By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
It has been a long time since Smith Center has lost a football game, and all indications point to continued success.
Smith Center's last loss occurred during the 2003 quarterfinals when Hesston planted a 21-6 defeat on the now three-time defending 2A state champions in the 3A playoffs. Hesston then fell to eventual state champion Conway Springs in the semifinals, 52-25.
Since that 15-point loss, Smith Center has reeled off 45 straight wins, with most of them being of the lopsided nature. The Redmen have posted 19 shutouts during that same time span, and have outscored their opposition 2365-309 since they last lost. That's a per game average of 53-7!
Redmen head coach Roger Barta has led Smith Center to three straight state titles, bringing the school's all-time total to six. The Redmen won 3A championships in 1982, 1986 and 1999.
Last year the Redmen were not pushed during the playoffs until a 6-2 win over St. Francis in the semifinals. Smith Center then went on to pummel St. Mary's in the championship game, 56-26.
In 2007-08 Barta appears to have his best team yet. Smith Center is 4-0 and has out scored its opposition 263-0. That's right, the Redmen have not allowed a point this season. Collectively, Smith Center's remaining opposition has a 3-13 record. Only one of those teams, Plainville (2-2), is .500 or better.
Top Week 5 Games in Kansas
Class 6A No. 4 Shawnee Mission Northwest at Class 6A No. 8 Olathe South; Class 6A No. 6 Junction City at Class 4A No. 2 Topeka-Hayden; Class 5A No. 7 Shawnee Heights at Class 6A No. 10 Emporia; Class 5A No. 8 Bishop Miege at Class 5A No. 2 Blue Valley West; Class 5A No. 6 Gardner-Edgerton at Class 4A No. 6 Eudora; Class 2A No. 3 Peabody-Burns at Class 3A No. 6 Whitewater Remington; Class 2A No. 7 St. Francis at Class 2A No. 10 Hoxie; 8-Man 1 No. 1 Waverly at 8-Man 1 No. 4 Madison
Team (Record) Offensive - Defensive Scoring
Class 6A
1. Hutchinson (4-0) 162 - 58
Defeated Salina Central, 55-28. Next: at Maize
2. Shawnee Mission West (4-0) 90 - 28
Defeated Shawnee Mission South, 29-7. Next: at Leavenworth
3. Wichita East (4-0) 149 - 11
Defeated Wichita Carroll, 13-9. Next: Kapaun Mt. Carmel
4. Shawnee Mission Northwest (4-0) 151 - 42
Defeated Shawnee Mission North, 33-0. Next: at Olathe South
5. Goddard (4-0) 178 - 30
Defeated Salina South, 35-10. Next: Derby
6. Junction City (4-0) 184 - 35
Defeated Topeka Seaman, 48-14. Next: at Topeka Hayden
7. Olathe North (3-1) 120 - 68
Defeated Lawrence Free State, 29-10. Next: at Shawnee Mission South
8. Olathe South (3-1) 111 - 70
Defeated Lawrence, 28-9. Next: Shawnee Mission Northwest
9. Olathe East (3-1) 103 - 63
Defeated Olathe Northwest, 23-0. Next: at Lawrence
10. Emporia (3-1) 114 - 50
Defeated Topeka West, 34-7. Next: Shawnee Heights
Class 5A
1. St. Thomas Aquinas (4-0) 136 - 37
Defeated Blue Valley, 23-3. Next: at Blue Valley Northwest
2. Blue Valley West (4-0) 132 - 49
Defeated Blue Valley North, 48-14. Next: Bishop Miege
3. Mill Valley (4-0) 92 - 38
Defeated Tonganoxie, 35-0. Next: Bonner Springs
4. Wichita Carroll (3-1) 101 - 47
Lost to Wichita East, 13-9. Next: at Wichita West
5. McPherson (3-1) 169 - 40
Defeated Winfield, 55-2. Next: Newton
6. Gardner-Edgerton (3-1) 133 - 63
Defeated Paola, 38-7. Next: at Eudora
7. Shawnee Heights (3-1) 103 - 61
Defeated Washburn Rural, 21-14. Next: at Emporia
8. Bishop Miege (3-1) 88 - 63
Lost to Blue Valley Northwest, 36-14. Next: at Blue Valley West
9. Great Bend (3-1) 100 - 113
Defeated Kapaun, 27-14. Next: Dodge City
10. Lansing (3-1) 132 - 97
Defeated Bonner Springs, 27-24. Next: Basehor-Linwood
Class 4A
1. Andale (4-0) 133 - 61
Defeated Rose Hill, 21-7. Next: Wellington
2. Topeka-Hayden (4-0) 134 - 49
Defeated Manhattan, 28-21. Next: Junction City
3. Louisburg (4-0) 221 - 46
Defeated De Soto, 56-19. Next: Baldwin
4. Pittsburg (4-0) 103 - 21
Defeated Chanute, 33-14. Next: at Coffeyville Field Kindley
5. Columbus (4-0) 160 - 35
Defeated Labette County, 35-0. Next: at Parsons
6. Eudora (4-0) 160 - 62
Defeated Prairie View, 34-20. Next: Gardner-Edgerton
7. Mulvane (4-0) 125 - 62
Defeated Andover, 22-15. Next: Rose Hill
8. Holton (3-1) 173 - 56
Lost to Sabetha, 34-28. Next: Jefferson West
9. Girard (3-1) 188 - 55
Lost to Pittsburg Colgan, 42-41 2 OT. Next: at Erie
10. Andover Central (3-1) 117 - 56
Defeated Wellington, 16-12. Next: Kingman
Class 3A
1. Silver Lake (4-0) 139 - 39
Defeated St. Mary's, 19-14. Next: Wabaunsee
2. Garden Plain (4-0) 232 - 68
Defeated Cheney, 45-21. Next: at Conway Springs
3. Sabetha (4-0) 118 - 52
Defeated Holton, 34-28. Next: Atchison County
4. Salina Sacred Heart (4-0) 161 - 90
Defeated Belleville, 49-16. Next: at Minneapolis
5. Hesston (4-0) 112 - 43
Defeated Hoisington, 13-9. Next: Halstead
6. Whitewater Remington (4-0) 138 - 35
Defeated Moundridge, 35-6. Next: Peabody-Burns
7. Hoisington (3-1) 140 - 49
Lost to Hesston, 13-9. Next: at Marion
8. Pleasant Ridge (4-0) 137 - 40
Defeated Oskaloosa, 21-14. Next: at Doniphan West
9. Beloit (3-1) 160 - 71
Defeated SE of Saline, 54-14. Next: at Ellsworth
10. Southwestern Heights (4-0) 124 - 32
Defeated Syracuse, 41-8. Next: Leoti Wichita County
Class 2-1A
1. Smith Center (4-0) 263 - 0
Defeated Ellis, 62-0. Next: Stockton
2. Pittsburg Colgan (4-0) 162 - 41
Defeated Girard, 42-41 2 OT. Next: Galena
3. Peabody Burns ( 4-0) 116 - 23
Defeated Sedgwick, 18-2. Next: at Remington
4. LaCrosse (4-0) 192 - 57
Defeated Lincoln, 54-12. Next: at Osborne
5. Oakley (4-0) 172 - 26
Defeated St. Francis, 20-14. Next: at Colby
6. Meade (4-0) 195 - 36
Defeated Satanta, 72-8. Next: Cimarron
7. St. Francis (3-1) 125 - 46
Lost to Oakley, 20-14. Next: at Hoxie
8. Humboldt (4-0) 151 - 22
Defeated Eureka, 47-0. Next: at Fredonia
9. Lyndon (4-0) 131 - 72
Defeated Chase County, 48-12. Next: West Elk
10. Hoxie (4-0) 127 - 19
Defeated Ness City Dighton, 39-13. Next: St. Francis
8-Man 1
1. Waverly (4-0) 244 - 110
Defeated Miami (Mo.), 72-28. Next: at Madison
2. Jetmore (4-0) 192 - 68
Defeated Pawnee Heights, 30-28. Next: at Healy
3. Macksville (4-0) 200 - 76
Defeated Pretty Prairie, 46-24. Next: at Greensburg
4. Madison (4-0) 202 - 26
Defeated MdCV, 58-26. Next: Waverly
5. Kensington (4-0) 232 - 44
Defeated Palco, 52-6. Next: at Jewell
6. Clifton-Clyde (4-0) 216 - 48
Defeated Baileyville B&B, 56-22. Next: St. Johns
7. Goessel (4-0) 185 - 80
Defeated Flint Hills, 55-38. Next: at Burrton
8. Marmaton Valley (4-0) 254 - 32
Defeated Colony-Crest, 52-6. Next: Washington County
9. Pawnee Heights (3-1) 174 - 74
Lost to Jetmore, 30-28. Next: Spearville
10. Hanover (4-0) 222 - 68
Defeated Linn, 60-14. Next: at White City
8-Man 2
1. Hope (4-0) 244 - 34
Defeated Centre, 60-12. Next: Mankato Rock Hills
2. Sharon Springs (4-0) 204 - 56
Defeated Ingalls, 46-0. Next: Weskan
3. Tescott (4-0) 256 - 68
Defeated Natoma, 74-34. Next: at Sylvan
4. South Haven (4-0) 206 - 32
Defeated South Barber, 60-12. Next: Wichita Sunrise
5. Bucklin (4-0) 178 - 70
Defeated Minneola, 34-24. Next: Haviland
6. Victoria (3-1) 156 - 32
Lost to Quivira Heights, 26-16. Next: Lucas-Luray
7. Ashland (3-1) 171 - 66
Defeated Spearville, 42-6. Next: Fowler
8. Triplains-Brewster (3-1) 180 - 116
Defeated Healy Western Plains, 54-8. Next: Golden Plains
9. Argonia (3-1) 106 - 42
Defeated Burden Central, 34-12. Next: Cunningham
10. Agra-Eastern Heights (3-1) 198 - 94
Defeated St. John's Military, 71-14. Next: Logan
Upset Special
Sabetha pulled an upset last week when it bolted to a 28-0 lead against Holton, and held on for victory. With the win the Blue jays are in control of their own destiny in the Big Seven League.
Holton rallied by scoring two touchdowns in the third quarter and a couple more in the fourth quarter. But it was too little too late as Sabetha added another score later in the second half.
East in Position for First City League Title Since 1983
Wichita East is in position to win its first City league football title since 1983. The Aces are also well on their way to their first winning season since 1992 with their 4-0 start. Following their 13-9 win over City League rival Wichita Carroll; the Aces became the only undefeated team in the league.
Bryce Brown carried the ball 29 times for 143 yards and a 13-yard score in the four-point win. Brown's older brother Arthur played both ways in the win and gained 61 yards on the ground.