Top Sunflower League Linebackers since 2000

Mike Rivera.  Photo courtesy
Rivals.com

1. Mike Rivera, SM Northwest, 2001-2003

I am considering changing my annual Defensive Player of the Year Award to the "Rivera Award," to honor Rivera, who is arguably one of the best defensive players to ever play in the league.  As a junior Rivera tallied 125 tackles and took home first team all-state honors.  He improved as a senior collecting 149 tackles and once again taking home first team all-state honors.  To this day I haven't seen as good of a linebacker in the league, or state for that matter, as what I witnessed from Rivera in 2003.  Check out his highlights from his days at SM Northwest if you aren't convinced.

2. Royal Whitaker, Olathe North, 1999-2001

Whitaker is sometimes overlooked when the legends from Olathe North are brought up, but that won't happen here.  The heart and soul of the Eagles defense in 2001, Whitaker totaled 125 tackles (63 solo) for a defensive unit that gave up a mere 5.4 points a game and recorded five shutouts en route to winning the 6A state championship.

3. Justin Dyer, Olathe South, 1999-2001

Dyer was a physical freak to say the least.  On the wrestling mat he was a three-time state champion and he went on to wrestle in college at Oklahoma.  On the football field he was one of the best linebackers in the league's history and he put up incredible numbers.  As a sophomore he racked up 173 tackles, then he followed that up by making 117 tackles as a junior.  He added 62 tackles as a senior, but much of the drop off was because he was promoted to quarterback midway through the season and it took away from his time on defense.

4. Blake Lawrence, SM West, 2004-2006

Lawrence made quite a name for himself with his torpedo-like hits that he dished out in his two primary seasons as a starter (2005-2006).  In those two years he accumulated 150 tackles, six sacks, four forced fumbles and three interceptions.  He was also a stellar quarterback and he was a Simone Award finalist in 2006.  Lawrence went on to play linebacker at Nebraska, but his collegiate career was cut short after a series of concussions.  In his senior year at SM West he was featured in Sports Illustrated's "Faces in the Crowd" with this accompanying highlight video.

5. Brandon McAnderson, Lawrence, 2000-2002

While McAnderson went on to be a solid running back at the University of Kansas, many figured he'd play linebacker at the collegiate level following an outstanding high school career as a middle linebacker.  McAnderson was a First Team All-Sunflower League performer as a linebacker and a running back in both his junior and senior seasons.  As a senior he also garnered first team all-state honors as a linebacker after posting 132 tackles and leading Lawrence to a 8-3 record.


Tony Ritzman.  Photo courtesy the
Shawnee Disptach.

6. Tony Ritzman, SM West, 2005-2007

Ritzman was one of the few players since 2000 to have accumulated over 300 tackles during his high school career.  He earned a starting spot as SM West's "Mike" linebacker in the early part of the 2005 season and he held the title for the rest of his career with the Vikings.  During that time period he helped SM West to a 26-7 record.  All told he racked up 324 tackles, caused four fumbles, made three sacks and snagged three interceptions in his three seasons as a starter.

7. Scott Penny, Lawrence, 2003-2005

Quite a few members of Lawrence High's class of 2006 football team are remembered following the team's 10-2 campaign, but it is Penny who is most remembered as the standout on the defensive side of the football.  During the Chesty Lions' 12-game 2005 season, Penny recorded 144 tackles to lead the league.  His efforts earned him first team all-state honors.

8. Kyle Swartz, Olathe North, 2008-2010

Swartz helped lead Olathe North to state title appearances in 2009 and 2010.  As a senior in 2010 he totaled 148 tackles with three fumble recoveries, two sacks and an interception from his middle linebacker position.  His interception came against Olathe South in the Sectional Round of the playoffs and it enabled Olathe North to score a quick touchdown and advance to the Sub-State game that year.  He was named first team all-state following the conclusion of the season.

Tre Walker.

9. Tre Walker, Olathe North, 2007-2009

Walker is developing into one of the best linebacker in the Big XII at Kansas State, but before his time as a Wildcat he was a great linebacker for Olathe North.  As a senior he teamed up with Kyle Swartz to create one of the most formidable linebacker units in the state.  Walker used his size and speed in coverage where he recorded five interceptions while also supporting the run from his outside linebacker position.  He was a first team all-state selection as a senior.

10. Justin Scott, SM West, 2006-2008

Scott was a three-year starter for SM West, spending his first two seasons at the "Will" position before moving over to the "Mike" slot as a senior to fill the void left by Ritzman.  In his final two seasons as a starter he posted 153 tackles, five sacks and one interception.  His efforts as a senior were good enough to earn him first team all-state honors and offers from several of the FBS service academies.

2010 Player Spotlights: Kyle Swartz

Kyle Swartz
Olathe North

Position: Linebacker/Tight End
Height: 6'2"
Weight: 215lbs.
Class: Senior

Stat to Note
Last season Swartz led Olathe North with 80 tackles, and was named First Team All-Sunflower League as a linebacker, and received Second Team honors as a Tight End.

Scouting Report
Swartz is a big kid who plays a physical brand of football perfectly suited for his positions. The thing that really separates Swartz on both sides of the ball is his closing speed on plays, whether it be running down a ballcarrier, or reaching a defender to block.

On defense Swartz is tremendous in run support. He made quite a few tackles for loss last season and he is great at filling gaps. His size makes it difficult for fullbacks and offensive lineman alike to move him, and when you add in his quickness, it makes it even more difficult for offenses.

As a tight end, the majority of Swartz' efforts are spent blocking, although Olathe North did slip Swartz out from time to time to catch passes. He made quite a few downfield blocks for James Franklin and Tre Walker last season, and the same should be expected in 2010.

Another big thing that Swartz brings to the table is enthusiasm and excitement--he doesn't going about his work quietly. Swartz seems to have an innate ability to make big plays defensively to fire up his teammates. Quite a few times last season it was a Swartz hit or tackle that really got the Olathe North defense going.

State Championship Preview

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

Olathe North

Location: Olathe, Kansas

School Enrollment: 1,467

League: Sunflower League

State Championship Appearances (inlcuding this season): 9

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

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

2009 Olathe North Football

Offense Type: Wildcat/Read-Option

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

Points Scored Per Game: 42

Points Allowed Per Game: 14

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

Wichita Heights

Location: Wichita, Kansas

School Enrollment: 1,522

League: Wichita City League

State Championship Appearances (including this season): 1

Notable Football Alumni: Xzavie Jackson

2009 Wichita Heights Football

Offense Type: Triple-Option

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

Points Scored Per Game: 27

Points Allowed Per Game: 17

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

Sub-State Review

Olathe North 16, Blue Valley 14

Friday night turned out to be one of the more epic Sub-State contests the East side of the 6A bracket has seen in years. The action got interesting in the first quarter when Olathe North's James Franklin uncharacteristically fumbled the ball just inside the Blue Valley 10 yard line. Later on in the quarter Tre Walker botched a punt that Blue Valley was able to recover. The Tigers took advantage of the second fumble when Anthony Abenoja completed a pass Jacob McDermott for a 28 yard score. Olathe North was able to tie the score in the second quarter when Walker completed a touchdown drive with a two yard plunge.

The third quarter played out with neither team scoring. Early in the fourth quarter Abenoja once again led the Tigers down the field after yet another Olathe North fumble. This time Abenoja hit PJ DeBey (bottom) on a 13 yard pass to help Blue Valley gain a 14-7 lead.

With time quickly winding down in the fourth quarter Olathe North compiled a nice drive to set up a one yard touchdown run by quarterback David Blazevic. However, in a all too familiar scene for the Eagles, kicker Jared Morss botched the extra point, and kept Olathe North from evening the score (Morss' missed extra point ultimately prevented Olathe North from defeating Blue Valley in 2008).

Olathe North was able to regain possession and drive all the way to the Blue Valley 16 yard-line with a mere 14 seconds remaining in the half. This time, Morss delivered on the 33 yard field goal attempt (below). The score put Olathe North up for good, 16-14.

For the second year in a row Blue Valley fell just short of advancing to the 6A title game, despite a valiant effort and one of the biggest last season turnarounds in Johnson County high school football history. Olathe North advances to their first state championship game since 2004.

Game Stats (courtesy TheOlatheNews.com):

Rushing
Olathe North: James Franklin 30-213, Victor Simmons 18-132, David Blazevic 1-1, Tre Walker 4-5, Dominick Wilson 2-14, Team 0-6. Blue Valley: Anthony Abenoja 16-63, Justin Fulks 10-38.

Passing
Olathe North: Blazevic 1-3-0 9. Blue Valley: Abenoja 11-28-0 168.

Receiving
Olathe North (1-9): Jason Peete 1-9. Blue Valley (11-168): PJ DeBey 5-67, Matt Hamblin 3-34, Jacob McDermott 1-28, Connor Rusnak 2-39.

Game Scores and Notes

Week Four Game Results

Olathe North 28, Olathe East 14 (All Star Video Sports Highlight Video)
Trailing 14-0 with minutes left before halftime, Olathe East's Hayden Groves sprang loose for a 64 yard run, which led to a Hawk touchdown with 29 second remaining in the half. Olathe North on the other hand would not faulter, and went on to outscore Olathe East 14-7 again in the second half for their fourth win of the season. The Eagles were led by none other than James Franklin, who rushed for 218 yards on 25 carries, and scored two touchdowns. Tre Walker chipped in 80 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles, with his last score putting the cap on a victory over their crosstown rival.

Lawrence Free State 22, SM West 15
Despite being outgained 362 to 210 in terms of total offense, SM West was in position to make another comeback againt Free State on Saturday. A long pass from DJ Balazs to Kevin Webster put SM West in position to tie things up with less than a minute remaining in the fourth quarter, but ultimately the Free State defense held for the victory. Free State was led by Kirk Resseguie who rushed for 109 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries.

SM Northwest 34, Leavenworth 0
For the third week in a row Leavenworth failed to score any points. But the true story of the game was dominance of SM Northwest seniors John Hauk and Matt Nowak. Nowak completed 10 of 13 passes for 195 yards and three touchdowns, and Hauk carried the ball 17 times for 77 yards and two touchdown of his own. The combo accounted for all of SM Northwest's touchdowns and helped the team to a 20-0 halftime lead, before adding two second
half touchdowns.

SM East 25, Lawrence 7
The fourth straight loss for Lawrence High turned out to be downright ugly. A plethora of first half turnovers and mistakes helped SM East to build a 19-0 lead. In the second half both teams scored a touchdown keeping the deficit of loss at 19 for Lawrence. Tyrae Jenkins' (below) 20 carries for 104 yards were little solace for the Chesty Lions who now, along with Leavenworth, remain winless on the season.


Olathe South 35, SM North 28
SM North gained a 21-7 lead at the half after a Kendall Kelly touchdown run, and two Ryan Goodburn touchdown passes but the 14 point cushion wasn't enough. Olathe South used their big play ability in the second half to outscore the Indians 28-7. Tanner Dutton put in two passing touchdowns and a rushing score for the Falcons, who improved to 2-2 on the season.

Olathe Northwest 17, SM South 7
Things looked good early for the SM South. After thwarting a promising Olathe Northwest drive, the Raiders completed an 81 yard drive of their own, highlighted by a 79 yards pass from Nick Johnson to Ricky Ashley, and capped off with a four yard run by Johannes Swanepoel. But the seven early points proved to be all the Raiders would manage. Olathe Northwest quarterback Josh Lemke used his ground abilities to add 79 yards and two touchdowns. A Nick Prologo field goal also contributed to the Raven victory.

Sunflower League Extra

Top 5 Players Ratings

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

1. James Franklin, running back, Olathe North: After breaking a school record by rushing for 340 yards last Friday, its hard to argue against Franklin. He has quite simply been the most dominant player in the Sunflower League thus far. Franklin has rushed for 628 yards and nine touchdowns on the season, and at this point in time is likely a frontrunner for the presitgious Simone Award.

2. DJ Balazs, quarterback, SM West: Balazs has played like the most calm and collected quarterback in the league in his first three games. Although his stats haven't been eye-popping, his team's 3-0 record speaks for itself. Balazs' three touchdowns in his last game are also a sign that his numbers will likely be picking up.

3. Camren Torneden, quarterback, Lawrence Free State: Torneden is making a strong push at climbing higher on this list. His last game was just about perfect--nine of 10 passing for 163 yards and a touchdown, in addition to 75 yards rushing and a touchdown. When Torneden is on top of his game he is nearly impossible to contain.

4. Tre Walker, linebacker, Olathe North: Walker has been a focal point on an Olathe North defense that has surrendered a mere 31 points on the season. His presence from the linebacker position has made opposing offenses crumble in the first three weeks of the season.

5. Matt Nowak, quarterback, SM Northwest: Nowak (below) got back on track with a great game against Lawrence. He completed eight of 11 passes for 168 yards, and he rushed for 107 yards and a touchdown. Numbers like that will guarantee W's for the Cougars.

Honorable Mention: Lucas Vincent, Olathe North; Tanner Dutton, Olathe South; Brandon Willingham, Olathe East; Hayden Groves, Olathe East

Week Four Power Rankings

*team power rankings are subject to change on a week-to-week basis

**check previous post for commentary on Week Three Power Rankings

1. Olathe North (3-0)

2. SM West (3-0)

3. Olathe East (2-1)

4. Lawrence Free State (right) (2-1)

5. SM Northwest (2-1)

6. Olathe South (1-2)

7. SM North (2-1)

8. SM South (2-1)

9. Olathe Northwest (1-2)

10. Lawrence (0-3)

11. SM East (0-3)

12. Leavenworth (0-3)

Poll Watching

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

Hovpensports.com Class 6A Top 10

2. Olathe North

4. SM West

9. Olathe East

Preppowerindex.com (statistical analysis)

1. Olathe North

5. Lawrence Free State

6. SM West

10. Olathe East

11. SM Northwest

13. SM South

15. SM North

18. Olathe South

19. Olathe Northwest

28. Lawrence

29. SM East

32. Leavenworth

KC Metro Sports Super 25

1. Olathe North

11. SM West

16. Lawrence Free State

20. Olathe East

KC Star's Big Class Top 5

1. Olathe North

5. SM West

Kansasprepfootball.com Super 20

2. Olathe North

12. SM West

Sunflower League Extra

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Week Two Review

Three Up

1. SM North

For the first time in years the SM North program is having an optimistic start to the season. After blanking Leavenworth 41-0 on Friday, the Indians pushed their record to 2-0, and they remain, along with Olathe North and SM West, as the only undefeated teams in the league. It's hard to say if the Indians can sustain the success, but nonetheless they have played well thus far.

2. Olathe North

The Eagles (right) are quite simply playing better football than anyone in the Sunflower League at this point in time. After dismantling SM Northwest by 29 points on Friday, it has become pretty obvious that Olathe North will be the team to beat in the Sunflower League, and probably class 6A for the remainder of the season.

3. SM West

The Vikings haven't been super impressive in either of their wins--but maybe that is the most impressive thing about their team so far this season. The fact that they have made two double touchdown comebacks the past two weeks illustrates that this team clearly has a solid core of leadership that presumably will not be likely to falter under pressure.

Three Down

1. Lawrence

The season is not going well so far for LHS, sitting at 0-2 and coming off of a 21 point loss to SM South. Lawrence has notable talent in Tyrae Jenkins, Daren Sorem, and Jay Baker but after their last loss it's a wonder if the team will be able to get it all together by season's end.

2. Leavenworth

The Pioneers followed up a 65 point loss in week one with a 41 point loss and goose egg in week two. At this point in time it doesn't appear that 2009 will be the year Leavenworth climbs its way out of the cellar.

3. SM Northwest

The Cougar's big loss to Olathe North on Friday exposed some large areas of concern. Namely, the inability to produce offensively. The Cougars 135 yards of total offense was in no way impressive. But, then again, maybe the Olathe North defense is just that good?

Individual Highlights

**Olathe North's James Franklin (above) rushed for 156 yards and three touchdowns in his team's 41-12 victory. Franklin is making offensive production look elementary.

**Lawrence Free State's Camren Torneden reminded us all Thursday of how much of a weapon he really is. Torneden rushed 16 times for 167 yards and two touchdowns, and also returned a punt 68 yards for a touchdown.

**SM Northwest's KC Waterman ran the ball 21 times for 112 yards and a touchdown against Olathe North's stout defensive front. In the Cougar's loss, Waterman accounted for 83% of his team's total offense.

**Olathe North's Tre Walker is making his D1 commitment to Kansas State look more legitimate every week. On Friday Walker recorded two first half sacks, before intercepting a pass and returning it 49 yards.

**In helping his team garner their first win of the season Olathe South's Tanner Dutton (below) completed 19 of 30 passes for 210 yards and a touchdown. He now has 525 yards passing and two touchdowns on the season.

Week Three Power Rankings

1. Olathe North (2-0): The Eagles are looking like the most dominant team the Sunflower League has seen in years.

2. SM West (2-0): The Vikings are yet to explode offensively, but have nonetheless been impressive.

3. Olathe East (1-1): Olathe East loses a close one after jumping out to an early lead.

4. Lawrence Free State (1-1): The Firebirds played to their potential in week two, and showed they are capable of dominating.

5. SM Northwest (1-1): Tough loss for the Cougars, but the good news is that they don't have to play Olathe North again--in the regular season that is.

6. Olathe South (1-1): Head Coach Jeff Gourley is slowly but surely putting his mark on Olathe South football.

7. SM North (2-0): The Indians are 2-0 and have reason to celebrate. To really impress though, they would need to take down Free State in week three.

8. Olathe Northwest (1-1): The Ravens nearly came back from a 17 point deficit to win on Friday. They are playing much more competitive football than in past seasons.

9. SM South (1-1): Raiders took care of business in a nice all-around victory over Lawrence.

10. Lawrence (0-2): Many question marks are floating around the LHS program right now. The answer to all those question marks? Winning.

11. SM East (0-2): Chip Sherman has to sit at 199 career wins for another week.

12. Leavenworth (0-2): For the season the Pioneers have been outscored 112 to 6.

Game Scores and Notes

Week Two Game Results

Olathe North 41, SM Northwest 12
SM Northwest gained the lead on the opening kickoff with a 98 yard return for a touchdown by Chris Mansker. Olathe North's Adonis Saunders responded on the ensuing kickoff with a 99 yard touchdown return of his own. After that, it was all Olathe North. Eagle running back James Franklin rushed for 156 yards and three touchdowns, on runs of 7, 27, and 28 yards. Meanwhile, Tre Walker led the Olathe North defense with two sacks and an interception. In total, SM Northwest was held to a mere 135 yards of total offense.


SM West 17, Olathe East 14
For the second week in a row SM West was down two touchdowns early, and for the second straight week the Vikings fought back to win. Olathe East quarterback Carter McEntee found Chris Fields and Aaron Johnson for touchdown passes to build a 14-0 lead in the first quarter. However, that would be all the scoring the Hawks would come up with. SM West running back Cordi Pascal scored on a 15 yard run in the second quarter to bring the Vikings to within seven. After a field goal had closed the gap to three points, SM West quarterback DJ Balazs found Keifer Holliman for a 12 yard touchdown pass to put the Vikings up for good in the fourth quarter.


Olathe South 24, Olathe Northwest 17
This week Olathe South quarterback Tanner Dutton only passed the ball 30 times. He connected on 19 of those passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns. Despite a 17-0 lead at halftime, Olathe South had to do all in their power in the second half to prevent Olathe Northwest from coming back and winning the game. Olathe Northwest's Cullen Phillips scored on a four yard touchdown run with 9:51 remaining in the fourth quarter to get the score within seven points at 24-17, but the Ravens weren't able to get on the scoreboard again.


SM North 41, Leavenworth 0
For the first time in Ryan Majors time at the helm at SM North, the Indians are 2-0. An early 41 yard touchdown run by Arthur Rucker set the tone for the game, as SM North went on to score five more unanswered touchdowns.


Lawrence Free State 36, SM East 3 (Thursday Night Game)
On Thursday night the Firebirds of Lawrence Free State showed off the talent they possess in a thorough domination of SM East. Free State's Camren Torneden (below) carried the ball 16 times for 167 yards and two touchdowns, in addition to a 68 yard punt return for a touchdown. Free State running back Kirk Resseguie complimented Torneden with 19 carries for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Meanwhile, SM East was only able to put out 149 yards of total offense.





SM South 28, Lawrence 7 (Thursday Night Game)
The start to the 2009 season is not going well for Lawrence High. On Thursday night they were soundly defeated by the Raiders of SM South. Lawrence scored first, gaining a 7-0 advantage before SM South took control. The Raider's Grant Hilton scored 3 touchdowns, while fellow teammate Johann Swanepoel added 117 rushing yards on 19 carries. On the other side of the ball Lawrence's Tyrae Jenkins was only able to come away with 50 rushing yards on 15 carries.

Sunflower League Extra

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

Week One Review

Three Up

1. Olathe North
Any questions as to whether or not Olathe North was worthy of the hype they had received over the summer were answered in their 71-6 trouncing of Leavenworth. Granted, Leavenworth has been a perennial cellar-dweller in the Sunflower Conference, but dropping 71 points on any team is impressive. James Franklin and Tre Walker combined for five rushing touchdowns--the combo of those two is probably going to be a common thread throughout the season.

2. SM North
For the first time in head coach Ryan Majors five years at the helm, the Indians won the opening game of the season. A nice victory on the road at Lawrence should instill quite a bit of confidence in the group, and with Leavenworth on the schedule for Week Two, the Indians could be looking at their first 2-0 start in years.

3. Olathe East (below)
No Derahn Williams, Rick Settle, or Jake Woten? No problem. The Hawks made a big statement in Week One by taking down last season's 6A State-Runner Up in Lawrence Free State. It doesn't seem to matter who graduates from Olathe East, the program continues to reload. Now the true question is whether or not the Hawks can maintain the success throughout the season.

Three Down

1. Lawrence Free State
Maybe the Firebirds are just slow starters. With the exception of the 2006 season, Lawrence Free State has never been a team that starts the season real hot. Regardless, the Firebird's loss to Olathe East on Friday was a flat out let down. Their five turnovers certainly didn't help, and it makes you wonder how much the loss of Chucky Hunter is going to hurt the team.

2. Lawrence
The Chesty Lions had a great chance to break in their new stadium with a victory against the Indians of SM North--but an anemic effort on the offensive side of the ball made their first game at their new stadium a snooze fest. The Chesty Lions lost 17-14.

3. SM East
Obviously the Lancer's new head coach Chip Sherman has a proven track record and a great coach, and his influence on the program should take hold soon--but just not yet. The Lancers came out flat and were beat down by Olathe Northwest in a 29-7 loss.

Individual Highlights

**Olathe South quarterback Tanner Dutton passed for 315 yards and one touchdown against SM West, but despite the lofty number the Falcons lost, 29-23.

**Olathe North's Jason Peete returned an interception 35 yards for a touchdown, while also helping the Eagles to a defensive domination of Leavenworth. After a dominate junior season, Peete looks on track to being one of the Sunflower League's top defenders again in 2009.

**SM West's Alex Snook returned a late interception for a touchdown to put SM West up on Olathe South for good. Snook's efforts were the bright spot on an otherwise unimpressive effort from the Viking's defensive coverage on Friday.

**The combined effort of Josh Lemke and Brandon Bouvilom helped Olathe Northwest to a very impressive defeat of SM East. The Ravens showed off an intensity they had lacked in years past.

**Despite his team's loss, Lawrence running back Tyrae Jenkins (below) rushed for 171 yards and two touchdowns on just 16 carries.

Week Two Power Rankings

1. Olathe North (1-0): Eagles out to prove they belong with North teams of the late 90s and early 2000s.

2. SM West (1-0): Vikings grit out a tough win with their typical dosage of hard nosed running and big plays defensively.

3. Olathe East (1-0): I've said it before--2009 could potentially be Jeff Meyers best body of coaching work ever. His inexperienced squad defeated a seasoned Lawrence Free State team in impressive fashion in Week One.

4. Lawrence Free State (0-1): We'll assume the Firebirds are off to another slow start.

5. SM Northwest (1-0): Although an eight point win against SM South isn't real impressive, the fact that they did it without two of their best athletes is.

6. Olathe South (0-1): It appears that head coach Jeff Gourley will be implementing alot of passing in 2009.

7. Olathe Northwest (1-0): Olathe Northwest is above .500 for the first time ever in school history.

8. SM North (1-0): Impressive Week One win by the Indians. A 2-0 start is also achievable.

9. Lawrence (0-1): The Chesty Lions ran the ball 41 times Friday, and appeared hesitant to throw the football.

10. SM East (0-1): Chip Sherman is denied is 200th career win in a disappointing start to the season for the Lancers.

11. SM South (0-1): On a positive note, the Raiders were within eight points of beating SM Northwest.

12. Leavenworth (0-1): Not a good start to the season. The Pioneers may not buck their poor tradition anytime soon.

Game Scores and Notes

Week One Game Results

Olathe North 71, Leavenworth 6

Clearly, Olathe North was able to flex their muscles in this game. Simone hopeful James Franklin totalled 132 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries. Joining him in the backfield was Kansas State commit Tre Walker, who added three rushing touchdowns of his own. The Eagles dropped half-a-hundred on Leavenworth by halftime, and went on to score three more touchdowns in the second half.

Olathe East 29, Lawrence Free State 20

This game came as a bit of a surprise, but after looking at the box score it makes sense why Olathe East came out on top. Lawrence Free State, the more seasoned of the two squads, committed five turnovers, four of which came on interceptions. Firebird quarterback Camren Torneden passed for 151 yards, and rushed for 62 yards and two touchdowns, but ultimately the three interceptions he threw hurt the Firebirds quite a bit. Olathe East fed off the turnovers and played a very disciplined game in coming out on top.

SM West 29, Olathe South 23

Olathe South's steady passing game was nearly enough to take down the Vikings Friday night. Falcon quarterback Tanner Dutton completed 29 of 47 passes for 315 yards and one touchdown, but SM West showed alot of grit in winning the game. Olathe South started out hitting on all cylinders--to the tune of a 13-0 lead. But SM West, led by 166 rushing yards from junior Will Livingston, battled back to gain a halftime lead. A late pick six by SM West senior Alex Snook solidified the victory for the Vikings.

SM North 17, Lawrence 14

The Indians of SM North put a bit of a damper on the night that unveiled the new football stadium at Lawrence High. SM North used a balanced rushing attack of Kendall Kelly (below) and Arthur Rucker to wear down the Lawrence front seven. Lawrence also turned the ball over three times on fumbles in the loss.

SM Northwest 23, SM South 15
Despite having two key players injured (John Hauk and Trey Jacobson), the Cougars of SM Northwest were able to grind out a win. Quarterback Matt Nowak completed 12 of his 16 pass attempts for 135 yards and a touchdown. He also ran the ball six times for 32 yards and a touchdown.

Olathe Northwest 29, SM East 7 (Thursday Night Game)
Chip Sherman's first game as head coach at SM East, a Thursday night contest, ends in defeat. Olathe Northwest's Brandon Bouvilom rushed for two touchdowns and helped Olathe Northwest's head coach, Todd Dain, defeat his former school.

Olathe Northwest vs SM East All Star Video Sports Highlights

News and Notes

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

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

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

Players to Watch in 2009: Tre Walker

Name: Tre Walker

School: Olathe North
Year: Senior

Position(s): Linebacker

Height: 6'4"

Weight: 205 lbs.

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

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

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

Late April News

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

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

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

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

April News and Notes

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

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

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

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

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