Manhattan passes first district test, upends Topeka

Playing in arguably the most competitive district in all of Kansas high school football this fall, Manhattan coach Joe Schartz realizes that each contest in Class 6A, District 5 will be an extreme challenge.

Fortunately for all four teams involved, two squads will survive to play another day in the Kansas state football playoffs. Unfortunately, two ranked teams will not.

“We have to play them one at a time,” Schartz said over the phone after his second-ranked Indians began district play with a thrilling 42-36 win over then 10th-ranked Topeka Friday. “It’s just that one game that night. We have to be prepared to take care of business because we’ll be going up against the best each night.”

In the other District 5 contest Friday, No. 7 Junction City (6-1) pulled away from ninth-ranked Washburn Rural (Topeka) 41-26. Manhattan hosts Washburn Rural (5-2) Friday, while Topeka travels to Junction City.

Manhattan (7-0) struggled defensively to shut down an explosive Trojan offense that averaged more than 39 points per game entering Friday’s contest. However, the Indians did make plays when they needed to.

One such play occurred late in the fourth quarter when James Hope knocked down Topeka quarterback Tevyn Harmon’s fourth-down pass in the final quarter of play, allowing the Indians to run out the clock. The deflection was crucial considering the Trojans had just blocked Keaton Barragar’s extra-point kick with 4:26 left in the game following Ty Suggs' 9-yard scoring run that put Manhattan up 42-36.

“I was really pretty nervous when they blocked that kick,” Schartz said. “When we needed a play we came up with one. That was the difference. Our defense did make a couple of stops.”

Although Topeka (5-2) never led in the second half, the Trojans remained within striking distance on the strength of a 20-yard touchdown run by Caleb Walker and Logan Clothier’s 5-yard scoring reception from Harmon.

Suggs stretched Manhattan’s 22-21 halftime advantage to 29-21 with his 2-yard run with 7:36 left in the third quarter and then the Indians turned to special teams for their next score.

Suggs’ punt was downed at the Trojan 1-yard line limiting Topeka Offensively. After getting nowhere on three straight plays, Topeka was forced to punt, allowing Jordan Nelson to pick up the ball and race 35 yards to put Manhattan up 36-29 with 8:33 left.

Nelson also returned the opening kickoff 96 yards for a touchdown 14 seconds into the contest.

“We definitely felt like the kicking game had the potential to be big for us,” Schartz said. “We talked about possibly going for the block on that punt, but we knew we would get a good return. We have to credit our return team on a job well done and Jordan too.”

Topeka responded by tying the score and then took its first lead when Harmon hooked up with Dondi Walker and Tyus Jacob with scoring strikes of 23 and 30 yards respectively. Manhattan came back to tie the score 14-14 with 7:16 left in the opening half on Deante Burton’s 56-yard hookup with Indian signal caller Ryan Wilkinson.

Jacob and Harmon hooked up once again, this time from 40 yards out, when the 195-pound junior turned around and reached over the shoulder of a defender to pull in the ball. Jacob then sprinted into the end zone after the defender fell down.

ANOTHER CHALLENGING ROAD
Defending Class 5A runner-up Gardner-Edgerton will have its hands full as it tries to duplicate last season’s deep postseason run beginning in Class 5A, District 4.

The Trailblazers, who were on top of the Class 5A rankings for much of the season or right behind defending champ Hutchinson, will have to get through a loaded district slate that includes third-ranked Blue Valley (Stilwell) (7-0), sixth-ranked Aquinas (Overland Park) (5-2) and Pittsburg (5-2).

Gardner-Edgerton, which dropped to second in this week’s rankings, only because Hutchinson appears to be back in form, upending Pittsburg 49-14 Friday. Next up for Gardner-Edgerton? Aquinas at home.

The Trailblazers and Blue Valley earned crucial wins a week ago and appear to be the front-runners for a spot in the playoffs.

KANSAS’ TOP PERFORMERS
RUSHING
Johnathan Berkholz of Goessel rushed for 381 yards and 6 touchdowns on 11 carries in a 96-74 win over St. John’s Military…Anderson County's (Garnett) Alen Troyer ran the ball 27 times for 353 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 36-21 win over Prairie View…Alex Deaver of Clifton-Clyde (Clyde) rushed for 333 yards and 8 scores on 24 carries in a 68-22 win over Blue Valley-Randolph…Sacred Heart's (Salina) Brandon Rapp ran for 278 yards and 3 touchdowns on 41 carries in a 30-14 win over Moundridge…Dreamius Smith of Heights (Wichita) scored 5 touchdowns on 9 carries and ran for 274 yards in a 72-21 win over Wichita East…Stafford's Alex Setter carried the ball 18 times for 268 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 78-42 win over Pawnee Heights…Luke Kellum of Perry-Lecompton ran for 266 yards and 5 scores on 22 carries in a 55-35 win over Tonganoxie…Wabaunsee (Alma) Ridge Davis scored 3 touchdowns on 26 carries and rushed for 256 yards in a 38-0 blanking of Jackson Heights…Kyle Zeigler of Rawlins County (Atwood) rushed for 247 yards and 3 touchdowns on 23 carries in a 36-14 win over Wichita County…Kiowa County's (Greensburg) Ross Binford ran the ball 44 times for 246 yards in a 40-18 loss to Macksville.

PASSING
Dj Bronson of Northern Heights (Allen) completed 26 of 51 passes for 424 yards and 5 touchdowns in a 55-42 loss to Burlington…Bishop Miege's (Shawnee Mission) Max Shortell connected on 15 of 21 passes for 380 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 67-21 win over Mill Valley…Travis Jones of Columbus completed 9 of 13 aerials for 325 yards and 3 scores in a 61-20 win over Baxter Springs…Blue Valley-Stilwell’s Kyle Zimmerman connected on 20 of 30 passes for 310 yards and a score in a 38-20 win over St. Thomas Aquinas…Derek Racette of Trinity (Hutchinson) was good on 16 of 36 pass attempts for 289 yards in a 14-7 loss to Garden Plain…Rossville's Mitch Buhler connected on 25 of 46 passes for 287 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 34-28 loss to Silver Lake…Neal Brubaker of Goessel completed 8 of 15 aerials for 276 yards and 6 touchdowns in a 96-74 win over St. John’s Military…Silver Lake's Keenan Kruger connected on 18 of 36 passes for 264 yards and a couple of scores in a 34-28 win over Rossville…Simon McKee of Halstead threw for 264 yards in a 41-35 loss to Sedgwick…Shawnee Heights (Tecumseh) David Gauntt connected on 13 of 23 aerials for 262 yards in a 27-10 win over Topeka Highland Park.

RECEIVING
Taylor Spear of Columbus caught 7 passes for 273 yards and a pair of touchdowns in a 61-20 win over Baxter Springs…Hutchinson Trinity’s Michael Mesh hauled in 11 passes for 245 yards in a 14-7 loss to Garden Plain…Tre' Parmalee of Bishop Miege reeled in 8 passes for 184 yards and a pair of scores in a 67-21 win over Mill Valley…Bishop Miege’s Chris Aguilar hauled in 6 aerials for 178 yards and a couple of touchdowns in a 67-21 win over Mill Valley…Austin Mounts of South Central (Coldwater) reeled in 8 passes for 149 yards in a 38-36 loss to Skyline…Independent's (Wichita) Cory Palmer was credited with 148 yards receiving in a 14-6 win over Douglass…Tyler Pike of Chetopa caught 6 passes for 142 yards and a touchdown in a 42-32 loss to St. Paul…Osawatomie's Brandon Oakes hauled in 6 aerials for 142 yards and a touchdown in a 70-8 loss to Paola…Dakota Becker of Halstead was credited with 139 yards receiving in a 41-35 loss to Sedgwick…Rossville’s Cole Cook hauled in 9 aerials for 135 yards and 4 touchdowns in a 34-28 loss to Silver Lake…Brit Dewey of Silver Lake reeled in 9 passes for 135 yards and a pair of scores in a 34-28 win over Rossville.

KANSAS FOOTBALL RANKINGS
TOP 10
1. Hutchinson (6-1) 380 97 3
2. Wichita Heights (7-0) 375 149 1
3. Gardner-Edgerton (7-0) 361 124 2
4. Blue Valley (7-0) 318 76 4
5. Manhattan (7-0) 291 124 5
6. East (Olathe) (6-1) 216 71 6
7. North (Olathe) (6-1) 231 99 7
8. West (Shawnee Mission) (6-1) 235 110 8
9. Carroll (Wichita) (6-1) 271 63 9
10. Hayden (Topeka) (6-1) 239 74 10

CLASS 6A
1. Wichita Heights (7-0) 375 149 1
2. Manhattan (7-0) 291 124 2
3. Olathe East (6-1) 216 71 3
4. Olathe North (6-1) 231 99 4
5. Shawnee Mission West (6-1) 235 110 5
6. Dodge City (7-0) 281 84 6
7. Junction City (6-1) 243 104 7
8. Shawnee Mission East (6-1) 213 129 8
9. Topeka (5-2) 272 152 10
10. Topeka Washburn Rural (5-2) 253 170 9

CLASS 5A
1. Hutchinson (6-1) 380 97 2
2. Gardner-Edgerton (7-0) 361 124 1
3. Blue Valley (7-0) 318 76 3
4. Wichita Bishop Carroll (6-1) 271 63 4
5. McPherson (6-1) 348 144 6
6. St. Thomas Aquinas (5-2) 265 146 5
7. Bishop Miege (4-3) 273 158 7
8. Central (Andover) (6-1) 231 85 8
9. Emporia (5-2) 265 150 9
10. Kapaun Mt. Carmel (Wichita)

CLASS 4A
1. Topeka Hayden (6-1) 239 74 1
2. Louisburg (7-0) 243 55 2
3. Buhler (7-0) 314 64 3
4. Abilene (7-0) 225 95 4
5. Holton (6-1) 339 42 5
6. Baldwin (6-1) 280 87 6
7. Concordia (6-1) 234 135 9
8. Basehor-Linwood (7-0) 246 104 10
9. Andale (6-1) 225 100 –
10. Sumner Academy (Kansas City) (7-0) 342 163

CLASS 3A
1. Conway Springs (7-0) 443 56 1
2. Scott (Scott City) (7-0) 267 67 2
3. Collegiate (Wichita) (6-1) 287 124 4
4. Norton (6-0) 244 45 5
5. Silver Lake (6-1) 189 84 6
6. Phillipsburg (6-0) 186 72 7
7. Garden Plain (6-1) 318 44 8
8. Pleasant Ridge (7-0) 283 61 9
9. Hutchinson Trinity (6-1) 317 90 3
10. Wellsville (6-1) 268 66 10

CLASS 2-1A
1. St. Mary's-Colgan (Pittsburg) (7-0) 338 29 1
2. Olpe (7-0) 181 65 2
3. Centralia (6-1) 258 97 3
4. Meade (6-1) 291 62 4
5. LaCrosse (7-0) 310 141 5
6. Washington County (6-1) 248 73 7
7. Lyndon (6-1) 304 115 9
8. Stanton County (Johnson) (6-1) 217 118 10
9. Oswego (5-2) 254 101 8
10. Elkhart (6-1) 248 79 6