Wier Likely to Return to Olathe North

Gene Wier

It appears as though Olathe North's "delay" in naming a new head coach was strategic after all.  According to Tod Palmer of the Kansas City Star, Gene Wier will be rehired as the head football coach at Olathe North, pending the approval of the Olathe School District Board of Education on Thursday night.

His hiring will fill the void left by Pete Flood, who resigned from the head coaching position with the Eagles after six years on the job.

The younger generation of Sunflower League players and fans may not remember just how dominant Wier was at Olathe North--in fact, nine seasons have passed since Wier last graced the league in 2002--but his status as a coaching legend in Kansas still stands tall.

Wier spent 22 seasons as Olathe North's head coach, starting in 1981 and going until 2002.  During that time he compiled a 188-36 record, winning six state championships.

Wier left Olathe North following the 2002 season to take over the head coaching duties at Richland High School in Richland, Texas, where he's spent the past nine seasons.  He also doubled as the athletic director at Richland.

Wier's current coaching tree includes head coaches Tim Callaghan of SM West, Ryan Lonergan of SM South and John McCall of Blue Valley North.  All three were coaches on Wier's staff in 2002 when Olathe North went 13-0 winning its third-straight 6A title.

Week Seven Game Previews

Olathe South (6-0) at Blue Valley Northwest (3-3) (Thursday Night Game)

Olathe South quarterback Frankie Seurer will play
a key role in how well Olathe South is able to control
the ball and keep the Blue Valley Northwest offense
off the field.  Photo courtesy the Kansas City Star.



Their record doesn't indicate it, but Blue Valley Northwest is not a team to be taken lightly, and I can assure you Olathe South is putting in as much preparation and work into this game as they did last week against Olathe North.  The Huskies from BV Northwest came within a blocked PAT of tying and possibly upending undefeated Blue Valley last week.  Add in the fact that they have a talented quarterback in Garrett Fugate operating a spread system that Olathe South has probably only seen once, against Lawrence, and you have yourself what could be a pretty close ballgame.

Leavenworth (0-6) at Wyandotte (2-4) at Wyandotte

Leavenworth should finally be able to garner their first victory of the season here against Wyandotte.  Last season it was their only win of the year, however, it gave them momentum and they nearly beat SM North in the final week of the season to make the playoffs.  We'll see if a victory here can propel the Pioneers in a similar direction this time around.

Lawrence (4-2) at Olathe North (5-1) at ODAC

This game might feature as many top athletes as we've seen in a SL contest all season long.  Olathe North is coming off their low-point in the season thus far, a 29-10 loss at the hands of Olathe South.  Lawrence may be coming off their high-point, after handling SM South 42-17 with relative ease.  Regardless, it's district time and a win here will be key, because the other two district members (Olathe Northwest and Free State) will certainly not be easy wins.

Blue Valley West (3-3) at Olathe East (5-1) at CBAC

Blue Valley West has been anything but impressive on the season.  Their three wins have come against a winless Blue Valley North, a one-win Blue Valley Southwest, and a blowout non-conference game against Christian High School in St. Louis.  However, don't expect Jeff Meyers and his Hawks to take the Jaguars lightly.  With Blue Valley Northwest and Olathe South remaining on the schedule, a slip up here by the Hawks could prove fatal for their playoff hopes.

SM East (3-3) at Blue Valley North (0-6) at BVDAC

By all means SM East has the personnel to handle Blue Valley North and push their own record to 4-3.  The coaching familiarity is the main question mark at this point in time.  Blue Valley North's head coach, John McCall, was head coach at Olathe North from 2003-2004, winning a 6A championship in 2003.  He knows the Sunflower League's style well, and his son, Bryan McCall, is a coordinator at Olathe North and may have a few tips for his pops on how to contain the Lancers.

SM North (1-5) at SM Northwest (1-5) at SM North District Stadium

The Hula Bowl, for the first time in awhile, looks like it could be a pretty evenly matched game.  SM North has lost four straight games after a week on victory, while SM Northwest has been just as bad, having only won one game, which came on a last-second field goal.  Both units would love a victory over their arch-rival, and a 1-0 start to district play.  And just for the record, SM North hasn't beat SM Northwest since 2001, accumulating seven straight losses in the nine seasons since then.

SM South (1-5) at SM West (3-3) at SM South District Stadium

Technically, this is a matchup between two members of former Olathe North head coach Gene Wier's coaching tree.  SM West head coach Tim Callaghan was an assistant under Wier from the mid-90s through the early part of the 2000s, and SM South head coach Ryan Lonergan was an assistant at Olathe North under Weir in 2002.  While neither team has had a tremendous season, both will be employing similar styles of play and it should be fun to watch.

Game of the Week
Lawrence Free State (4-2) at Olathe Northwest (3-3) (Thursday Night Game) at CBAC

I like what both teams bring to the table in this game, and for that reason I've chosen it as the Game of the Week.  A win here is absolutely crucial.  The other two teams in the district include Lawrence and Olathe North, two of the Sunflower League's best.  The loser of this game will have to defeat both of those teams to make the playoffs, which will be a tall order.  The winner on the other hand will only have to win one of their remaining two games.

Top Teams Since 2000

Generally speaking, mid-April isn't exactly a prime time for high school football coverage.  In fact, it might be considered the polar opposite of the heart of the football season.  Most teams won't start their offseason workouts until late May or early June, and it's rare to have much go on in the Sunflower League high school football world in the meantime.

So as is custom on my blog, I've created another list to fill the time in between.  The list is my opinion of the top teams in the Sunflower League since 2000.  Feel free to comment and post your own lists in the comments section. 

1. Olathe North, 2000

(12-0, 6A State Champions)

Head Coach Gene Wier

The 2000 Eagles dismantled their opponents by an average score of 44-8. They were led by running backs Darren Sproles and Maurice Mack, who combined to rush for 3,464 yards and 60 touchdowns on the season. In their three playoff games Olathe North outscored their opponents 145-7, including a 42-7 victory over Manhattan in the state championship game.

2. Olathe North, 2001

(12-0, 6A State Champions)
Head Coach Gene Wier

The Eagles won their second straight title in 2001 behind the firepower of their three star players, Maurice Mack, Royal Whitaker, and Josh Carroll--all of whom took home Kansas Top 11 honors following the season. This team was known for their defensive prowess, giving up a mere 65 points in 12 games, an average of 5.4 points per game, including five shutout victories.

3. Olathe North, 2004 (right)

(12-1, 5A State Runner-Up)

Head Coach John McCall

Undoubtedly the most talented team not to win a state championship. The combination of Dustin Moomau, the Gore twins, Justin and Jason, and Randy Shephard, among others, made this one of the most athletic teams of the last 12 seasons. A Moomau injury in the title game derailed their chances at a fifth straight state title.

4. Olathe North, 2002

(13-0, 6A State Champions)

Head Coach Gene Wier

The playoff expansion in 2002 didn't make much of a difference for this Olathe North squad, led by Jim Bouknight's 2,793 rushing yards and 34 touchdowns. The team rolled to an undefeated season capped off by a 41-12 beatdown of Derby in the state championship game, keeping alive a 38-game winning streak.

5. Olathe North, 2009
(13-0, 6A State Champions)
Head Coach Pete Flood

The 2009 edition of Olathe North featured four players who went on to play football at Big 12 schools, not to mention running back James Franklin, who rushed for 2,803 yards and 31 touchdowns. They brought the title back to Olathe North for the first time since 2003.

6. Shawnee Mission West, 2006
(12-1, 6A State Runner-Up)
Head Coach Tim Callghan

This was another great team that came up just short of a title. Led by Division One bound Blake Lawrence and David Leonard, the Vikings' closest margin of victory in their first 12 games was a 16 point win over Lawrence in Sectionals. The Vikings came up a touchdown short in the state title game against Hutchinson.

7. Olathe East, 2005
(12-1, 6A State Runner-Up)
Head Coach Jeff Meyers

Olathe East's quarterback Derek Miller was everybody's All-American during 2005, passing for over 2,000 yards and 20 touchdowns and anchoring the team's stellar defense. He looked like a lock for the Simone until he threw four interceptions in the title game, a microcosm of the Hawks' loss that day.

8. Olathe North, 2003
(10-3, 6A State Champions)
Head Coach John McCall

The hangover of losing former head coach Gene Wier to the Texas high school football ranks took some time to get over (the Eagles started 4-3) but the team got rolling come playoff time. Leaning heavily on Mike McCall and Justin Gore offensively, the Eagles won their last six games, including their fourth straight title.

9. Olathe East, 2003
(10-1, 6A Quarterfinalist)
Head Coach Jeff Meyers

Anthony Parks and Andre Jones were highlight reel staples across the metro in 2003, helping the team to a blazing 10-0 start. After a 73-yard touchdown run from Jones gave the Hawks a 7-0 lead against Blue Valley North in Sectionals, things fell apart, and the team ended the season with a 21-16 loss.

10. Lawrence Free State, 2006
(11-1, 6A Semifinalist)
Head Coach Bob Lisher

With twins Ryan and Brian Murphy at the quarterback and running back positions, this Free State team was simply electric. Three times during the season they scored over 60 points, and their defense was also solid as teams struggled against their 3-5-3 format. They came up short in the Sub-State game against SM West.

Honorable Mention: Lawrence '05; Lawrence Free State '08; Olathe East '02, 04, '05; Olathe North '07, '10; Olathe South '00, '01, '04, '07; SM Northwest '03, '07; SM North '00; SM West '04.

State Championship Results

Olathe North 37, Wichita Heights 3

A collective sigh of relief could be heard from the Olathe North faithful as the final whistle blew during Saturday's 6A title game. Olathe North, who won seven 6A state championships from 1996 to 2003, was finally back on top.

Olathe North came out focused on established their running game early, and often. Simone favorite James Franklin (below) carried the ball three times on the opening drive for 72 yards, with the last carry going for 25 yards and a touchdown to put Olathe North up 7-0. Wichita Heights kicker Chris Farley booted a 28 yard field goal, before Olathe North's Victor Simmons (bottom) scored on a 15 yard touchdown run.

On paper Olathe North controlled the first half (outgaining Wichita Heights in yards 228-61), but only came away with a 14-3 advantage at halftime.

In the third quarter the Eagles dominant run game began to take its toll on the Wichita Heights defense. Franklin added touchdowns on runs of 5, and 68 yards to push the Olathe North lead to 25 points. In the fourth quarter, Olathe North linebacker Kyle Swartz forced a safety, before quarterback David Blazevic added a rushing touchdown later in the quarter to seal the deal, 37-3.

Olathe North is now 8-1 in state championship games, with this title being the school's first since John McCall led the 2003 squad to a 10-3 record and 6A title.

Game Stats

Rushing—Wichita Heights, Smith 13-70, Ross 10-12, Deshazer 3-6, Jones 3-4, Reed 9-(-6), Moreland 4-(-23). Olathe North, Franklin 32-269, Simmons 11-62, Saunders 1-9, Walker 2-2, Blazevic 1-1.
Passing—Wichita Heights, Moreland 2-4-26-0, Reed 2-7-18-0. Olathe North, Blazevic 4-6-86-1, Simmons 0-1-0-0.
Receiving—Wichita Heights, Smith 2-16, Strand 1-15, Taylor 1-13. Olathe North, Peete 2-45, Swartz 2-41.

Q and A Session

Q: Which stadium is the best in the Sunflower League?

A: The new stadiums being built in Lawrence appear to be state of the art, and the new SM North stadium is as nice of a facility as you can find in Kansas. However, I would still maintain that the charm of the Olathe District Activities Center (ODAC) is undeniable. The drive through the cornfields to the stadium adds to the mystique, and the stadium itself has housed countless All-State players and championship teams. Also, ODAC still fields a grass playing surface, something that is becoming more and more uncommon in Johnson County, and around the state of Kansas. Given all of the history, and the certain "field of dreams" aura the stadium holds, I would have to give ODAC the nod for the top stadium.

Q: Which football team is the best of the decade?

A: This isn't too tough of a question, because most all signs point to the 2000 Olathe North team as the most dominant. I could go on all day about how talented the team was, but I can sum it up much quicker with a few statistical measures:

• Olathe North's top two running backs in 2000--senior Darren Sproles (right) and junior Maurice Mack--combined to total 3,464 rushing yards and 60 rushing touchdowns that season.
  
• Olathe North scored 35 or more points in 11 of their 12 games.


• Olathe North's defense gave up, on average, 8.2 points per game.

Forget top team in the conference for the decade, that Olathe North team was the best team in the state of Kansas the past 10 years. They ended the 2000 season on a high note, beating Manhattan in the 6A title game by a score of 42-7. Sproles has five touchdown runs in that title game.

Q: What is the best rivalry?

A: I have stated this before, and I will state it again--the Lawrence vs. Lawrence Free State game is truly the biggest rivalry game in the Sunflower League. I didn't realize the magnitude of the contest until I spent my freshman year of college at KU in Lawrence, and was able to experience first hand the competitiveness between the two schools. Just in case you're interested, the two teams square off October 23.

Q: When will the 6A State crown return the Sunflower League?

A: Presumable this upcoming season. Olathe North won the title from 2000 through 2003, and since then, the league is 0-5 in the 6A title game. The good news is that there doesn't appear to be a dominate 6A team on the Central or Western part of the state in 2009. If the East side of the state (and more specifically the Sunflower League) is going to regain the title it needs to be this year. With Hutch likely returning to 6A in 2010, the title will only become more competitive next year.

Q: What game has had the biggest impact on the Sunflower League the past 10 years?

A: The game I would point to would be the 2003 match up between Olathe North and SM North. Gene Wier had departed Olathe North to become the head coach at Richland High School in Texas, and meanwhile John McCall was in his first game as the head coach of Olathe North. On the other side of the coin, SM North was coached by chiseled veteran Sam Brown. Brown was returning one of his best Indian teams in his tenure, and on that night they had Olathe North's number. The game was a rather boring contest, filled with sloppy play and uncontrolled nerves. In the end, SM North won the game 7-6, snapping Olathe North's win streak at 38 games.

What came of the game? Olathe North went 10-3 and won the 6A state championship that year, but things just didn't seem the same without Weir at the helm. The following year Olathe North looked like the best team in the state of Kansas for 12 weeks before falling the state championship game. John McCall left to join Wier's staff in Texas following the 2004 season. SM North finished 2003 with a record of 6-3, and then went 5-4 in Brown's last season at SM North in 2004. Brown returned to coach his Alma mater, Excelsior Springs High School, where he has remained the head man since 2005.

Q: What game has been the biggest upset of the decade?

A: This one is difficulty to figure for sure, but I would go with SM West's defeat of Olathe East in the 2004 Sectional Round of the playoffs. SM West had gone 2-7 in 2003, before changing things around in 2004 and completing the regular season 7-2. Olathe East on the other hand was as loaded as ever. They had gone 8-1 during the regular season, and looked primed to take the 6A title. In fact, nearly every media pundit in the area was choosing Olathe East to win the game.

What happened? Olathe East came out cold, and SM West came out on fire. SM West's Andrew Patch caught a deep touchdown pass early in the first quarter to give SM West a 7-0 lead, a lead which they would hold throughout. A couple DJ Barnett touchdowns gave the Vikings a 21-0 lead when the final whistle blew. Perhaps the craziest thing about that game was that Olathe East's do-it-all freak, Andre Jones, was held to a mere 18 yards rushing. SM West lost to Olathe South the next week in the State Semi-finals, but their shutout upset over the Hawks still ranks as my top upset of the decade.