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2025 Pick Records
Brandon
Last week: 10-2
Overall: 120-30
2024 Record: 153-32
Justin
Last week: 11-1
Overall: 126-22
2024 Record: 158-26
Kryndon
Last week: 8-4
Overall: 114-34
2024 Record: 145-40
Jake
Last week: 12-1
Overall: 113-24
Boz
Last week: 12-1
Overall: 117-20
BROADCAST SCHEDULE
Frankfort at Axtell – 92.1 KMZA
Riverside at Jackson Heights – 93.7 KAIR & Cobra Channel
Sabetha at Nemaha Central – 103.9 KNZA & Sabetha Channel
Holton at Santa Fe Trail – Holton Channel
Sectional Round Playoff Games
Class 8M-II
(7-3) Linn at (10-0) Hanover
The Linn Bulldogs won their very first regional championship since 1998 last Friday, beating Lebo in a dominant 46-0. The Linn Bulldogs have been nothing but a testament of power, drive, and determination this season and have powered their way to their 7-3 record, which again is their best record since 1998 when they finished 8-4, losing in the sectional round to Sylvan 70-24. Linn is averaging 55.7 points per game in contests that they have won, and in games they have lost, they are averaging six points per game. Linn has held their opponents this season to 24.8 points per game.
The Hanover Wildcats have improved to a flawless 10-0 after their 64-8 shutdown against Burlingame. Last season, Hanover lost to Burlingame 36-24. The Wildcats remain the #1-ranked team in the state in 8M-II. Hanover is now 4-1 against Burlingame all-time under head coach Matt Heuer. The Burlingame Bearcats' offense, before facing the Hanover Wildcats, was averaging at least forty points per game. Hanover is currently averaging 49.9 points per game as they have outscored their opponents this season 499-64, allowing just an average of 6.4 points per game. The Wildcats have given up at least one touchdown in their last five weeks but have recorded three shutouts on the season as well.
Hanover beat Linn 52-12 in the finale of the regular season this season. Last season, Hanover won 48-0 against Linn. The Wildcats have won 15 straight games against the Bulldogs, with the last win for Linn coming back in 2005.
Brandon’s Pick: Hanover
Justin’s Pick: Hanover
Kryndon’s Pick: Hanover
Jake’s Pick: Hanover
Boz’s Pick: Hanover
(6-4) Frankfort at (9-1) Axtell – 92.1 KMZA
The Frankfort Wildcats stunned Marmaton Valley last Friday, 84-74, to move on to sectionals. This marks now three consecutive years the Wildcats have won regionals. Marmaton Valley had the early jump, 22-6 by the end of the first quarter, but Frankfort trimmed the lead for Marmaton Valley to just 38-28 by the end of the first half. Frankfort outscored MV in the second half 56-36, with 26 points in the third quarter and 30 points in the fourth quarter. The Wildcats' player of the game was none other than Wes Anderson, who finished 24 of 29 with 286 yards passing and six passing scores. Anderson also rushed for 189 yards for four touchdowns and on defense had 15 total tackles. Frankfort allowed 623 yards of offense but put up 571 total yards of offense; the game combined for 1,194 yards on an 8-man field. Anderson currently has 8,000 career passing yards, 528 completions, and 117 passing touchdowns. This season alone, Anderson has 2,463 yards of offense and 43 total touchdowns.
The Axtell Eagles ran away with an on-the-road takedown against Rural Vista Heat last week, in which it was the Eagles who brought the heat in the 46-0 victory. Rural Vista opened with a big 48-yard run on its first play, and right after, it was shut down for the rest of the two quarters of play. Axtell ended the regional game at halftime. The Eagles had 297 yards of offense in the win and held the Heat to just 100 yards total. Wyatt Detweiler led the Axtell Eagles with 254 yards of offense with five passing touchdowns, going 10 of 11 in the air. Detweiler also added an interception and 11 tackles on defense. Both Joe Lybarger and Colin Shaugnessy went over 90+ yards receiving, and both recorded two receiving touchdowns. Axtell is now 2-0 against Rural Vista all-time, and the Eagles have now been regional champions for five consecutive seasons.
The Axtell Eagles have now won seven straight against Frankfort, including back-to-back substate-championship matchups. Axtell has already defeated Frankfort this season, 60-14, and beat them last year in the sub-state title game, 52-20. Axtell is 21-18-1 against Frankfort. The two teams tied 13-13 in 1954; their first match-up was at the end of the 1939 season, Frankfort won 47-0.
Brandon’s Pick: Axtell
Justin’s Pick: Axtell
Kryndon’s Pick:
Jake’s Pick: Axtell
Boz’s Pick: Axtell
Class 1A
(8-2) Riverside at (10-0) Jackson Heights – KAIR 93.7 & Cobra Channel
Riverside went on the road last week and led wire-to-wire beating Centralia 41-26. It was the first time since the early 1970’s that Riverside beat Centralia and that was before the consolidation to Riverside with Wathena and Elwood. Elijah Moore had a career night with 187 rushing yards and three touchdowns. Chase Hewins had a rushing touchdown and a kickoff return touchdown. The Cyclones finished with 343 total yards, had 17 first downs, and were 6-of-9 on third down. It was Riverside’s first regional title in school history.
The Jackson Heights Cobras squeezed out a 21-20 victory in overtime against the Olpe Eagles last Friday, which was the first time in school History for the Cobras beating the Olpe Eagles, and they did it in cinematic fashion. Jackson Heights took the early lead 7-0 in the first quarter, and Olpe responded with two scores in the second quarter to make it an Eagle lead 14-7 at the half. Jackson Heights tied the game 14-14 off a three-yard rushing touchdown from Mellies in the third quarter, and both teams went scoreless in the fourth to head into overtime. The Cobras started with the ball in OT and scored to go up 21-14, and then Olpe would respond to make it 21-20; however, instead of taking the extra point, the Eagles elected to go for two. Ian Allen would have the game-winning play for the Cobras and would propel them onto the next round of the postseason. Mellies finished with 52 yards passing, 182 yards rushing, and three total touchdowns in the game. The Cobras rushed for 237 total yards.
Jackson Heights beat Riverside week one 21-0, and last season beat the Cyclones 35-7 in their week one meeting in 2024 as well. Jackson Heights is 3-2 against Riverside, having won the last three straight contests. Riverside's only two wins came in 2012 and 2022 against the Cobras.
Brandon’s Pick: Riverside
Justin’s Pick: Jackson Heights
Kryndon’s Pick: Jackson Heights
Jake’s Pick: Jackson Heights
Boz’s Pick: Jackson Heights
(9-1) Rossville at (10-0) St. Marys-Colgan
Rossville won their seventh straight game last week as they dispatched Jefferson County North for the regional title 53-18. They led 14-0 after the first quarter and 33-6 at halftime. The Dawgs rushed for 326 yards and averaged over seven yards per carry led by quarterback Canann Mitchell with 137 yards and four touchdowns. Mitchell also completed 11-of-14 passes for 127 yards and another score. Rossville’s only loss this season was back in week three against 2A #2 and undefeated Nemaha Central.
The Panthers of St. Marys-Colgan improved to 10-0 with a regional round victory over Troy last week 56-0. Colgan led Troy 20-0 after the first quarter and 36-0 at halftime. Klayton Adamson scored five touchdowns after having seven touchdowns the previous week against Doniphan West. One of Adamson’s touchdowns was on a punt return, and he also had another punt return touchdown in the game that was negated by a penalty.
Rossville is 4-0 all-time against Colgan with the last meeting in the sectional round in 2020 in which the Dawgs won 56-7 en route to the 2A title. Out of the four all-time meetings, all four have been in the sectional round and three of those times in 2020, 2015, and 2014, Rossville would go on to win the state championship.
Brandon’s Pick: Colgan
Justin’s Pick: Rossville
Kryndon’s Pick: Colgan
Jake’s Pick: Rossville
Boz’s Pick: Rossville
Class 2A
(9-1) Sabetha at (10-0) Nemaha Central – 103.9 KNZA & Sabetha Channel
Sabetha kept their tremendous season quietly going last week as they captured the regional title with a 28-16 win at Silver Lake for their fourth straight win. It was the Bluejays’ fourth straight playoff win against Silver Lake. Sabetha trailed 10-7 with 10 minutes left in the game and would rattle off 21 straight points in just over six minutes to put the game away. The defense is giving up just 7.2 points per game this season. The offense is averaging 273 rushing yards per game this season led by Will Voos who’s rushed for 1,387 yards and 16 touchdowns while averaging over eight yards per carry.
#2 ranked Nemaha Central kept their drive back to the state title game alive last week defeating Council Grove 34-12. The Thunder beat the Braves last season in the sub-state title game to advance out to Hutchinson. Last week, Carter Hajek finished with 347 yards of total offense including 247 rushing yards with five total touchdowns. He enters this week with 7,134 career rushing yards as he’s the eighth 11-man player in state history to surpass 7,000 career rushing yards. His 122 career rushing touchdowns are nine off the all-time record which was set between 1992-1995 with DeAngelo Evans of Wichita Collegiate posting 131 career rushing touchdowns.
Since Nemaha Valley and B&B consolidated to form NC, the Thunder are 11-5 against the Bluejays including eight straight wins. The eighth straight win came in in the regular season back in week six by a final score of 20-18. Last season, Nemaha Central eliminated Sabetha in the regional round 21-0. They met in the sub-state round in both 2023 and 2022 with the Thunder winning 17-7 and 30-14 respectively. The Bluejays are looking for their first win over Nemaha Central since 2020.
Brandon’s Pick:
Justin’s Pick: Nemaha Central
Kryndon’s Pick: Sabetha
Jake’s Pick: Sabetha
Boz’s Pick: Nemaha Central
Class 3A
(6-4) Holton at (10-0) Santa Fe Trail – Holton Channel
Holton has posted back to back defensive dominant road playoff wins knocking off #6 Baldwin and then last week # 2 Frontenac by a score of 14-6. Despite coming up empty on offensive on two drives inside the five-yard-line in the second half, the Wildcat defense created turnovers on the final two Raider possessions of the game as Kannon Segenhagen forced a fumble and Camryn Wheeler intercepted a pass to seal the Sectional Title.
Holton ran for 286 yards led by Andrew Shupe with 145 and a 55-yard touchdown for the only points of the first 7-0 first half. Shupe leads the Wildcats with 952 yards this season while Korban Wilson has rushed for 950. QB Alec Frazier has 786 yards on the ground and fullback Cael Frazier has run for 608 yards as well. That is an average of 330 yards per game by the four seniors with Holton only completing three passes for year for 33 yards and those were all in the first two weeks of this season.
After a 5-4 campaign, second year Coach Greg Slade has Santa Fe Trail at 10-0 this year, but 1-18 all-time against Holton with the latest matchup back in 2022 a Wildcat 49-16 victory. Trail is 0-10 against Holton since 1980 and went 1-7 against the Wildcats in the 1970’s. The Chargers have only had a couple one-score games this season with the closest being a 20-14 overtime win in week nine against Perry Lecompton, avoiding a first-round playoff upset against the Kaws for a second year in a row. Holton defeated Perry 40-10 in week four this year. The only other common opponent this year between the teams is Baldwin, who SFT defeated 42-21 in week six and Holton beat in week nine by a score of 54-12.
Last week SFT pitched their first shutout of the year 28-0 versus Girard. The Charger offense has run through Sophomore QB Rigley Sleichter who has completed 47-78 passes for 850 yards this year while also rushing for 994 yards and accounting for 29 touchdowns. A trio of receivers all have more than 9 catches for more than 197 yards led by Kain Tantaros with 15 grabs for 283 yards and five TD's.
Brandon’s Pick: Holton
Justin’s Pick:
Kryndon’s Pick: Holton
Jake’s Pick: Holton
Boz’s Pick: Holton
(8-2) Jefferson West at (10-0) Hayden
Jefferson West got down early last week at Prairie View but came back and would dominate winning the game 49-14. The Tigers finished with 388 total yards with the heavier number in the passing game, per usual. Freshman quarterback Brixton Schwinn completed 23-of-33 passes for 287 yards and six touchdowns. Dalton Foster finished with eight catches for 79 yards and three touchdowns, Brody Schwinn finished with four catches for 86 yards and two touchdowns, and Crayton Holman finished with 10 catches for 110 yards and one touchdown. Brixton has thrown for 2,101 yards this season with 29 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His older brother Brody has 883 receiving yards this season with 17 touchdowns.
The #2 ranked Hayden Wildcats kept their dominant season going last week as they shut out Wellsville 42-0. Kade Mitchell led the Hayden offense last week with four total touchdowns with over 130 rushing yards and 150 receiving yards. Connor Hanika tossed the two touchdown passes to Mitchell and finished with 212 passing yards.
Hayden is 15-0 all-time against Jefferson West with the first ever meeting dating back to 1987. These two teams matched up this season in the regular season finale just a few weeks ago with Hayden getting the win 42-0 which gave them the district championship. Hayden have outscored Jefferson West all-time 635-108 including 149-0 in the last three meetings. The two closest margins of victories for Hayden were 13-6 back in 2019 and 35-28 back in 2017.
Brandon’s Pick: Hayden
Justin’s Pick: Hayden
Kryndon’s Pick: Jefferson West
Jake’s Pick: Jefferson West
Boz’s Pick: Hayden
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