2011 Simone Award Candidates

The Simone Award

This past week the finalists for the Simone Awards was announced.  The only representitive from the Sunflower League for any of the awards was Olathe Northwest's Willie Cauley, who is a finalist for the Otis Taylor Award which is given annually to the top Wide Receiver  in the KC Metro.  Here are the candidates below with my commentary in italics.

The Simone Award
Evan Boehm, Lee's Summit West, Offensive Line
Montel Cozart, Bishop Miege, Quarterback
Connor Harris, Blue Springs, Quarterback
Morgan Steward, Staley, Running Back

The Fontana Award (top small-class player)

Antwynn Beavers, Liberty North, Jr., runningback
Krae Kelso, Platte County, Sr., quarterback
Colin Murphy, Basehor-Linwood, Sr., quarterback
Gabe Vandiver, Richmond, Sr. runningback

The Otis Taylor Award (top wide receiver)
Jaron Alexander, Grandview, Sr., wide receiver
Willie Cauley, Olathe Northwest, Sr., wide receiver
Deiondre’ Hall, Blue Springs, Sr., wide receiver
Tre Parmalee, Bishop Miege, Sr., wide receiver

Congratulations to Willie Cauley for being named a finalist for this award.  He is the one of ONLY two Kansas finalist for any of the big-class awards.  Cauley certainly deserves the attention after an outstanding season where he caught 64 passes for over 1,200 yards and 15 TDs. 

Buck Buchanan Award (top linebacker/lineman)
Evan Boehm, Lee’s Summit West, Sr., offensive line
Nathanael Lohn, Staley, Sr., defensive end
Michael Rose, Rockhurst, Sr., linebacker
Tony Tanumai, Fort Osage, Sr., defensive tackle

Bobby Bell Award (top small-class defensive player)
Jorge Belcher, O’Hara, Sr., linebacker
Colby Bowers, Richmond, Sr., offensive/defensive line
Travis Britz, Harrisonville, Sr., defensive end
Brandon Goodman, Paola, Sr., linebacker

2010 Player Spotlights: Josh Finley

Josh Finley
Olathe North

Postion: Offensive Line/Defensive Line
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 255lbs.
Class: Senior

Stat to Note
Finley, the lone junior starter on Olathe North's offensive line last season, helped the Eagles rush for over 4,000 yards in 2010.

Scouting Report
Olathe North will be counting on Finley to step up and lead what will be a relatively new offensive line unit. Luckily for the Eagles, Finley gained tremendous experience last season playing on one of the better offensive line units the school had fielded in years.

Finley has a great size and is more athletic than most of the lineman he will be facing during the year. It also helps that Finley will be blocking for Victor Simmons and Adonis Saunders, two of the better runners in the league who will won't hesitate hitting the holes the offensive line opens up for them. Kyle Swartz will back as well at the tight end position which will give the Eagles another retuning starter with great experience in the run blocking game.

Finley may also play an increased role on the defensive side of the ball, trying to make up for the loss of All-Decade defensive tackle Lucas Vincent.

Sunflower League All-Decade Team: Lucas Vincent

Name: Lucas Vincent
School: Olathe North
Graduation: 2010
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 280lbs.
Position: Defensive Line

The NFL Draft this past weekend made headway with the amount of highly valued defensive tackles that were taken early in the First Round. What could be more fitting than naming a defensive tackle as the next player on the All-Decade list? Carrying this week’s honor is Olathe North’s Lucas Vincent.

Perhaps the thing that made Vincent such as dominant force on the interior of the Olathe North defense was his use of raw strength and agility learned on the wrestling mat. Away from football, Vincent placed second in the Class 6A 285+ pound weight division as a sophomore, and then won the state championship in the same weight division as a junior (he elected not to wrestle as a senior).

Despite his wrestling successes, football still remained Vincent’s biggest claim to fame. As a junior in 2008, Vincent developed a reputation for being an immovable force on Olathe North’s defensive line. Vincent tallied 49 tackles, 20 of which were solo, 11 quarterback hurries, and nine sacks on the season helping Olathe North to an 8-3 record, including a Regional playoff round upset of rival Olathe East.

During the off-season between Vincent’s junior and senior seasons his reputation as a defensive tackle prospect blew up. By April of 2009, Vincent had received offers from Nebraska, Kansas State, Missouri, Wisconsin, and San Diego State. He elected to finish the recruiting process early, committing to Missouri prior to the conclusion of his junior year.

The “Division One” tag tends to add a lot of attention and pressure, on and off the field for high school seniors. In the case of Vincent in only seemed to fuel his fire in 2010. Vincent started on Olathe North’s offensive and defensive lines, and helped lead one of the better Sunflower League teams of the decade.

Defensively Vincent recorded 40 tackles (17 for loss), six forced fumbles, and four sacks. Offensively he helped open holes for James Franklin’s 2,803 rushing yards, and 31 touchdowns. Most importantly he was a dominant force in Olathe North’s 13-0 record and 6A State Championship in 2009. Following the season Vincent earned All-State Class 6A honors, as well as being named Kansas Top 11 and First Team KC Metro Sports.

Eli's Sunflower League Awards

Most Valuable Player

James Franklin, Olathe North: There was really no question about this award. Franklin's efforts in 2009 were, quite frankly, Simone worthy--and maybe better. If he is not awarded the Simone Trophy for 2009, then the validity of the award should be questioned. Olathe North was the best team in the Kansas City Metro and Kansas Class 6A this season, and Franklin was the star of the team. Just in case you're not convinced here is a rundown of Franklin's game by game production.

Week 1: 132 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns

Week 2: 156 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns

Week 3: 340 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns

Week 4: 218 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns

Week 5: 200 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns

Week 6: 284 rushing yards, 4 touchdowns

Week 7: 214 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns

Week 8: 159 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns

Week 9: 168 rushing yards, 2 touchdowns

Week 10: 203 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns

Week 11: 247 rushing yards, 1 touchdown

Week 12: 213 rushing yards, 0 touchdowns

Week 13: 269 rushing yards, 3 touchdowns

Season Totals: 2,803 rushing yards, 31 touchdowns

Of those games there are some interesting records to note:

**Franklin's 340 rushing yards in week three broke the Olathe North school record for rushing yards in a game.

**The 247 yards Franklin put up in week 11 broke Darren Sproles school record of 5,230 career rushing yards. Franklin finished his own career with 5,916 rushing yards.

**In his 36 game career (I know this is a season award, but his career stats were too impressive to pass on) Franklin averaged 7.8 yards per carry, 164 yards per game, and 1.8 touchdowns per game.

Franklin's career numbers at Olathe North will be hard to match (granted we were saying the same thing about Sproles' high school career a decade ago) and in my opinion he is the obvious choice as the Sunflower League's Most Valuable Player for 2009. Also, I won't fail to mention that Franklin was running behind one of the biggest and most talented offensive lines the league has seen in years (Oliver Venegas, Zach Maggard, Jake Carroll, Josh Finley, Lucas Vincent)--and ultimately the holes they opened up fed Franklin's monster season.

Offensive Player of the Year

Camren Torneden, Lawrence Free State: Last season I felt Torneden was worthy of being the Sunflower League MVP after he took the reigns at quarterback in week three and led Free State to a State Runner-Up trophy. Although Free State didn't advance as far in 2009, I still feel that Torneden had as good of a season--its just that James Franklin had arguably the best individual season of the decade. Since Franklin took home the MVP (and was therefore not eligible for the other awards) Torneden get the honorary Offensive Player of the Year Award. His stats were once again insane--1,362 passing yards and 13 touchdowns, in addition to 935 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Torneden also had three punt returns for touchdowns. In his two year career as a starter the 5'7" quarterback passed for 2,318 yards and rushed for 2,302.

Defensive Player of the Year
Lucas Vincent, Olathe North: The Missouri bound Vincent did not fail to impress in 2009. After coming off of an amazing junior campaign it was obvious Vincent was going to be facing double teams on a weekly basis, but the senior responded well. Vincent tallied 40 tackles (17 for loss), four sacks, and six forced fumbles on the season. The numbers pushed his career totals to 110 tackles (35 for loss) and 18 sacks. Vincent's presence in the center of the Olathe North defense created issues for opposing rushing attacks all season long. In fact, no team was really ever able to successfully run through the middle of the Olathe North front. The 6'3", 280 pound Vincent was an immovable force in 2009, good enough for defensive player of the year.

Coach of the Year

Pete Flood, Olathe North: Early in the season I felt this award could go to a variety of coaches. Olathe East's Jeff Meyers was leading a very young and inexperienced team to a solid season, and Olathe South's Jeff Gourley was making huge strides with his team in year two. However, as the season progressed it became more obvious that the dominance and consistency Olathe North was displaying was hard to ignore. In the end I felt Flood was the most deserving candidate as Coach of the Year. Granted, he was likely working with as much talent as any coach in the league, but it takes more than just talent to guide a team to a 13-0 record and 6A State Championship. Since taking the helm at Olathe North in 2006 Flood's record as a head coach is 35-10, and he is now the only active head coach in the Sunflower League who has won a Kansas state championship as a head coach.

Game of the Year

Week Six - SM South 20, SM North 17 (OT)

This game didn't necessarily have major playoff or state title implications, but looking back on the season it may have been the most competitive back and forth battle of the year in the Sunflower League. Both teams were 2-3 heading into game, and a win the week before the start of district play was huge for both teams.

SM North got the scoring started when Joe Haas punched in a short touchdown run after a long SM North drive, to give the Indians a 7-0 advantage. In the second quarter SM South was able to tie things up when Grant Hilton completed a 30 yard touchdown pass to an outstretched Antonio McFadden in the corner of the endzone.

In the third quarter SM South was able to compile a solid drive (mostly thanks to the running of Johannes Swanepoel) that ended with a one yard touchdown plunge by Hilton. The score gave SM South a touchdown advantage.

The trickery came out in the fourth quarter. Sitting on their own 11 yard line, SM North's head coach Ryan Majors made a gutsy reverse pass call. Quarterback Kyle Goodburn ran left, and pitched the ball to receiver (and former quarterback) Athur Rucker who reversed to the other side of the field and hit receiver Ryan Finazzo on a deep route. Finazzo was able to take it to the house, which tied the game up at 14 all. SM North botched a field goal later in the quarter, and the game went into overtime.

In overtime, SM North got the scoring started on a 27 yard field goal by Goodburn. Up 17-14, the SM North defense was unable to hold back the SM South rushing attack. Three straight carries by Swanepoel resulted in a SM South touchdown, and victory, 20-17. The game wasn't the highest of stakes, but it was a classic example of the heated inner-school district rivalries that exist in the Sunflower League.

State Championship Preview

Saturday's 6A state title game between Olathe North (12-0) and Wichita Heights (8-4) will be a clash of old and new. Olathe North, a traditional Kansas powerhouse, will be making its ninth state championship appearance (eight in class 6A, one in 5A). Wichita Heights on the other hand will be making its first ever championship game appearance. Wichita Heights is the first team from the Wichita City League to make the 6A title game since Wichita West lost to Olathe North in 1997. The last time a City League team won the 6A title was in 1983.

Olathe North

Location: Olathe, Kansas

School Enrollment: 1,467

League: Sunflower League

State Championship Appearances (inlcuding this season): 9

State Championships: 1996, '97, '98, '00, '01, '02, '03

Notable Football Alumni: Darren Sproles, Arland Bruce, Maurice Mack

2009 Olathe North Football

Offense Type: Wildcat/Read-Option

Key Player Stats: James Franklin, 2,538 rushing yards; Victor Simmons, 1,034 rushing yards

Points Scored Per Game: 42

Points Allowed Per Game: 14

Fast Facts: Olathe North is making its first title game appearance since losing the 5A title 21-14 against Salina South in 2004...two Olathe North players have made Division-One commitments (Lucas Vincent to Missouri, Tre Walker to K-State)...running back James Franklin (above) is the all-time leading rusher in Olathe North school history with 5,647 yards...he broke Darren Sproles all-time record two weeks ago against Lawrence Free State.

Wichita Heights

Location: Wichita, Kansas

School Enrollment: 1,522

League: Wichita City League

State Championship Appearances (including this season): 1

Notable Football Alumni: Xzavie Jackson

2009 Wichita Heights Football

Offense Type: Triple-Option

Key Player Stats: Dreamius Smith, 1,303 rushing yards

Points Scored Per Game: 27

Points Allowed Per Game: 17

Fast Facts: Wichita Heights has won six straight games since starting the season 2-4...sophomore quarterback Matt Reed (above) has been an essential part of the Falcons success this season, most notably completing two second half touchdown passes to sink unbeaten Manhattan two weeks ago.

Sectional Recap

Olathe North 41, Lawrence Free State 28

Last season Olathe North met Lawrence Free State in the Sectional Round of the playoffs only to go on to play one of their most lackluster games of the season, resulting in a 10-6 loss. The Eagles were apparently dead set on returning the favor this season. Olathe North quarterback Victor Simmons (below) scored the first of his two touchdowns in the opening quarter to put the Eagles up 7-0. Free State's Camren Torneden connected with Keene Niemack on an 11 yard touchdown pass to tie things up, before Simmons added another touchdown run before the half to give Olathe North a 14-7 edge.

Free State's Matt Cole scored on a one yard touchdown run to even the score at 14 early in the third quarter, but the Firebirds were never able to gain the lead. Touchdown runs by James Franklin and Tre Walker gave the Eagles a 14 point lead, which provided ample cushion for the win.

The most telling stat of the game was Olathe North's run production. The Eagles ran the ball 63 times for 414 yards--and threw zero passes. James Franklin's accounted for 247 of those yards, and in doing so broke Darren Sproles career rushing record at Olathe North. Franklin now sits at 5,434 career rushing yards (Sproles' record was 5,230).

Blue Valley 17, Blue Valley Northwest 14 (All Star Video Sports Highlights)
For the second consecutive year Blue Valley will be advancing to the Sub-State round of the playoffs by way of defeating Blue Valley Northwest. This year's game nearly provided as much drama as last year's matchup. The scoring started when Blue Valley Northwest's Koby Chadick threw a perfectly timed pass to receiver Blake Heenan who took the catch 67 yards for a touchdown. Blue Valley responded with a 13 yard pass from Anthony Abenoja (below) to Jacob McDermott, and then later on a 42 yard field goal by Austin Johnson.

Before halftime Chadick reminded people why he is a Simone-Award candidate running seemingly untouched 52 yards for a touchdown, giving Blue Valley Northwest a 14-10 edge. The game reached a stalemate for the better part of the second half before Blue Valley broke into Blue Valley Northwest territory in the fourth quarter. Abenoja connected on a flare route to McDermott, who somehow found his way into the endzone to push Blue Valley to a three point lead, which would turn out to be the game winner.

Blue Valley has now won four straight games after starting the season 1-6. For Blue Valley Northwest, a fourth quarter score from Blue Valley once again keeps them from advancing to the Sub-State round of the playoffs.

News and Notes

**The Simone Award candidates were announced this past weekend. The four players up for the illustrious Simone Award are Olathe North's James Franklin, Blue Valley Northwest's Koby Chadick, Winnetonka's Darryl Jobe, and Blue Springs Darrian Miller.

**Olathe North's Lucas Vincent is among the four finalists for the Buch Buchanan Award, given annually to the most outstanding lineman/linebacker playing class 5A or 6A football in the KC Metro.

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Player Ratings - Week Three
* Player Ratings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis.

1. James Franklin, running back, Olathe North: Franklin sits atop the list for the second consecutive week after an outstanding performance against SM Northwest. In the game Franklin rushed for 156 yards and scored three touchdowns. Despite receiving limited touches because his team has blown out their two opponents, Franklin has still rushed for 288 yards and five touchdowns.

2. DJ Balazs, quarterback, SM West: Balazs' late 12 yard touchdown strike put SM West ahead of Olathe East and ultimately secured a victory for the Vikings. Balazs is now 15-5 as a starting quarterback.

3. Camren Torneden, quarterback, Lawrence Free State: Torneden put up some pretty dirty numbers in week two--167 yards rushing for two touchdowns, and a 68 yard punt return for a touchdown. If last season is any indication, Torneden's numbers will only continue to improve.

4. Tre Walker, linebacker/running back, Olathe North: Walker (below) joins the list after putting together an impressive two weeks on both sides of the ball. Walker's physically dominating play from the linebacker position in his last game was reminiscent of a former Sunflower great at the linebacker position--Mike Rivera.


5. Lucas Vincent, defensive lineman, Olathe North: Vincent is the third Eagle on the list, and for good reason. He has been the anchor of a defensive unit that has only surrendered 18 points on the season, and in their last game held SM Northwest to 135 yards of total offense.

Honorable Mention: Matt Nowak, SM Northwest; Tanner Dutton, Olathe South

Week Three Power Rankings
*team power rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis
**check previous post for commentary on Week Three Power Rankings

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

Poll Watching
A look at where Sunflower League teams rank in local media polls

Preppowerindex.com Class 6A (statistical analysis)
2. Olathe North
7. SM North
9. Lawrence Free State
11. SM West
12. Olathe Northwest
14. SM South
16. Olathe East
17. Olathe South
22. SM Northwest
26. Lawrence
29. SM East
32. Leavenworth

Kansasprepfootball.com Class 6A Top 5
1. Olathe North

Hovpensports.com Class 6A Top 10
1. Olathe North
4. SM West
9. SM North

Sunflower League Extra

It's really hard to get a feel for the way the Sunflower League will shape up after only one week, but generally everyone still tries. I think there will be alot of parody during the 2009 season, as I don't feel than any team (with the exception of Olathe North) is featuring the best squad they have had in years. But that can always change as the weeks roll along.

Top 5 Player Ratings - Week Two
* Player Ratings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis.

1. James Franklin, running back, Olathe North: Franklin (below) gets bumped up to the #1 spot after an impressive display against Leavenworth. Despite only toting the ball 15 times, Franklin turned in 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns. After going to halftime with a 50-0 lead, Franklin's services were not necessary in the majority of the second half.

2. DJ Balazs, quarterback, SM West: More than anything, Balazs, a senior, continues to win in his third year as the starting quarterback at SM West. Balazs' presence on offense for the Vikings offers a veteran leader, and stability--a luxury most teams in the Sunflower League don't possess.

3. Lucas Vincent, defensive line, Olathe North: Although Vincent's official stats haven't been released, its safe to say Vincent had quite a bit to do with holding Leavenworth to a mere two first downs in the first half, and only six points total.

4. Camren Torneden, quarterback, Lawrence Free State: Sure, Torneden did drop a few spots in the player ratings over the weekend, but I wouldn't be surprised at all if I have him #1 by season's end again. After all, he did put up 151 yards passing, 62 yards rushing, and two touchdowns in his team's defeat Friday. The number he needs to work on is the three costly interceptions he fired up. By comparison, last season Torneden only threw 11 interceptions in 11 games as the starting quarterback.

5. Matt Nowak, quarterback, SM Northwest: Mr. Consistancy was 12 of 16 passing, for 136 yards, two touchdowns, and an intereption. He also handled SM Northwest's kicking and punting duties without any problems.

Honorable Mention: Tre Walker, Olathe North; Tanner Dutton, Olathe South; Tyrae Jenkins, Lawrence


Week Two Power Rankings
*team power rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis
**check previous post for commentary on Week Two Power Rankings

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

Poll Watching
A look at where Sunflower League teams rank in local media polls

Hovpensports.com Class 6A Top 10
2. Olathe North
5. SM West
8. Olathe East

Preppowerindex.com Class 6A (statistical analysis)
1. Olathe North
4. Olathe Northwest
11. Olathe East
12. SM West
13. SM Northwest
16. SM North
19. Olathe South
20. Lawrence Free State
21. Lawrence
23. SM South
26. SM East
32. Leavenworth

**More polls have yet to be released for the week, and I will document them when they do come out.

News and Notes

**Rivals.com has released their Kansas Preseason Top 15 prospects for the class of 2010. Sunflower League players Lucas Vincent and Tre Walker are both on the list.

**Rivals.com is also busy ranking their top 100 high school football teams for 2010. Speaking locally, Hutchinson was ranked #90, and Blue Springs #88.

**Maxpreps.com recently named their Kansas Top 5 for 2010. They have Olathe North ranked #2 overall behind Hutchinson. They also have Lawrence Free State and SM West listed in "teams considered."

Players to Watch in 2009: Lucas Vincent

Name: Lucas Vincent
School: Olathe North
Year: Senior
Position(s): Defensive line
Height: 6'3"
Weight: 270 lbs.
Notes: Vincent(far right) will go into the 2009 season with perhaps bigger expectations than any other player in the Sunflower League. Lucas committed to Missouri in April, but not before he had received offers from Nebraska, Kansas State, Kansas, Wisconsin, and San Diego State.
As a junior in 2008, Vincent teamed up with fellow defensive lineman Kevin Young on one of the most stifling defensive fronts in the state. Vincent totalled nine sacks and collected over 40 tackles and was named First Team All-Sunflower League.
What makes Vincent so special as a defensive lineman? Perhaps it has do with his oustanding abilities on the wrestling mat. As a sophomore in 2008, Vincent took second place in 6A at state in the 285+ pound weight division. This past year, Vincent took the 6A title in the 285+ pound weight division.


Photo Courtesy Scout.com

Players to Watch in 2009: Tre Walker

Name: Tre Walker

School: Olathe North
Year: Senior

Position(s): Linebacker

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 205 lbs.

Notes: Walker's commitment to Kansas State in April came as quite a surprise on the recruiting scene. Not because Walker lacked ability (4.6 forty) or accolades (honorable mention All-Sunflower Conference in 2008), but because Walker had been a relative unknown on the metro football scene to that point in time. As a junior in 2008, Walker was an overshawdowed member of an Olathe North defense that featured players such as Doug Peete, Kevin Young, and Lucas Vincent.

Walker got his break in early Spring when Kansas State head coach and legend Bill Snyder offered Walker a scholarship, to which Walker promptly accepted, making Walker the second member of Kansas State's 2010 recruiting class. Soon after the commitment interest in the linebacker began to grow even more and he started receiving heavy attention from schools the likes of Nebraska, Alabama, UCLA, Kansas and Oklahoma. Walker is currently listed as a "soft verbal" to Kansas State, meaning he is shopping around his choices for college, but still plans to attend Kansas State in the end.

Walker has the potential to have a break-out season in 2009 now that the Olathe North defense will essentially be he and Lucas Vincent's to guide. One interesting thing to keep an eye on is how Walker handles the added pressure of being a Kansas State commit in an area with a very strong Kansas State alumni base.

Late April News

**After several months of speculation, SM West senior linebacker Justin Scott (top) signed a letter of intent to play football at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. Scott was an All-State Class 6A selection as a linebacker in 2009, in addition to being First Team All-Sunflower League at the linebacker, punter, and kicker positions.

**Olathe North senior-to-be Lucas Vincent (middle) ended his recruitment early, committing to Missouri over offers from Nebraska, Wisconsin, San Diego State, Kansas, and Kansas State. Vincent made the decision after attending Missouri's Black and Gold Game.

**Olathe North senior-to-be linebacker Tre Walker (bottom ), who had previously comitted to Kansas State, was seen on the sidelines at Nebraska's Spring Game. Apparently Walker is still committed to Kansas State, but keeping his options open. He is rumored to be receiving new interest from the likes of UCLA, Alabama, and Iowa, in addtion to Nebraska.

Photos Courtesy Rivals.com (Walker, Vincent), Adam Kimberling (Scott)

April News and Notes

Believe it or not, the start of the 2009 football season is just a mere four months away. Its amazing how quick of a turnaround it is from one season to the next. On the news front, not a whole lot generally takes place in the springtime, and that has held true this year as well. Here is what I have:

**Chip Sherman (right) was formally introduced as the head coach at SM East. As stated previously, Sherman was the head coach at Platte County High School in Missouri for 18 years before taking a one year head coaching job at Salina South High School. Sherman cited family as his reason for wanting to return to the KC Metro area to coach once again. The last time Sherman made Sunflower League news was in December of 2005, when Sherman was rumored to have interviewed for the vacant SM Northwest head coaching position.

**Add Missouri and San Diego State to Olathe North senior-to-be Lucas Vincent's offer list. The 6-foot-3, 270 pound Vincent now has six Division One offers and counting.

**Also, fellow Olathe North senior-to-be linebacker Tre Walker (bottom left) made a verbal commitment to Kansas State in early April. Walker's commitment came as a surpise, as his recruitment hadn't been made public to that point in time. Walker is listed at 6-foot-4, 205 pounds and reportedly runs the forty in 4.6 seconds.

Photos Courtesy: John Petrovic, The Olathe News (Tre Walker); The Landmark (Sherman)

Early March News and Notes

The start of the football season still sits a good five months away, but here are some news and notes to chew on in the mean time.

**SM West running back Darron Harvey inked to play at Butler County Community College. Butler C.C. has won the past two NJCAA championships, and won a total of five titles since 1998. No word on whether Harvey will remain at the running back position where he totalled 1,600 yards rushing as a senior.

**Former SM West and current Kansas quarterback Tyler Lawrence has elected to graduate in three years and forgo his final two years of elgibility at KU. Lawrence signed with Kansas out of high school in 2006, before redshirting his freshman season. He was part of Orange and Insight.com Bowl victories during his time with the team.

**The recruitment of Olathe North junior defensive end Lucas Vincent continues to heat up. He has now received written offers from Nebraska, Wisconsin, Kansas and Kansas State.

**The construction projects for new stadiums at Lawrence High School and Lawrence Free State are coming along quite nicely. 2008 was the final season in which the historic Haskell Stadium in Lawrence hosted the home games of both teams. The new stadiums (located on campus at both schools) aren't as large as the SM Stadiums, ODAC, or CBAC, but they offer a scaled down facility well suited for each school. Construction of the two stadiums is due to be completed August 15.

February News

It's been over a month since my last post, and quite honestly not alot has happened in, on, or around the SM West football scene, except for several college signings. They are as follows:

Prestan Garcia, LB: Fort Scott C.C.
Danny Herring, DB: Fort Scott C.C.
Zach Allen, RB: Fort Scott C.C.
Dillon Buddenmeyer, WR: Midland Lutheran College

Congratulations to the players who decided to take their talents to the next level. If you're wondering the destinations of SM West's two All-State selections--Darron Harvey and Justin Scott--there has been no press release on the two athletes decisions yet. Stay tuned.

Notes:

**In Sunflower Conference news, Olathe North junior defensive lineman Lucas Vincent received an offer from Nebraska this past week. He is getting attention from the majority of the Big 12 North, and Colorado State.

**It appears the Chip Sherman is the new head football coach at SM East. Although there is no direct media report yet, rumors have pointed to Sherman taking the reins for the Lancers. Sherman spent the 2008 season at Salina South high school where he helped the team compile an 8-3 record and a berth in the Sectional Round of the playoffs.

Previous to that, Sherman spent 20 years at Platte County high school in Missouri. During that span Sherman compiled a record of 191-37, including Missouri Class 3A State Championships in 2000, 2001, and 2002. Sherman's great success attributed to his notoriety as one of the best high school coaches in the KC Metro prior to his stint in Salina.

Sherman will be taking over a SM East program that has never won more than seven games in a season.