Olathe North 48, SM West 21

Olathe North's "Big Three," consisting of Orange Mooney, Tanner Gentry and Treshawn Root, all found their way into the scoring column early against SM West, fueling the Eagle's 27-point victory.

Root put Olathe North up 7-0 in the first quarter when he took a carry 47-yards to the house.  In the second quarter Jordan Bruce connected with Gentry on a 17-yard touchdown pass, which was followed up by an eight-yard touchdown run from Mooney.  The Eagles added their fourth touchdown on another run from Root, this time from 26 yards out, to go up 28-0.  SM West snuck in late touchdown on a one-yard run from Armani Williams to pull the game to 28-7 as the teams broke for halftime.

In the third quarter Olathe North had one touchdown score--a 30-yard pass from Bruce to Gentry--to go up 34-7.  SM West added a touchdown on a three-yard run from Tre Burt to make things 34-14.

Olathe North closed out the game with two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.  One on a seven-yard run from Bruce, and then a 57-yard run from Root, to go up 48-21.  SM West's lone fourth quarter score came on a 68-yard touchdown run from Burt.

With the win, Olathe North improved to 3-0 on the season.  SM West fell to 1-2, marking the first time since 2003 that the Vikings have had a losing record past the first game of the season.

Week Two Game Recaps

Olathe South's Russell White scored
touchdowns on runs of six, 60, and five
yards on Friday night.  Photo courtesy
the Kansas City Star.

Olathe South 33, Lawrence 22

Olathe South had no problem running effectively in this game, as they scored first when Russell White took a handoff 32-yards for a touchdown to give the Falcons an early advantage.  Lawrence was able to match the score on their next possession on a drive that was capped off with a six-yard run from Charles Jackson, then added a two-point conversion on a run from Brad Strauss.

Trailing by one, White broke free again for Olathe South, scoring on a 60-yard touchdown run.  The Falcons missed the PAT and led 13-8.  Jackson added another touchdown run for Lawrence in the first quarter from three yards out, and the Chesty Lions once again converted a two-point conversion to go up 16-13. 

In the second quarter Olathe South regained the lead on a 38-yard touchdown pass from Frankie Seurer to Justin Maggot, but once again missed the PAT.  They led by three until Lawrence's Anthony Rosen booted a 32-yard field goal to tie things at 19.  Olathe South then responded with another rushing touchdown--a four-yard run from Teddy Colbert--to go up 26-19.  Rosen added a field goal before the half to bring things to 26-22, with Olathe South ahead as the teams headed into the locker rooms.

The back-and-forth scoring did not continue in the second half.  In fact, the only score was a five-yard touchdown run for White, his third of the day, to push Olathe South's advantage to 33-22.  Olathe South churned out 321 rushing yards on the day.

Olathe North 45, SM North 7

Olathe North's Tanner Gentry took a punt 80-yards to the house midway through the first quarter and the route was on for the Eagles.  Gentry later caught a 33-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Jordan Bruce, and that's not to mention the combined 185 combined rushing yards put up by Orange Mooney and Treshawn Root.  SM North's lone score came, as expected, on a touchdown pass from Ryan Theis to Mason Perez--the third touchdown pass and catch between the combo.

Olathe East 35, SM East 27

Olathe East's method for covering SM East star receiver Elliot Faerber?  Double and sometimes triple team coverage on the talented wideout.  The plan worked, as the Hawks rolled to a comfortable eight-point victory after a less than impressive performance in week one against Olathe North.

Olathe East scored first when running back Kendall Kelly ran in a score from five yards out.  SM East scored next when Dakota Collins connected with the Lancers other top receiver, Connor Rellihan, on a 44-yard touchdown pass.  From there Olathe East separated themselves and didn't look back.  They scored three-straight rushing touchdowns, all from John Kelsh, to go up 28-7 early in the third quarter.  SM East finally countered with a five-yard touchdown run from Jake Libeer, but Olathe East punched right back with a 52-yard touchdown run from Kelly on a fourth and one play. 

Down 35-14, and without their starting quarterback Collins (who left the game in the third quarter with an ankle injury), the Lancers made a late comeback attempt.  Backup quarterback Nick Pirotte led the Lancers on an 11-play, 73-yard drive that ended with a two-yard touchdown run from Jeff Cole.  The Lancers forced an Olathe East punt, and Andy Hiett returned the punt 74 yards for a touchdown to pull to within eight points.  SM East wasn't able to get any closer, as Olathe East closed out the game for the victory.

SM West 38, SM Northwest 31, OT

After a shoddy performance in week one, SM West stepped it up early in week two, scoring 24 first-half points and holding SM Northwest to seven.  The SM West scores came on a nine-yard touchdown run from Armani Williams, a 32-yard field goal from Mark Whitrock, a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown by Joel Spiller, and a 30-yard run from Ricco Hopkins.  SM Northwest got on the board with a 23-yard touchdown run from Danny Manning. 

SM Northwest didn't stay down for long, however, scoring 24 unanswered points in the second half.  Jake Horner returned the second half kickoff 90 yards for a score, which was followed by another Manning touchdown run, a 24-yard field goal by Jorn Winkelmolen, and a 45-yard fumble return for a touchdown by Horner.  SM West, trailing 31-24, narrowly tied the game late in the fourth quarter on a 54-yard touchdown pass from Williams to Tre Burt.  The score forced overtime, where the Vikings scored first on a one-yard touchdown run from Burt, then held the Cougars short of a score, to claim the win.

Lawrence Free State 23, Leavenworth 12

It wasn't a pretty win for Free State, but the team managed to come away with their first of the season after securing a late score.  The Firebirds jumped to a 16-0 lead in the second quarter on an eight-yard touchdown pass from Joe Dineen to Tye Hughes, and a one-yard touchdown run from Demarko Bobo.
Leavenworth was able to score two touchdowns to pull within four points at 16-12, but never closed the gap.  Calloway Schmidt intercepted a late Leavenworth pass, which led to an 81-yard touchdown score on a pass from Kyle McFarland to Ryan Patterson, ultimately putting the Firebirds up for good, 23-12.

Thursday Report

SM East's Elliot Faerber.

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

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

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

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

Olathe Northwest at Leavenworth at Leavenworth

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

SM West at Lawrence at Lawrence

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

Lawrence Free State at Olathe South at ODAC

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

SM South at SM North at SM North District Stadium

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

Game of the Week
Olathe North at Olathe East at CBAC

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

Sunflower League Extra: Week One

Lawrence High's Brad Strauss.

Top 5 Player Ratings

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

1. Brad Strauss, Quarterback, Lawrence

Strauss is coming off a tremendous sophomore season in which he passed for over 1,000 yards, rushed for over 600, and combined to score 15 touchdowns. The junior signal-caller will be looking to lead the Chesty Lions to the playoffs for the first time in three seasons.

2. Tre Burt, Running Back, SM West

Last season Burt rushed for 782 yards and seven touchdowns while splitting the running back duties with Will Livingston. This season (at least early on) it looks like Burt will be carrying the majority of the load himself. The Vikings have had four 1,000 yard rushers since 2004, and we’ll most likely see Burt added to that list if he can stay healthy.

3. Elliot Faerber, Wide Receiver, SM East

With Faerber it’s not a question of his abilities, but rather how well SM East’s new quarterback Dakota Collins can distribute the ball to the talented playmaker. SM East was one of the more impressive teams in the metro in 7-on-7 competition this summer, with Faerber as their top receiver. The SM East faithful hope it will translate onto the gridiron.

4. Treshawn Root, Running Back, Olathe North

Root's transfer to Olathe North during the offseason headlined a plethora of talented running backs that made the transfer attempt to Olathe North, including Orange Mooney (successfully) and Teddy Colbert (unsuccessfully).  To this point in his career Root has been alot of talk, and besides the occassional touchdown here and there, not alot of walk.  But, bigger things are expected of Root in his senior season at Olathe North.

5. Adam Lowe, Running Back, SM East

This fifth slot is always high in liquidity and Lowe could easily climb the list or fall to the honorable mention ranks depending on how he plays at SM Northwest in week one. New faces will inevitably emerge on the scene as well, and they could slip into this slot. What we do know about Lowe is that he was close to 1,000 yards rushing last season, and he’ll probably play an increased role for the Lancers as a senior.

Honorable Mention: Orange Mooney, Olathe North; Connor Middleton, Olathe Northwest; Anthony Buffalomeat, Lawrence; Junior Williams, Olathe East; Teddy Colbert, Olathe South.

Week One Notes

Teams with the Most Pressure to Perform

Olathe North
The Eagles are coming off consecutive state championship appearances and they are seen as the preseason favorite in the SL and in Class 6A by many.  Replacing Victor Simmons and Adonis Saunders certainly won't be easy, and the Eagles don't have much preparation time.  They face Olathe East in week one.

SM East
It won't be easy for SM East to repeat the 8-1 regular season record from last year, but the Lancers will be more focused on the playoffs this time around.  Last year they lost in the first round to Olathe South.  This season the pressure will be on to at least win one playoff game and advance to the Sectional Round.

Lawrence
Lawrence High has become a darkhorse candidate for the league title over the last few months and they have a highly experienced roster returning to match it.  Their biggest hurdle will be their daunting schedule.  The Chesty Lions have road trips to Olathe North, Olathe East and Olathe South, not to mention home contests versus SM West and SM East.

Teams Flying Under-the-Rader

Olathe South
The Falcons return a solid core of talent on both sides of the ball, including their quarterback Frankie Seurer and center Scott Gourley, a First Team All-Sunflower League selection from last year.

SM West

SM West's Tre Burt.

The Vikings, like the Falcons, have the luxury of returning their starting quarterback in Armani Williams.  They also return running back Tre Burt who was a Second Team All-Sunflower League selection in 2010.  If their new starters can step up quickly the Vikings have a chance to make a big push towards the end of the season.

Olathe Northwest
The Ravens have virtually no expectations from the media heading into 2011.  Their only returning starter of note is running back Connor Middleton, and some are even calling into question his ability to carry the load through the nine game schedule.  This would be the perfect time for Olathe Northwest to sneak up on their opponents.

Week One Team Power Rankings
Full preseason analysis of each team available here.

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

Poll Watching

KC Metro Sports Super 25 Poll

5. Olathe North
9. Olathe South
11. Olathe East
15. SM West

Hovpensports.com Kansas Class 6A Top 10

1. Olathe North

3. Olathe East

7. SM East

9. SM West

10. Olathe South



 Photos courtesy the Lawrence Journal World

August First and Ten

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

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

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

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

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

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

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



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

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

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

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

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


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

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

2011 Player Spotlights: Armani Williams

Armani Williams

SM West

Position: Quarterback
Height: 6-foot-1
Weight: 185 lbs.

Year: Senior

Stat to Note

Last season, in a week five matchup against Lawrence, Williams passed for 182 yards and two touchdowns in SM West's 55-21 win.

Scouting Report

As a first-time starter last season, Williams battled the inconsitencies that haunt most new quarterbacks.  One week he would look like an all-Sunflower performer, and the next he couldn't manage SM West's offense to save his life.  SM West is banking on the fact that most of the growing pains are over for their quarterback as they head into the 2011 season.

Williams completed 42 passes for 954 yards and 10 touchdowns as a junior.  His 22.7 yards per completion was quite indicative of his passing game overall.  He completed many big-hitters, but often times his inability to complete shorter touch passes hurt SM West.

Having lost most of their top receivers to graduation, Williams will be throwing to a completely new unit this year.  How much that affects his passing remains to be seen.  However, with a talented running back in Tre Burt absorbing much of the defense's attention, Williams will be able to operate with less pressure while relying on his own experience from last year. 

2011 Player Spotlights: Tre Burt

Tre Burt

SM West

Position: Running Back

Height: 5-foot-7

Weight: 175 lbs.

Year: Senior

Stat to Note

Burt's breakout game (seen on the right) came in a week four contest against Olathe Northwest when he rushed for 245 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries. 

Scouting Report

If Adam Lowe is known for his quickness, Burt is certainly noted for his shiftiness as a runner.  Using his smaller frame to his advantage, Burt was one of the more elusive running backs in the Sunflower League in 2010.

Burt didn't have a major impact for SM West until midway through last season, and even after that he still split carries with fellow running back Will Livingston.  Despite this, Burt rushed for 782 yards and seven touchdowns, which was good enough for Second Team All-Sunflower League honors.

SM West operates a run-heavy offense which means two things.  One, Burt will get as big of a workload as he can handle, and two, Burt's production line will be positively correlated to how well the Vikings do.  Last year Burt and Livingston combined to rush for 1,570 yards and 14 touchdowns, but neither back suited up for the Vikings in their Regional playoff game against SM Northwest, and the team lost.

Like always, alot will be riding on the focal running back in SM West's offense, and it remains to be seen how well Burt will hold up throughout an entire season as the primary ballcarrier.  What we do know is that he's one of the top returning backs in the league, and he has the potential to do big things for SM West in 2011.

Photo courtesy the Kansas City Star

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Player Ratings

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

1. Brandon Willingham, Running Back, Olathe East

Week Eight Stats: 21 carries, 213 yards, 2 TDs

Willingham (right) has firmly established himself as the most consistent of the top running backs in the Sunflower League. His 1,249 yards rushing leads the league in that category, and his production should only increase this week, and into the playoffs.

2. John Schrock, Quarterback, SM East

Week Eight Stats: 14-of-27 passing, 184 yards, 1 TD; 1 rushing TD

Schrock played a great game against SM West and he made several big completions on third downs that really helped SM East to win the game. The only down side--Schrock left the game

late with an injury that has been reported by some as "season ending." There is no official word on the injury.

3. Adonis Saunders, Running Back, Olathe North

Week Eight Stats: 21 carries, 101 yards, 1 TD

Saunders didn't have the best game of his career on Friday, and he didn't need to. Olathe North thoroughly dominated Free State and Saunders' one touchdown was enough to give the Eagles a 28-0 halftime advantage.

4. Dylan Perry, Quarterback, Lawrence Free State

Week Eight Stats: 6-of-21 passing, 84 yards, 1 TD; 19 carries, 81 yards

Perry struggled against a talented Olathe North defense on Friday. His 165 yards of total offense were solid, but he threw a crucial first half interception that really put his team in a hole which they weren't able to overcome.

5. Stephen Mangelsdorf, Quarterback, SM Northwest

Week Eight Stats: 16-of-21 passing, 163 yards, 3 TDs; 1 rushing TD

Mangelsdorf's team had another easy victory against Leavenworth but regardless he continues to put up impressive numbers. His 76% passer completion rate and four touchdowns were as good as anyone in week eight.

Honorable Mention: Victor Simmons, Austin Fulson, Tre Burt, Nick Bandy

Week Nine Power Rankings

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

**See previous post for commentary on Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (7-1)

2. Olathe North (7-1)

3. SM East (7-1)

4. SM West (6-2)

5. Olathe South (6-2)

6. Lawrence Free State (4-4)

7. SM Northwest (4-4)

8. Olathe Northwest (3-5)

9. Lawrence (3-5)

10. SM South (2-6)

11. Leavenworth (1-7)

12. SM North (1-7)

Stat Check

Passing Yards
John Schrock, SM East: 1634, 9 TDs
Stephen Mangesldorf, SM Northwest: 1,261, 13 TDs
Brad Strauss, Lawrence: 1,187, 10 TDs
Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 955, 7 TDs
Armani Williams, SM West: 729, 9 TDs
Alex Forslund, SM South: 716, 6 TDs
Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 663, 5 TDs
Corey Kipp, Olathe Northwest: 512, 3 TDs
Frank Suerer, Olathe South: 384, 4 TDs
Judson Cole, Leavenworth: 368, 3 TDs

Rushing Yards
Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 1,249, 15 TDs
Nick Sands, Olathe South: 1,172, 13 TDs
Adonis Saunders, Olathe North: 1,089, 14 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 835, 9 TDs
Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 905, 5 TDs
Tre Burt, SM West: 782, 7 TDs
Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 641, 11 TDs

Adam Lowe, SM East: 555, 5 TDs
Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 544, 6 TDs
Will Livingston, SM West: 515, 6 TDs

Receiving Yards

Elliot Faerber, SM East: 561, 4 TDs

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 450, 3 TDs
Krey Bradley, SM East: 405, 2 TDs
Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 362, 4 TDs
Desmond Wyatt, Lawrence Free State: 361, 5 TDs

Austin Flory, Lawrence: 343, 3 TDs
Grant Ellis, SM East: 317, 1 TD

Shawn Laurent, SM South: 310, 3 TDs

Jordan Chapman, SM West: 305, 3 TDs

Gabe Guild, SM South: 251, 2 TDs

Tackles
Denzell Simpson, SM West: 84

Kyle Swartz, Olathe North: 79

Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 77
Tristan Opie, Olathe Northwest: 75
Josh Mais, SM East: 68

Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 61

Seth Hartman, SM East: 61

Vince Gerstner, Olathe East: 60

Drew Boyce, Olathe Northwest: 58

Sam Todd, Olathe North: 58

Interceptions

Mason Perez, SM North: 5

Nick Bandy (right), Olathe Northwest: 3
Grant Ellis, SM East: 3
Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 3

Taylor Sheffield, Olathe South: 3

Ryan Theis, SM North: 3
Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 2
DeAndre Graves, SM West: 2
Derec Olson, SM Northwest: 2
Dylan Pepper, SM West: 2
Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 2
Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 2 (2 TDs)

Kick Return/Punter Return Touchdowns
Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 1 KR TD

JaQuan Brunt, SM East: 1 KR TD

Kendal Harland, Olathe South: 1 PR TD

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 1 PR TD

Cordi Pascal, SM West: 1 KR TD

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

Field Goals
Mark Whitrock, SM West: (5/5)
Nick Prologo, Olathe Northwest: (5/6)

Daniel Gutierrez, Olathe North: (5/7)

Sean Jones, SM West: (3/3)

Jared Douglas, Olathe South: (3/4)
Anthony Rosen, Lawrence: (2/2)
Alex Allen, SM Northwest: (2/3)

Stats courtesy Mid-Statesports.com

Photos courtesy OEHawksfootball.com, the Kansas City Star

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Player Ratings

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

1. Brandon Willingham, Running Back, Olathe East

Week Six: 30 carries, 142 yards, 2 TDs

Willingham holds claim to the top spot after another excellent week of production. The senior was a workhorse carrying the ball 30 times and scoring two touchdowns. Both scores were essential in Olathe East's 17-0 victory.

2. Adonis Saunders, Running Back, Olathe North

Week Six: 23 carries, 253 yards, 3 TDs

Saunders had the best game of his career on Friday. The 253 yards rushing were a personal best for Saunders, and it was an effort reminiscent of North's career rushing leader James Franklin from last season. Saunders' average yards per carry sits at 10.3 on the season, a number practically unheard of at any level of competition.

3.Dylan Perry, Quarterback, Lawrence Free State

Week Six: 8-of-20 passing, 87 yards; 18 carries, 12 yards

Contrary to Saunders career highs, Perry (right) may have played to career low levels. He was never able to get anything going on the ground and that lack of success carried through to the passing game. Perry must play well for Free State to have success in districts.

4. John Schrock, Quarterback, SM East

Week Six: 15-of-26 passing, 179 yards; 2 rushing TDs

Schrock, despite his gaudy passing numbers, continues to score touchdowns on the ground. This past week he scored two more rushing touchdowns to lift SM East to victory. His aerial assualt is what gets the team in position for the short scores.

5. Stephen Mangelsdorf, Quarterback, SM Northwest

Week Six: 13-of-24 passing, 200 yards, 2 TDs

Mangelsdorf makes his debut on the list after nearly leading SM Northwest to an upset victory over Olathe North. Mangelsdorf's numbers should only continue to get better as he leads his team through what should be a 3-0 district run.

Honorable Mention: Victor Simmons, Brad Strauss, Tre Burt, Austin Fulson, Armani Williams

Week Seven Power Rankings

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

**See previous post for commentary on Power Rankings

1. Olathe East (5-1)

2. Olathe North (5-1)

3. SM West (5-1)
4. SM East (5-1)
5. Olathe South (4-2)

6. Lawrence Free State (3-3)

7. SM Northwest (2-4)
8. Lawrence (3-3)

9. Olathe Northwest (2-4)

10. SM South (2-4)

11. SM North (0-6)

12. Leavenworth (0-6)

Eli's Sunflower League First and 10

1. Best passer in the league? Don't overlook Lawrence sophomore Brad Strauss whose 104 passer rating is 17 points higher than any other quarterback in the league.

2. SM West, a team normally heralded for its defensive work, ranks first in the league in scoring at 35 points per game.

3. Olathe Northwest's Nick Bandy, Shawnee Mission Northwest's Kenny Mings, and SM East's JaQuan Brunt have been the three best all-around playmakers this season--coming soon to a highlight reel near you.

4. The league's top 10 kickers (statistically) have combined to miss 21 extra points this season, a brutally high number.

5. The league's leading tackler, SM West's Denzel Simpson, may also be the most ferocious hitter in the league.

6. Free State's Dylan Perry has run the ball 103 times and not fumbled once. By comparison, the league's other top four rushers have combined for 10 fumbles.

7. Leavenworth has lost 21 straight games. Their last win? September 19, 2008 against SM North, a team who currently holds a 13-game losing streak.

8. Would the real Victor Simmons please stand up? The Olathe North quarterback/defensive back may be the league's best athlete, and we miss his highlight reel runs from earlier in the season.

9. Olathe East's key to success this season has come on the defensive side of the ball. They're only giving up 164 yards per game, 61 yards better than the next best defense.

10. Several Sunflower League teams will get a chance to prove their worth against EKL opponents during the next three weeks--this week marks the first out-of-conference games of the season for any team.

Stat Check

Passing Yards

John Schrock, SM East: 1,241, 6 TDs

Stephen Mangelsdorf, SM Northwest: 965, 7 TDs

Brad Strauss, Lawrence: 849, 9 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 687, 3 TDs

Armani Williams, SM West: 622, 6 TDs

Alex Forslund, SM South: 540, 5 TDs

Korey Kipp, Olathe Northwest: 512, 3 TDs

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 476, 2 TDs

Trent Kuhl, Olathe East: 268, 1 TD

Frank Seurer, Olathe South: 221, 4 TDs

Rushing Yards

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 880, 12 TDs

Adonis Saunders, Olathe North: 837, 10 TDs

Nick Sands, Olathe South: 815, 6 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 658, 8 TDs

Tre Burt, SM West: 608, 7 TDs

Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 543, 3 TDs

Austin Fulson (right), Olathe East: 441, 6 TDs

Jake Crist, Olathe South: 422, 3 TDs

Charles Jackson, Lawrence: 421, 4 TDs

Will Livingston, SM West: 417, 6 TDs

Receiving Yards

Elliot Faerber, SM East: 454, 3 TDs

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 345, 4 TDs

Krey Bradley, SM East: 322, 2 TDs

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 319, 3 TDs

Jordan Chapman, SM West: 300, 3 TDs

Desmond Wyatt, Lawrence Free State: 249, 3 TDs

Shawn Laurent, SM South: 248, 2 TDs

Grant Ellis, SM East: 225, 1 TD
Anthony Buffalomeat, Lawrence: 212, 2 TDs

Aaron Gile, Lawrence: 197, 1 TD

Tackles

Denzel Simpson, SM West: 71

Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 66

Tristan Opie, Olathe Northwest: 62

Dylan Hanson, Olathe South: 53

Brock Burrows, SM North: 50

Josh Mais, SM East: 50

Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 44

Seth Hartman, SM East: 44

Nate Davis, Lawrence Free State: 43

Vince Gerstner, Olathe East: 43

Interceptions

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 3

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 2

Dylan DeVries, Olathe South: 2

Grant Ellis, SM East: 2

DeAndre Graves, SM West: 2

Mason Perez, SM North: 2

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 2

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

Ryan Theis, SM North: 2

Kick/Punt Return Touchdowns

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 1 KR TD

JaQuan Brunt, SM East: 1 KR TD

Kendal Harland, Olathe South: 1 PR TD

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 1 PR TD

Cordi Pascal, SM West: 1 KR TD

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

Field Goals

Nick Prologo, Olathe Northwest: (4/5)

Daniel Gutierrez, Olathe North: (4/6)

Sean Jones, SM West: (2/2)

Mark Whitrock, SM West (2/2)

Alex Allen, SM Northwest: (2/3)

Jared Douglas, Olathe South: (2/3)

Stats courtesy Mid-statesports.com

Photos courtesy the Kansas City Star

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Player Ratings

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

1. Brandon Willingham, Running Back, Olathe East

Week Five Stats: 14 carries, 185 yards, 2 TDs

Willingham's two lost fumbles certainly didn't help Olathe East's cause on Friday, but he still had a great game overall, scoring two touchdowns and averaging 13 yards per carry. Willingham (right) now also leads the Sunflower League in rushing with 738 yards.

2. Dylan Perry, Quarterback, Lawrence Free State

Week Five Stats: 12-of-26 passing, 101 yards; 21 carries, 176 yards, 2 TDs; 1 defensive interception

Perry continues to put up the most impressive numbers of any player in the Sunflower League. He ranks second in the Sunflower League in rushing yards, fourth in the league in passing yards, and he's scored a combined 12 touchdowns.

3. Adonis Saunders, Running Back, Olathe North
Week Five Stats: 6 carries, 116 yards, 2 TDs

Saunders had no problem cutting his way through the Leavenworth defense on six carries for two touchdowns while averaging just under 20 yards per carry. Saunders' big play potential is essential for Olathe North's success.

4. John Schrock, Quarterback, SM East
Week Five Stats: 16-of-21 passing, 180 yards; 46 yards rushing, 2 TDs

Schrock was impressive on Friday night and he was much more accurate with his passing. The 16 for 21 performance bumped his pass completion percentage from 55% to 59% on the season. Schrock also ran the ball well between the tackles, scoring two touchdowns.

5. Victor Simmons, Quarterback, Olathe North

Week Five Stats: 7 carries, 31 yards

Simmons has slipped quite a bit the past several weeks. Obviously his services weren't all that necessary in Olathe North's blowout of Leavenworth, so he made minimal impact in the game. Simmons has the tools to be one of the best players in the league, and we'll see if it shows this Friday.

Honorable Mention: Brad Strauss, Tre Burt, Nick Sands, Preston Schenck, Austin Fulson, Stephen Mangelsdorf, Will Livingston

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

1. Olathe East (4-1)

2. Olathe North (4-1)

3. SM West (4-1)

4. SM East (4-1)

5. Lawrence Free State (3-2)

6. Olathe South (3-2)

7. SM Northwest (2-3)

8. Lawrence (3-2)

9. Olathe Northwest (2-3)

10. SM South (1-4)

11. SM North (0-5)

12. Leavenworth (0-5)

Stat Check

Passing Yards

John Schrock, SM East: 1,062, 6 TDs

Brad Strauss (right), Lawrence: 742, 8 TDs

Stephen Mangelsdorf, SM Northwest: 612, 3 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 600, 3 TDs

Corey Kipp, Olathe Northwest: 442, 3 TDs

Armani Williams, SM West: 440, 4 TDs

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: 319, 2 TDs

Alex Forslund, SM South: 279, 1 TD

Trent Kuhl, Olathe East: 253, 1 TD

Ryan Lundgren, Olathe Northwest: 203, 3 TDs

Rushing Yards

Brandon Willingham, Olathe East: 738, 10 TDs

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 646, 8 TDs

Adonis Saunders, Olathe North: 584, 7 TDs

Nick Sands, Olathe South: 580, 3 TDs

Tre Burt, SM West: 493, 5 TDs

Victor Simmons, Olathe North: 422, 2 TDs

Preston Schenck, Lawrence Free State: 401, 6 TDs

Charles Jackson, Lawrence: 391, 4 TDs

Austin Fulson, Olathe East: 390, 6 TDs

Will Livingston, SM West: 350, 6 TDs

Receving Yards

Elliot Faerber, SM East: 367, 3 TDs

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 275, 2 TDs

Krey Bradley, SM East: 255, 2 TDs

Desmond Wyatt, Lawrence Free State: 239, 3 TDs

Anthony Buffalomeat, Lawrence: 212, 2 TDs

Grant Ellis, SM East: 210, 1 TD

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 209, 2 TDs

Aaron Gile, Lawrence: 184, 1 TD

Gabe Guild, SM South: 158, 2 TDs

Austin Flory, Lawrence: 156, 2 TDs

Tackles

Denzell Simpson, SM West: 61

Tristan Opie, Olathe Northwest: 54

Josh Mais, SM East: 46

Tanner Ginavan, Olathe South: 43

Brock Burrows, SM North: 42

Kyle Swartz, Olathe North: 42

Vince Gerstner, Olathe East: 39

Nate Davis, Lawrence Free State: 38

Samir Vogan, SM South: 38

Todd Sam, Olathe North: 37

Interceptions

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 3

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 2

Grant Ellis, SM East: 2

DeAndre Graves, SM West: 2

Mason Perez, SM North: 2

Dylan Perry, Lawrence Free State: 2

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

Kick/Punt Return Touchdowns

Nick Bandy, Olathe Northwest: 1 KR TD

JaQuan Brunt, SM East: 1 KR TD

Kendal Harland, Olathe South: 1 PR TD

Kenny Mings, SM Northwest: 1 PR TD

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

Field Goals

Nick Prologo, Olathe Northwest: (4/5)

Daniel Gutierrez, Olathe North: (3/5)

Sean Jones, SM West: (2/2)

Jared Douglas, Olathe South: (2/3)

Anthony Rosen, Lawrence: (1/1)

Alex Allen, SM Northwest: (1/2)

Chase Woofter, SM East: (1/2)

Kyle Goodburn, SM North: (1/3)

Stats courtesy Mid-statesports.com

Photos courtesy (from top) OEhawksfootball.com, the Lawrence Journal-World

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

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

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

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