The 2010 Season in Review

Best Team: Olathe North. The Eagles proved it beating every other formidable foe in the Sunflower League and advancing to the state championship game.

Best Upset: Lawrence High's week five triumph over Olathe East, 27-21, not only shocked the red hot Hawks, but it was also a huge morale boost for the Lawrence football program following a not-so-fun 2009 season.

Biggest Surprise Player: Lawrence Free State's Dylan Perry (left) was really an unknown to most heading into the season, but, as we've come to expect, the quarterbacks at Free State tend to do pretty well in their zone-read option offense. During the off-season Camren Torneden tipped me off that Perry was going to be a special player for the Firebirds, but there wasn't much information out there to read into on Perry. During the 2010 season, Perry became the fourth quarterback to surpass 1,000 yards passing and rushing in the same season since 2004, joining Olathe North's Dustin Moomau (2004), and Free State's Ryan Murphy (2006) and Camren Torneden (2008).

Biggest Surprise Team: We knew in the pre-season talks that the Lancers from SM East had something brewing, but their four-game win improvement over last season was a big deal.

Highest Scoring Output: Olathe North scored 76 points in their week five triumph over Leavenworth.

Best Individual Performances: Many players in the league had great games during the season, but statistically, these three stuck out the most in my mind:

**Brandon Willingham's performance against Free State in Regionals was impressive as he rushed for 190 yards on 33 carries, including three second half touchdowns which pulled Olathe East ahead for the victory.

**In his team's week three loss to SM West, Dylan Perry completed 10 of 17 passes for 185 yards and one touchdown, and he also ran the ball 22 times for 193 yards and two touchdowns.

**In week two, Free State's Preston Schenck filled the box score, carrying the ball 13 times for 84 yards, returning a punt 44 yards for a touchdown, returning a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown, running an interception back 40 yards for a touchdown, and blocking a kick that was returned 91 yards for a touchdown by Perry.

**Honorable mention would include Drew Goodger's first half against Olathe North in week six when he recorded four sacks, and John Schrock's five touchdown outburst against Blue Valley North in week seven.

Best Three Storylines from 2010:

**SM East's best season in decades under second-year head coach Chip Sherman.

**Olathe North's talented duo of Adonis Saunders and Victor Simmons--both Kansas commits--working to defend Olathe North's 6A crown.

**Olathe North squaring off against rivals Olathe South and Olathe East in the playoffs.

Best Three Early Storylines for 2011:

**With only nine returning First or Second Team All-Sunflower League selections in 2011, it looks like the league will be in for an uprising of new talent.

**Just how far can Lawrence High's quarterback, junior-to-be Brad Strauss (left), lead the Chesty Lions in 2011? Strauss might be capable of leading Lawrence High back to the upper echelon of the league. As a sophomore he completed 60% of his passes for 1,321 yards and 10 touchdowns with only four interceptions.

**Who will be Olathe North's next big, strong, fast, athletic running back to dominate the Sunflower League? Since the 1995 season Olathe North has basically featured 10 big-time running backs. Of those 10, two have played or are playing the NFL, five have won the Simone Award, and five have gone the Division One route.

Way-too-early Top Three for 2011:

1.) Olathe East: The Hawks have a solid core returning and under Jeff Meyers the team is always in contention for the top spot in the league.

2.) Olathe North: Tanner Gentry will be the Eagles' only real prominent returning starter, but the program will undoubtedly find athletes to fill the voids left from 2010.

3.) SM East: Adam Lowe and Elliot Faerber will give the Lancers a great base at the skill positions to build off of.

Game Scores and Notes

Week Nine Review

Lawerence Free State 42, Lawrence 20

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

Olathe East 35, Olathe South 14

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

Olathe North 35, Olathe Northwest 6

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

SM Northwest 41, Wyandotte 14

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

SM North 28, Leavenworth 24

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

SM West 34, Blue Valley North 10

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

SM East 28, SM South 12

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

Photo courtesy the Lawrence Journal-World

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Player Ratings

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

1. Brandon Willingham, Running Back, Olathe East

Week Four: 8 carries, 115 yards, 4 TDs

Willingham (right) little trouble slicing through the rain and the Leavenworth defense. His rushing scores from three, 32, one, and 41 yards out took up half of the eight carries he received in total in the game. Willingham did not play in the second half.

2. Dylan Perry, Quarterback, Lawrence Free State

Week Four: 10 carries, 41 yards; 7-of-9 passing, 107 yards, 1 TD

Perry only played the first half on Friday, partially do to an ankle injury suffered in week three, and partially due to the 32-0 lead he led the Firebirds to. Perry is completing 61% of his passes, which is best among Sunflower League quarterbacks.

3. Adonis Saunders, Running Back, Olathe North

Week Four: 14 carries, 136 yards, 1 TD

Saunders broke loose for another long touchdown run against SM East, this time from 61 yards out. Saunders' speed is hard to corral and it helps to explain his rushing average of 9 yards per carry.

4. Victor Simmons, Quarterback, Olathe North

Week Four: 14 carries, 38 yards; 25-yard touchdown pass

For the second consecutive week a defense did an admirable job of containing Simmons.Simmons was held in check for the majority of the game Friday, and his only touchdown came on a 25-yard pass in the fourth quarter. Two weeks of average play drop Simmons two spots.

5. John Schrock, Quarterback, SM East

Week Four: 17-of-36 passing, 196 yards, 1 TD; 1 rushing TD

Schrock makes his first appearance on the Top 5 Player Ratings despite his team's loss. While Schrock's completion percentage (52%) and touchdown to interception ratio (6:5) could be better, he still accounts for the biggest reason why SM East is 3-1 and a contender in the Sunflower League.

Honorable Mention: Will Livingston, Tre Burt, Nick Sands, Austin Fulson, Preston Schenck

Week Five Power Rankings

*Rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis

**See previous post for commentary on Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (4-0)

2. Olathe North (3-1)

3. SM West (3-1)

4. SM East (3-1)

5. Lawrence Free State (3-1)

6. Olathe South (2-2)

7. Olathe Northwest (2-2)

8. SM Northwest (1-3)

9. Lawrence (2-2)

10. SM South (1-3)

11. SM North (0-4)

12. Leavenworth (0-4)

Eli's Week Four Q & A

Submit your Sunflower League questions to Eli at eunder@ku.edu

Q: Why do the Olathe schools dominate the Sunflower League? As far as I can tell their enrollments aren't larger. I have been puzzled by this, and am curious about your opinion? - Aaron

A: This is a great question and it probably has an underlying answer that nobody is 100% sure of. The best I can offer is reasoning I have collected as a fan/player/writer through the years.

My own opinion is that the culture of football in Olathe is one which is much more conducive to successful high school football programs. There seems to exist more of an aura around the football programs in the Olathe high schools (namely North, East, and South) that you don't find in most of the other Sunflower League schools--and much of that is based on past successes. You don't develop a football culture unless the success is there. And let's be honest, outside of the Olathes, which school has had constant success throughout the last decade?

I can say from my own experiences at SM West that the football culture within the school has greatly increased from the time Tim Callaghan took over in 2003 to now. And that's because the football team was good, experienced success, and it led to increased participation and interest in the sport within the school, and in the community. You can take a look at SM East right now and compare the enthusiasm of their fanbase today with what it was two years ago. The difference is success, and the hope of greater successes. The big three Olathe football powers have had notable success throughout the past decade and it helps to explain the culture that exists.

I feel the football culture is ultimately what keeps a program on top but there are key factors at play which get that culture going. Gene Wier's success in the form of six state championships at Olathe North was not by accident, and it's reasonable to believe that his influence is the reason Olathe North is still the caliber of program they are today. The same can be said for Jeff Meyers' lengthy stint as head coach at Olathe East. The moxy associated with these two schools in particular was started with great coaching, and it has carried through with great coaching.

Player ability also contributes a great deal. It helps to explain the fact that Olathe North has more Simone Award winners (six) than any team in the Kansas City Metropolitan and as many state championships. But then again, SM Northwest has produced more NFL players (Chace Johnson, Ryan Lilja, Ryan Torain, and Mike Rivera) than any other Sunflower League school over the past decade and they haven't even fielded a Sub-State berth during that span.

Ultimately, it seems, a foundation is necessary for a dominant football program to emerge. The big three Olathe schools were the ones with the right coaches in place at the time of Lawrence High's split in 1995, and those three schools were able to take the reigns on the league. Since that time, SM West and Lawrence Free State have been the only schools to challenge the big three.

Stat Check

Passing Yards

John Schrock, SM East: 882, 6 TDs

Stephen Mangelsdorf, SM Northwest: 612, 3 TDs

Brad Strauss, Lawrence: 571, 5 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 499, 3 TDs

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 319, 2 TDs

Armani Williams, SM West: 300, 2 TDs

Alex Forslund, SM South: 279, 1 TD

Corey Kipp, Olathe Northwest: 271, 3 TDs

Ryan Lundgren, Olathe Northwest: 203, 3 TDs

Trent Kuhl, Olathe East: 190, 1 TD

Rushing Yards

Nick Sands, Olathe South: 560, 3 TDs

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 553, 8 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 470, 6 TDs

Adonis Saunders, Olathe North: 468, 5 TDs

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 401, 6 TDs

Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 391, 2 TDs

Tre Burt, SM West: 342, 3 TDs

Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 327, 6 TDs

Charles Jackson, Lawrence: 324, 3 TDs

Jake Crist, Olathe South: 307, 2 TDs

Receiving Yards

Elliot Faerber, SM East: 312, 3 TDs

Krey Bradley, SM East: 219, 2 TDs

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 209, 2 TDs

Desmond Wyatt, Lawrence Free State: 208, 3 TDs

Anthony Buffalomeat (right), Lawrence: 187, 1 TD

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 176, 2 TDs

Mason Perez, SM North: 170, 1 TD

Grant Ellis, SM East: 164, 1 TD

Aaron Gile, Lawrence: 145

Shawn Laurent, SM South: 140, 1 TD

Tackles

Denzel Simpson, SM West: 53

Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 43

Josh Mais, SM East: 40

Tristan Opie, Olathe Northwest: 40

Kyle Swartz, Olathe North: 40

Brock Burrows, SM North: 38

Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 36

Dylan Hanson, Olathe South: 35

Sam Todd, Olathe North:33

Taylor Sheffield, Olathe South: 29

Interceptions

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 3

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 2

DeAndre Graves, SM West: 2

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 2 (2 TDs)

Kick Return/Punt Return TDs

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 1 KR TD, 1 PR TD

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 1 KR TD

JaQuan Brunt, SM East: 1 KR TD

Kendal Harland, Olathe South: 1 PR TD

Field Goals

Daniel Gutierrez, Olathe North: (3/5)

Jared Douglas, Olathe South: (2/3)

Sean Jones, SM West: (2/2)

Nick Prologo, Olathe Northwest: (2/3)

Alex Allen, SM Northwest: (1/2)

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: (1/3)

Anthony Rosen, Lawrence: (1/1)

Chase Woofter, SM East: (1/2)

Stats courtesy Mid-Statesports.com

Photos courtesy (from top) OE Hawks football, the Lawrence Journal-World

Game Scores and Notes

Week Four Game Results

Olathe North 24, SM East 13

On Olathe North's second play of their first offensive possession Adonis Saunders busted loose for a 61-yard touchdown run. Saunders had similar big runs early in the Eagles two previous wins, and it was a good omen for the team on Friday. Olathe North built a 10-0 lead in the second quarter before SM East's John Schrock scored on the ground from three yards out to put the Lancers within four points at halftime. In the third quarter SM East claimed their first lead of the game when Schrock hit Krey Bradley for a 10-yard touchdown pass. Down 13-10, Olathe North responded late in the third quarter when backup quarterback Jordan Bruce connected with Saunders for a 38-yard touchdown pass. The touchdown gave Olathe North the lead which they didn't relinquish. Victor Simmons tacked on the final score with a 25-yard touchdown pass to Tanner Gentry late in the fourth quarter.

SM West 36, Olathe Northwest 20

Early on it looked like Olathe Northwest may be able to pull of an upset against SM West. A 68-yard run by Connor Middleton and a 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Nick Bandy gave the Raven's an early 14-3 lead. SM West scored on run plays of one and five yards by Danny Dowling and Cordi Pascal, respectively, pushing the Vikings ahead 16-14. Just before the half Nick Prologo added a field goal to give the Ravens a 17-16 halftime lead. In the third quarter Prologo tacked on another field goal, before SM West went on to score 20 unanswered points on three rushing touchdowns. Tre Burt (right) scored two of the touchdowns, on runs from 20 and 27 yards.

Olathe East 62, Leavenworth 6
Olathe East made sure there would be no letdown after their big win last week. The Hawks recorded nine touchdown on the night, and led 49-0 at halftime. Brandon Willingham, who did not play in the second half, led Olathe East in rushing with four touchdowns and 113 yards on only eight carries. In total, Olathe East's 51 carries went for 358 yards and eight touchdowns. Leavenworth's lone touchdown came on a fourth quarter run by Gregg Lowery.

Olathe South 31, SM South 7

Olathe South looked dominant on the ground once again, rushing for 355 yards and three touchdowns in their victory against SM South. Kendal Harland put Olathe South on the board with a 19-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. Nick Sands added touchdowns on runs of 45 and one yards before the half. Leading 24-0 in the fourth quarter, Harland had another big play when he returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown. SM South got on the board late in the fourth quarter on a 7-yard run by Alex Forslund.

SM Northwest 23, Lawrence 20

A questionable call late in this game nearly cost SM Northwest their first victory. Leading 23-20, SM Northwest gained possession and proceeded to down the ball on three consecutive plays. With 15 seconds left the Cougars elected to pass the ball instead of punting it away. The play failed miserably, and Lawrence gained possession at the SM Northwest 15-yard line for an easy field goal. A botched snap ruined those chances and SM Northwest claimed their first victory of the season. SM Northwest was led by the defensive effort of Drew Goodger who recorded four first half sacks, and Kenny Mings whose late game interception prevented Lawrence from tying or gaining the lead.

Lawrence Free State 46, SM North 7

An injured ankle did little to slow down Dylan Perry and Free State, despite the fact that he only played the first half. Preston Schenck (right) scored early on a 60-yard touchdown run, and added two more scores on runs of 21 and three yards. The Firebirds led 32-0 at the half, and never looked back.

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

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Player Ratings
Player Ratings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis

1. Victor Simmons, Quarterback, Olathe North
Week Two: 19 carries, 156 yards, 1 TD; 4-of-8 passing for 85 yards

Simmons gets the promotion to the #1 spot after another stellar game. The Kansas commit highlighted his team's 30-7 victory with a 80-yard touchdown run in the second half of the game. Simmons also had the best passing day of his career, and we should see more of it down the road.

2. Adonis Saunders, Running Back, Olathe North
Week Two: 16 carries, 124 yards, 2 TDs

Saunders broke loose for another long run on Olathe North's first offensive play of the game--this time it was a 79-yarder . The run marks the third touchdown run of over 70 yards that Saunders has had this season. It would be interesting to see if Saunders or Simmons is faster in pads.

3. Brandon Willingham (right), Running Back, Olathe East
Week Two: 31 carries, 123 yards

Willingham slips two spots mostly due to the emergence of fellow running back Austin Fulson. In this weekend's game it was Fulson who scored all three of Olathe East's touchdowns, and Willingham's average of 3.9 yards per carry was below what we've come to expect from the talented senior. A big game in week three against Olathe North could shoot Willingham back up the list.

4. Will Livingston, Running Back, SM West
Week Two: 20 carries, 126 yards, 2 TDS

Livingston has become the go-to-man for SM West. He recorded his fourth and fifth touchdowns of the season against SM Northwest--one of which came on a 60-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. His rushing totals aren't great (97.5 yards rushing per game) but his scoring production is.

5. Dylan Perry, Quarterback, Lawrence Free State
Week Two: 10 carries, 104 yards, 2 TDs; 4-of-10 passing, 57 yards, 1 TD; 91-yard fumble recovery return for a touchdown

Perry scored four touchdowns in a whirlwind victory over Leavenworth. Perhaps the most impressive of the four was when Free State's Preston Schenck (who is knocking at the door of the Top 5 Player Ratings) blocked a Leavenworth field goal attempt and Perry scooped the fumble up and took it back 91 yards for a Free State touchdown.

Honorable Mention: Preston Schenck, John Schrock, Austin Fulson

Week Three Power Rankings
*Power Rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis
**See previous post for commentary on Rankings

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

Eli's Week Three Q and A
Submit your Sunflower League questions to Eli at eunder@ku.edu

Q: Which team(s) has been the most surprising thus far, good or bad?

A: If you were to have asked me three weeks ago if I thought Olathe South and SM Northwest would be battling it out for their first wins of the season in week three, I would have said no way. Yet, in week three both teams are on their heels looking for their first "W." That's been a huge surprise.

Lawrence Free State has also been a surprise. The team has literally not missed a beat at the quarterback position from last year. Dylan Perry's successes have been very impressive so far, especially for a first year starter at the position. Preston Schenck (right) has also been a huge surprise--probably not to the Free State faithful, but to the rest of us.

Q: Is SM East for real?

A: It's way too early to decide that, but I feel the Lancers have alot of things going for them that would point to an eventual yes. First off, SM East's head coach Chip Sherman is one of the best in the business, and you can never question a guy who has three state championship rings. Their strong start is much the product of the productive offseason Sherman put the team through. The Lancer's quarterback John Schrock looks like the real deal, and the team seems to be feeding off his playmaking ability. It's not a stretch to call Schrock the best passing quarterback in the league. The Lancer fanbase is also getting excited about the team, and I can't stress how much good a strong fanbase does for a program.

SM East should take care of SM North in the Nut Bowl in week three, and be 3-0 when they travel to take on Olathe North. That game, and the week after when SM East travels to play Lawrence Free State will be good measuring sticks for where the program is at.

Q: Which will end sooner, Olathe North's 15-game winning streak or Leavenworth's 17-game losing streak?

A: This is a tough one. Leavenworth plays a home game against Wyandotte (currently 0-2) in week seven, and I'll make the bold prediction that the Pioneers will end their losing streak that night, if they haven't already. Olathe North has two games that appear to pose a decent threat, as of right now in week three. Their home game this week against Olathe East won't be easy, and their week eight contest with Lawrence Free state should be a challenge.

Stat Check

Passing Yards
John Schrock, SM East: 538, 4 TDs
Brad Strauss, Lawrence: 267, 2 TDs
Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 207, 1 TD
Ryan Lundgren (right), Olathe Northwest: 203, 3 TDs
Armani Williams, SM West: 197, 2 TDs
Stephen Mangelsdorf, SM Northwest: 193, 1 TD
Trent Kuhl, Olathe East: 131, 1 TD
Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 123
Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 104
Alex Forslund, SM South: 99

Rushing Yards
Adonis Saunders, Olathe North: 284, 4 TDs
Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 279, 5 TDs
Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 274, 2 TDs
Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 250, 1 TD
Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 236, 2 TDs
Alex Forslund, SM South: 199, 1 TD
Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 196, 4 TDs
Will Livingston, SM West: 195, 4 TDs
Justin Pamatmat, Olathe Northwest: 166, 1 TD
Kendall Kelly, SM North: 139

Receiving Yards
Elliot Faerber, SM East: 209, 2 TDs
Krey Bradley, SM East: 157, 1 TD
Austin Flory, Lawrence: 113, 1 TD
Grant Ellis, SM East: 101, 1 TD
Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 85, 2 TDs
Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 81
Leonard Parks, Olathe Northwest: 81, 1 TD
Tucker Fritzel, Lawrence Free State: 77
Will Livingston, SM West: 75, 1 TD
Danny Dowling, SM West: 67, 1 TD

Tackles
Tristan Opie, Olathe Northwest: 22
Denzell Simpson, SM West: 21
Brock Burrows, SM North: 19
RJ Boyle, SM South: 18
Seth Hartman, SM East: 16
Josh Mais, SM East: 16
Drew Boyce, Olathe Northwest: 14
Matt Denmark, SM North: 14
Greg Overmohle, SM West: 14
Mike Eichenberg, Olathe Northwest: 13

Interceptions
Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 2, (2 TDs)
Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 2
DeAndre Graves, SM West: 2
Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 1
JaQuan Brunt, SM East: 1, (1 TD)
Kendall Kelly, SM North: 1
Ryan Theis, SM North: 1
Junior Williams, Olathe East: 1
Treshawn Root, Olathe East: 1
Colin Becker, Lawrence Free State: 1

Kickoff/Punt Return Touchdowns
Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 1 KR TD, 2 PR TDs
JaQuan Brunt, SM East: 1 KR TD

Field Goals Made/Attempted
Daniel Gutierrez, Olathe North: 2/3
Jared Douglas, Olathe South: 1/1
Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 1/3
Sean Jones, SM West: 1/1
Anthony Rosen, Lawrence: 1/1
Chase Woofter, SM East: 1/2

Stats courtesy Mid-Statesports.com

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

Week Two Review

Three Up

SM South

The Raiders (right, in green) used a solid ground attack and good defense to soundly beat SM North, 19-3. While it wasn't the flashiest victory we've seen so far, it was a solid outing and SM South took care of business.

SM West

The Vikings snapped their two game losing streak dating back to last season. Their jumping out to a substantial lead against SM Northwest was a big improvement over their lackadaisical start last week.

Lawrence Free State

The Firebirds hung 55 points on Leavenworth and further illustrated their big play potential on all sides of the ball. In the first half alone they had three special teams touchdowns of over 40 yards.

Three Down

SM Northwest

Going 0-2 to start the season is bad enough, but adding in the fact that the losses came at the hands of two other Shawnee Mission schools adds a little salt to the wound.

Olathe South

So far, Olathe South's transformation to smash mouth football has been, well, a bust. The Falcons have played a difficult two game stretch, but they haven't exactly been competitive in either game.

SM North

Through two weeks of play the Indians have scored a mere 10 points. Even Leavenworth has topped that with 13 points of their own.

Individual Highlights

**Lawrence Free State's Preston Schenck had yet another incredible game this weekend. The senior ran the ball 13 times for 84 yards, returned a punt 44 yards for a touchdown, returned a kickoff 94 yards for a touchdown, ran back an interception 40 yards for a touchdown, and blocked a kick which set up teammate Dylan Perry for a 91-yard return for a touchdown.

**Olathe East's Austin Fulson (right) ran the ball 15 times for 156 yards, including touchdowns runs of 80, one, and six yards. On defense he recorded eight tackles and a sack.

**Olathe North's Victor Simmons proved nearly unstoppable this past weekend, rushing for 163 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, and completing four passes for 85 yards.

**SM East's John Schrock completed 19 of 28 passes for 385 yards and four touchdowns.

Week Three Power Rankings

1. Olathe North (2-0): The Eagles may be the fastest team in the state of Kansas, and their 347.5 yards rushing per game doesn't look to be going down anytime soon.

2. Olathe East (2-0): Olathe East's running back duo of Brandon Willingham and Austin Fulson is going to be a nightmare for defenses all season.

3. SM West (1-1): The Vikings appear to have regained their composure with their 24 point win after a poor showing in week one.

4. SM East (2-0): The Lancers are playing as well as anyone, and they have passed for 270 more yards than any other team in the league.

5. Lawrence Free State (2-0): Preston Schenck and Dylan Perry have come out of the woodwork as seniors, and their play has the Firebirds dominating.

6. Olathe South (0-2): There are many questions and few answers right now in the Olathe South camp; their defense has given up a league worst 448.5 yards per game thus far.

7. SM Northwest (0-2): The Cougars play the aforementioned Olathe South in week three in a desperate battle for a much-needed victory for both sides.

8. Olathe Northwest (1-1): Despite losing, Olathe Northwest had a decent showing against Olathe East and the Raven's appear to be headed in the right direction.

9. Lawrence (1-1): The Chesty Lions played well early, but couldn't hold their lead against SM East's potent offensive attack.

10. SM South (1-1): With this early win SM South is in good position to do better than the 3-6 record from last season.

11. SM North (0-2): SM North's offense has been terrible this season and it must improve if the team wants to collect any victories in 2010.

12. Leavenworth (0-2): The Pioneers had some flashes of life on offense, but unfortunately for Leavenworth it wasn't enough to win, and their losing streak now sits at 17 straight games.

Stats courtesy Mid-Statesports.com, photos courtesy (from top) the Shawnee Dispatch, the Kansas City Star

Game Scores and Notes

Week Two Game Results

SM South 19, SM North 3

Following a defensive stop and punt on SM North's opening possession, SM South was given a short field to score. Seven plays and thirty-four yards later the Raiders gained a 6-0 lead on a Gabe Guild touchdown run from two yards out. Midway through the second quarter SM South punched in another short touchdown run, this time a six yarder by Keaton Ward, to claim a 12-0 advantage. Kyle Goodburn gave the Indians their only points of the game on a 27-yard field goal before the half. SM South's Alex Forslund kept the ball on 35-yard option run to give the Raiders their third touchdown of the game in the second half.

Olathe North 30, Olathe South 7

Adonis Saunders clearly has a knack for taking the wind out of opponents early. On the second play of Friday's game Saunders took a handoff 79 yards for a touchdown. On Olathe North's ensuing possession Dominick Wilson scored on a run from 20 yards out to give the Eagles a 13-0 advantage. A Daniel Gutierrez field goal gave them a 16-0 lead minutes before halftime, when lightning halted the game until Saturday. The teams returned to the field Saturday and the game continued in Olathe North's favor. Saunders added a three yard touchdown run and Victor Simmons scored on an 80-yard burst in the second half. Olathe South's lone score came on a 64-yard run by Jake Crist.

Olathe East 21, Olathe Northwest 7

Capitalizing on a botched punt return by Olathe East, Olathe Northwest was able to jump out to a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter when Ryan Lundgren connected with Nick Bandy on a 14-yard touchdown pass. Olathe East responded on their next possession when Austin Fulson took a handoff 80 yards for a touchdown to tie the game. Seconds before lightning postponed the game Fuslon added another touchdown run, this time from one yard out. On Saturday the only scoring came on Fulson's third touchdown run, this time from six yards out. Fulson concluded the game with 156 yards rushing, while fellow running back Brandon Willingham (right) added 126 of his own.

SM West 37, SM Northwest 13

SM West didn't take three and a half quarters to get things going this week. In the first quarter Will Livingston ripped off a 60-yard touchdown run for the Vikings for give the team a 7-0 advantage. Later in the second quarter Armani Williams connected with fullback Danny Dowling for a 22-yard touchdown pass. The bad weather hit, and SM West took a two touchdown lead to Saturday. The game stayed in SM West's favor on Saturday as well, as the Vikings added three touchdowns and a field goal. SM Northwest was able to add 13 points of their own, but it wasn't enough to overcome the initial deficit.

SM East 35, Lawrence 16

SM East got going early again on a play by Quan Brunt when he returned the opening kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown. Lawrence responded with a 25-yard field goal by Anthony Rosen and then Aaron Gile picked off a John Schrock pass and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown. The score put Lawrence up 9-7, but SM East quickly responded with two quick scoring drives, both of which ended with touchdown passes from Schrock. Before lightning stopped the game the Lancers led 21-9. On Saturday SM East took complete control and didn't look back. Schrock torched the Chesty Lion's defense for some 389 yards passing in leading the Lancers to the 19-point victory.

Lawrence Free State 55, Leavenworth 7

The Firebirds from Free State had no trouble scoring on Friday, or Saturday. Before the game was halted on Friday night, Free State had a gained a 27-7 lead. The four Free State touchdowns came on a 44-yard punter return by Preston Schenck, a 91-yard blocked kick return by Dylan Perry, a one-yard Schenck run, and finally a 94-yard kick return by Schenck. Leavenworth's Mark DaBeck connected with Jason Randall on a 64-yard touchdown pass to put their team on the board before the lightning hit. On Saturday the results were much the same as Free State tacked on four more touchdowns.

Photo courtesy Shane Keyser, the Olathe News

Week One Review

Three Up

Olathe North
The Eagles ran the ball 46 times for 353 yards (7.6 ypc) and four touchdowns against SM West, a school known for its defensive work. The dominating effort erased any doubt as to whether or not Olathe North would be able to run the ball as effectively as they did last season.

SM East
The Lancers couldn't have asked for much better of an effort in week one. Not only did they garner their first victory of the season, but they also shutout a district rival in the process. At the very least it looks like SM East has really improved from their 4-6 campaign last year.

Lawrence Free State (right)
The losses of Camren Torneden and Kirk Resseguie did little to dampen the Firebird's offense. In fact, their offense looked as potent as ever in the their 45-23 victory over Olathe South. If they can keep playing at that level few teams will be able to keep up.

Three Down

Olathe South
The Falcon's "new look" offensive run game did little to impress in week one, and it doesn't look like there was much focus on improving what was a horrendous defense in 2009.

SM Northwest
The Cougars had a great shot at revenge against the team that kept them out of the playoffs in 2009, but they failed to do so against SM East. Getting shut out just added insult to injury.

SM North
The Dennis Grayless era opened in a similar fashion to the way the past five seasons have gone for SM North--poorly. The Indians were playing a talented opponent in Olathe East, but that does little to cover the fact that the team didn't play well in their 42-7 loss.

Individual Highlights

**Lawrence Free State's quarterback/running back duo of Dylan Perry and Preston Schenck combined to rush for 244 yards and three touchdowns. Schenck also returned an interception for a touchdown.

**Olathe North's Adonis Saunders (right) rushed for 156 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries. His rushing average for the game--22.3 yards per carry.

**SM East's quarterback John Schrock lived up to his preseason billing in week one. In leading his team to victory Schrock completed 12 of 26 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown. He also ran the ball nine times for 42 yards and a touchdown.

**Despite his team's loss, SM West senior Will Livingston had an amazing fourth quarter. In a span of seven minutes and 33 seconds, Livingston rushed for a 36 yard touchdown, caught a 75 yard touchdown pass, and added another touchdown run from five yards out.

Week Two Power Rankings

1. Olathe North (1-0): The Eagles picked up right where they left off in 2009.

2. Olathe East (1-0): The Hawks jump to the #2 spot after the SM West loss, and a complete domination of SM North.

3. SM West (0-1): The Vikings didn't looked focused from the start of their game vs. Olathe North. That must change in week two.

4. SM East (1-0): Chip Sherman's group could easily start the season 3-0 if they take care of business the way they should.

5. Lawrence Free State (1-0): The Firebirds were very impressive in their week one victory; Bob Lisher may have the best offensive system in the league.

6. Olathe South (0-1): The Falcon's didn't live up to the preseason hype in week one. Week two only gets more difficult against Olathe North.

7. SM Northwest (0-1): After an opening week loss to SM East the Cougars will regroup and try to even their record against another district rival in SM West.

8. Olathe Northwest (1-0): The Raven's opening win was nice, but they will experience their first true test in week two against Olathe East.

9. Lawrence (1-0): The team Lawrence displayed in their opening win was ten times more impressive than the group they fielded last year.

10. SM South (0-1): The loss of talent to graduation may have hit the Raiders worse than any team in the league.

11. SM North (0-1): Last season's the game between SM North and SM South was arguably the most exciting of the season. We'll see if 2010 is a repeat.

12. Leavenworth (0-1): The opening loss was bad, but on the bright side the Pioneers will get to play their first home game at their new stadium in week two.

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

Game Scores and Notes

Week One Game Results

SM East 24, SM Northwest 0 (from Friday)
SM East had a chance to make a statement in their first game of the season, and they did a good job of it. The Lancers got on the board in the second quarter when cornerback Quan Brunt intercepted a Stephen Mangelsdorf pass and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown. At the half SM East was on top 7-0. In the second half the Lancers continued to seperate themselves. A Chase Woofter field goal gave them a 10-0 advantage, and then two John Schrock touchdowns--a four yard run and a 38 yard touchdown pass to Elliot Faerber--put SM East up 24-0. SM Northwest was held to 161 yards of total offense, while SM East produced 268 yards, 207 of which came in the second half.

Olathe North 29, SM West 22
The questions as to how Olathe North would play without James Franklin were answered on their first offensive play when Adonis Saunders took a handoff 77 yards to the house. Later in the first quarter quarterback Victor Simmons weaved his way through the center of the SM West's defense on his way to a 41 yard touchdown run. Then Kyle Swartz pounded in a one yard touchdown plunge to give the Eagles a comfortable 20-0 advantage on SM West heading into halftime. Saunders opened up the third quarter much the way he did the first--taking a carry 72 yards for his second touchdown of the day. The Eagles also added a field goal early in the fourth quarter to grab a 29-0 lead before they began pulling their defensive starters. SM West capitalized with three Will Livingston touchdowns (runs of 36 and five yards, and a 72 yard reception) in the final quarter, but it wasn't enough to overcome to 29 points.

Lawrence Free State 42, Olathe South 23
Sunflower League, meet Dylan Perry (right). In his first game the helm of Free State's offense the senior completed nine of 13 passes for 150 yards and a touchdown, and added 132 rushing yards on 22 carries. Free State led 14-3 at halftime, but early in the third quarter Olathe South cut the lead to 4 points when Kendal Harland scored on an eight yard run. Then the Preston Schenck show began. Free State's senior running back scored two touchdowns on runs of three and 48 yards, and also added a 45 yard interception return for a touchdown. The three scores gave the Firebirds a comfortable lead on their way to the opening victory.

Olathe East 42, SM North 7
Olathe East claimed their 12th consecutive opening game win with ease. After SM North's initial drive stalled and their field goal attempt was blocked, Olathe East got rolling and it was lights out. Austin Fulson, previously known for his defensive prowess, broke out on offense rushing for 129 yards on 10 carries and two touchdowns. Brandon Willingham added 121 rushing yards on 11 carries and a touchdown in addition to a 15 yard reception touchdown. SM North's lone touchdown came late in the fourth quarter when Ryan Ruhulessin scored from a yard out to prevent the goose egg.

Olathe Northwest 41, SM South 14
The Ravens dominated in nearly every facet of their home opener on Friday. Quarterback Ryan Lundgren put Olathe Northwest on the board with a one yard run in the first quarter. Olathe Northwest made it 14-0 when Lundgren hit Nick Bandy for a 20 yard touchdown pass before the half. Lundgren added another one yard touchdown run and a 75 yard touchdown pass to Leonard Parks in the third quarter en route to the Raven's 27 point victory.

Lawrence 40, Leavenworth 6
Lawrence High looked like a completely different group compared to last season. The Chesty Lions scored touchdowns on their first five drives, and outgained Leavenworth 328 to 76 in total yards. Lawrence's Darrin Sorem, Charles Jackson and Brad Strauss all scored two touchdowns apiece. Strauss' 11 pass completions were one more than the 10 completions Lawrence recorded for all of 2009.