Olathe North running back James Franklin surpassed former Eagles great Darren Sproles on the school’s season and career rushing charts in 2009 and was named the winner of the Simone Award, which is handed out annually to the Kansas City metro area’s top football player.
Franklin also led the Eagles to the school’s first state football title since 2003, making it easy to pick Kansas’ all-state offensive MVP in 2009.
Franklin began his career playing in Sproles’ shadow. But after running for 2,803 yards and 31 touchdowns on 331 carries last fall, the 5-foot-8, 185-pound senior easily surpassed Sproles' season rushing record of 2,485 yards, and etched his own legacy.
For his career, Franklin, who now sits seventh on Kansas’ high school career rushing list, chalked up 5,916 yards and 68 touchdowns to edge by Sproles' career rushing total of 5,230 yards and 79 scores.
Franklin ran for 269 yards and three touchdowns in Olathe North’s 37-3 drubbing of Wichita Heights in the 2009 Class 6A state championship football game.
"He’s got great vision, he has excellent balance and he’s very strong," Olathe North football coach Pete Flood told the Wichita Eagle. "He runs very hard. He’s got speed that, he’s fast enough to score when he’s loose. I know that he was somebody (opponents) had to account for all the time and that opened things up. But we still found a way to get yards and do things for him offensively."
On the defensive side of the ball, Hutchinson defensive end Justin Goetz gets the MVP nod over Salt Hawk teammate Geneo Grissom after leading his school to a sixth straight state title, including the last two Class 5A titles and four straight 6A championships before that.
For the season the 6-foot-1, 208-pound senior was credited with 79 tackles, including 23 for losses, 9.5 sacks and three interceptions, all of which he returned for touchdowns. Goetz was in on 214 tackles in his career, and he recorded 53 stops for losses, including a Hutchinson-record 19.5 sacks.
"He’s an athlete playing a D-end," Hutchinson coach Randy Dreiling told the Topeka Capital Journal. "You see that at the pro level, but you don’t see it at the high school level all the time. He was so fast that people couldn’t reach him or get around him and it gave us a real advantage playing defense, knowing they weren’t going to get outside of him." 
James Franklin (30), Olathe North
File photo by Dean Backes
The 2009 Kansas All-Class All-State Football Team
1st Team Offense
End – Matt Ornduff, Blue Valley Northwest, 6-1 180 Sr.
End – Justin McCay, Bishop Miege, 6-4 200 Sr.
End – Matt Buhler, Rossville, 6-4 190 Sr.
Offensive Line – Michael Lisher, Lawrence Free State, 6-3 265 Sr.
Offensive Line – Oliver Venegas, Olathe North, 6-3 265 Sr.
Offensive Line – Cameron McClain, Gardner-Edgerton, 6-3 284 Sr.
Offensive Line – Ross Lovett, Hutchinson, 6-4 265 Sr.
Offensive Line – B. J. Finney, Andale, 6-5 275 Sr.
QB – Blake Bell, Wichita Bishop Carroll, 6-6 200 Sr.
RB – James Franklin, Olathe North, 5-8 185 Sr.
RB – Josh Smith, Hutchinson, 5-10 215 Sr.
RB – Jorden Oden, Buhler, 5-8 205 Sr.
Kicker – Connor Frazell, Iola, 5-10 160 Sr.
1st Team Defense
Defensive Line – Lucas Vincent, Olathe North, 6-3 285 Sr.
Defensive Line – Justin Goetz, Hutchinson, 6-1 208 Sr.
Defensive Line – Ryan Mueller, St. Thomas Aquinas, 6-3 215 Sr.
Defensive Line – Geneo Grissom, Hutchinson, 6-4 235 Sr.
LB – Tre Walker, Olathe North, 6-5 205 Sr.
LB – Tyler Fee, Hutchinson, 6-0 180 Sr.
LB – Laton Dowling, Dodge City, 6-0 195 Sr.
LB – Justin Ramos, Junction City, 5-11 200 Sr.
DB – Trevor Releford, Bishop Miege, 6-0 180 Sr.
DB – Devin Hedgepeth, Derby, 6-0 185 Sr.
DB – Joseph Randle, Wichita Southeast, 6-2 210 Sr.
DB – Camren Torneden, Lawrence Free State, 5-7 165 Sr.
Punter – Heath Train, Rose Hill, 6-3 220 Sr.
2nd Team Offense
End – Brett LeMaster, Wichita Collegiate, 6-3 200 Sr.
End – Cameron Craig, Coffeyville, 6-1 185 Jr.
End – Parker Gibson, Lansing, 5-10 165 Jr.
Offensive Line – John McClure, Wichita Heights, 6-4 315 Sr.
Offensive Line – Jason Elzinga, Junction City, 5-10 215 Sr.
Offensive Line – Reed Woodworth, Hutchinson, 5-11 225 Sr.
Offensive Line – Bryant Stephens, Blue Valley, 6-1 295 Sr.
Offensive Line – Travis Tuiloma, Topeka Washburn Rural, 6-5 300 Sr.
QB – Blake Jablonski, Wichita Collegiate, 6-2 195 Sr.
RB – DeMarcus Robinson, Wichita Northwest, 5-8 195 Sr.
RB – Deveon Dinwiddie, Hutchinson, 5-9 170 Sr.
RB – Jordan Tice, Osage City, 5-9 175 Sr.
Kicker – Brad Gourley, Olathe South, 6-0 175 Sr.
2nd Team Defense
Defensive Line – Matt Acree, Mill Valley, 6-3 235 Sr.
Defensive Line – Neil Shortell, Bishop Miege, 6-4 240 Sr.
Defensive Line – Zerrance Brickhouse, Wichita Heights, 6-0 190 Jr.
Defensive Line – Drew Thornton, Shawnee Mission West, 6-3 280 Sr.
LB – Tate Snyder, Manhattan, 6-0 195 Sr.
LB – Dylan Barrow, McPherson, 6-0 180 Sr.
LB – Timmy Chadd, Wichita Bishop Carroll, 5-10 200 Sr.
LB – Jeremy McLennan, Gardner-Edgerton, 5-9 175 Sr.
DB – Cale Miller, Manhattan, 5-9 170 Sr.
DB – Tyler Davis, McPherson, 5-8 155 Sr.
DB – Spencer Vanderbogart, Topeka Seaman, 5-11 185 Sr.
DB – Curry Sexton, Abilene, 6-0 175 Sr.
Punter – Tanner Lee, Augusta, 5-11 195 Jr.
3rd Team Offense
End – Jesse Wassenberg, Salina Central, 6-0 160 Sr.
End – Justice Berry, Gardner-Edgerton, 6-2 200 Sr.
End – Tre Bailey, Wichita Collegiate, 6-6 210 Sr.
Offensive Line – Boston Stiverson, Andover Central, 6-4 285 Jr.
Offensive Line – Jordon McCallister, Junction City, 6-3 270
Offensive Line – Danny Goodman, Emporia, 6-0 270 Sr.
Offensive Line – Jace Warren, Pleasant Ridge, 6-6 260 Sr.
Offensive Line – Cody Whitehair, Abilene, 6-5 305 Jr.
QB – Anthony Abenoja, Blue Valley-Stillwell, 6-3 196 Sr.
RB – Jace Banner, Dodge City, 6-1 212 Sr.
RB – Laque Mayes, Rose Hill, 5-9 165 Jr.
RB – Rashon Thames, Kansas City-Turner, 5-8 190 Sr.
Kicker – Jake Craig, Lyons, 6-0 187 Sr.
3rd Team Defense
Defensive Line – Jonathan Ortiz, Derby, 5-7 180 Sr.
Defensive Line – Blake Martin, St. Thomas Aquinas, 6-3 215 Sr.
Defensive Line – Matt Knott, Shawnee Heights, 6-4 210 Sr.
Defensive Line – Matt Ruder, Lawrence Free State, 6-3 215 Sr.
LB – LJ Tillman, Wichita Southeast, 5-9 186 Sr.
LB – Clancy Merrill, Bishop Miege, 6-3 225 Sr.
LB – Dallas Buck, Shawnee Mission North, 5-11 220 Sr.
LB – Jonathan Truman, Wichita Kapaun Mount Carmel, 6-0 195 Sr.
DB – Jason Peete, Olathe North, 6-3 182 Sr.
DB – Evan Wessel, Wichita Heights, 6-3 180 Jr.
DB – Keenan Soles, Pittsburg, 5-10 155 Sr.
DB – Ben Heeney, Hutchinson, 6-0 195 Jr.
Punter – Allen Trent, Andale, 6-3 215 Jr.
Honorable Mention
Koby Chadick, Blue Valley Northwest; Parker Johnson, McPherson; Matt Klein, Wichita Bishop Carroll; Mark Kolmer, Emporia; Derek Harmon, Salina South; Cody Harrison, Topeka High; Wallace Taylor, Kansas City-Schlagle; Miguel Johns, Newton; Marquis Addison, Olathe South; Keene Niemack, Lawrence Free State; DJ Balazs, Shawnee Mission West; Tanner Dutton, Olathe South; Tyler Harrison, Derby; Jimmie King, Junction City; Dreamius Smith, Wichita Heights; Adam LeBlanc, Shawnee Mission West; Kyle Swartz, Olathe North; Ian Whittit, Derby; Grail Brewster, Wichita North; Meshach Kennedy, Derby; Andrew Voegeli, Topeka Hayden; Max Shortell, Bishop Miege; Skylar Hawkins, Paola; Roman Davidson, Buhler; Jace Lowe, Silver Lake; Caleb Brill, Conway Springs; Ben Malotte, Marysville; Michael Glatczak, Centralia; Tyler Glatczak, Centralia; Trent Raile, St. Francis; Colt Rogers, Smith Center; Reagan Kays, Pittsburg-Colgan; Tate Omli, Ell-Saline; Wade Hansen, Sedgwick; Troy Albright, Galena; Tyler Coughenour, Wichita Collegiate; Tank Burns, Columbus; Jake Steven, Andale; Logan Tuxhorn, Smith Center; Bobby Germinder, Bishop Miege; Dagan Reed, St. Thomas Aquinas.
