Just two weeks remain in the high school football regular season with area teams battling for seeding heading into the new week nine playoff format around the state of Kansas. Class 1A opened up district play last week while 4A, 3A and 8-man has been in district play for the last several weeks, meaning each game from here on out means so much more.

Games to be Broadcast

Royal Valley at Hiawatha - 103.9 KNZA
Marysville at Holton – Holton Channel
Wamego at Sabetha - Sabetha Channel
Axtell at Frankfort – 92.1 KMZA
Atchison vs. Basehor-Linwood – KAIR 93.7 FM

Wellsville (3-3) at Jeff West (4-2) in 3A District 3

Jeff West lost their second straight game in a dog-fight against rival Perry Lecompton last week 24-13.  Even bigger, was the loss of the sophomore starting quarterback, Cade Ross, who had thrown for 1,122 yards this season but broke his arm in the first quarter.  Former signal caller Quinn Neuenswander stepped in and was 16-26 in the no-huddle, spread attack while throwing for 124 yards and rushing for 40 more.  The Tigers, who also lost top receiver Zeth Unruh to injury in last week’s game, try to get back on track, perhaps leaning more on the rushing game behind a much bigger and experienced offensive line.  Yet, Jeff West needs to cut down on silly and costly penalties.   

Wellsville is also 1-2 in District Three after falling to Santa Fe Trail 22-8 last week in their lowest scoring output of the season.  Amazingly, the Eagles are perfectly balanced averaging 155 yards per game rushing and passing.  Senior Zach Vance has thrown for more than 1,000 yards and eight different receivers have caught at least five passes.  These teams have not played in the last 15 years. 

Perry Lecompton (5-1) at Hayden (4-2) in 3A District 3

The last time these teams played, Hayden won in the 2008 State Championship Game in Class 4A.   The lone blemish for Perry Lecompton this year is still a 35-33 loss at undefeated and #1 ranked Sabetha as the Kaws beat Jeff West last week and face Hayden, who is also 3-0 in District play.  Dalton Kellum had 113 rushing yards and 188 passing last week to push his season total offensive yardage to 1,500.  Perry is averaging 42 points per outing and has allowed just 37 total points in their five wins. 

Hayden has won three straight and in their four wins this season surrendered a total of 16 points.  The most lopsided victory came last week in a 64-0 beat down of Bishop Ward and tonight’s matchup is likely to decide the District Champ.   

Royal Valley  (1-5) at Hiawatha (1-5) in 3A District 3 on KNZA 103.9 FM

After trading wins and playing in week one the last two years, Hiawatha host Royal Valley in a Big 7 League matchup tonight that has both teams desperate for a win to keep a meaningful week nine playoff matchup still alive.  Both teams have a lone win against Riverside this season as Hiawatha beat the Cyclones 27-13 in week one and the Panthers eeked out a 28-27 victory against Riverside in week three.  Both Hiawatha and Royal Valley have struggled to find consistency and score points while the Panther defense is allowing 52 points per game and the Hawks are surrendering about 40 points per contest.  RV also has 13 turnovers and is led on the ground by Chance Lyming with 516 yards.  Hiawatha has committed 15 turnovers and has 616 yards rushing and 551 passing for the season, led by Michael Moreno with 264 receiving yards. 

Marysville (4-2) at Holton (3-3) in 3A District 4 on the Holton Channel

After winning three games in a row, Holton was stopped at Sabetha last week falling 31-0 to the Bluejays.  The Cats were also down to their third string quarterback with Zane Moylan and Parker Gilliland injured.  Konnor Tannahill and Trey Wright are both nearly 400 yards rushing and Jackson Martin leads the Holton defense in tackles.  With both teams already having a loss to Sabetha, this game becomes a must-win to secure a home game in week nine to start the playoffs.  ­­­­Holton won four straight against the Bulldogs between 2004-2007, but they haven’t played in the last 10 years. 

While Holton gets all but 30 yards per game on the ground, Marysville is pretty balanced with a mean of 156 run and 170 passing yards per week.  Brandon Schroedl has now thrown for more than 1,000 yards after his best passing outing of the season last week in a 61-20 victory at Royal Valley.  The junior QB was 10-11 for 227 passing and five touchdowns, three of which went to his favorite target, Jacob Backus, who has 38 grabs for 517 yards this season.   

Wamego (4-2)  at Sabetha (6-0) in 3A District 4 on Sabetha Channel

Sabetha is still perfect on the season and has won 13 straight games and last week clinched their first Big 7 League title since 2007 with a 31-0 blanking of Holton.  The second shutout brought the Jays back down to under 10 points allowed on average this season and the team seems to be getting healthier and deeper.  Joe Gruber had 168 yards rushing last week while Gabe Garber was 6-8 passing for 104 yards and Cauy Rokey had another monster game on defense with 16 tackles, including seven behind the line of scrimmage. 

Wamego is 4-2 but their wins are by an average of 36 points and their two setbacks are by only 6 and 14 points, respectively.  Wamego beat Hiawatha 59-6 last week in their highest scoring game this year.   

Nemaha Central (4-2) at ACCHS (1-5) in 2A District 3

After going just 1-2 through the first three weeks of the season the Thunder have rattled off three straight wins with the latest victory coming in a 61-6 blowout of Riverside last week. Matt Baumgartner had another huge game on the outside catching five passes for 133 yards and three touchdowns, while Dalton Schmelzle threw for 215 yards and five touchdowns. In the last three wins, the Thunder are averaging 50 points per game and on the season are averaging 38 points per contest.

Since a week one win over Oskaloosa the Tigers have struggled dropping five straight games while averaging less than 10 points per game in those last five contests. The latest setback for the Tigers came to county rival Maur Hill-Mount Academy last week 40-8, as ACCHS gave up four touchdowns to the Ravens through the air. Shawn Boos recorded the only score for the Tigers, as his rushing score was setup by a Trystin Myers 87-yard kick return.

The Thunder have dominated the last four meetings between the two teams, outscoring the Tigers 240-24 in those four games including a 79-6 win last season.

Horton (0-6) at Riverside (1-5) in 2A District 3

Both teams have had their fare share of struggles this year, but still have hopes of claiming a meaningful week nine matchup as the fourth seed in District Three.  Horton lost to Pleasant Ridge 52-22 last week but Matthew Lobdell returned his fifth kickoff for a touchdown in the contest.  Riverside was throttled by Nemaha Central 61-6 in their second 55-point setback of the season.  While Horton has battled a lack of numbers, Riverside has struggled with size, having no offensive starting lineman weighing more than 200 pounds.  Tonight’s meeting is the first since 2015 between these schools, with Riverside winning four of their five matchups and a couple of those tilts decided by six points or less. 

Pleasant Ridge (4-2) at Maur Hill-Mount Academy (5-1) in 2A District 3

The road to determining who will win district three in Class 2A will be decided in the next two weeks, beginning with the Ravens having to hold serve at home against the Rams.

The Rams bounced back after the heartbreaking loss to Nemaha Central in week five by easily getting by Horton last week 55-22. Quarterback Colton Comer had a big night passing the football throwing for 190 yards and three touchdowns, while Keaton Comer recorded 150 yards receiving and two scores. Jake Heckman also had a pair of touchdown runs, as the Rams have won three of their last four games.

Since the week three loss to Jackson Heights, Maur Hill-Mount Academy has rattled off three straight wins with the latest coming in a 40-8 beat down of county rival ACCHS. Junior quarterback Jack Caudle threw for 281 yards and four touchdowns in the win along with rushing for another score, while Tate Vowels caught two more touchdown passes to push his total to eight on the season.

The Ravens shutout the Rams last season 56-0, which marked the second straight win in the series for MH-MA.

Central Heights (2-4) at McLouth (3-3) in 2A District 2

The Bulldogs are riding high for the second consecutive week after going on the road last week and taking down county rival Oskaloosa in dominating fashion 54-0. Fresh off being named the athlete of the week last week McLouth quarterback Jeremy Carlton had another big game, throwing for four touchdowns while also running for two more. Carlton has put together one of the best two game stretches you will see in high school football, as in the last two games he has combined for six passing touchdowns, three rushing and one receiving.

As to Central Heights they are looking to bounce back after a 41-8 loss to Osage City last week as their only two wins have come over Wabaunsee and Oskaloosa.

Wabaunsee (0-6) at Centralia (4-2) in 1A District 4

Centralia opened up district play last week with a dominating 59-7 win over Northern Heights rattling off 59 straight points after Norther Heights scored on their opening possession to jump out in front. The Panthers continued to get the run game going rushing for 510 yards as a team with three guys over the century mark in the win. Devon Feldkamp had a huge game finishing with 135 yards on the ground and two touchdowns, while also recording 74 yards receiving and a score. Quarterback Kamble Haverkamp had a big game as well with 110 yards rushing and 123 yards passing with two touchdowns through the air.

Wabaunsee meanwhile is still searching for their first win after falling to Valley Heights last week 52-8 and are averaging less than 10 points per game.

Northern Heights (2-4) at Valley Heights (4-2) in 1A District 4

The Mustangs got the ground game going once again last week rushing for 363 yards overall in a 52-8 win over Wabaunsee as Cole Coggins ran for four touchdowns while Peyton Yungeberg ran for 101 yards. Trey Martin also added a pair of rushing touchdowns as the Mustangs have now won four of their last five games. Valley Heights will face a Northern Heights team that is looking to rebound after a 59-7 loss to Centralia last week, with the only two wins coming over Yates Center and Lyndon.

Troy (3-3) at Lyndon (3-3) in 1A District 3

Don’t let the Troy record fool you, they might be the best 3-3 team in the state in Class 1A with two of those losses by a single point and the other to Centralia, in a game they led in the fourth quarter.  Still, the 8-7 setback against Jackson Heights last week was the third consecutive loss for Troy, who had four interceptions in the district affair. 

Lyndon had to rally in the fourth quarter to beat JCN 27-22 last week and the Tigers haven’t played a real tough schedule but have an average score of 17-23 for this season.  Troy and Lyndon played four times in the last five years with the Trojans winning the past three times in 2014, 2015 and 2016.  

Jeff County North (2-4) at Jackson Heights (5-1) in 1A District 7

These teams shared the Northeast Kansas League title the past couple years, but JCN beat Jackson Heights 36-20 in a first round playoff game.  The Cobras however return more experienced starters and it has shown with a 5-1 record and #5 ranking in the state.  Despite a 20-18 loss to Olpe, Jackson Heights has found a way to win the close contest, including a 14-point victory at MH-MA and a 22-14 win at Valley Heights before earning another tight triumph at Troy last week by an 8-7 final.  The Cobras are 4-0 on the road this season with one of the top ranked defenses in the state allowing less than seven points per game.  That unit picked off four passes last week, and on offense, had five different athletes rush the ball at least eight times.  Cooper Williams, Kolby Rethman and Conlon Bruggeman led the way in the district opener that put the green and gold in a great spot to win the District and host games in weeks nine and ten. 

The Chargers are looking to bounce back after a heartbreaking 27-22 loss to Lyndon last week in a game in which JCN had a 22-21 lead going into the fourth quarter. Logan Budy did record three rushing touchdowns of 80 yards, one-yard, and 68 yards, but the Chargers failed to score in the fourth quarter when they needed it the most. JCN has been competitive in every game they have played this season, with the biggest of their four losses coming by 22 points.

Valley Falls (1-5) at Chase County (0-6) in 8-man DI District 3

Valley Falls hasn’t won since week one or kept a game going the distance within 45 points.  The Dragons fell down quick last week and suffered their worst loss of the year in a game that ended at half with undefeated Madison ahead 64-6.  Valley Falls makes a two-hour trip to face a winless Chase County team, but one that has been competitive and only lost to common opponent Lebo by 16 a week ago.  One of the bright spots for the Dragons has been the play of Diego Cervantes, especially as a tackle leader on defense, after not playing football last season.  Chase County is led by Trint Rogers who had 252 yards rushing and three touchdowns last week in the 46-30 loss at Lebo.  

Washington County (3-3) at Clifton-Clyde (6-0) in 8-man DI District 7

It’s been an up and down season for the Tigers to this point and the record shows as Washington County enters tonight with an even 3-3 record. The Tigers went on the road last week and struggled, falling to Victoria 52-6. Things don’t get any easier this week for the Tigers hosting undefeated Clifton-Clyde, who is currently ranked third in the state after a 54-0 shutout of Stockton last week. The Eagles have outscored opponents, 342-64, and rank second in the classification in scoring offense.

Blue Valley (2-4) at Doniphan West (3-3) in 8-man DII District 3

It’s finally homecoming for Doniphan West and just their second game played on their regular home field at Midway.  The Mustangs have won three straight contests including a 46-30 victory at Wetmore last week that clinched a playoff spot.  D-West outscored the Cardinals 16-0 in the fourth quarter to secure the win as Cooper Jensen moved to quarterback and make big plays while racking up 128 passing yards and 165 rushing yards with six total touchdowns.  Lafe Blevins had a big night receiving as well. 

Blue Valley has forfeited two games, but won three of the four they have actually played.  With low numbers, the Rams beat Onaga 48-22 last week.  Brody Barr threw for 200 yards and four touchdowns while Lane Peter caught a pair of touchdown passes and had 11 tackles on defense plus two interceptions on defense. 

Axtell (5-1) at Frankfort (6-0) in 8-man DII District 3 on 92.1KMZA

In what many consider to be the game of the night around the area the Wildcats look to prove they are for real hosting 5-1 Axtell. The Eagles are looking to bounce back after a crushing loss last week to 8-man DII power Hanover 50-42, a game in which Axtell had a lead in the third quarter. The Eagles got down 14-0 early to the Wildcats, but bounced back and took a one-score lead in the third quarter before giving up 22 straight points and falling short. Quinn Buessing rushed for two touchdowns and threw for three more, as Hunter Koch caught two scores to move his season total to 22 which is close to a state record.

Frankfort meanwhile is looking to make a statement as to why they should be ranked as they enter tonight without a blemish on their record for the first time since 1996. The Wildcats picked up another dominating victory last week in a 60-14 win over St Johns/Tipton, scoring 30 points in the fourth quarter. Garret Dalinghaus continued his strong junior season, rushing for 216 yards and six touchdowns, while on defense recording 12 tackles, a tackle for loss and two fumble recoveries. He leads the Wildcats with 740 rushing yards on the season with 16 touchdowns, averaging nearly 10 yards per carry.

Axtell took last season’s meeting in a shootout 50-36, scoring three unanswered touchdowns late to seal the victory.

Wetmore (1-5) at Hanover (6-0) in 8-man DII District 3

The Cardinals are coming off one their best performances of the season last week falling to Doniphan West at home 48-32. The game was actually tied at 32 heading into the fourth quarter, but the Mustangs rattled off 16 unanswered points to end the game. Joel Hutfles had a huge game despite the loss, as the senior recorded 189 rushing yards and three touchdowns, while also recording a 56-yard punt return touchdown.

Hanover enters the matchup battered and bruised after a physical game last week in a 50-42 shootout win over Axtell. The Wildcats took an initial 14-0 lead in the first quarter, but saw themselves down by a score early in the third quarter. But after that Hanover rattled off 22 straight points to lead 50-34 before holding on for the eight point win. The Wildcats had quarterback Daiken Stallbaumer rush for four touchdowns in the win, while Carter Bruna added two scores on the ground. Hanover has won 31 straight games, including a 48-0 win over the Cardinals in week five last season.

Tescott (0-6) at Onaga (0-6) in 8-man Non-District

In the only non-district matchup of the night Onaga looks to pick up their first victory of the season hosting a Tescott ball club that is winless on the season as well. The Buffaloes played well last week in a 48-22 loss to Blue Valley, but simply are facing too much youth and inexperience right now. Onaga has also played one of the toughest schedules in the state feature two ranked teams and another undefeated team which hasn’t helped, but the final two weeks should be a breath of fresh air for the Buffaloes finishing the regular season with two games against teams with under .500 records.

Basehor-Linwood (5-1) at Atchison (3-3) in 4A East Division on KAIR 93.7 FM

The Redmen are looking to bounce back after a 42-7 loss on the road last week at Louisburg who is undefeated on the season. Atchison trailed just 7-0 after the first quarter, but gave up 13 points in the second quarter and 15 in the third while scoring just once in the third quarter on a 35-yard touchdown reception by Malachi Vick from Brayden Dame. The loss ended the Redmen’s two-game win streak and things don’t get any easier this week, as the Bobcats of Basehor-Linwood come to town after a 35-27 win over De Soto last week.