With recent deep runs into the postseason, including success in state title games,
Hanover and
B & B (Baileyville) are used to playing in huge football games.
Hanover is in the thick of district football action wearing the label of two-time defending 8-Man 2 champions. Baileyville B&B, on the other hand, won the 2008 8-Man 1 state title and fell to Quinter 28-26 in last season's 8-Man 1 championship game.
On Friday, the small school football powers went head-to-head, with the Falcons edging Hanover 31-28 following a
Logan Haug 25-yard field goal in overtime. Haug set up his heroic kick when he made his way into the Hanover backfield on the Wildcats' overtime possession and stripped quarterback
Austin Steinfort of the football and fell on it.
"Penalties and turnovers were definitely a big part tonight," Hanover coach Matt Heuer told the Topeka Capital Journal after the Wildcats were credited with five turnovers and 10 penalties in the game. "We can't shoot ourselves in the foot over and over like that and expect to win football games, especially against a team of that caliber."
In the first quarter, Baileyville B&B appeared to be in control of the game after posting three scores on a pair of 3-yard runs by
Cody Heiman and
Mitch Engelken's 35-yard romp. The Falcons ran just six plays in the opening quarter, but carried a 22-6 advantage into the second quarter.
That score held up until the final quarter when Hanover flipped the table by going to the air. Steinfort, who scored the lone Wildcat touchdown in the first quarter on a 35-yard run, connected with
Connor Hynek on scoring strikes of 9 and 10 yards and tossed a six-yard score to
Reid Blackburn.
Tyler Deters' 5-yard run was the lone touchdown over the final three quarters for the Falcons. With the win the Falcons improve their record to 6-0, while Hanover drops to 5-1.
QUARTERBACK WOESAfter losing his top two signal callers to knee injuries in a 35-7 loss to undefeated Dodge City Friday,
Hays football coach Ryan Cornelsen may have to turn the reins to his offense over to a junior varsity quarterback as the Indians vie for a spot in the upcoming Class 5A state football playoffs.
Austin Unrein, the team's starter, was injured as he ran for six yards with 8:44 remaining in the second quarter. Backup Dylan Scoby went down in the fourth quarter. The duo joins junior varsity quarterback Derek Bixenman on the Indian knee injury list.
"You know, don't count us out just yet," Cornelsen told the Hays Daily News after losing his third quarterback of the season to a knee injury. "Our kids are resilient. We'll find out what gives us our best chance to win, and we'll go with it."
Junior Varsity quarterback Taylor Renz, a junior, is expected to take over the quarterbacking responsibilities for the time being.
LONG-RANGE KICKERIn Friday's 34-26 loss to Missouri Class 4 football power Webb City,
Jonathan Pyle booted four field goals, including a 49-yarder that allowed
Aquinas (Overland Park) to pull within 21-17 of the Cardinals in the third quarter after the Saints trailed 21-6 in the second quarter.
"Jonathan's got a good leg and we were at a point where we just wanted to put points on the board," Aquinas coach Mike Thomas told the Kansas City Star. "I didn't realize (the 49-yard boot) was that long, but it gave us a big lift. And right after that, he about put the kickoff out of the end zone, so I think he was pretty pumped."
KANSAS STATE FOOTBALL PLAYOFF PROJECTIONSPROJECTED CLASS 6A FIELDNorth (Shawnee Mission),
Shawnee Mission Northwest,
East (Shawnee Mission),
West (Shawnee Mission),
East (Olathe),
Blue Valley West (Stilwell),
Lawrence Free State,
North (Olathe),
Manhattan,
Topeka,
Derby,
Heights (Wichita),
Haysville Campus (Wichita),
Northwest (Wichita),
Dodge City,
Garden City.
PROJECTED CLASS 5A FIELDBonner Springs,
Lansing,
Mill Valley (Shawnee),
Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission),
Shawnee Heights (Tecumseh),
Seaman (Topeka),
Gardner-Edgerton (Gardner),
Blue Valley (Stilwell),
McPherson,
Great Bend, Hays,
Central (Andover),
Kapaun Mt. Carmel (Wichita),
Hutchinson,
Carroll (Wichita).
PROJECTED CLASS 4A FIELDAtchison,
Sumner Academy (Kansas City, Kan.),
Basehor-Linwood,
Perry-Lecompton,
DeSoto,
St. James Academy (Lenexa),
Baldwin,
Eudora,
Louisburg,
Paola,
Fort Scott,
Anderson County (Garnett),
Chanute,
Independence,
Baxter Springs,
Columbus,
Holton,
Hayden (Topeka),
Rose Hill,
Circle (Towanda),
Clearwater,
Mulvane,
Andale,
Cheney,
Buhler,
Nickerson,
Holcomb,
Ulysses,
Abilene,
Hesston,
Clay Center,
Concordia.
PROJECTED CLASS 3A FIELDCaney Valley,
Cherryvale,
Eureka,
Neodesha,
Southeast (Cherokee),
Frontenac,
West Franklin (Pomona),
Wellsville,
Northern Heights (Allen),
Burlington,
Pleasant Ridge (Easton),
Silver Lake,
Atchison County (Effingham),
Sabetha,
Marysville,
Riley County,
Marion,
Remington (Whitewater),
Garden Plain,
Trinity (Hutchinson),
Collegiate (Wichita),
Independent (Wichita),
Anthony-Harper-Chaparral (Anthony),
Conway Springs,
Hoisington,
Sterling,
Beloit,
Smith Center,
Norton,
Phillipsburg,
Cimarron,
Scott (Scott City).
PROJECTED CLASS 2-1A FIELDOlpe,
St. Mary's-Colgan (Pittsburg),
Oskaloosa,
Valley Falls,
Onaga,
St. Marys,
Centralia/Wetmore (Centralia),
Washington County,
Moundridge,
Sacred Heart (Salina),
Inman,
LaCrosse,
Ellis,
Oakley,
Elkhart,
Meade.
PROJECTED 8 MAN-1 FIELDCentral (Burden),
Cedar Vale/Dexter (Cedar Vale),
Crest (Colony),
St. Paul,
Lebo,
Madison/Hamilton,
Lakeside (Downs),
Rock Hills (Mankato),
Macksville,
Pretty Prairie,
Hodgeman County (Jetmore),
South Gray (Montezuma),
Hill City,
Osborne,
Lincoln,
Little River.
PROJECTED 8 MAN-2 FIELDBaileyville B&B, Hanover,
Quivira Heights (Bushton),
Hope,
Centre (Lost Springs),
Waverly,
Caldwell,
South Barber (Kiowa),
Chase,
Otis-Bison,
Ashland,
Moscow,
Cheylin (Bird City),
Greeley County (Tribune),
Thunder Ridge (Kensington),
Victoria.
KANSAS FOOTBALL RANKINGS
TOP 10
1. Wichita Heights (6-0) 303 128 1
2. Gardner-Edgerton (6-0) 312 110 2
3. Hutchinson (5-1) 310 90 3
4. Blue Valley (6-0) 280 56 4
5. Manhattan (6-0) 249 88 5
6. Olathe East (5-1) 188 47 7
7. Olathe North (5-1) 190 96 8
8. Shawnee Mission West (5-1) 212 103 10
9. Wichita Bishop Carroll (5-1) 229 50 –
10. Topeka Hayden (5-1) 185 74 –
CLASS 6A
1. Wichita Heights (6-0) 303 128 1
2. Manhattan (6-0) 249 88 2
3. Olathe East (5-1) 188 47 4
4. Olathe North (5-1) 190 96 5
5. Shawnee Mission West (5-1) 212 103 6
6. Dodge City (6-0) 240 71 7
7. Junction City (5-1) 202 78 3
8. Shawnee Mission East (5-1) 158 95 8
9. Topeka Washburn Rural (5-1) 227 129 9
10. Topeka High (5-1) 236 110 10
CLASS 5A
1. Gardner-Edgerton (6-0) 312 110 1
2. Hutchinson (5-1) 310 90 2
3. Blue Valley (6-0) 280 56 3
4. Wichita Bishop Carroll (5-1) 229 50 6
5. St. Thomas Aquinas (5-1) 245 108 4
6. McPherson (5-1) 293 130 5
7. Bishop Miege (3-3) 206 137 9
8. Andover Central (5-1) 210 78 10
9. Emporia (4-2) 218 130 –
10. Hays (5-1) 194 78 8
CLASS 4A
1. Topeka Hayden (5-1) 185 74 1
2. Louisburg (6-0) 208 49 2
3. Buhler (6-0) 272 57 3
4. Abilene (6-0) 197 89 4
5. Holton (5-1) 284 42 6
6. Baldwin (5-1) 233 75 5
7. Independence (6-0) 261 106 7
8. Royal Valley (6-0) 218 72 8
9. Concordia (5-1) 186 110 9
10. Basehor-Linwood (6-0) 211 92 10
CLASS 3A
1. Conway Springs (6-0) 379 50 1
2. Scott City (6-0) 212 61 2
3. Hutchinson Trinity (6-0) 310 76 3
4. Wichita Collegiate (5-1) 224 118 4
5. Norton Community (5-0) 204 36 5
6. Silver Lake (5-1) 155 56 6
7. Phillipsburg (5-0) 142 49 7
8. Garden Plain (5-1) 304 37 8
9. Pleasant Ridge (6-0) 241 55 10
10. Wellsville (5-1) 205 66 –
CLASS 2-1A
1. Pittsburg-Colgan (6-0) 290 15 1
2. Olpe (6-0) 167 59 2
3. Centralia (5-1) 209 84 3
4. Meade (5-1) 291 62 4
5. LaCrosse (6-0) 280 121 6
6. Elkhart (6-0) 248 65 7
7. Washington County (5-1) 210 59 8
8. Oswego (5-1) 248 87 5
9. Lyndon (5-1) 231 107 –
10. Stanton County (5-1) 203 118 –
