After winning in the first round back on Tuesday the Class 3A playoffs continue on Saturday with the Regional round and of the 16 teams left in the playoffs four hail from Northeast Kansas. Below is a preview of the three area matchups for the playoffs.

3A Regional Playoff Games to be Broadcasted:
103.9 KNZA – Perry Lecompton at Sabetha (click here to listen & click here to watch/listen)
92.1 KMZA – Silver Lake at Nemaha Central (click here to listen)

Silver Lake (10-0) at Nemaha Central (10-0)  at 4:00 PM on KMZA 92.1 FM

It's a rematch of Sectional a year ago and both the Thunder and Eagles are not only undefeated, but have been ranked at the top of Class 3A all season.  Last year, Nemaha Central had three takeaways and won a 21-14 road game as they scored on a blocked punt and had a key interception and stop on fourth down and short in the final quarter to hang on for the win.  It was the first time in 15 years that Nemaha advanced past the second round of the post season and almost the same time since Silver Lake had not won at least two playoff games in a year.  Both teams have had three games this season decided by two scores or less, but dominated competition in repeating as League champions in the Big 7 and Mid East Leagues.  Both teams this year are averaging close to 41 points per game and giving up only 10. 

Nemaha Central averages 230 yards rushing and 145 passing per game led by senior quarterback, Mitchell Henry who has 1,022 passing yards and 10 touchdowns while running for 944 yards and 25 scores.  Luke Reitz and Noe Guana also have ran for more than 300 yards and Camron Feldkamp leads the way with 333 yards receiving on 14 catches.  Three other Thunder players have at least 10 catches and more than 150 yards. 

Silver Lake has a mean of 161 passing and 171 rushing yards per outing.  Mason Griffin has 1,549 yards passing and 16 touchdowns with just two interceptions, while Mason Jones leads the backfield with 823 yards and 17 TDs.  Trent Byers leads the receiving core with 588 yards on 38 catches while Keenan Baird has 409 on 25 receptions.  

There are three other undefeated teams in the 3A bracket and the winner of this game might get another next week in Galena (10-0), who plays Wellsville (9-1) today.   

Perry Lecompton (7-3) at Sabetha (9-1)  at 6:00 PM on KNZA 103.9 FM
Familiarity won’t be an issue on Saturday in Sabetha as the Bluejays host fellow Big Seven League team in Perry Lecompton. The two did battle in Week five of the regular season a game in which Sabetha won 28-21 holding off the Kaws for the victory, but over the past eight games the series is even at 4-4. Bluejays are in the Regional round of the playoffs for the fourth straight year after a first round 56-14 win over Maur Hill-Mount Academy outgaining the Ravens 470 to 196 total yards in the win. Sabetha on the year is averaging 39.5 points per game and 309 yards rushing per game with an offense that is full of capable ball carriers with five guys with 400+yards rushing and eight different guys with a rushing touchdown on the season. Mason Engelken and Joe Gruber lead the way in the backfield each with over 700 yards rushing. On defense the Bluejays have plugged up teams rushing attack all year and have given up just 89 points all season.

Perry Lecompton snagged their first playoff win since 2008 with a 27-21 win over St. Mary’s in the first round. The Kaws have been good all year and their three losses are to really good teams having lost to Sabetha and unbeatens Nemaha Central and Silver Lake with two of the three losses by a single score. Dalton Kellum has put some eye popping numbers together on the season leading a Kaw offense that averages 46.7 points per game. Kellum has rushed for 1,506 yards with 23 touchdowns while passing for 1,182 yards with 11 touchdowns. While the offense runs through Kellum the Kaws have several other playmakers including four guys with around 400 or more yards of total offense on the season. Defense has been solid for the Kaws too giving up just 17.7 points per game and having forced 30 turnovers.

Both teams enter the contest with a +15 turnover margin and turnovers could ultimately be the deciding factor in the contest between Big Seven foes.

Marysville (9-1) at Larned (6-4) (kickoff 3:00pm)
For the first time since 2009 the Marysville Bulldogs are moving on in the playoffs as they captured a 62-21 dominating win over Norton a team they have lost to the last two years in the first round of the playoffs. Offensively the Bulldogs have been strong all season averaging 48.4 points per game this and scoring 50+ in five games and the team averages 360 yards per game. Blumer leads the offense with 2,340 yards passing with 25 touchdowns to only two interceptions and has ran for 690 yards with 12 scores. Atreyau Hornbeak has come on this season out of the backfield rushing for 555 yards with 13 touchdowns including 105 yards with five touchdowns against Norton. While five guys have 200+ yards receiving led by Gabe Pieschl who has surpassed 1,000 yards on the season and has caught 12 touchdowns. The team has played discipline also all year with only five turnovers on the season.

Larned also cruised in their first round playoff contest winning 42-6 over Lakin to pick up just their fourth playoff win in school history but won in the first round for the second straight year. The Indians were strong in the first round of the playoffs as they held Lakin to just 92 yards of total offense and the only score for their opponent came on the opening kickoff return, while offensively Larned ran for 434 yards as a team on 45 carries that is 9.6 yards per carry. Anthony McConnell has speared headed their offense all season running for 189 yards and four touchdowns against Lakin and enter the playoffs with 1,000+ yards rushing on the season.

Other Class 3A 1st round games:
Galena (10-0) at Wellsville (9-1) 3:00pm
Caney Valley (8-2) at Osage City (8-2) 4:00pm
Marion (8-2) at Cheney (8-2) 2:00pm
Hesston (7-3) at Conway Springs (10-0) 7:00pm
Hoisington (7-3) at Phillipsburg (10-0) 5:00pm