Starling, Jensen run over Blue Valley in Kansas

Despite battling one of the premiere prep football defenses in the entire Kansas City Metro area, Bubba Starling guided Gardner-Edgerton into a first half slugfest during Friday's 42-21 win over Blue Valley in the Class 5A, District 4 championship football game.

Neither defense provided much resistance as the playoff-bound schools scored touchdowns on every possession for most of the first half.

"It was back-and-forth…both offenses were going back-and-forth," Starling said of the touchdowns scored on seven consecutive possessions in the opening half collectively. "And finally our defense made a few stops there in the second half. That's when we triggered all the points on the board."

Starling, who rushed for 256 yards and three touchdowns on 27 carries in the contest, torched the Tiger defense for a 57-yard run on the game's opening play from scrimmage. Then senior running back Brett Jensen finished off the two-play, 80-yard drive with a 23 yard scoring scamper.

Starling and Jensen scored on runs of 20 and 3 yards respectively as the Trailblazers carried a 21-14 lead into the second quarter. The Tigers responded with Justin Fulks 49-yard reception from Kyle Zimmerman and a 3-yard run by the senior signal caller.

P.J. DeBey hauled in a 2-yard strike from Zimmerman in the second quarter before Starling's 34-yard scoring run ended the string of consecutive scoring possessions. Jensen, who ran for 184 yards and three scores on 29 carries, scored from seven yards out and Starling from a yard away in the third quarter to complete the game's scoring.

Following the contest, Starling made arrangements with Blue Valley's Hayden Murray to meet once again later in the playoffs.

"We've been best buds since I was a little guy," Starling said of the Tiger linebacker who intercepted one of his passes late in the first half. "We played basketball together…football too. I just said, 'Hey man you made a great read on that ball. I didn't see you there. But congrats, we'll see you in the semifinals.'"

PICKING THE FOOTBALL BRACKETS
CLASS 6A
No. 3 East (Olathe) (8-1) over Lawrence Free State (5-4)
No. 7 West (Shawnee Mission) (7-2) over Shawnee Mission Northwest (5-4)
No. 6 East (Shawnee Mission) (8-1) over No. 10 Olathe South (6-3)
No. 4 North (Olathe) (8-1) Shawnee Mission North (2-7)
No. 1 Heights (Wichita) (9-0) over Garden City (5-4)
No. 8 Junction City (7-2) over Wichita Northwest (5-4)
No. 2 Manhattan (9-0) over Derby (5-4)
No. 5 Dodge City (9-0) over Wichita Haysville Campus (3-6)

No. 3 Olathe East (9-1) over Shawnee Mission West (8-2)
No. 4 Olathe North (9-1) over No. 6 Shawnee Mission East (9-1)
No. 1 Wichita Heights (10-0) over No. 8 Junction City (8-2)
No. 2 Manhattan (10-0) over No. 5 Dodge City (10-0)

No. 3 Olathe East (10-1) over No. 4 Olathe North (10-1)
No. 1 Wichita Heights (11-0) over No. 2 Manhattan (11-0)

No. 1 Wichita Heights (12-0) over No. 3 Olathe East (11-1)

CLASS 5A
No. 1 Gardner-Edgerton (9-0) over Bonner Springs (4-5)
Mill Valley (6-3) over Tecumseh-Shawnee Heights (3-6)
No. 4 Blue Valley (Stilwell) (8-1) over No. 6 Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission) (6-3)
Topeka Seaman (3-6) over Lansing (8-1)
No. 3 McPherson (8-1) over No. 9 Central (Andover) (7-2)
No. 5 Carroll (Wichita) (7-2) over Great Bend (4-4)
Emporia (6-3) over No. 7 Kapaun Mt. Carmel (Wichita) (8-1)
No. 2 Hutchinson (8-1) over Salina Central (6-3)

No. 1 Gardner-Edgerton (10-0) over Mill Valley (7-3)
No. 4 Blue Valley (9-1) over Topeka Seaman (4-6)
No. 3 McPherson (9-1) over No. 5 Wichita Bishop Carroll (8-2)
No. 2 Hutchinson (9-1) over Emporia (7-3)

No. 1 Gardner-Edgerton (11-0) over No. 4 Blue Valley (10-1)
No. 2 Hutchinson (10-1) over No. 3 McPherson (10-1)

No. 2 Hutchinson (11-1) over No. 1 Gardner-Edgerton (12-0)

CLASS 4A
Perry-Lecompton (6-3) over Kansas City-Piper (5-4)
Eudora (6-3) over DeSoto (5-4)
No. 2 Louisburg (9-0) over Garnett-Anderson County (6-3)
Chanute (7-2) over Columbus (5-4)
No. 7 Basehor-Linwood (9-0) over Kansas City-Sumner Academy (7-2)
No. 5 Baldwin (8-1) over Blue Valley Southwest (3-6)
Paola (6-3) over Fort Scott (6-3)
Independence (8-1) over Coffeyville-Field Kindley (4-5)
No. 1 Hayden (Topeka) (8-1) over Towanda-Circle (5-4)
Mulvane (5-4) over Maize South (4-5)
No. 3 Buhler (9-0) over Hugoton (4-5)
No. 4 Abilene (9-0) over Clay Center (5-4)
No. 8 Holton (7-2) over Rose Hill (7-2)
No. 9 Andale (8-1) over Wellington (2-7)
Ulysses (7-2) over Pratt (5-4)
No. 6 Concordia (8-1) over Hesston (7-2)

Eudora (7-3) over Perry-Lecompton (7-3)
No. 2 Louisburg (10-0) over Chanute (8-2)
No. 5 Baldwin (9-1) over No. 7 Basehor-Linwood (10-0)
Paola (7-3) over Independence (9-1)
No. 1 Topeka Hayden (9-1) over Mulvane (6-4)
No. 3 Buhler (10-0) over No. 4 Abilene (10-0)
No. 8 Holton (8-2) over No. 9 Andale (9-1)
No. 6 Concordia (9-1) over Ulysses (8-2)

No. 2 Louisburg (11-0) over Eudora (8-3)
No. 5 Baldwin (10-1) over Paola (8-3)
No. 1 Topeka Hayden (10-1) over No. 3 Buhler (11-0)
No. 8 Holton (9-2) over No. 6 Concordia (10-1)

No. 2 Louisburg (12-0) over No. 5 Baldwin (11-1)
No. 1 Topeka Hayden (11-1) over No. 8 Holton (10-2)

No. 1 Topeka Hayden (12-1) over No. 2 Louisburg (13-0)

CLASS 3A
No. 10 Caney Valley (7-2) over Eureka (5-4)
Richmond-Central Heights (3-6) over Cherokee-Southeast (2-7)
Rossville (6-3) over Burlington (7-2)
Marysville (5-4) over Effingham-Atchison County (8-1)
Riverton (7-2) over Neodesha (6-3)
No. 7 Wellsville (8-1) over Frontenac (2-7)
No. 5 Silver Lake (8-1) over Allen-Northern Heights (7-2)
No. 9 Riley County (7-2) over Sabetha (3-6)
No. 6 Hutchinson Trinity (8-1) over Whitewater-Remington (7-2)
No. 3 Wichita Collegiate (8-1) over Anthony-Harper-Chaparral (7-2)
Beloit (7-2) over Ellsworth (6-3)
No. 4 Norton Community (8-0) over Cimarron (6-3)
No. 8 Garden Plain (7-2) over Hillsboro (5-4)
No. 1 Conway Springs (9-0) over Wichita Independent (3-6)
Smith Center (6-2) over Sterling (6-3)
No. 2 Scott City (9-0) over Goodland (6-3)

No. 10 Caney Valley (8-2) over Richmond-Central Heights (4-6)
Rossville (7-3) over Marysville (6-4)
No. 7 Wellsville (9-1) over Riverton (8-2)
No. 5 Silver Lake (9-1) over No. 9 Riley County (8-2)
No. 3 Wichita Collegiate (9-1) over No. 6 Hutchinson Trinity (9-1)
No.4 Norton Community (9-0) over Beloit (8-2)
No. 1 Conway Springs (10-0) over No. 8 Garden Plain (8-2)
No. 2 Scott City (10-0) over Smith Center (7-2)

No. 10 Caney Valley (9-2) over Rossville (8-3)
No. 5 Silver Lake (10-1) over No. 7 Wellsville (10-1)
No. 3 Wichita Collegiate (10-1) over No. 4 Norton Community (10-0)
No. 1 Conway Springs (11-0) over No. 2 Scott City (11-0)

No. 5 Silver Lake (11-1) over No. 10 Caney Valley (10-2)
No. 1 Conway Springs (12-0) over No. 3 Wichita Collegiate (11-1)

No. 1 Conway Springs (13-0) over No. 5 Silver Lake (12-1)

CLASS 2-1A
No. 1 Pittsburg-Colgan (9-0) over No. 9 Oskaloosa (7-2)
No. 8 Washington County (7-2) over St. Marys (4-5)
No. 3 Olpe (8-1) over Valley Falls (6-3)
No. 2 Centralia (8-1) over Onaga (4-5)
Salina Sacred Heart (5-4) over Ell-Saline (4-5)
No. 6 Stanton County (8-1) over Ellis (5-4)
No. 5 LaCrosse (9-0) over Moundridge (3-6)
No. 4 Meade (8-1) over Rawlins County (5-4)

No. 1 Pittsburg-Colgan (10-0) over No. 8 Washington County (8-2)
No. 2 Centralia (9-1) over No. 3 Olpe (9-1)
No. 6 Stanton County (9-1) over Salina Sacred Heart (6-4)
No. 5 LaCrosse (10-0) over No. 4 Meade (9-1)

No. 1 Pittsburg-Colgan (11-0) over Centralia (10-1)
No. 5 LaCrosse (11-0) over No. 6 Stanton County (10-1)

No. 1 Pittsburg-Colgan (12-0) over No. 5 LaCrosse (12-0)

8-MAN 1
Burden-Central (6-3) over St. Paul (6-3)
No. 2 Madison-Hamilton (9-0) over No. 8 Clifton-Clyde (7-2)
Colony-Crest (8-1) over Cedar Vale-Dexter (6-3)
No. 4 Lakeside (8-1) over No. 6 Lebo (8-1)
No. 1 Pretty Prairie (9-0) over Ness City (5-4)
No. 3 Osborne (8-1) over Peabody-Burns (6-3)
No. 9 Hodgeman County (8-1) over No. 10 Macksville (7-2)
No. 5 Hill City (8-1) over Lincoln (8-1)

No. 2 Madison-Hamilton (10-0) over Burden-Central (7-3)
No. 4 Lakeside (9-1) over Colony-Crest (9-1)
No. 1 Pretty Prairie (10-0) over No. 3 Osborne (9-1)
No. 5 Hill City (9-1) over No. 9 Hodgeman County (9-1)

No. 2 Madison-Hamilton (11-0) over No. 4 Lakeside (10-1)
No. 1 Pretty Prairie (11-0) over No. 5 Hill City (10-1)

No. 1 Pretty Prairie (12-0) over No. 2 Madison-Hamilton (12-0)

8-MAN 2
No. 1 Baileyville B&B (9-0) over Quivira Heights (7-2)
No. 5 Lost Springs-Centre (8-0) over No. 9 South Haven (8-1)
No. 2 Hanover (8-1) over No. 6 Hope (8-1)
No. 7 Caldwell (8-1) over Waverly (6-3)
No. 3 Otis-Bison (9-0) over Fowler (7-2)
No. 8 Cheylin (9-0) over Victoria (7-2)
No. 4 Ashland (9-0) over Chase (7-1)
Thunder Ridge (7-2) over Sharon Springs-Wallace County (5-4)

No. 1 Baileyville B&B (10-0) over No. 5 Lost Springs-Centre (9-0)
No. 2 Hanover (9-1) over No. 7 Caldwell (9-1)
No. 3 Otis-Bison (10-0) over No. 8 Cheylin (10-0)
No. 4 Ashland (10-0) over Thunder Ridge (8-2)

No. 1 Baileyville B&B (11-0) over No. 2 Hanover (10-1)
No. 3 Otis-Bison (11-0) over No. 4 Ashland (11-0)

No. 1 Baileyville B&B (12-0) over No. 3 Otis-Bison (12-0)

FINAL KANSAS REGULAR SEASON RANKINGS
TOP 10
1. Gardner-Edgerton (9-0) 460 162 1
2. Hutchinson (8-1) 442 124 2
3. Wichita Heights (9-0) 501 180 3
4. Manhattan (9-0) 346 145 5
5. Olathe East (8-1) 293 105 6
6. Olathe North (8-1) 304 112 7
7. McPherson (8-1) 443 172 –
8. Blue Valley (8-1) 388 125 4
9. Topeka Hayden (8-1) 322 87 9
10. Dodge City (9-0) 358 124 10

CLASS 6A
1. Wichita Heights (9-0) 501 180 1
2. Manhattan (9-0) 346 145 2
3. Olathe East (8-1) 293 105 3
4. Olathe North (8-1) 304 112 4
5. Dodge City (9-0) 358 124 5
6. Shawnee Mission East (8-1) 262 151 7
7. Shawnee Mission West (7-2) 279 141 8
8. Junction City (7-2) 302 151 6
9. Topeka High (6-3) 329 225 10
10. Olathe South (6-3) 224 198 9

CLASS 5A
1. Gardner-Edgerton (9-0) 460 162 1
2. Hutchinson (8-1) 442 124 2
3. McPherson (8-1) 443 172 5
4. Blue Valley (8-1) 388 125 3
5. Wichita Bishop Carroll (7-2) 327 92 4
6. Bishop Miege (6-3) 350 171 6
7. Wichita Kapaun Mount Carmel (8-1) 330 118 9
8. St. Thomas Aquinas (6-3) 320 224 8
9. Andover Central (7-2) 299 106 7
10. Hays (7-2) 244 129 –

CLASS 4A
1. Topeka Hayden (8-1) 322 87 1
2. Louisburg (9-0) 326 64 2
3. Buhler (9-0) 421 70 3
4. Abilene (9-0) 295 114 4
5. Baldwin (8-1) 353 114 5
6. Concordia (8-1) 296 158 6
7. Basehor-Linwood (9-0) 330 140 7
8. Holton (7-2) 392 77 8
9. Andale (8-1) 280 139 9
10. Rose Hill (7-2) 383 135 –

CLASS 3A
1. Conway Springs (9-0) 566 70 1
2. Scott City (9-0) 364 73 2
3. Wichita Collegiate (8-1) 407 132 3
4. Norton Community (8-0) 342 81 4
5. Silver Lake (8-1) 301 90 5
6. Hutchinson Trinity (8-1) 395 118 7
7. Wellsville (8-1) 368 80 8
8. Garden Plain (7-2) 376 98 6
9. Riley County (7-2) 275 139 –
10. Caney Valley (7-2) 288 96 –

CLASS 2-1A
1. Pittsburg-Colgan (9-0) 418 56 1
2. Centralia (8-1) 332 105 3
3. Olpe (8-1) 257 105 2
4. Meade (8-1) 409 83 4
5. LaCrosse (9-0) 396 163 5
6. Stanton County (8-1) 305 118 6
7. Lyndon (7-2) 340 173 8
8. Washington County (7-2) 286 121 9
9. Oskaloosa (7-2) 367 202 10
10. Elkhart (7-2) 337 136 –

8-MAN 1
1. Pretty Prairie (9-0) 479 36
2. Madison/Hamilton (9-0) 496 50
3. Osborne (8-1) 454 232
4. Lakeside (8-1) 474 146
5. Hill City (8-1) 404 134
6. Lebo (8-1) 436 192
7. Burlingame (7-2) 462 196
8. Clifton-Clyde (7-2) 444 236
9. Hodgeman County (8-1) 448 162
10. Macksville (7-2) 372 192

8-MAN 2
1. Baileyville B&B (9-0) 422 98
2. Hanover (8-1) 378 63
3. Otis-Bison (8-0) 441 58
4. Ashland (8-0) 441 62
5. Lost Springs-Centre (8-0) 401 114
6. Hope (8-1) 434 110
7. Caldwell (8-1) 408 108
8. Cheylin (9-0) 464 120
9. South Haven (8-1) 398 127
10. South Barber (7-2) 376 143