By Dean Backes
MaxPreps.com
The Week’s Top Contests
Class 6A No. 3 Derby 43, Class 5A No. 10 Salina South 42
Derby overcame a 21-point deficit with less than eight minutes left in the game to seal its 43-42 win over Salina South Friday. Panther running back Aaron Wilson capped off his 244 yard rushing effort by scoring the final touchdown with 47-seconds left in the game. A 36-yard return on a free kick following a Derby safety was also a key play in the game. The Panthers took possession at the Salina South 29. Four plays later Derby quarterback Jake Snodgrass broke the goal line from 3 yards out. Snodgrass threw for 162 yards and ran for another 114 yards. Tanner Vinson, who rushed for 75 yards and caught 6 passes for 73 yards, gave Salina South a 42-21 lead with a 1-yard plunge with 9:18 left in the game. Vinson’s 69-yard kickoff return to open the second half set up Brian Taylor’s 9-yard touchdown run.
Class 6A No. 10 Blue Valley 31, Class 5A No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas 7
Since a 29-7 loss to Manhattan during the first week of the Kansas high school football season, Blue Valley has reeled off five straight wins, including Friday’s 31-7 victory over Class 5A No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas. Until Friday, the Saints appeared unbeatable. Blue Valley running back Treveor Cornley broke a 52-yard run that set up the third Tiger touchdown shortly after St. Thomas Aquinas missed a field goal.
Class 4A No. 2 Andover 13, Class 5A No. 6 Pittsburg 9
Andover knocked off previously unbeaten Pittsburg 13-9 Friday following a stellar defensive effort. Time and time again the Trojan defense stepped up and made stops when it had to. Three times Pittsburg threatened to score touchdowns, but each time the Purple Dragons were turned away from the end zone. Pittsburg took an early lead on a 33-yard field goal on its second possession after the Purple Dragons drove deep into Andover territory. On its next possession, Pittsburg attempted another field goal only to have it blocked by Trojan Alex Croitoru. Then, after halftime Pittsburg drove to the Andover 1-yard line. But the Purple Dragons turned the ball over on downs. Andover’s Jason Hoover ran the ball 23 times for 118 yards and scored on a 47-yard run to give the Trojans the lead for good.
Class 3A No. 1 Silver Lake 31, Class 3A No. 10 Riley County 7
Silver Lake running back Cameron Renfro and quarterback Tyler Roberts rushed for 118 yards and 128 yards respectively in the Eagles 24-point win Friday. Roberts also passed for 181 yards on 12 of 20 passing. After trading touchdowns with the Falcons in the first half, Silver Lake out scored Riley County 24-0 beginning with Renfro’s 13-yard run and ending with Brady Abraham’s 23-yard field goal.
Class 2-1A No. 7 Ellis 20, Class 3A No. 5 Norton 0
Gideon Fuchs scored on runs of 1 and 5 yards to lead the way for Ellis in the Railroader’s 20-point win Friday. Chase King connected with Dillon Kinderknecht for the other Ellis score on a 54-yard pass play. The game marked the first time this season that Norton had been shut out.
Top 6 Individual Performances
Rushing
Jesus Navarrette of Deerfield rushed for 339 yards and 5 touchdowns on 32 carries in a 60-30 win over Minneola…Wichita East’s Bryce Brown rushed for 274 yards and 6 touchdowns on 13 carries in a 54-0 win over Wichita West…Josh Kearney of Valley Falls rushed for 256 yards and 4 touchdowns on 24 carries in a 33-0 win over McLouth…Newton’s Nathaniel Martens rushed for 251 yards and 3 touchdowns on 14 carries in a 61-35 win over Pratt…Shane Gimzo of Perry-Lecompton rushed for 237 yards and 4 touchdowns on 27 carries in a 28-13 win over Kansas City Piper…Sedgwick’s Wade Hansen rushed for 236 yards and 1 touchdown on 16 carries in a 25-12 win over Inman.
Passing
Ryan Fluker of Valley Center completed 16 of 31 passes for 356 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 41-27 loss to McPherson…Bishop Carroll’s Blake Bell completed 30 of 51 passes for 350 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 36-28 win over KaPaun Mount Carmel…Kenneth Bronson of Northern Heights completed 15 of 26 passes for 330 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 41-21 win over West Franklin…Mulvane’s Jordan Gosch completed 19 of 39 passes for 312 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 36-21 loss to Buhler…Brent Matile of Yates Center threw for 274 yards in a 38-20 loss to Burlington…Kansas City Sumner Academy’s Spenser Bennett completed 12 of 21 passes for 250 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 33-32 win over Kansas City Washington.
Receiving
Taylor Johnson of Valley Center caught 4 passes for 201 yards and 2 touchdowns in a 41-27 loss to McPherson…Bishop Carroll’s Nick Johansen caught 11 passes for 185 yards and 1 touchdown in a 36-28 win over Kapaun Mount Carmel…Devin Gregg of Yates Center caught 174 yards in passes in a 38-20 loss to Burlington…Colony-Crest’s Brandon Newton caught 146 yards in passes in a 46-22 win over Marmaton Valley…Sam Martin of Inman caught 9 passes for 145 yards in a 25-12 loss to Sedgwick…Mulvane’s Tyler Springer caught 6 passes for 139 yards in a 36-21 loss to Buhler.
Week 6 Football Rankings
Class 6A
1. Olathe East (6-0) 204-47 1
2. Olathe North (5-1) 218-53 2
3. Derby (6-0) 225-144 3
4. Junction City (6-0) 260-66 4
5. Shawnee Mission West (6-0) 255-71 8
6. Blue Valley (5-1) 182-87 10
7. Wichita Heights (6-0) 223-57
8. Blue Valley West (5-1) 113-81 5
9. Shawnee Mission Northwest (5-1) 198-106 9
10. Manhattan (5-1) 159-45 7
Class 5A
1. Gardner-Edgerton (6-0) 266-24 2
2. McPherson (6-0) 237-87 3
3. Hutchinson (4-2) 247-103 4
4. Bishop Carroll (5-1) 254-99 5
5. St. Thomas Aquinas (5-1) 210-80 1
6. Lansing (6-0) 206-103 7
7. Mill Valley (5-1) 122-98 8
8. Pittsburg (5-1) 121-58 6
9. Newton (5-1) 261-113 -
10. Emporia (4-2) 165-144 -
Class 4A
1. Topeka-Hayden (5-1) 210-55 1
2. Andover (5-1) 204-96 2
3. Andover Central (5-1) 175-46 3
4. Andale (5-1) 204-34 4
5. Buhler (5-1) 182-117 5
6. Holton (5-1) 218-109 6
7. Hesston (5-1) 202-70 7
8. Cheney (5-1) 169-72 8
9. Columbus (5-1) 151-76 9
10. Baldwin (5-1) 154-93 10
Class 3A
1. Silver Lake (6-0) 257-45 1
2. Garden Plain (6-0) 306-34 2
3. Riverton (6-0) 304-28 3
4. Conway Springs (5-1) 271-39 4
5. Beloit (6-0) 336-21 6
6. Wichita Collegiate (6-0) 196-66 7
7. Norton (4-2) 172-101 5
8. Galena (5-1) 238-82 8
9. Scott City (6-0) 200-52 9
10. Holcomb (5-1) 143-47 -
Class 2-1A
1. Smith Center (6-0) 243-57 1
2. LaCrosse (6-0) 300-64 2
3. Troy (6-0) 278-77 3
4. St. Francis (5-1) 162-59 5
5. Pittsburg-Colgan (5-1) 196-113 6
6. Ellis (5-1) 124-74 7
7. Olpe (6-0) 314-36 8
8. St. Marys (4-2) 137-82 4
9. Meade (6-0) 313-36
10. Ell-Saline (6-0) 240-71 10