes on flares and slip screens makes him as dangerous as any running back in the league.

Randall is becoming the early face of the Kevin Kopecky era at Leavenworth. The talented running back is going to have to continue to produce the way he did as a sophomore for the Pioneers to take the next step in becoming a .500 team in the Sunflower League.  Randall is the type of weapon that not every team in league possesses, and his impact should be felt greatly again this year.

Thursday Report

SM East's Elliot Faerber.

Week One Matchups
All games times 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted

SM East at SM Northwest (Thursday Night Game) at SM North District Stadium

The first game of the 2011 Sunflower League schedule has the potential to be a very competitive matchup. While SM Northwest doesn’t return any big names on paper, I can guarantee you their head coach, Aaron Barnett, has been using the game against the Lancers as a proverbial carrot on a string all offseason. 

Last year SM East came in and embarrassed SM Northwest, 24-0, in the opening game of the season. The Cougars stumbled to an 0-3 start before they regained their bearings. SM East, led by wide receiver Elliot Faerber, is the favorite, but SM Northwest would love to return the favor they were given in week one last year.

Olathe Northwest at Leavenworth at Leavenworth

An opening week victory—which one of these teams will collect—is a tremendous confidence booster, and could do wonders for either club in the early stages of the season. If Olathe Northwest wins they’ll head to SM South in week two, where they will likely be favored, and a 2-0 start would be feasible. For Leavenworth, a victory would signify major strides in year two under Kevin Kopecky, and it would be a great booster before their game against Lawrence Free State in week two.

SM West at Lawrence at Lawrence

The one thing we know in this game is that neither team will be breaking in an inexperienced quarterback or running back (assuming both sides stay injury free). Lawrence’s Brad Strauss will have all eyes on him as he works to build on his tremendous sophomore season, while Armani Williams will be working to silence the critics who blamed SM West’s poor end to the 2010 season on his accuracy problems. At the running back position, Lawrence will be featuring returning starter Charles Jackson while SM West will be led by Tre Burt.

Lawrence Free State at Olathe South at ODAC

Last season these two teams played each other in week one and what most people remember from the game is how Lawrence Free State ran wild, scoring 42 points with ease and handing Olathe South an early loss. Olathe South is the favorite in this one, and they have the advantage of playing at home at ODAC.  All signs point to an Olathe South victory, but Free State is a wildcard, and we'll see how they perform with a relatively new crop of skill position players.

SM South at SM North at SM North District Stadium

This will be the first game as head coach for SM South’s Ryan Lonergan, and you know he and the SM South faithful would love nothing more than a victory over a conference rival in the first game of the season. These teams have played some great game in the past and this one should be a competitive, fun contest to watch.  One key thing of note will be observing how much of SM West's offensive and defensive philosophies Lonergan brought with him to SM South.

Game of the Week
Olathe North at Olathe East at CBAC

This contest was selected as the Hy-Vee High School Game of the Week on KC Metro Sports, which means the eyes of the metro will be on these two teams. The action kicks off before the game with the 810 WHB and Metro Sports sponsored “High School Gameday,” which is essentially the high school version of ESPN’s College Gameday—a very cool addition to the Game of the Week, if I might add. As far as the actual game goes, it doesn’t get much better than this in the Sunflower League. These two powers will give us a good showing in week one and we’ll have a much better understanding of how much reloading each team did in the offseason.

August First and Ten

Elliot Faerber is the first SL
wide receiver to receive a D1
offer since SM West's David
Leonard headed to Wyoming
in 2007.

With practices in the state of Kansas and the Sunflower League kicking off today, it means that in just three short weeks, on September 2, the high school football season will begin (September 1 if you want to split hairs).  In the meantime here are 10 of the top storylines heading into what appears to be a another great year of football in the Sunflower League.

1. Is this a great season for top-flight talent in the SL?  Hardly, at least on paper.  Aside from the two division one commits (Elliot Faerber of SM East to Illinois and Matthew Baltimore of Olathe East to Northern Illinois) there isn't a bundle of returning players that we know will tear the league up.  This does mean we should see an influx of new talent as the season matures, however.

2. The league's only new head coach is Ryan Lonergan, who took over the play calling duties at SM South this past summer after eight years as an assistant at SM West.  The longest tenured coach in the league is Olathe East's Jeff Meyers, who will be entering his 20th season as head coach of the Hawks in 2011.

3. Biggest riser?  Lawrence High is the preseason favorite to make a big jump in the SL rankings.  If junior quarterback Brad Strauss can continue to make big strides the Chesty Lions could be in for their first playoff victory(s) since 2006. 

4. We'll be hard-pressed to see a Simone Award winner come out of the league this season.  Generally the award goes exclusively to quarterbacks or running backs, and throughout the SL there is no returning starter at either of those positions who's developed a big name in the metro.  Olathe North's Treshawn Root and SM West's Tre Burt could be battling it out for top running back in the league, however.

5. One of the top games on the fall schedule takes place in week one, when Olathe North travels to CBAC to battle it out with Olathe East.  It's the Hy-Vee High School Game of the Week on KC Metro Sports, and it will be broadcast to the metropolitan area.  It will also be a great chance to see which of Olathe's top two programs has more swagger early on (particularly the battle between defensive ends Tanner Gentry of Olathe North and Baltimore of Olathe East).



Free State's Ryan Murphy set off a string of
dynamic quarterbacks for the Firebirds that
has continued for the better part of the last
five seasons.  We'll see if that trend contin-
ues in 2011.

6. Possible sleepers?  Lawrence Free State and SM Northwest.  Neither of those teams is generating a great deal of preseason hype but these two programs generally get stronger as the season goes along.  The reason for this may lay in their offensive systems.  It doesn't matter who either team puts at quarterback--they continue to put up gaudy numbers and perform like the league's elite. 

Free State's quarterback spot has gone from Ryan Murphy, to Craig Rosenstangle, to Camren Torneden to Dylan Perry without dropoff.  SM Northwest's past three quarterbacks, Alex Carder, Matt Nowak and Stephen Mangelsdorf all developed into top notch talents.  If these trends continue, it wouldn't be surprising to see either team exceed their preseason hype, or lack thereof.

7. Two players who will go into 2011 with chips on their shoulders are Lawrence High's Anthony Buffalomeat and SM West's Armani Williams.  Buffalomeat's 2010 season was cut short by an ankle injury, which prevented him from helping LHS in district play.  Williams received much of the blame for SM West's poor ending to last season, despite the fact that he wasn't even the week one starter for the Vikings. 

 8. Perhaps the lack of a truly dominant team will be equalled in the bottom half of the league, where there might not be a complete cellar dweller.  Leavenworth enters season two under Kevin Kopecky, and it would be hard to imagine the Pioneers having not made substantial improvements during the offseason.  SM North will be in year two under Kevin Grayless, and SM South's coaching change looks like a step in the right direction.


9. An Olathe school has represented the East side of the bracket in 13 of the past 15 6A state championship games (the two exceptions were SM West in 2006 and Free State in 2008).  Olathe North and Olathe East both look like they have the potential to continue that dominance, and Olathe South may be in the race too if their new running backs develop well.

10. The defining feeling heading into the 2011 season is that I can't recall a year in the past where there was fewer returning stars or less dominant teams.  Generally speaking, in August there are usually two, three, or sometimes even four teams in the SL that you could legitimately see winning a state title.  This year I'm not sure there's even one!  There is also a lack of big name talent returning, as mentioned earlier.  The league is up for the taking--we'll see who wants it most.

Week Three Review

Three Up

Olathe East

Not only did Olathe East (right) snap Olathe North's 15 game win-streak, but they also pitched a shutout and had no problems running the football straight at Olathe North.

Olathe South

Olathe South broke a five game losing-streak dating back to last season by rushing for some 392 yards Friday night. The transition to a run based offense appears to be taking hold.

Lawrence

The Chesty Lions played their best game of the last two seasons against SM South and they looked good across the board.

Three Down

Olathe North

It was hard to imagine Olathe North losing this season, especially by a 25-point margin. The fact that the loss came at the hands of their biggest rival just added salt to their wounds.

SM Northwest

The Cougars are 0-3 and have not showed much life this season. The team's remaining three games before district play aren't necessarily a cake walk either.

SM South

The Raiders' offense was absolutely brutal in their loss to Lawrence on Friday. Their 125 yards of total offense just won't cut it in the Sunflower League.

Individual Highlights

**Olathe East's Brandon Willingham had a monster game on Friday, running the ball 28 times for 188 yards the three touchdowns.

**Even in his team's loss, Lawrence Free State quarterback Dylan Perry (below center) was impressive. He had 22 carries for 193 yards and two touchdowns, and he completed 10 of his 17 passes for 185 yards and a touchdown.

**SM Northwest's Kenny Mings caught six passes for 122 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to a rushing touchdown.

Week Four Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (3-0): For the first time since the inception of the Power Rankings a team not named Olathe North sits atop the list.

2. Olathe North (2-1): The Eagles can't be downtrodden this week--they play undefeated SM East on Friday.

3. SM West (2-1): The Viking's 21-20 comeback victory wasn't pretty but it was the type of gritty effort the team has lacked in losses over the past several years.

4. SM East (3-0): The Lancers are playing great football right now and they have a chance to prove their worth Friday against Olathe North.

5. Lawrence Free State (2-1): The Firebirds high powered offense didn't slow down Friday, but their special teams play was awful and it cost them the game.

6. Olathe South (1-2): The Falcon's offense looked great in their win but they will need to step things up defensively if they ever plan on contending in the Sunflower League.

7. Olathe Northwest (2-1): Olathe Northwest has been playing a quality brand of football this season, and it showed in their shutout win over Leavenworth.

8. SM Northwest (0-3): Despite another loss, the Cougars still have high hopes for the season--their district opponents have gone a combined 1-8.

9. Lawrence (2-1): Lawrence claimed a homecoming game victory and surpassed their 2009 win total.

10. SM South (1-2): The Raiders need to figure out their problems on the offensive side of the ball quickly before their Thursday night game against Olathe South.

11. SM North (0-3): SM North's losing streak has now reached the double digit mark at 10 games.

12. Leavenworth (0-3): Thus far Kevin Kopecky's presence and a new stadium have done little to lift the football program.

Stats courtesy Mid-statesports.com

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

Wednesday Report

Week One Matchups

All game times 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted

Leavenworth (0-0) at Lawrence (0-0)

Many remember these two teams playing in the final week of the regular season in 2009 to determine who would collect a win, and who would go winless. Lawrence (seen below practicing at their new stadium, which remains under construction) claimed that battle 13-6 in overtime. Much has changed since that game, most notably former St. Thomas Aquinas coach Kevin Kopecky taking the reigns at Leavenworth. The winner of this game won't have to worry about the "winless" tag for 2010, and alleviating that pressure should make for a more productive season.

SM South (0-0) at Olathe Northwest (0-0)
With respect to their school's history, both of these teams had solid campaigns last season--and both lost quite a bit of talent to graduation. It will say alot if either program can improve on, or at least sustain their win totals from last year given the exit of talent and experience. Based on the fact that both teams have quite a few question marks heading into the 2010 season an early win would do wonders for starting the season off on the right track.

Olathe South (0-0) at Lawrence Free State (0-0)

Olathe South overhauled their offense during the offseason and this game will be the first showing of their new run-based style of play. Lawrence Free State on the other hand will be getting their first real taste of life without All-Decade performer Camren Torneden, and how the Firebirds handle it will speak volumes about the potential they have for 2010. Remember, they came up with a 7-3 season the year after Ryan Murphy graduated.

SM Northwest (0-0) at SM East (0-0)

This should be a heated one. SM East pulled out an upset against SM Northwest in district play last season and eliminated the Cougars from playoff contention. That win, perhaps more than anything, has fueled a sense of optimism that hasn't been seen around the SM East football program in years. Stacking up against SM Northwest in week one will be a good measuring stick for just how far SM East has come since Chip Sherman's arrival.

Olathe East (0-0) at SM North (0-0)

These two teams have played four times since 2004 and Olathe East has won all four games by a combined score of 172-32. If new SM North head coach Dennis Grayless can will his team to a victory, or even a close effort, it would be a huge boost for the SM North program and for Grayless' tenure. Olathe East will be working to win their opening game of the season for the 11th consecutive year.

Game of the Week

SM West (0-0) at Olathe North (0-0)

Rarely do we find two of the league's best teams matched up against each other in week one, but that is in fact how the schedule played out for 2010. The hype meter for both teams (especially Olathe North) has been steadily rising during the offseason and this game couldn't have come soon enough. Olathe North will get their first test in defending their state championship from last season, and SM West will work to capitalize on an Eagle team that will be playing without the services of Simone Award winner James Franklin for the first time in 37 games.

Part 4: Sunflower League Schedules

I will be doing a four part series breaking down each Sunflower League team's regular season schedule. The teams in each part of the series will be as follows:

Part 1: Olathe East, SM Northwest, SM North
Part 2: SM West, Lawrence Free State, SM South
Part 3: Olathe North, Olathe Northwest, Lawrence
Part 4: Olathe South, SM East, Leavenworth

Part 4

Olathe South

2010 Regular Season

9/3 @ Lawrence Free State

9/10 Olathe North

9/17 @ SM Northwest

9/23 SM South

10/1 @ Olathe Northwest

10/8 SM North

10/15 Blue Valley Northwest

10/22 Blue Valley West

10/29 @ Olathe East

Projected Over/Under wins: 6

Notes: Olathe South plays one Thursday night game on 10/23 ... the team hosts both of the games against Blue Valley schools in district play.

Potential Trouble: Olathe South's schedule is for the most part, manageable. The true tests will come at the end of the season in district play. Fortunately for the Falcons, they won't have to travel to any unfamiliar Blue Valley stadiums this season. This should provide an advantage against Blue Valley Northwest and Blue Valley West, but both games will still be tough. Wrapping up the district will be a game against rival Olathe East. Olathe South will truly have to earn a playoff berth in one of the toughest Kansas 6A districts.

Biggest Game: Olathe South plays rival Olathe North in week two of the season in what should be a heated battle. Olathe North sent Olathe South's seniors out with a 48-7 obliteration last year, and you can imagine the game is still fresh on the minds of the Falcon's players. A revenge game? Perhaps, but it will also be Olathe South's chance at putting themselves back on the map after two losing seasons in a row.

SM East

2010 Regular Season

9/3 SM Northwest
9/10 Lawrence

9/16 SM North

9/24 @ Olathe North

10/1 @ Lawrence Free State

10/7 @ Olathe Northwest
10/15 Blue Valley North

10/22 @ SM West

10/29 SM South

Projected Over/Under wins: 6

Notes: The Lancers play Thursday night games on 9/16 and 10/7.

Potential Trouble: After three weeks of home games to start the season the Lancers have three away games, none of which will be at Shawnee Mission District Stadiums. The three game stretch isn't completely brutal (Olathe North, Lawrence Free State and Olathe Northwest), but it will be a pivotal part of the season for the Lancers. The last thing they want to do is perform poorly in the games leading up to the all-important district play.

Biggest Game: Weeks one and eight are the big ones for the Lancers. Last season SM East beat SM Northwest 13-12 in district play. The win virtually sealed the Lancer's playoff berth, and kept SM Northwest out. The two team's week one matchup will be a grudge match to find out if last season's outcome was a fluke. In week eight SM East takes on rival SM West. Most Lancer fans can't remember the last time they beat SM West. The game should be a hard fought battle, as always, and there will be playoff implications.

Leavenworth

2010 Regular Season

9/3 @ Lawrence

9/10 Lawrence Free State

9/17 Olathe Northwest

9/23 @ Olathe East

10/1 Olathe North

10/8 @ SM South

10/15 Wyandotte

10/22 SM Northwest

10/29 @ SM North

Projected Over/Under wins: 2

Notes: The Pioneers play one Thursday night game on 9/23 ... all of the Pioneers home games will be played in their new stadium, shown below.

Potential Trouble: Leavenworth is riding a 15-game losing streak into the season, and until that streak ends the team will have trouble buying into new head coach Kevin Kopecky's system. The Pioneers play three home games in their first six games leading up to district play. It would be huge if the team could garner a win during that stretch. Taking a 21-game losing streak into district play in year one under Kopecky would be quite dejecting for the program.

Biggest Game: Leavenworth will be in position to claim a playoff spot in their game against SM North in week nine, assuming they are able to take care of Wyandotte in week seven. Chances are the Pioneer's showdown with SM North to end the season will be a battle for the last remaining playoff berth in the district.

2010 Sunflower League Preseason Power Rankings

1. Olathe North
Head Coach: Pete Flood (Four years, 35-10)
Last season: 13-0

Only at Olathe North could the football program lose four all-state players, not to mention the Simone Award winner, and still be favored to capture yet another league championship—and that’s exactly what is expected of Olathe North in 2010. The Eagles appear to have their next group of big time players ready for another state title run this upcoming season.
Last year’s Simone winner James Franklin won’t be easy to replace, but the Eagles will make their best attempt using Adonis Saunders (right) and Dominick Wilson as running backs. Both players run the forty in the sub 4.5 range and look to factor in big time on offense, as well as in the defensive secondary. Following a stellar junior season in which he rushed for over 1,000 yards, Victor Simmons will once again man the quarterback position for the Eagles, adding yet another player with speed in the 4.5 range. Simmons will also be a starting safety.

Aside from the skill positions Olathe North will look to senior Kyle Swartz to head up the interior of their offensive and defensive fronts. Swartz, on paper, might be the top returning linebacker in the Sunflower League and he should also be making his presence felt as a tight end.

It appears that Olathe North once again has a phenomenal core of athletes to lead their football team. The true question is whether or not they can replace the senior leadership lost to graduation. It will also be interesting to see how head coach Pete Flood handles the success from last season and the increased pressure the team will be receiving as defending state champs. The first big test for Olathe North comes week one, when they host SM West.

2. Shawnee Mission West
Head Coach: Tim Callaghan (Seven years, 54-20)
Last season: 8-2

It’s fair to say that SM West has become a power in the Sunflower League and 2010 should be another successful year for program. The Vikings return more proven talent than any team in the league, including the running back tandem of Will Livingston and Cordi Pascal, who combined to rush for 1,384 yards last season. Fullback Danny Dowling also returns, and by going 3 for 3 at those positions it looks like SM West will be able employ their power running game to the fullest extent. Replacing 20 game winner DJ Balazs at quarterback will be senior Drew Humphreys. Humphreys will also return in the secondary for the Vikings where he has started since his sophomore season.

The offensive line—the other key element to the Vikings run game—will be led by proven seniors Dillon Shupe and Connor Askren. They will be the key to just how well the SM West offense functions in 2010.

It’s clear the Vikings have the talent to compete with anybody in 2010, but perhaps the biggest mystery surrounding the program is the school’s lack of playoff success in recent years. The school hasn’t won a playoff game since the 2006 season, and that lack of post-season success has cast a shadow on the school’s otherwise domination.

Put it this way: since 2007 SM West has gone 16-2 in Sunflower League play (the first six games of the season against SL opponents in odd years, the last six in even years) and 22-7 overall—not too shabby. But failing to make the playoffs in 2007, and losses to Blue Valley schools in the first rounds of the playoffs in 2008 and 2009 have taken away from the program’s perceived success. SM West is hungry for another dominant season, and dying for a big playoff run. Year eight under Tim Callaghan may provide that.

3. Olathe East
Jeff Meyers (18 years, 128-54)
Last season: 6-4

There are two certainties in the Sunflower League. As previously stated, Olathe North will also have the talent to win a state championship. The other is that Olathe East will always have a winning record. The Hawks have been above .500 every season since 2000. But Olathe East doesn’t plan on settling for a winning record. The school has much higher goals after a “down” season in 2009.

The big time name for Olathe East is Brandon Willingham (right). Expect to be seeing quite a few highlights from the gifted senior on KC Metro Sport’s High School Roundup every Friday night. Willingham will start again at the running back and cornerback positions. He will also be returning kicks and punts for the Hawks.

Joining Willingham on the defensive side of the ball is senior Austin Fulson. Last season Fulson led the Sunflower League in tackles with 125 in 10 games. It’s fair to say Fulson is probably licking his chops for the arrival of the season, when he can once again return to his habit of feasting on opposing running backs.

Olathe East won’t be returning a great amount of experience in 2010, but that shouldn’t handicap the team. The Hawks lost four all-state players to graduation after 2008, and still found a way to fill in the voids to the tune of a 6-4 record last year. Jeff Meyers is one of the best coaches in the league at utilizing all of his team’s talent and the Hawks should have a solid season in store.

4. Olathe South
Head Coach: Jeff Gourley (Two years, 7-11)
Last season: 4-5

Olathe South may be the surprise team of the league in 2010 and could very easily finish above fourth overall. For the Falcons it’s the amount of players with great experience they will be returning that should make them a pretty solid team

It looked as if Olathe South was one of the league’s better teams in 2009, but they just didn’t seem capable of putting everything together for an entire game. If the offense was clicking the defense was playing terrible, and vice-versa. Heading into week eight of the season the Falcons were 4-3, with their three losses coming by a combined 10 points. It looked like the team lost any mojo it had after the one point loss to Blue Valley in week seven, as they were beat in the final two weeks of the season by a combined score of 21-90.

2010 will be head coach Jeff Gourley’s third year at the helm for the Falcons and it looks like they may be on the verge of putting it all together for an entire season. The team returns seven starters on offense, and eight on defense. Replacing 2,000+ yard passer Tanner Dutton at quarterback won’t be easy, but the team’s other returning talent should make up for the loss.

5. Shawnee Mission East
Head Coach: Chip Sherman (One year, 4-6)
Last season: 4-6

The folks in Prairie Village have quite a bit to be optimistic about this upcoming season. This excitement has a lot to do with the high note the Lancers ended the 2010 season on. Year one under head coach Chip Sherman started out rocky with the team going 0-3 and only scoring 23 points. But from then on SM East looked like a completely different team, finishing the year winning four of seven, including an upset of SM Northwest and a competitive first half against a far superior Olathe North team in the Regional round of the playoffs.

A 4-6 record doesn’t generally forecast a ton of future success, but with this group of Lancers it just may. SM East played a much tougher and aggressive style of football later in the 2009 season (as evidence by their success). This style of football was much the design of Sherman. With three Missouri Class 3A state titles under his belt, it’s safe to say that Sherman has the tools to mold the team into an even more quality product in 2010, and the school should easily produce its first winning record since 2005.

A few other things to note about the Lancers—they added one of the top coaches in the area as an assistant during the offseason, and they have a quarterback battle brewing. Sam Brown, who enjoyed great success as a head coach at SM North and Excelsior Springs, was added by Sherman as an assistant and his veteran knowledge should make a big impact on the Lancers program. The quarterback battle is between seniors Robby Moriarty and John Schrock, who passed for 765 and 545 yards respectively, in 2009. Any position battle is a positive sign, because it raises the level of competitiveness. And who knows, Sherman might just rotate the two players at the position like he did in 2009. The one thing that is for sure: SM East has big expectations in 2010.

6. Shawnee Mission Northwest
Head Coach: Aaron Barnett (Four years, 25-14)
Last season: 5-4

SM Northwest’s battle with inconsistency got the best of them in 2009, as they went a disappointing 5-4 and missed the playoffs for the first time in three years—and that was with experienced players the likes of Matt Nowak and John Hauk leading the team. The Cougars will be working to erase the doubt from last season and start a new run of playoff appearances and success.

The backbone of the team will undoubtedly be senior defensive end and tight end, Drew Goodger. The 6-foot-5 athlete received First Team All-Sunflower League honors on both sides of the ball last year and has been receiving Division One interest ever since. Goodger will have a lot of pressure on his shoulders but if he thrives on it and leads the team well, the success should take care of itself. SM Northwest has a solid offseason program and new playmakers for the Cougars will inevitably emerge in 2010.

The Cougars also have a very easy district alignment, where they will be facing Wyandotte, Leavenworth, and SM North. Win two of three and they make the playoffs. SM Northwest should be returning to the playoffs and a more successful 2010, even if the team picture is a little blurry right now.

7. Lawrence Free State
Head Coach: Bob Lisher (13 years, 73-60)
Last season: 8-3

There are quite a few unknowns surrounding the Lawrence Free State football team heading towards the 2010 football season. The biggest question in everyone’s mind is pertains to who will be replacing Camren Torneden’s production. The ballyhooed 2010 graduate put up over 4,500 yards of total offense in his junior and senior seasons, and a player with his abilities will not be easy to replace. The Firebirds also lost top players all-state player Michael Lisher, as well as all-league running back Kirk Resseguie.

Despite all the uncertainty, it’s still difficult to imagine the Firebirds taking too big of a tumble in the rankings next season. Most people thought the Firebirds would tail off after the graduation of the Murphy twins in 2007, but the school bounced back with a 7-3 campaign, and a state championship appearance the season after that. The bottom line is that Bob Lisher’s zone-read option offense works, it’s just a matter of finding a suitable athlete to play quarterback in it, which hasn’t been an issue the past five seasons. The player who looks slated to take over at QB is senior-to-be Dylan Perry. While he is unproven at the varsity level at the position, Perry possesses decent track speed which always bodes well for option quarterbacks. Seniors Matt Cole and Justin McCandless will also be key figures in leading the team. The Firebirds don’t appear to have the firepower of the past half-decade, but they should be competitive as always.

8. Olathe Northwest
Head Coach: Todd Dain (6 years, 17-39)
Last season: 4-6

Olathe Northwest, much like Lawrence Free State, was hit hard by graduation. The Raven’s lost a core group of senior including Josh Lemke, Devon Boyce and Brandon Bouvilom who completed arguably the best year in Olathe Northwest’s football history this past fall.

The departure of the strong senior class leaves quite a few positions up for grabs. The one position that seems to be firmly under control however is the top receiver spot, courtesy of senior-to-be Nick Bandy (right). Bandy has good length and tremendous speed, and will be one of the Raven’s top threats to score assuming they get the ball in his hands enough. The Ravens also return a top special team’s threat in Nick Prologo. The senior may be the top kicker in the Sunflower League in 2010.

Olathe Northwest showed flashes of the program they want to become last season, but the team is going to have to complete a winning season before anyone in the league treats the Raven’s as a true threat within the Sunflower League.

9. Lawrence
Head Coach: Dirk Wedd (10 years, 58-50)
Last season: 1-8

Things couldn’t get much worse than the 1-8 season Lawrence High fielded last year. For a school that has won 10 state championships, a one win season is considered rock bottom. Lawrence can really only improve in 2010 (assuming they don’t do the unthinkable and go winless).

Head coach Dirk Wedd is a seasoned veteran in the Sunflower League and he undoubtedly instilled the changes necessary to turning around the program during the offseason. The Chesty Lions also have a solid group of returning talent.

Senior-to-be Darrin Sorem could raise some eyebrows. He earned Second Team All-Sunflower honors as a linebacker as a sophomore, and followed it up with a bit of disappointing 2010 where he only received honorable mention honors. Sorem is a talented athlete on both sides of the ball and should make a big impact for the team. Another player of note is senior Jamal Brown. He stands 6-foot-2, weighs 350lbs. and is the son of former Green Bay Packer Gilbert Brown. Jamal is a nearly immoveable force and if he improves his stamina during the offseason he has quite a bit of potential for the Chesty Lions.

Will Lawrence return to the playoffs in 2010? With a district of Olathe North, Olathe Northwest, and Lawrence Free State it’s hard to say. But it’s almost a given the team shows some steady improvement from 2009.

10. Shawnee Mission South
Head Coach: Brandon Claypool (Four years, 8-29)
Last season: 3-6

In 2009 SM South showed signs of improvement and at the midway point of the season it looked as if the Raiders may produce a winning record. The team ended its season on a three game losing streak, however. Playmakers Johannes Swanepoel and Antonio McFadden are gone with graduation, but the team has a good numbers of seniors returning that should at least keep the program stabilized.

The most notable returning player for the Raiders is senior lineman Devean Jensen. Besides Jensen, the majority of the SM South depth chart will be filled with first time starters.

The Raiders will be playing six of their nine regular season games on the road, but their list of opponents doesn’t include Olathe North or Olathe East, two teams that project among the top position in the league for 2010.

11. Shawnee Mission North
Head Coach: Dennis Grayless (First year)
Last season: 2-7

Former head coach Ryan Majors quietly exited SM North during the offseason, and Dennis Grayless was named his replacement. Wait a minute, Dennis who?

While Grayless doesn’t have any previous head coaching experience, he does have a good familiarity with the team having been an assistant coach for the Indians for the past four seasons. Grayless true accolades come from his NJROTC success. Following a 25 year career as a United State Marine, Grayless took the reigns as the head ROTC instructor at SM North. According the Shawnee Dispatch, SM North’s NJROTC drill team is now widely regarded as the top squad in the country.

While that success in no way translates to football, it does say something about the Grayless hire. First off, Grayless clearly has a history of discipline and that can only help out the SM North program, whose lack of discipline has been the principle reason for the program's demise since the departure of Sam Brown. Secondly, it’s such an unorthodox hire that maybe it will just work. At the very least Grayless’ team should be one of the top conditioned units in the Sunflower League.

Aside from the talk about Grayless is the talent SM North has returning. Quarterback Kyle Goodburn won the starting quarterback position last summer and did a decent job as a junior. He returns with a good deal of experience. Junior-to-be running back Kendall Kelly (right) could also raise some eyebrows. He rushed for 609 yards last season and he has good enough speed and balance to be a very productive player for the Indians again in 2010.

12. Leavenworth
Head Coach: Kevin Kopecky (First year)
Last season: 0-9

The glimmer of optimism within the Leavenworth football program is leaning heavily on the hope that new head coach Kevin Kopecky can come in and turn around the Sunflower League’s worst football team. Many have tried at Leavenworth, and nearly all have failed. Even Kansas coaching legend Tom Young couldn’t get the Pioneers to succeed. He led the team to a 4-5 record in 2004—the best record Leavenworth fielded during the 2000s—before a disastrous 2005 when Young and company failed to win a game. Young left following the season.

Kopecky’s new team certainly presents him with a great challenge. Leavenworth scored a total of 21 points in their nine games last season, and didn’t even score an extra point. Going deeper than just the football team is the culture at Leavenworth High School. The high school is located in the same town as the most notorious federal penitentiary in the United States, much the contrary to the culture that exists at Overland Park’s St. Thomas Aquinas High School, Kopecky’s last coaching gig. Kopecky is coaching a much different group of teenage athletes.

Kopecky’s greatest chances for success rely on utilizing Leavenworth’s athleticism. The school’s dominant basketball and track programs are not by accident. The school is loaded with athletic talent, but that talent has never been funneled properly into the football program. With Kopecky at the helm maybe a change is in store. In the meantime his presence and experience could be enough to lift the team out of the cellar in year one.

Sunflower League Buzz

The high school football season will kick off in the Sunflower League approximately three months from today, and while three months seems like a long time I can assure you the season will be here in the blink of an eye. In the meantime summer weights programs, camps, and 7 on 7 tournaments will be the big talk. Here is an early look at some of the biggest news topics surrounding the Sunflower League football scene some three months prior to opening kickoff.

Kopecky hired at Leavenworth

Perhaps the biggest offseason story was former St. Thomas Aquinas head coach Kevin Kopecky's sudden departure from the Aquinas and arrival thereafter at Leavenworth High School. The Pioneers, who haven't won a Sunflower League title during their 29 years in the league, welcome their fifth coach in the last 11 years.

Kopecky's exit from St. Thomas Aquinas remains a mystery despite early reports of health concerns. What is known is that Kopecky can coach evident by his impressive coaching resume. As a head coach Kopecky has put together a 150-99 record, including eight district championships in his 11 years at Aquinas and an appearance in the 2008 5A state championship game.

Regardless of why Kopecky left his established power of a program at Aquinas it appears that Leavenworth has three big reasons for optimism within its football program.

1.) Coaching
They're getting a local head coach with a superb coaching history on the field. His Aquinas teams never won a 5A title but it seemed like the Saints made the Sub-State round of the playoffs nearly every year he was with the school. Aquinas also won at least nine games in five of the last seven years Kopecky (left) coached there. Could you imagine what the folks at Leavenworth would do for a nine win season, let alone a playoff berth? Playoffs and Leavenworth are two words that seem like antonyms, but make no mistake they may be meeting soon.

2.) Playoffs
The new district alignments have been kind to the Pioneers for the first time in years. One of the opponents is SM North who will be under the direction of new and first time head coach Dennis Grayless. SM North is coming off a 2-7 record. Wyandotte is in the district as well. The Bulldogs have harbored in 5A for years but were bumped up to 6A with the new district alignments. Wyandotte ended a 44 game losing streak in 2002, and has since sported a 9-55 record (but they did make the playoffs in 2004). The fourth team in the district is SM Northwest, who has enjoyed their fair share of success in recent years. While SM Northwest may be a tall test in year one the other two teams loom as possible victories for Leavenworth. Remember, in most cases two wins means you make the playoffs in Kansas district play.

3.) Confidence
Kopecky knows he can turn the Leavenworth football program around or else he wouldn't have taken the gig. Back in 2007 Southlake Carroll High School of Southlake, Texas--who at the time was arguably the nation's top high school football program--was trying to fill the vacancy left by their departed head coach Todd Dodge. I remember reading that one of the many applicants for the job was Kopecky. He had yet to claim a title at Aquinas and yet he had enough confidence in his coaching abilities to apply for the head job at a program that was coming off a mythical national championship.

And why not? Back in 1991 Kopecky took over at Ralston High School in Nebraska and within three years had the team in the playoffs. St. Thomas Aquinas was nothing more than a road bump on the KC high school football scene until Kopecky took over. The next challenge for Kopecky is Leavenworth. If he felt confident enough in his abilities to apply at Southlake Carroll, I have a suspicion he has the confidence necessary to change the culture of the Leavenworth football program.


Olathe North looking to repeat

Speed thrills and speed kills as evidence by the last ten years in the Sunflower League. While Olathe North has produced their fair share of mammoths on the offensive and defensive lines through the years, their superior speed at the skill positions has been their greatest ally. The Eagles lost alot to graduation but they do return two speed demons (that we know of) in 2010--and those two players happen to player quarterback and running back.

Option style quarterback Victor Simmons (who just received an offer from Kansas) and running back Adonis "A.J." Saunders will be the main speed cogs behind the Eagles push for their second consecutive 6A title, and ninth in 15 years. The Eagles also return Dominick Wilson who saw a decent amount of playing time in the Eagles backfield last year and has a decent set of wheels himself.


Can SM East finally break through?

The Lancers last wore a Sunflower League football crown in 1966 when they shared it with SM North. In the 44 years since the school has posted major success in nearly every sport but football. The football program even developed the dubious nickname of the "Smurfs" playing on the schools light blue colors and lack of success.

The combination of Todd Dain and John Stonner--the school's previous two coaches--drastically improved the quality of football being played at SM East but the school has yet to field a dominant team. After a strong finish to 2009 it appears the "Smurfs" might be shedding the nickname soon.

The Lancers head coach, Chip Sherman (left), has three state titles under his belt from his time at Platte County High School in Missouri, the latest of which came in 2002. His pedigree and track record is as good as that of any coach in the Sunflower League. Sherman also added veteran coach Sam Brown (who turned around the SM North program during the 2000s) to his staff during the offseason. The Lancers obvious improvement in Sherman's system combined with the fact that they return a good deal of experience could result in a scary group of Smurfs.

Kopecky takes over as Leavenworth's new head coach

**Kevin Kopecky, best known for the 12 years he spent as the head coach at St. Thomas Aquinas, has officially been named the new head coach at Leavenworth. Kopecky takes over for Chad Speer who resigned following the 2009 season. Kopecky mysteriously resigned at Aquinas in August of 2009, several weeks before the start of the season. Local media outlets reported health concerns, but rumors spread that there was more to the situation. Kopecky brings a career record of 150-99 to Leavenworth.

Missouri defeats Kansas 10-7 in GCKFCA Game

**The Missouri All-Stars got the better of those from Kansas in what turned out to be a defensive slugfest Thursday night at Blue Springs South High School. The Missouri squad won the game, 10-7, with the help of a few timely turnovers.

The Kansas team fumbled the ball away in the first quarter on a promising drive, to which the Missouri squad responded with a few big plays, before Missouri All-State Dalton Krysa scored on a one yard touchdown run. The score put the Missouri squad up 7-0.

Late in the third quarter the Missouri squad generated a 21 yard field goal from Matt Slenker to push the score to 10-0. The Kansas squad was never able to overcome that lead, despite adding a touchdown on a 76 yard Jeremy Walker run late in the fourth quarter to draw the game to what would be the final score, 10-7.

With the victory, the Missouri notched their seventh victory in the series. Kansas still leads 10-7 all time in the game.

**The Dave Bassore Man of the Year Award, honoring the late Olathe North head football coach, was awarded to Kevin Kopecky of St. Thomas Aquinas from Kansas, and Dan Stanley from Wesport High in Missouri.