By CONOR NICHOLL & CHET KUPLEN
Week 2 marked several resounding performances by ranked teams in marquee matchups, including 3A No. 3 Topeka Hayden, 5A No. 2 Maize, Eight-Man, Division II’s No. 1 Axtell and No. 2 Canton-Galva, and Six-Man No. 5 Cheylin.
Plus, 6A Olathe North and 2A Norton were among unranked teams with big wins. Highland Park, a week after ending its 64-game losing streak, is 2-0 for the first time since 2003. Class 2A, District 2’s five teams are full of turnarounds and have started 10-0.
After an 8-81 stretch, Circle is now 8-4 since the start of 2021. The T-Birds were 0-7 all-time against Buhler before Friday’s win versus the Crusaders.
Coffeyville has two wins by a combined 13 points after a 2-7 mark last year.
Six-Man newcomer Tescott has defeated back-to-back ranked teams. Tescott had seven wins in the previous six years. Goddard and Ingalls are both 2-0 after winless 2021s. Abilene had lost 25 in a row and is now 2-0.
SIK’s Bethany Bowman was at Topeka Hayden vs. Silver Lake. Check out video interviews on SIK platforms. SIK’s Conor Nicholl was at Maize versus Andover Central. Check out more on Maize’s incredible start (120 points) and complete offensive and defensive effort in the next few days on SIK.
Class-by-class breakdown:
6A
Olathe North improved to 2-0 with a 49-35 win against Shawnee Mission Northwest. Josh Parrish has continued in older brother Jacob’s footsteps, now a key Kansas State true freshman. Parrish delivered a pick-six, three scores and 200-plus receiving yards.
Olathe Northwest bounced back from a shutout loss to 5A No. 1 Mill Valley with a solid 28-14 win against Lawrence Free State. Longtime ONW assistant Lorne Clark is in his first year as head coach. He picked up his first win as a head coach. Northwest has one of the state’s best defensive backs with senior Micah Geary.
In preseason, SIK detailed that Washburn Rural could be this year’s Blue Valley Northwest, which had the biggest turn by any 6A state champion ever last fall. WR is 2-0 after quality one-score wins against Wichita East and De Soto (28-21).
Wichita East pulled an upset against then-No. 1 Bishop Carroll in the City League last year. East, which lost late at Washburn Rural in Week 1, pulled another slight upset Friday. The Blue Aces defeated Kapaun, 30-20. KMC is ranked third in 5A.
No. 2 Manhattan followed up its upset OT win against Derby that ended the Panthers’ 46-game home winning streak. The Indians went from unranked to No. 2 in 6A. Manhattan rolled over Topeka, 59-7. Manhattan is at Hays High (2-0) at Fort Hays’ Lewis Field Stadium next Friday.
Gardner Edgerton is off to a 2-0 mark this season after a 4-6 campaign a year ago. This time last year they were 0-2. The schedule will get much tougher in week three as they visit Olathe West.
Garden City, led by head coach Brian Hill, is off to a 2-0 mark for the first time since 2017 when they started out the season 5-0. Garden City (6A) and Hays (5A) have both started out the season 2-0 out of the WAC. GC will be at Wichita West this week.
Gardner Edgerton, Olathe North, Blue Valley and SM North are unbeaten on the 6A East, while Garden City, Manhattan, and Washburn Rural are the unbeaten teams on the West 6A bracket.
SM North, under third year HC Andy Walter, is 2-0 on the season after starting at 0-2 last year with a 1-8 record, and a 1-5 record in 2020. It’s the most wins North has had in a season since 2018 when they had four, not bad for week number two of the season. North hasn’t had a winning season since 2016.
5A
No. 1 Mill Valley dominated Shawnee Mission West, 65-7, and has outscored teams, 105-7. Mill Valley might have Kansas’ best defense, Maize the state’s top offense.
5A No. 2 Maize 42, defeated 4A runner-up Andover Central 14. This was a complete effort from Maize, especially in the second half. Andover Central was within one score at halftime. This marked the most pts AC has allowed since ’16 season opener (50-14 to Andale). Maize outgained AC, 551-166. Maize QB and reigning 5A Offensive Player of the Year Avery Johnson, the state’s top recruit, delivered 358 passing yards and 79 rushing. Five different players scored. Johnson delivered several elite throws on the run and/or long completed passes into double coverage.
Maize showcased impressive defense, including DB McKinley Joynes. Maize speedy sophomore wide receiver Bryson Hayes had a key catch and long run for a 78-yard score. In two games, Hayes has four catches for 200-plus receiving yards and three TDs. Maize has 120 points in two games, the most since at least 1995. The Eagles’ previous mark was 102 in 2019.
Even with the loss, Andover Central had a big game from senior Drew Veatch, who returned a kickoff for a score. AC is always solid with coach Derek Tuttle and his veteran staff. Maize is probably the best team Andover Central will face all season until possibly the state championship. AC, with three state runner-ups in the last six years, remains a strong contender in 4A West. The Jaguars had the No. 2 scoring defense in 4A last winter.
Through two games, Maize and its opponents, Topeka High and Andover Central, have both ran 96 plays. Maize has gained 1,048 yards. Opponents have 323 yards.
Maize has plenty of standouts, including RB Daeshaun Carter, WRs Bryce Cohoon, Jaeden Martin, and Justin Stephens, OLs Cole Chalashtari and Mason Thrush, DLs Caden Miranda, Elijah Cunningham and Christian Hanson.
Topeka-Highland Park is an impressive 2-0 after it ended its 65-game losing streak last week. HP has already benefited from the switch to the Centennial League to the newly formed Meadowlark Conference, which is primarily Kansas City-Kansas public schools. HP won, 48-29, at KC Schlagle. Tre Richardson, a consensus top-15 all-classes recruit, delivered eight touchdowns. He had more than 400 total yards, a kick return TD, four receiving scores and three rushing TDs. Richardson de-committed from Division I New Mexico State this week.
Leavenworth is quietly 2-0. Eddie McLaughlin had 14 rushes for 254 yards and five touchdowns in three quarters. Leavenworth delivered a 61-14 win against Topeka West. The Pioneers have played a softer schedule, though have outscored teams 122-14. Leavenworth has its first 2-0 start since 2017.
Liberal’s Zayden Martinez delivered six catches for 220 yards and four scores. LHS won, 53-0, at Emporia for Bryan Luetters’ first win as Redskin head coach. Luetters was the head coach for Meade one season and went 13-0 with an Eight-Man, Division I title last fall.
Hays High won 33-7 at rival Great Bend and improved to 2-0. HHS continues to be impressive after a Week 1 win against Junction City. The Indians are 10-3 in their last 13 games. JC defeated Dodge City, 42-21, in Week 2. HHS delivered four scores on its first 14 plays, according to Indian broadcaster Dustin Armbruster. Malik Bah continued his breakout season with 19 carries for 212 yards and two scores. He has already rushed for just shy of 500 yards in two games. Quarterback Kyreese Groen tossed two TDs
Goddard-Eisenhower’s Lucas Dickman delivered four total touchdowns, two rushing and two kickoff returns. Dickman finished with 184 return yards on three returns. Eisenhower, a KPreps Potential Breakout Team, earned a quality 47-33 win versus Salina Central.
Highland Park (5A) is 2-0 after two weeks for the first time in 19 years (2003). The Scots feature one of the best players in Kansas in Tre Richardson. Richardson had eight touchdowns last night. One of the most slept on recruits in the state.
Goddard is 2-0 with wins against Campus and Valley Center after 0-9 last season.
No. 5 Maize South defeated Haysville Campus, 17-14, and is 2-0. Kicker Sam Parks had five points, including a 27-yard field goal. Braxton Bigley finished with 116 rushing yards and a score. Conner Neil fashioned another big game with 13 tackles, two fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. Brady Rapp delivered 12 stops, and Jacob Gnagy finished with 10.
4A
As SIK has noted since the summer, veteran Bishop Miege coach Jon Holmes was closing in on career win No. 100. Holmes, a Miege graduate, has spent his entire coaching career with the Stags. Miege is No. 1 in 4A and has delivered an impressive start, including 42-0 against Blue Valley Southwest on Friday for win No. 100. Holmes, in 11 years, has six state titles. Miege is 2-0 this fall.
Circle, led by HC Logan Clothier, continues its remarkable turnaround. The Thunderbirds defeated Buhler, 38-35. Buhler’s 47-yard field goal was short on the game’s final play. Circle beat Buhler for the first time in school history. Circle is 8-4 since the start of ’21. From 2011-20, Circle was 8-81, per Kansas Football History.
Circle was 0-7 all-time against Buhler, including a 76-0 turnover-filled loss last season. In those seven contests, the T-Birds were outscored 373-46 in those seven games. Standout receiver Ty Smith had 189 receiving yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions. Cooper Chadwell delivered 380 total yards and five scores. Circle is 2-0 for the first time since 2010.
Coffeyville is 2-0 and has already matched its win total from a 2-7 season last year. Coffeyville beat Mulvane, 8-0, in OT in Week 1. On Friday, the Golden Tornado beat Winfield, 33-27. Sophomore Aaron Tunstall delivered 19 rushes for 227 yards and three scores. He also had a pick-six. Great work by HC Deonta Wade.
Abilene pulled off a 27-8 upset against Concordia and is 2-0. The Cowboys entered this year on a 25-game losing streak.
In a key United Kansas Conference game of 4A East teams just outside the top-5, Basehor-Linwood defeated KC Piper, 17-16.
3A
No. 1 Andale continues to move closer to rarefied territory in Kansas history with consecutive win No. 40. The Indians defeated Rose Hill, 60-7. Andale has won three straight 3A state titles and hasn’t lost a home game in 10-plus years. Another 13-0 season would tie Andale for fourth on the all-time Kansas consecutive wins list in the KSHSAA era.
Topeka Hayden is ranked No. 3 in 3A, and the highest ranked team in 3A East. Hayden has defeated back-to-back ranked teams in 1A Olpe (21-7) and 2A Silver Lake (43-10). Joe Otting, a Notre Dame commit and probably the state’s best lineman, and Ben Evans have paced the front. Finn Dunshee and Jensen Schrickel both tallied two scores, and JC Cummings tacked on a touchdown. Hayden gets a big matchup against Rossville.
Girard is off to a 2-0 start once again and is a serious team to keep an eye on in 3A. Led by all-state hopeful QB Luke Niggemann and LB/ATH Alex Coester, the Trojans are a contender on the 3A East. They picked up a huge 38-12 victory over rival Colgan on Friday, setting up a huge CNC matchup with traditional CNC contender Galena
Hiawatha (3A) is off to its first 2-0 start after two weeks since the 2012 season. Nice start to the season for HC Michael Downard. Things will get much tougher next week with traditional power Holton
Pratt pulled off a quality 28-14 win against Hesston. In Week 1, Hesston delivered a close win against Hoisington. Pratt is 2-0.
Bishop Ward (3A) football is 2-0 for the first time since 2009. Cyclones have shown major improvement the last couple of seasons. Nice work by HC Greg Duggins.
Damon Mesa, junior from Holcomb with 214 rushing 3 TDs, 70 passing yards 2 TDs, 15 receiving yards. 5 TDs total in 54-6 win over Cimarron. Nice 2-0 start for the Longhorns under two-time state champion coach Kent Teeter. They’ve allowed just 26 points after two weeks.
District Eight out of 3A has three teams off to a 2-0 mark (Holcomb, Scott City, Hugoton).
Scott City (3A), led by HC Jim Turner, is off to a 2-0 mark this season. The Beavers have not yet allowed a point. This time last year they had already allowed 39. Team to keep an eye on out of the GWAC. Three GWAC teams off to 2-0 starts (SC, Holcomb, Hugoton)
Baxter Springs (3A) is 2-0 for the first time after two weeks since 2009. Nice work by HC Russell Burr. Lions snapped a 25-game losing streak last week. Looking for first winning season since 2016.
Class 3A Bishop Ward defeated 1A No. 3 Olpe, 16-13.
No. 5 Rock Creek defeated 1A No. 1 St. Marys, 41-20.
2A
From Travis Field at Dick Boyd Stadium, host Norton won the classic Mid-Continent League rivalry against Smith Center, ranked No. 2 in 1A. Norton was a KPreps Potential Breakout Team in the preseason. The Bluejays, 4-5 last year, are 2-0. Norton had a huge game from running back Garrett Urban.
In 2020, Norton also defeated ranked Smith Center at home. In the Norton/SC series, the home team has won four straight and 12 of the last 14. Norton is 5-2 at home versus the Redmen in that stretch. Norton led 24-20 after three quarters before Urban tallied the final score on a seven-yard run. Urban scored all five touchdowns.
In wide-open 2A West, Norton has quickly emerged as another contender under longtime coach Lucas Melvin. Beforehand, Norton dedicated its stadium in honor of Dick Boyd. Perhaps no media member has been more associated with one school than Dick Boyd with Norton. He passed in June 2020. Boyd covered Norton for 50 years and missed just six football games.
Cherryvale opened a stretch of three straight road games with a 42-26 win against Erie to move to 1-1. Stetson Schafer had 267 receiving yards and six scores, and picked off four passes.
Osage City, receiving votes in the Class 2A rankings, defeated Burlington, 44-20. QB Landon Boss is a three-sport all-state athlete and has an Emporia State football offer. Boss for 213 and passed for 61. Osage City is 2-0 – part of 10-0 mark among District 2 teams.
Council Grove, a KPreps Potential Breakout Team in the preseason, has already doubled last year’s win total and stands at 2-0. OC, Eureka, Humboldt and West Franklin are all 2-0 in the district. West Franklin has also doubled its win total from last year. CG has its best start since ’17. West Franklin has its best start since ’12. Eureka has no season with more than six wins since 2000. Humboldt is 10-8 in the last two years.
In the annual “Battle of Big Creek,” Thomas More Prep-Marian dominated rival Ellis, 35-0. TMP exceeded 300 rushing yards for the second straight week, per broadcaster Jonathan Zweygardt. TMP is 2-0 for the first time since 2011. All the points came in the first half. The Monarchs have won six straight versus the Railroaders.
Kingman continued to be highly impressive with opening wins against Cheney and Conway Springs. Kingman earned a 36-0 victory on Friday. The Eagles are ranked No. 3 in 2A.
1A
1A ranked teams had some trouble against elite competition, though No. 4 Inman beat Heart of America rival Sedgwick, 42-24. Inman defeated Sedgwick in the 1A state semifinals last year.
Will Schmidt of Oakley had a huge night for the Plainsmen with 28 carries for 240 yards on the ground. He also had an interception.
Class 1A ranked teams went 1-4, though at least two of the teams were not considered favorites.
Eight-Man, Division I
No. 1 Leoti-Wichita County, Division I’s top scoring offense in 2021, continued to roll. WC dominated Elkhart, 56-6, an intriguing new Division I squad. The Indians have outscored teams, 132-6, this year. WC plays host to Hoxie (2-0, combined score of 119-22) in possibly eight-man’s premier Week 3 game. WC and Hoxie split two games last season with Hoxie winning in the playoffs. Senior quarterback Erhik Hermosillo delivered 14 carries for 159 yards with two scores. He finished 9 of 14 passing for 96 yards and a score.
Chase County quarterback Mitch Budke and Colony-Crest back Holden Barker both well exceeded 2,000 yards of total offense in ’21. The two are two of the best in the state at the 8-man level. Chase Co. is ranked No. 2 in Division I. Both teams are highly senior-laden. Crest has 13 seniors, and Chase County returned its entire defense. In a game played Thursday, Crest played solidly and led 36-28 – and likely elevated its status among the Division II rankings. Chase County won, 70-54, in a game that exceeded 1,000 yards of total offense. CC scored 70 points in just 43 plays.
Budke completed 3 of 7 passing for 201 yards with three scores against two interceptions. He delivered 21 rushes for 238 yards and three scores. Cal Kohlmeier had five rushes for 107 yards and two TDs. Budke delivered 22 tackles, while Kohlmeier finished with 15 tackles and a defensive score.
Burlingame, just outside the top-10 in Division I, improved to 2-0. Dual threat quarterback Colby Middleton rushed 11 times for 131 yards and four scores. He was 8 of 11 passing for 124 yards and three scores. Sophomore Dane Winters delivered seven catches for 127 yards and two scores. Burlingame defeated Lebo, 54-6. Lebo started the season ranked No. 5 in Eight-Man, Division II.
Solomon’s Spencer Coup was 7 of 10 passing for 212 yards and five scores against one interception in a 50-16 win against Wakefield. Scott Robinson delivered two TD catches and 97 receiving yards. Solomon gets Division II No. 2 Canton-Galva in Week 3, and Division I No. 4 Little River in Week 4.
Eight-Man, Division II
No. 1 Axtell bumped its winning streak to 15 with a dominant 54-0 win against Hartford. Owen Strathman blocked two punts and a defensive touchdown. Axtell allowed minus-3 total yards. The offense ran 12 plays and scored six touchdowns. Axtell led 32-0 after the first quarter. Isaac Detweiler, reigning classification Offensive Player of the Year, accounted for four touchdowns, including three passing. He was 5 of 5 throwing for 91 yards.
No. 2 Canton-Galva kept pace with Axtell. The Eagles defeated then-Division I No. 1 Little River, 66-36, last week behind more than 500 yards of total offense from senior Jett Vincent. The reigning classification defensive player of the year and the well-publicized transfer from Wheatland-Grinnell, Vincent played his second straight game at quarterback after Garrett Maltbie suffered injury. On Friday, C-G defeated Goessel, 48-0, at halftime. Goessel is a back-to-back Division I quarterfinalist. Vincent ran for four touchdowns and passed for one.
No. 4 Victoria had its second straight big win against a team likely to be over .500 this year. The Knights defeated La Crosse, 60-14, after a Week 1 victory against Kinsley. Both of Victoria’s games have been called at halftime. Quarterback Thaddeus Wohler continued his impressive season with 5 of 10 passing for 87 yards and a score. Five players tallied a rushing TD, including Wohler. Returning first team all-state all-purpose threat Carson Werth didn’t score in Week 1. He had six rushes for 135 yards and two scores. La Crosse had the game tied at 14 early in the second quarter before Victoria reeled off 46 unanswered points.
Stafford improved to 2-0 with new coach Mitchell Engelken after a 46-24 win against Pratt Skyline. Dylan Gantz was 8 of 12 passing for 262 yards with two scores against no interceptions, along with three rushing TDs.
Oswego, under veteran coach Matt Fowler, took a pair of tough losses in 2021. The Indians lost, 106-98, to Marmaton Valley in the highest scoring eight-man game in state history. Oswego fell to St. Paul on the game’s final play. Oswego has opened 2-0 with a 63-34 home victory against Marmaton Valley and 52-44 at St. Paul.
6-Man
Tescott has defeated back-to-back ranked teams after a 25-24 win against No. 2 Northern Valley. Tescott beat No. 5 Peabody-Burns in Week 1.
No. 5 Bird City-Cheylin was a KPreps Potential Breakout Team in the preseason after a 3-5 record, several close losses and a top-5 scoring defense. Through two weeks, the Cougars have highly impressed with wins against Cheyenne Wells (Colo.) and Weskan. Cheylin lost, 37-33, to Weskan last season. This year, Cheylin won 60-0 at halftime. The Cougars, state runner-ups in ’19 and state champs in ’20, are a definite contender. Cheylin gets No. 2 Ashland at home in a key Week 3 contest.
In a key six-man game of 1-0 teams, Ingalls beat Triplains-Brewster. Ingalls was winless in Division II last year and is known for its speed with QB Will Ast. T-B is known for its size behind Brock Woolf.
Burrton is 2-0 with two basketball scores: a 79-71 home win versus Centre-Lost Springs, and 74-50 against Southern Cloud. The Chargers had been 5-80 in football since ’19.
Deerfield won for the first time since 2019 with a 59-12 victory against Ransom-Western Plains. Deerfield went 1,043 days between victories.
