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

Sectional Round Review

The Good

**Olathe East and Olathe North (right)--the two prohibitive favorites throughout the season--will be meeting in the Sub-State round for the opportunity to advance to the state championship.

**The last time Olathe East and Olathe North met in the Sub-State round was in 2002. That game proved to be one of the best of the 2000s, with Olathe North claiming victory, 12-10, after Olathe East botched a last second field goal attempt.

The Bad

**The heavy winds and rain played more of a role on Friday than what most people wanted to see in a playoff games. While football is a game to be played in the elements, there's a reason all major BCS games (and usually the Super Bowl) are played in locations with favorable weather.

The Ugly

**Olathe North and Olathe South combined for 160 yards of total offense on Friday. By comparison, during the regular season the two teams combined to average 737 yards of total offense per game.

**ODAC. The playing field was ripped to shreds during Friday night's game and it won't be the most favorable playing surface come this Friday.

Individual Highlights

**Olathe South running back Nick Sands surpassed 1,500 rushing yards on the season after recording 108 yards on 29 carries.

**SM Northwest's James Gregory played possibly the game of his career Friday (given the situation), recording 101 rushing yards on 25 carries, and catching a 14-yard touchdown pass.

The Remaining Four

Olathe East (10-1): The Hawks handled Olathe North 25-0 in week three, but beating a good team twice is never an easy thing to do.

Olathe North (10-1): The Eagles can gain revenge on their rival and punch a ticket to the their tenth state championship game with a win Friday.

West Kansas 6A

In a battle of unbeatens, Wichita Heights (11-0) is hosting Dodge City (11-0) for a trip to the title game. Wichita Heights is coming off a 18-15 victory over Junction City, while Dodge City defeated Manhattan 41-20 this past week.

Photo courtesy the Kansas City Star

Sunflower League Extra: Sectional Round Edition

Eli's First and Ten

1. The smack talk between the Olathe South and Olathe North folks has been pretty intense ... it would be interesting to see what level it would be at if Olathe North plays Olathe East (right) in the Sub-State round.

2. You can call SM Northwest this year's darkhorse. Who would of thought the Cougs would make Sectionals after their disappointing 0-3 start to the season?

3. The Sunflower League's top three rushing offenses still remain in the playoffs--this doesn't seem like a coincidence to me.

4. Adonis Saunders and Victor Simmons combined to rush for 339 yards and five touchdowns on 27 carries. Those totals equate to 12.5 yards per carry. Sickening numbers, regardless of the defense.

5. If this year's Sectional matchups look familiar there's a reason for it. In 2007 the Sectionals featured the exact same four teams. Olathe East, Olathe North, and SM Northwest all sat at 9-1, while Olathe South was 7-3. Who came out on top? The team with the worst record--the Olathe South Falcons who went on to lose to Hutchinson in the state championship game.

6. With their Regional victory Olathe East claimed their ninth win of the season. The nine wins marks the sixth time the Hawks have reached that win total in the past eight years, which is more than any other Sunflower League team during that stretch.

7. We're nearing the announcement of the 2010 Simone Award candidates. While Gardner-Edgerton's Bubba Starling seems to be the clear favorite at this point in time, watch out for a Sunflower League invite or two. Brandon Willingham (1,617 rushing yards and 21 TDs) will most certainly be in the discussion.

8. The player with the ability to impact a game the most? Perhaps that title belongs to SM Northwest's Kenny Mings. His prowess on offense, defense, and special teams made him a nightmare for SM West last week, and he could cause similar headaches for Olathe East.

9. During the summer Olathe South head coach Jeff Gourley predicted that Nick Sands would rush for 2,000 yards. Sands currently sits at 1,470 yards rushing (147 ypg), 530 yards short of that plateau. It's highly unlikely Sands will reach those numbers unless Olathe South makes it to the state title game--but we'll keep it in mind just in case.

10. The team with the most pressure to perform? It's either Olathe East or Olathe North. The Hawks hold the top seed and are playing a four-loss SM Northwest team, while Olathe North is working on defending a state title.

Stat Leaders (among those still playing)

Passing Yards

Stephen Mangelsdorf, SM Northwest: 1,345

Frankie Suerer, Olathe South: 424

Trent Kuhl, Olathe East: 376

Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 299

Rushing Yards

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 1,617

Nick Sands, Olathe South: 1,470

Adonis Saunders, Olathe North: 1,413

Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 1,268

Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 749

Jake Crist, Olathe South: 676

Receiving Yards

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 413

AJ Spencer, SM Northwest: 296

Tanner Gentry, Olathe North: 276

Tackles

Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 112

Kyle Swartz, Olathe North: 96

Dylan Hanson, Olathe South: 93

Sam Todd, Olathe North: 79

Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 77

Vince Gerstner, Olathe East: 76

Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 74

Greg Fry, Olathe South: 68

Interceptions

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 4

Taylor Sheffield, Olathe South: 3

Derec Olson, SM Northwest: 2

*SM Northwest player statistics do not include last week's game

Stats courtesy Mid-Statesports.com

Photo courtesy the Kansas City Star

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

Game Scores and Notes

Regional Round Playoff Review

Olathe East 20, Lawrence Free State 16

Olathe East looked bound for their third straight opening-round playoff loss trailing Lawrence Free State 16-0 at halftime. Free State's offense played a stellar opening half . In the first quarter they jumped to a 3-0 lead on a 30-yard field goal from Antonio Schoneich. Their offense really started clicking in the second quarter starting with a four-yard touchdown run by Dylan Perry that gave them a 10-0 lead. Later in the quarter Perry added another four-yard touchdown run. The Firbirds' conversion attempt failed, but they still had a 16-0 lead. Just before the half things almost got more lopsided when Olathe East fumbled the ball away to Free State at the Hawks' own eight yard line. Fortunately for Olathe East, cornerback Junior Williams intercepted a Perry pass in the endzone to hault the onslaught.

Something clicked at halftime for Olathe East. On the Hawks' first offensive play of the second half Brandon Willingham (above) took a carry 59 yards for a touchdown. A successful two-point conversion pulled the Hawks within eight points of Free State. Both sides turned the ball over on their next possessions before Willingham scored a big one in the third quarter, busting lose on a "Simone-esque" 53-yard touchdown run. Olathe East failed on the two-point try, but had closed the game to a 16-14 score. Free State fumbled on the ensuing kickoff and Olathe East made quick work of a scoring drive with Willingham punching in his third touchdown of the day, this time from three yards out to give the Hawks a 20-16 lead. The score proved to be the decisive one.

Olathe North 48, SM North 21

Olathe North made some big plays early, as usual, but credit SM North for not backing down at the challenge. Olathe North's first score came on a two-yard run from Dominick Wilson. The Eagles added another touchdown when Victor Simmons scored on a 35-yard touchdown run. Things looked like they were headed for ugly, but SM North was able to respond with a nice drive that was capped off with a four-yard touchdown run from Kyle Goodburn. Olathe North scored their third touchdown on their next possession on a four-yard run from Adonis Saunders to go ahead 20-7. SM North was able to answer with several big plays on a drive that was closed out by Mitch Padden from one yard out, pulling SM North within seven. Simmons took a carry 54 yards into the endzone on the Eagles next possession. That score was matched by two-yard touchdown pass from Goodburn to Mason Perez seconds before the half. Olathe North led 27-21.

SM North wasn't able to hang with Olathe North in second half, however. The defending Class 6A champs scored first on a 67-yard run from Saunders. They followed that up with a 54-yard touchdown run from Simmons, and finally a 50-yard toss pass from Kyle Swartz to Brandon Davis to go ahead 48-21.

Olathe South 28, SM East 24

This game proved to be the biggest seesaw battle of the night. SM East looked right on course with their aerial success in the first quarter when Robby Moriarty connected with Elliot Faerber on a 63-yard touchdown pass. Olathe South responded in the second quarter with a drive that ended with a three-yard touchdown run from Nick Sands (below) to pull ahead, 7-6. SM East got the last punch in during the half when their kicker Chase Woofter connected on a 24-yard field goal to give the Lancers a 9-7 haltime edge.

Olathe South established the second half attitude on their first possession of the third quarter, going 47 yards on an eight play drive that was capped off by a two-yard touchdown run from Sands. The touchdown put Olathe South ahead 14-9. SM East answered the score with a one-yard touchdown run from Jeff Cole, and a successful two-point conversion to jump ahead 17-14. It looked like the Lancers may have been able to hold that lead but Olathe South scored another touchdown on a two-yard run from Sands on their next possession. That score gave Olathe South a 21-17 lead, but SM East struck quickly yet again.

Moriarty led the Lancers down the field and Cole was able to punch in another touchdown from two yards out. Olathe South, keeping up with the flow of the game, drove down and scored a touchdown on a one-yard run from Frankie Seurer. With just over four minutes remaining it looked like "now-or-never" time for SM East. Moriarty was able to lead the team in Falcon territory, but a failed fourth down conversion turned the ball over. Olathe South's Jake Crist then busted loose on a 47-yard run into SM East territory that effectively ended the game.

SM Northwest 14, SM West 10

At halftime it looked like SM West was finally going to be able to shed the playoff victory drought that has plagued the program since 2007. The Vikings had established a comfortable 10-0 lead despite the absence of their top two running backs Tre Burt and Will Livingston due to injures. Defensively the Vikings had looked amazing, holding SM Northwest to a mere 14 yards of total offense in the first half. Armani Williams had scored from one yard out in the first quarter, and kicker Mark Whitrock stayed perfect on field goals with a 32-yarder in the second quarter. The second half was, however, a complete dichotomy for the Vikings.

Holding the 10-0 lead, SM West took a drive into SM Northwest territory early in the third quarter. The drive stalled, but they appeared to be in range for a Whitrock field goal. The ensuing field goal try was blocked by SM Northwest's Drew Goodger, who also managed to recover the fumble and begin advancing the ball. He then lateralled the ball to the speedy Kenny Mings who took it 65 yards to the house. SM Northwest was trailing by three, but they had all the momentum in the world. SM West fumbled on a drive early in the fourth quarter which resulted in a SM Northwest drive that started at the Vikings' 43-yard line. Seven plays later SM Northwest quarterback Stephen Mangelsdorf found Goodger on a six-yard touchdown pass. The score gave the Cougars a 14-10 lead with six minutes left. SM West managed to get as close as the SM Northwest 30-yard line but failed to score when Mings picked off a Williams pass at the one-yard line.

Photos 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

Thursday Report

Week Nine Matchups

All games times 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted

Leavenworth (1-7) at SM North (1-7)

Last season the "Toilet Bowl" featured two 0-8 clubs, Leavenworth and Lawrence, squaring off in a week nine battle for supremacy of the cellar. It's ironic that this season the two teams with the worst records in the Sunflower League would be playing eachother in week nine once again. Fortunately both teams were able to collect wins against Wyandotte, so neither team will go out winless. The crazy thing it that due to the wacky district playoff qualifications, the winner of the game will make the playoffs. SM North head coach Dennis Grayless (above) could really make folks forget about the team's 0-7 start if he could will the team to a victory.

SM South (2-7) at SM East (7-1)

Senior Robby Moriarty will be making his first start at quarterback for SM East this season following the injury to starter John Schrock in last week's game. Don't expect much of a drop off though. Moriarty passed for 765 yards last season and was SM East's starter for much of the year. The Lancers need to watch out for a letdown as well. Last week's big win over SM West was huge for the program, but a loss to SM South would be equally disappointing.

Wyandotte (2-6) at SM Northwest (4-4)

SM Northwest had their way with SM North and Leavenworth, and this one should be no different at their home stadium. The Cougars can match last season's win total of five games with a win in this game, but more importantly the team is in the playoffs and this game will be a great opportunity for a tune-up before the playoffs begin.

Lawrence Free State (4-4) at Lawrence (3-5)

Despite the presumed disparity between these two programs we find them battling it out in week nine with similar records. Free State who is 1-1 in district play can seal a playoff berth with a win by any margin. Lawrence, 0-2 in district play, can claim a playoff spot if Olathe North beats Olathe Northwest, and they manage to beat Free State. This game is always a heated contest, but this year's playoff implications should add a whole new meaning.

SM West (6-2) at Blue Valley North (3-5)

The last thing SM West wants to become is a poster child for why the KSHSAA should reformat the way they determine playoff qualifiers, but with a loss the Vikings would become just that. SM West will be entering an unfamiliar venue against an unfamiliar team, and those elements have not treated the Vikings well in the past. The team has gone 0-3 since 2007 against Blue Valley opponents, with two of those losses coming in the playoffs. Right now, SM West is focused on just making the playoffs.

Olathe Northwest (3-5) at Olathe North (7-1)

Since Olathe Northwest's inception in 2004 they have a grand total of one win in 20 games against Olathe opponents. While the Ravens have shown flashed of brilliance in 2010, they haven't really ever been in consideration as one of the top six teams in the league. Olathe Northwest could shed quite a bit of frustration with a win against Olathe North, but it certainly won't be easy. The Eagles have been on a roll lately and looked primed for a long playoff run.

Game of the Week

Olathe South (6-2) at Olathe East (7-1)

These two programs have squared off in some pretty heated battles over the last decade. The game that first comes to mind was the 2005 regular season finale between these two. Both teams were 8-0 heading into the game, and there was a great cast of athletes in competition including Olathe South's Brady Croucher, Devin Cummings, and Tony Bryant and Olathe East's Derek Miller, Adam Parks, and Dee Bell. Olathe East jumped out to an early lead on a long Bell touchdown run an never looked back. Despite the Hawk's lead throughout the game it remained a heated contest and neither team let down. This year's game doesn't feature quite the stables of talent, but the matchup of running backs should be fun to watch. The Hawks' Brandon Willingham and Austin Fulson lead what may be the top duo in the Sunflower League, while the Falcons' Nick Sands and Jake Crist have been headliners all season in the running game as well. Both teams have qualified for the playoffs so the game will be for bragging rights more than anything.

Photo courtesy the Shawnee-Dispatch

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

Week Four Review

Three Up

SM Northwest

After four long weeks the Cougars (led by Kenny Mings, on the right) finally collected a win. On an even brighter note, SM Northwest could easily go 4-1 in the final month of the regular season.

Olathe East

The Hawks scored nine touchdowns against Leavenworth with relative ease, and further illustrated why they are the league's lone undefeated team.

Olathe North

The only way Olathe North was going to get over last week's loss was with a victory in week four and they were successful, handling a previously undefeated SM East team.

Three Down

Lawrence

SM Northwest practically invited the Chesty Lions to overtime by turning the ball over on downs late the fourth quarter, but Lawrence botched a field goal attempt that would have tied it.

SM North

SM North was clearly overmatched, once again. Free State had no trouble putting 32 points on the Indians by halftime.

Leavenworth

Olathe East's 62 points marked the 10th time in the past four years (or 31 games) that a team has scored 50 or more points against the Pioneers.

Individual Highlights

**SM West's Tre Burt (right) rushed for 245 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries in his team's 36-20 win over Olathe Northwest.

**Olathe East's Brandon Willingham had an encore performance to his impressive week three totals. Against Leavenworth Willingham rushed for 115 yards and four touchdowns on only eight carries.

**In workhorse-like fashion, Olathe South running back Nick Sands ran the ball 39 times for 279 yards and two touchdowns and he now leads the Sunflower League in rushing with 560 yards.

Week Five Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (4-0): The Hawks have meshed well and are playing the best football in the Sunflower League.

2. Olathe North (3-1): Olathe North got back on track with a solid victory over previously undefeated SM East.

3. SM West (3-1): For the second week in a row the Vikings were able to wear down their opponent and seperate themselves in the fourth quarter.

4. SM East (3-1): The Lancers played well despite their loss, and the team is ten times better than what they were at this point in time last season.

5. Lawrence Free State (3-1): Quarterback Dylan Perry's injury did little to slow down the Firebird's potent offensive attack.

6. Olathe South (2-2): The Falcons look and play like a completely different unit when they have success early with the run game.

7. Olathe Northwest (2-2): Olathe Northwest is no longer the punching bag they were in the 2000s--this team has developed quite a bit.

8. SM Northwest (1-3): The Cougars will likely make up for their terrible start with a finish above .500.

9. Lawrence (2-2): Lawrence still has a ways to go before they are a threat again, but this year's team plays with alot of heart and could pull an upset or two down the road.

10. SM South (1-3): The Raider's offensive woes continued in week four--this team needs a victory, soon.

11. SM North (0-4): SM North's latest loss pushes their losing streak to 11 games and makes you wonder just how much better they are than Leavenworth, if at all?

12. Leavenworth (0-4): The Pioneers' October 15th matchup with Wyandotte can't get here soon enough.

Stats courtesy Mid-statesports.com

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

Thursday Report

Week Four Matchups

All games times 7 p.m. unless otherwise noted

SM South (1-2) at Olathe South (1-2) (Thursday night game)

After a difficult two game stretch to begin the season Olathe South may finally be settling into their offense--which is a scary thought for the Raiders. SM South played poorly in their 28-7 loss at Lawrence last week, and while their offense should do better against the Falcons it's hard to say if they will be able to shut down Jake Crist (right), Nick Sands and the Olathe South running game. Olathe South's 396 rushing yards last week are a hint as to what the Falcon's approach may be in this game.

Leavenworth (0-3) at Olathe East (3-0)

Olathe East goes from playing a team with a 15-game winning streak in week three to playing Leavenworth, a team with an 18-game losing streak in week four. It's quite the change around in opponents. The only concern Olathe East could have going into this game is letting their guard down and not playing to their potential--regardless, this will be Olathe East's first game to prove themselves as the "top dog" in the Sunflower League.

SM West (2-1) at Olathe Northwest (2-1)

If I had to evaluate both of these school's performances this season I would say Olathe Northwest is playing at a consistently high level given their quality of talent, while SM West still hasn't put everything together for an entire four quarters. The Vikings appear to be the better team on paper, but another lackadaisical effort could prove costly this week against a motivated Olathe Northwest team.

Lawrence (2-1) at SM Northwest (0-3)

Will this be the week SM Northwest finally claims a victory? The Cougars are head and shoulders better than the two other winless teams in the league (Leavenworth and SM North) and they have a solid core of skill position seniors in Stephen Mangesldorf, Drew Goodger, and Kenny Mings. But, Lawrence is saying "not so fast my friend!" The Chesty Lions have looked impressive in their two wins and they are easily capable of sticking loss number four to the Cougars.

Lawrence Free State (2-1) at SM North (0-3)

This game could get ugly if the Indians don't come prepared to play some defense. Free State is operating the league's top ranked offensive at 397 yards and just under 40 points per game. SM North on other hand is giving up just under 34 points per game, and ranks second worst in the league in total defense. The past few seasons have shown us that it's hard to stop Free State's offense once it gets rolling, and it very well may on Friday. Kyle Goodburn and Kendall Kelly must step it up early for SM North if they have any chance in this one.

Game of the Week

SM East (3-0) at Olathe North (2-1)

Most didn't expect SM East to have more wins than Olathe North by the time of their week four meeting, but that's where we stand. SM East handled their first three opponents with ease, winning by a combined score of 99-37. Meanwhile, Olathe North is coming off their first loss in 16 games. Both teams have alot to play for, espcially SM East whose fanbase is amped at the prospects of knocking off the heavyweight Olathe North (a Facebook page has even been started to build up more hype for the game). A key matchup to watch? SM East leads the Sunflower League in passing at 239 yards per game, while Olathe North ranks second against the pass on defense and has only given up 10 completions. Whoever controls this aspect of the game could very well determine the winner.

Photo courtesy OSfootball.com

Sunflower League Extra

A mere three weeks remain before the kickoff of the high school football season. The following is my first installment of Sunflower League player ratings for the 2010 season. Player ratings are similar to the team based Power Rankings. On a weekly basis I name the five players who I feel are performing best, in addition to honorable mentions. Player's ratings shift nearly every week.

At the end of the season the player who I have as tops in the Player Ratings is named my Sunflower League MVP for the season.

2010 Top Five Player Ratings - Preseason

1. Brandon Willingham, Running Back, Olathe East: Willingham (left) was one of the few juniors who appeared in my top five ratings last season. This year he begins atop the list. Blessed with great athleticism, Willingham will play running back, defensive back, and return kicks and punts for the Hawks. Last season he rushed for 909 yards and nine touchdowns on offense, and made 64 tackles and two interceptions on defense.

2. Victor Simmons, Quarterback, Olathe North: In June, Simmons made a verbal commitment to play football at Kansas. While his recruitment is more or less over, the pressure to perform will really begin heating up. Simmons will operate out of the quarterback position in Olathe North's vaunted Wildcat-Option attack again in 2010--last season he rushed for 1,034 yards. The defensive side of the ball, however, is where we may see the biggest improvement from Simmons. He is slotted as a defensive back again for Olathe North, and it will be the position he will play at Kansas.

3. Adonis Saunders, Running Back, Olathe North: First it was Arland Bruce, then Eniak Mpwo, Beno Gore, Darren Sproles, Maurice Mack, Jim Bouknight, Justin Gore, Josh Gore, James Franklin, and now Saunders (left, on left). The speedy senior will be taking over a position at Olathe North that has featured five Simone Award winners, and nine All-State performers since the 1995 season. The question is can Saunders carry on the torch? For now, his prospects look good. The former Class 6A 100-meter champ will receive plenty of carries, and should also be a stud from his cornerback position.

4. Will Livingston, Running Back, SM West: Livingston is prepped for a big senior year. He rushed for just over 700 yards as a junior, and his great set of wheels should make up for any shortcomings he has with his size (5-foot-7, 165). SM West's offensive game is based around running the football effectively, and Livingston will receive as many carries as he can handle.

5. Nick Sands, Running Back, Olathe South: Sands is kind of the wildcard of this list but with Olathe South's change to a running based offense, he could be in for a big season. Expect the low-centered power back to receive upwards of 25 carries a game. Olathe South head coach Jeff Gourley predicts Sands to surpass the 2,000 yard rushing plateau this season--if he does that, he may find himself atop the list in November.

Honorable Mention: Drew Humphreys, Drew Goodger, Kyle Swartz, John Schrock

2010 Player Spotlights: Nick Sands

Nick Sands
Olathe South

Position: Running Back
Height: 5'7"
Weight: 180lbs.
Class: Senior

Stat to Note
Olathe South's spread offense restricted Sands' rushing totals as a junior, but his biggest game of the season came against SM East when he scored touchdowns in three different ways. A three yard run in the first quarter, and 82 yard kickoff return in the second quarter, and a 57 yard reception in the fourth quarter.

Scouting Report
While Sands isn't exactly a household name among returning Sunflower League running backs, he may be on track for a breakout season in 2010. Olathe South has been making the transition to more of a run based offense during the offseason, to better utilize the depth and talent the Falcons have returning on the offensive line.

What's more, Olathe South head coach Jeff Gourley was quoted by the Olathe News' Tod Palmer as saying "I’m going to boldly predict that he [Sands] rushes for 2,000 yards next year [2010]." The statement was very bold, especially considering the fact that Sands only received honorable mention honors last season for his efforts as a running back. On top of that, only four Sunflower League running backs have rushed for over 2,000 yards in the past 10 seasons (Sproles, Mack, Bouknight, and Franklin, all Simone Award winners).

But, confidence is huge in high school football, especially when it's coming from the head coach. Sands will get his fair share of carries, and running behind arguably the league's top returning offensive line will certainly help.

Games Scores and Notes

Week Six Game Results

Olathe North 38, Lawrence Free State 20 (All Star Video Sports Highlights)

Olathe North all but sealed their first Sunflower League crown in five years with an outstanding victory Friday night in Lawrence. The Eagles came out with a plan to pound the ball and did just that. Olathe North ran the ball 60 times for 461 yards and didn't even complete a pass in the game in totalling their 38 points. Olathe North's James Franklin (below) rushed for 284 yards and four touchdowns on 31 carries.

SM Northwest 27, Olathe Northwest 17

SM Northwest was able to capitalize on several Olathe Northwest turnovers in the first half, ultimately resulting in the 10 point margin of victory. SM Northwest was led by running back John Hauk's 158 rushing yards and touchdown. On one scoring drive, Hauk carried the ball eight consecutive times for 73 yards.

Olathe South 34, SM East 30

The Falcons from Olathe South played another up-and-down game, but came out on top after two consecutive fourth quarter touchdowns. Olathe South was trailing 30-20 with just over four minutes to play when Nick Sands took a Tanner Dutton pass 57 yards for a score. The Olathe South defense held SM East and the Falcons regained possession with 2:14 remaining. Dutton led the offense down the field and capped off the drive with a 10 yard touchdown pass to Marquis Addison. The score sealed the deal on the game, preventing SM East from winning their third straight game.

SM West 31, Lawrence 0

SM West put forth a bone-crushing defensive effort on their homecoming and not only shutout Lawrence, but also held the Chesty Lions to a mere 104 yards of total offense. SM West's Adam LeBlanc played a stellar game, scoring three touchdowns (two rushing and one receiving) and collecting an interception on defense. Lawrence now sits winless at 0-6.

SM South 20, SM North 17 (All Star Video Sports Highlights)

It took overtime to decided the outcome of this heated Shawnee Mission School District matchup. Trailing 14-7, SM North's Arthur Rucker completed an 80 yard touchdown pass to Ryan Finazzo to tie the game up at 14 all. SM North opened overtime with a 27 yard Ryan Goodburn field goal, but SM South's Johannes Swanepoel punched in a rushing touchdown to give SM South a 20-17 OT victory. Swanepoel ran the ball 29 times for 143 yards and the touchdown.

Olathe East 53, Leavenworth 3

Olathe East used a balanced attack to lay half-a-hundred on Leavenworth in the final game before district play. Olathe East's Carter McEntee completed 15 of 20 passes for 190 yards and three touchdowns. On the ground Austin Fulson led the Hawks with 154 rushing yards and two touchdowns on three carries.