The first round of the playoffs continue across Kansas and area teams will be in action Thursday and Friday in Classes 4A-DII and 2-1A. Below are previews for the five area teams, three matchups in 4A-DII and 2-1A that involve area teams. 

Playoff Games to be Broadcasted Thursday & Friday:
103.9 KNZA & Holton Channel -
       Holton at Baldwin (click here to listen) & (click here to watch) -- on Thursday 
103.9 KNZA & 92.1 KMZA – Valley Heights at Troy  (click here to listen) -- on Friday 
KAIR 93.7 FM – JCN at Washington County (click here to listen) -- on Friday 

Playoff Games to be Broadcasted Saturday:
103.9 KNZA & Sabetha Channel –
     Rossville at Sabetha (click here to listen) & (click here to watch)
92.1 KMZA – Nemaha Central at Silver Lake (click here to listen)

Holton (5-4) at Baldwin (3-6)
It’s not about how you start but how you finish. These two teams certainly know all about that in the 2016 football season. Despite starting 0-3, and falling at home to Hayden in a week eight District game, the Wildcats qualified for their 19th straight post season by winning at Santa Fe Trail last Thursday 36-24. Baldwin began this year 0-6, but won all three of their District games to clinch a playoff spot for the ninth time in ten years. Indeed, both teams feel back where they belong and will rematch from a 2008 game won by Holton 24-14 at Baldwin. The Eagles missed the playoffs last year, ending the season with seven straight losses in 4A Division One, and the losing streak grew to 13 games before a 60-0 route of Bishop Ward sent the Eagles soaring through District play. Holton is trying to find the final gear and make a return trip to the state title game, where they fell last year against Holcomb.

The Wildcat wishbone has been unstoppable for most of the year, averaging 393 yards rushing per contest, and having a lead in all nine games they’ve played this year. Yet costly mistakes, penalties and especially fumbles have put Holton on the verge of their first five-loss season since Coach Brooks Barta’s (207-40) first year with the Wildcats in 1996. Reigning MSC Sports “Athlete of the Week,” Spencer Baum, now leads Holton with 1,153 yards on the ground after posting 252 and 4 touchdowns last week against Santa Fe Trail. Baum, who has a pair of receiving scores this season, added a couple two-point conversions to help the Cats to a 28-24 halftime lead last week, and the senior has been a vital part of special teams and defense as well. Miles McClintock-Stozier has 1,004 yards and could be the next to explode with his speed on the Baldwin turf field tonight. Tyler Price has played his best football of the season the last couple weeks at fullback and ran for 187 yards while fellow senior fullback, Parker Zeller, has unselfishly shifted to center where he excelled last week filling in for the injured Jesse Lynch. Juniors, Dylan Aeschliman and AJ Haussler anchor a defensive unit with 95 and 75 tackles respectively, but still have room to improve on this side of the ball giving up 23 points per game.  

Baldwin is led by 19th year Coach Mike Berg (117-78) and a big offensive line with four returning starters. After scoring a mere 57 total points in the first six games this season, Baldwin 151 the last three weeks. The Eagle defense has still given up 31 points per outing, competing in the Frontier League. Justin Howard (senior) paces the offense with 756 yards rushing and is also the leading tackler with 85 stops on the season. Luke Laskowski has ran for 299 yards as the quarterback while throwing for 919 yards and nine scores in nine games, but the Eagles has 17 turnovers and just 15 takeaways this year.  

This game is being played on Thursday because Baldwin shares the field with Baker University, who is hosting a soccer match on Friday night and football game on Saturday. The Holton/Baldwin winner faces either #1 ranked and undefeated Frontenac or Iola next week.             
Valley Heights (7-2) at Troy (9-0)
It's a Twin Valley League showdown and rematch of week one in the opening round of the 2-1A playoffs as Troy hosts Valley Heights. The Trojans got the better of the Mustangs 58-27 in week one but the game featured 953 total yards of offense with Troy amassing 520 yards and Valley Heights 433 yards.

Valley Heights enters the playoffs off a loss to Washington County but the Mustangs are having their best season in years and are led by the rushing attack in their triple option offense averaging 370 yards per game as a team rushing and posting 40.1 points per game. Hunter Stevenson leads the Mustang ground attack with 1,555 yards rushing with 21 touchdowns, while Jordan Yungeberg has added 812 yards and a touchdown and quarterback, Logan Woodyard as totaled 996 yards total offense with 24 touchdowns combined passing and rushing. Mustangs have had some trouble on the season with turnovers fumbling 10 times and carry only a +2 turnover margin, while giving up 26.6 points per game, but the defense continually has made plays when needed all year led by Harrison Blaske who has 97 tackles on the year. Valley Heights is looking for their first playoff win since 2009. 

Troy Trojans for the second straight enter the postseason unbeaten and are the only team left in Class 2-1A with an unblemished record. Trojans offense picked up from where it left off last year and has put up eye popping numbers with 45.1 points per game with 255.7 yards per game passing and 140.9 rushing yards per game. Reid Greaser leads the offense with 2,242 yards passing and 33 touchdowns this year, while Cuttar Huss has 1,170 yards of total offense with 948 yards of that being receiving with 15 touchdowns and Brody Winder has added 818 yards receiving with 10 touchdowns. On defense the Trojans have held opponents to 15 points per game, but some teams have been able to compile yards against them but only three teams have scored more than two touchdowns against the Trojans, plus the team totes a +16 turnover margin. Wil Smith leads the Trojan defense with 84 tackles, 10 sacks, a forced fumble, fumble recovery and interception. 

While Troy won the showdown earlier this year the Trojans have actually won four straight against the Mustangs including a 2014 first round playoff win at Troy (50-6); the Mustangs last win over Troy was in 2012. 

Jefferson County North (8-1) at Washington County (7-2)
Both teams are back in the playoffs for the second straight as Jefferson County North picked up a 44-20 win over McLouth in the season finale to make the 2-1A postseason and Washington County back in 2-1A this year beat Valley Heights 42-36 last week to win the District title. 

The Chargers are having their best season in years including a co-Northeast Kansas League championship, the first League title for the team since 2001 and JCN's lone loss came against #1 ranked Troy. JCN despite the injury to key tailback Ridge Robertson hurt the Chargers but several guys have stepped up as Samuel Larson and Anthony Cahill who both ran for 100+ yards last week against McLouth have been solid in the backfield and Boston Lane has shown the capability to throw for 100 yards in a game this year. Five times this season the Charger offense has surpassed 50 points while averaging 38.4 points per game. Defensively the Chargers have been strong too giving up just 12.1 points per game and have held seven or their nine opponents to two scores or less this year. 

Washington County has weathered the storm of injuries this season as they moved back to 2-1A after a few years in Class 3A. The Tigers have been strong all year despite the injuries with their two losses to unbeaten 3A #1 team Hoisington and unbeaten 2-1A #1 Troy. Averaging 24.9 points per game on the year the rushing attack has led Washington County all year and Hunter Kier has returned from injury and ran for 121 yards last week on 22 carries with two touchdowns, while Jae Eaton has been a strong contributor out of the backfield too running for 138 yards on nine carries. The Tiger defense has given up 20.3 points per game this season but have made the plays needed to win, winning five games by 13 points or less.