2022 Pick Records

Brandon

Last week: 16-3
Overall: 49-10
Last season: 158-31

Justin

Last week: 17-2
Overall: 50-9
Last season: 157-32

Jared

Last week: 16-3
Overall:  45-14
Last season: n/a

Games to be Broadcast

Doniphan West at Frankfort – KMZA 92.1 FM
Troy at Centralia – KNZA 103.9 FM
Maur Hill-Mount Academy at Pleasant Ridge – KAIR 93.7
Minneapolis at Sabetha – Sabetha Channel
Perry Lecompton at Holton – Holton Channel
Hiawatha at Clay Center – Hiawatha Channel
 

Week 4 Games (*Denotes District Record)

6-Man District 1

(1-2, 1-1*) Southern Coffey County at (2-1, 1-0*) Wetmore

The Titans got their first win at the 6M level, and their first win since Oct. 1st, 2021, against the same Chetopa team. Southern Coffey County has not had a win against a non-Chetopa team since Oct. 11, 2019. These two teams are unfamiliar with each other as they haven’t met since at least 2004.

The Cardinals have started to find their groove at the 6M level after getting their second win of the season last week. It came in blowout fashion, once again, as they beat Peabody-Burns on the road 46-6. Dierk Hanzlicek got four total touchdowns in the win with 236 total yards. Wide receiver Jacob Carls had five catches for 117 yards and a touchdown.

Brandon’s Pick: Wetmore
Justin’s Pick: Wetmore
Jared’s Pick: Wetmore

8M-I District 5

(2-1, 2-1) Clifton Clyde at (3-0, 3-0) Washington County

Clifton Clyde is coming off their first loss of the season as they were beat down by 8M-II #1 Axtell 58-12. Clifton Clyde hung tough as they trailed just 20-12 at one point but Axtell would score 38 straight points and end the game in the fourth quarter. It was the first time that Axtell and Clifton Clyde played each other since 2013.

Don’t look now but Washington County is off to a 3-0 start for the first time since 2016. The Tigers had no problems with Linn last week as they shutout the Bulldogs 46-0. They have posted two shutouts and have outscored their opponents 144-30.

Clifton Clyde has dominated Washington County in their last three games as the Eagles have gone 3-0 and outscored the Tigers 150-6 with two shutouts. They won last year’s meeting 50-0.

Brandon’s Pick: Clifton Clyde
Justin’s Pick: Clifton Clyde
Jared’s Pick: Clifton Clyde

8M-II District 3

(0-3, 0-1) Hanover at (1-2, 0-1) Blue Valley

Couldn’t tell you the last time Hanover started a season 0-3 or if its ever happened but here we are. The Wildcats continue their early season struggles as they lost last week to Osborne 54-8. They’ve been outscored 156-28 through three weeks.

Blue Valley was able to get their first win of the season last week as they beat Wakefield 46-28. They lost their first two against St. Paul and Clifton Clyde. This is the second of three straight home games for the Rams as they’ll host Axtell next week.

Hanover is 14-1 against Blue Valley dating back to 2004 with Blue Valley’s lone win in 2005. Since then, Hanover have won 13 in a row including last season 68-0.

Brandon’s Pick: Blue Valley
Justin’s Pick: Blue Valley
Jared’s Pick: Blue Valley

(1-2, 0-1) Doniphan West at (0-3, 0-1) Frankfort – KMZA 92.1 FM  

Doniphan West was able to get their first win of the season last week as they defeated Maranatha Academy 68-48. The win ended a brief four game losing streak dating back to last season.

Frankfort comes off a 50-0 road loss at Lyndon which ended with 9:00 left in the third quarter. The offense struggled to get things going against a very good Tigers defense which gave up just 106 yards of total offense. Frankfort ran 39 plays and was only able to get 2.7 yards on average. QB Wes Anderson went 5-for-15 with 88 yards. RB Brock Armstrong who has had a solid year running the ball, was held to just 6 carries for 12 rushing yards.

Frankfort has won the last four meetings dating back to 2006 with the most recent meeting being in 2019 where they won 74-52.

Brandon’s Pick: Doniphan West
Justin’s Pick: Frankfort
Jared’s Pick: Doniphan West

(1-2, 0-1) Linn at (3-0, 1-0) Axtell  

Linn struggled last week against Washington County losing 46-0 with a mercy rule being called in the third quarter. They are led by junior quarterback Gavin Turk who has been solid so far this year averaging around 100 yards per game. Running back Ezequiel Raucho is very difficult to bring to the ground with 8.3 yards per carry.

Axtell cruised to another mercy rule victory this time winning at Clifton-Clyde 58-12. They got off to a bit of a slow start like they did in Week 1, but then they were able to score the final 38 points of the game. Sophomore running back Brandon Schmelzle went off for five touchdowns with 147 rushing yards. Quarterback Isaac Detweiler went 20-for-27 with 240 yards and four touchdowns. Senior defensive end Owen Strathman was a key factor to shutting down Clifton-Clyde’s prolific offense with two tackles for loss and a safety.

Linn has had their struggles against Axtell in the past as they have lost 8 of the last 9 meetings dating back to 2004. Linn’s last win over the Eagles was in 2005, and last year Axtell defeated Linn 58-8.

Brandon’s Pick: Axtell
Justin’s Pick: Axtell
Jared’s Pick: Axtell

1A District 3

(1-2, 1-1) Jefferson County North at (0-3, 0-2) McLouth

This is the first time since 2018 that Jefferson County North have lost two of their first three games of the season. Last week they lost their second straight as they lost 24-8 to Wabaunsee. JCN had won four straight against Wabaunsee from 2018-2021.

McLouth’s losing streak hit 18 games as they suffered a forfeit loss last week to Maur Hill-Mount Academy. The Bulldogs are still searching for their first win since the end of the 2019 season.

JCN and McLouth are playing for the first time since 2019 as JCN won that matchup 50-6. McLouth beat JCN in 2018, 28-12. JCN have won four of the last five and are 9-7 against McLouth dating back to 2004.  

Brandon’s Pick: Jefferson County North
Justin’s Pick: Jefferson County North
Jared’s Pick: Jefferson County North

(1-2) St. Mary’s at (0-3) Oskaloosa

The Bears have had a brutal non-district schedule as they beat Rossville and loss to Rock Creek in the first two games and then lost last week to Silver Lake 43-16. The Bears were in the game in the first half trailing just 21-16 with all 16 points coming in the second quarter. However, the Eagles’ defense stiffened and wouldn’t allow St. Mary’s to score the rest of the game.

Oskaloosa ended up going scoreless last week against a very good Atchison County team by a final score of 48-0. Despite their recent struggles, it was the first time they had been shutout since October of last year. Head coach Eddie Minor said that they are taking away some of the positives from last Friday’s loss and trying to make some adjustments in practice this week to prepare for St. Mary’s.

Brandon’s Pick: St. Mary’s
Justin’s Pick: St. Mary’s
Jared’s Pick: St. Mary’s

(1-2) Valley Falls at (0-3) Mission Valley

Quarterback Dylan Cervantez returned for Valley Falls after missing Week 2, and he bounced back well in their 34-20 win over Horton. He had four touchdowns with three passing scores and an interception return for a touchdown. Zac Evans had 8 catches for 184 receiving yards and three scores. Valley Falls scored all their points in the first half leading 34-7, but Horton was able to get back in the game. Fortunately, they were able to hold off the Chargers’ late surge and escape with the win.

The Vikings have fallen to 0-3 on the season, but two of their games were competitive. Their offense hasn’t quite been able to get it going. Last week, they lost 31-14 at home to West Franklin. They are led by sophomore quarterback Porter Deters who is a dual threat and can break off a big play at any given moment.

These two teams are unfamiliar to each other as they haven’t met since at least 2004.

Brandon’s Pick: Valley Falls
Justin’s Pick: Valley Falls
Jared’s Pick: Valley Falls

1A District 4

(3-0, 1-0) Troy at (3-0, 2-0, 1-0*) Centralia – KNZA 103.9 FM  

Troy continued their dominant start to the season last week as they beat down Valley Heights 55-6. Troy’s offense was balance once again as they tallied 147 passing yards and 114 rushing yards in the win. The Trojans defense forced five turnovers in the win.  

Centralia will certainly have their toughest test of the season to date. The Panthers in their three wins have an average margin of victory of 34 points with the smallest margin being their 20-point win at Valley Heights in Week 1. Head coach Roger Holthaus has his offense humming as they are averaging 40.6 points per game.

Troy is ranked #4 and Centralia is ranked #5 in the latest rankings from K-Preps for Class 1A. The Panthers have dominated the series going 9-2 over their last 11 dating back to 2006. Centralia has won seven straight including last season 31-12. Troy’s last win over Centralia was 2016.

Brandon’s Pick: Centralia
Justin’s Pick: Troy
Jared’s Pick: Centralia

(3-0) Jackson Heights at (1-2) Riverside  

Jackson Heights continued their strong start to 2022 as they won their third straight with a 49-28 win last week over Pleasant Ridge. The 49 points was the least number of points scored so far this season as they racked up 61 against Horton and 50 against Maur Hill-Mount Academy. They’ve won five of their last seven games dating back to last season.

After a week one home win vs. Jefferson West, the Cyclones fell in two tough road games including last week’s 31-20 loss at Royal Valley. Head coach Bryce Paden said that he is looking to stay the course after a pair of tough losses and a very difficult schedule ahead.

The last meeting between Jackson Heights and Riverside was in 2011 with Riverside winning 48-8.

Brandon’s Pick: Jackson Heights
Justin’s Pick: Jackson Heights
Jared’s Pick: Jackson Heights

1A District 5

(0-3) Republic County at (1-2) Valley Heights  

The Republic County offense has struggled this season as they have failed to surpass 10 points in a game. They are coming off a 52-8 loss at Beloit. Republic County is looking for its first win since Oct. 1st of last year despite starting that season 3-1.

Valley Heights lost last week to Troy team by a final score of 55-6. Quarterback Mack Shanks completed just one pass, but it was a touchdown to Cayden Dummermuth from 12 yards out.

Republic County has had their struggles with Valley Heights in recent years losing nine of their last ten meetings. The last time these two teams met was 2019 when the Mustangs won 34-14. The last time the Buffaloes won was in 2015.

Brandon’s Pick: Valley Heights
Justin’s Pick: Valley Heights
Jared’s Pick: Valley Heights

2A District 3

(2-1, 2-1) Maur Hill-Mount Academy at (1-2, 1-2) Pleasant Ridge – KAIR 93.7

The Ravens got a win but got the week off as their game against McLouth last week was forfeited. MH-MA got an extra day to rest and prep for this matchup. Through two games, senior quarterback Mark Harris has 385 yards and three touchdowns. His senior running back Thomas Rziha has been phenomenal with 198 yards and averaging six yards per carry with four touchdowns.

Pleasant Ridge’s defense will have their hands full as they play a very good Ravens offense. Meanwhile, the Rams’ defense has had a tough time stopping opponents from scoring. They have allowed 39.7 points per game so far this season and gave up 49 in their loss last week to Jackson Heights.

The series between these two teams has been very close in recent years with Pleasant Ridge owning the 7-6 edge since 2006. The Rams won last year’s contest 42-28. However, the Ravens have won four of the last five meetings.

Brandon’s Pick: MH-MA
Justin’s Pick: MH-MA
Jared’s Pick: MH-MA

(3-0) ACCHS at (1-2) Rossville    

ACCHS have started the season 3-0 for a second consecutive season as they beat Oskaloosa last week 48-0. The defending NEKL Champs have given up just 14 total points in three games while the offense is averaging over 35 points per game.

It’s been since 2017 that Rossville have lost at least two of their first three games of the season. The defending 2A State Champs have played a difficult schedule with losses to St. Mary’s and Hayden with the lone win against Riley County in week two.

This is the first meeting between these two since 2010 with Rossville winning that game 40-22. ACCHS’s last win over Rossville was 2004.

Brandon’s Pick: Rossville
Justin’s Pick: Rossville
Jared’s Pick: ACCHS

2A District 4

(2-1) Minneapolis at (2-1) Sabetha – Sabetha Channel

Sabetha was dominant last week in a 57-0 win over Jefferson West. Only one other time since 2015 that Sabetha has not won at least two of their first three games of the season and that was last year. The Bluejays offense has been led by senior running back Josh Herrmann as he is averaging over 100 yards per game on six yards per carry.

Minneapolis lost their first game of the season last week to Southeast of Saline 51-0. K-Preps have the Trojans ranked #1 in Class 2A ahead of Nemaha Central. This is the first time since 2019 that Minneapolis have won two of their first three games of the season.

This is the first all-time meeting between Sabetha and Minneapolis.

Brandon’s Pick: Sabetha
Justin’s Pick: Sabetha
Jared’s Pick: Sabetha

(3-0) Nemaha Central at (1-2) Horton

Nemaha Central remained #2 in Class 2A in K-Prep’s latest rankings after they beat Perry Lecompton last week 46-13. Cooper Hajek has been virtually unstoppable in his first three games for the Thunder with 636 rushing yards and 12 touchdowns. Quarterback Brayden Uphaus has been holding up his end of the deal as well with a very solid season so far with an impressive completion percentage and quarterback rating. The offense is averaging 51 points per game while allowing just 18.6 points per game.

Horton is coming off a 34-20 loss against Valley Falls. They trailed 34-7 at halftime but was able to get a couple of scores to make the game a little more interesting in the second half.

Nemaha Central and Horton last played in 2018 and 2019. The Thunder won both winning 62-26 in 2018 and 46-0 in 2019.

KSHSAA Covered have the Thunder ranked #1 in Class 2A.

Brandon’s Pick: Nemaha Central
Justin’s Pick: Nemaha Central
Jared’s Pick: Nemaha Central

3A District 4

(0-3) Jefferson West at (3-0) Hayden  

Jefferson West had all sorts of issues last week as they lost at Sabetha 57-0. After scoring 21 points in the opener, they’ve scored just seven points over their last two games. This is the third straight season that the Tigers have started 0-3.

Hayden is ranked #3 in Class 3A in K-Prep’s latest rankings. The Wildcats have been dominant with wins over 1A #3 Olpe, 2A #5 Silver Lake, and last week against Rossville 55-34. Hayden has won 10 of their last 11 games dating back to last season.

These two teams have played seven times between 2004 and 2019. Hayden is 7-0 with an average margin of victory of 25 points per game.

Brandon’s Pick: Hayden
Justin’s Pick: Hayden
Jared’s Pick: Hayden

(1-2, 1-2) Perry Lecompton at (2-1, 2-1) Holton – Holton Channel  

Perry Lecompton had a tough draw last week as they lost to 2A #2 Nemaha Central 46-13. The Kaws defense surrendered over 550 yards of total offense including over 300 yards on the ground. It’s the second straight season that Perry Lecompton have lost two of their first three games.

Holton won their second straight and broke away from an early 7-7 tie with an 81-yard kickoff return by Garyson Booth and then dominated Hiawatha the rest of the way to a 49-7 final. Booth had 82 yards rushing and two more scores while Jayden Fletcher had 81 yards and two touchdowns for the Wildcats who only ran 31 total plays in the game. Matt Lierz threw a touchdown pass to Jackson Bear for the second straight game and had a couple interceptions for the Cats defense, which held the Redhawks to less than 175 total yards.  

Holton is 11-5 against Perry Lecompton dating back to 2006. They played twice last season with Holton winning both games including in the playoffs 41-0. Before that, the Kaws had won three straight against the Wildcats with two in 2020 and one in 2019.

Brandon’s Pick: Holton
Justin’s Pick: Holton
Jared’s Pick: Holton

3A District 5

(2-1) Hiawatha at (2-1) Clay Center – Hiawatha Channel

Hiawatha suffered their first loss of the season last week 49-7 at home against Holton. It was Hiawatha’s 19th straight loss to the Wildcats dating back to 2004. The Redhawks have been hit with injuries including at quarterback where they’ve had to play multiple options over the past two games.

Clay Center have won back-to-back games since losing the season opener to Wamego. The Tigers beat Abilene last week 58-14 and have outscored their last two opponents 82-14.

Hiawatha and Clay Center played back-to-back years in 2006 and 2007. Clay Center won both meetings 60-13 in 2006 and 35-7 in 2007.

Brandon’s Pick: Clay Center
Justin’s Pick: Clay Center
Jared’s Pick: Hiawatha

(1-2, 1-2) Concordia at (0-3, 0-3) Marysville

Marysville is 0-3 and have lost five straight dating back to last season. They lost last week at Chapman 22-9. They have failed to score more than nine points in a game so far this season as they were held to just seven points against Abilene and Wamego in weeks one and two.

Concordia have dropped back-to-back games since winning the season opener against Concordia. Wamego took care of the Panthers last week 46-0.

Dating back to 2004, Marysville is 10-8 against Concordia. The Panthers won the meeting last season 32-6. Prior to that, Marysville had won four of the last five in the series.

Brandon’s Pick: Concordia
Justin’s Pick: Concordia
Jared’s Pick: Concordia

4A East

(1-2, 1-2, 1-2*) KC Schlagle at (3-0, 2-0, 3-0*) Atchison

Atchison has started a season 3-0 for the first time since 2016. The Phoenix put the hammer down on KC Harmon last week winning 72-0. Senior running back Jesse Greenly had five carries and five touchdowns. He’s averaging nearly 150 yards per game and already has 10 touchdowns. Atchison has outscored their first three opponents 150-44.

Schlagle is coming off a 25-10 loss last week against KC Wyandotte. They’ve lost back-to-back games since winning the season opener against Harmon.

This series has been tight since 2010 with Schlagle holding the 6-5 advantage. Atchison won last year’s game 51-22 which ended a streak of three straight wins by the Stallions.

Brandon’s Pick: Atchison
Justin’s Pick: Atchison
Jared’s Pick: Atchison

Non-District

(0-4) Guyman (OK) at (1-2) Onaga

Guyman is a freelancing team from Oklahoma who has yet to play a team from their own state. The Tigers have lost three of their four games by a field goal or less. Onaga is the second opponent they have faced from Kansas after losing to Hugoton last week 63-14 at home.

The Buffaloes’ offense was unable to get into a groove during their 48-6 road loss to Centralia last week. Onaga has only eclipsed the 10-point mark once this year with their opening road win at McLouth in which they won 21-0. They have been adjusting to having Hunter Lamond as their QB with their starter Zac Fisher sidelined with an injury.

Brandon’s Pick: Onaga  
Justin’s Pick: Onaga
Jared’s Pick: Guyman (OK)

(0-3) Riley County at (1-2) Royal Valley

Royal Valley was able to get their first win of the season last week by beating Riverside 31-20. It ended a streak of 10 straight losses dating back to week one of last season.

Riley County is off to an 0-3 start, but Panthers head coach David Boucher said that Riley County might be the best 0-3 team in the state. The Falcons have lost to Silver Lake, Rossville, and Rock Creek. It’s the first time since 2013 that Riley County has started a season 0-3.

Brandon’s Pick: Riley County
Justin’s Pick: Riley County
Jared’s Pick: Royal Valley