The Shawnee Mission East Lancers will head out on the road to square off against the Olathe West Owls at 7:00 p.m. on Friday. Each of these teams will be battling to keep a three-game winning streak alive.
On Friday, Shawnee Mission East humbled Shawnee Mission North with a 49-21 victory. With the Lancers ahead 35-7 at the half, the matchup was all but over already.
Jack Reeves continued his habit of posting crazy stat lines, rushing for 216 yards and four scores on only ten carries, while also throwing for 51 yards and one TD. He really tore up the turf during one magnificent 72-yard run. Thomas Vanice also helped out as he racked up 131 rushing yards.
They were just one part of a punishing run game: Shawnee Mission East was unstoppable on the ground and finished the game with 397 rushing yards. That strong performance was nothing new for the team: they've now rushed for at least 387 rushing yards in three consecutive games.
Meanwhile, Olathe West faced Mill Valley in a battle between two of the state's top teams on Friday. The Owls strolled past the Jaguars with points to spare, taking the game 52-36. The Owls' offense stepped up their game for this one, as that was the most points they've scored all season.
Shawnee Mission East better focus on containing Brody Hale and Josh Foland as the pair were huge in Olathe West's win. Hale rushed for 60 yards and a pair of touchdowns, while Foland gained 198 total yards and a touchdown. Those 60 rushing yards gave Hale a new career-high. Another player making a difference was Sam Krzykowski, who gained 89 total yards and a touchdown.
Shawnee Mission East's record is now 5-1. As for Olathe West, their record now sits at an identical 5-1.
Friday's contest might be decided on the ground. Shawnee Mission East has been unstoppable on the ground this season, having averaged 311.8 rushing yards per game. However, it's not like Olathe West struggles in that department as they've been averaging 198.8 rushing yards. There's a good chance Friday's matchup turns into a tough fight on the ground.
Shawnee Mission East couldn't quite get it done against Olathe West in their previous matchup back in October of 2021 as they fell 45-34. Can the Lancers avenge their defeat or is history doomed to repeat itself? We'll find out soon enough.