By JIM MISUNAS
jmisunas@gbtribune.com
ELLSWORTH (5-1) AT HOISINGTON (4-2)
Hoisington owns five consecutive playoff trips, including a trip to the 3A semifinals last year, ending with a 35-19 loss to Hesston. The Cardinals will start 3A District play at home after seeing a 21-game home streak broken by Pratt.
Cardinal Rudy Gearhart and Jake Curtis intercepted two passes. Tanner Cassity intercepted a pass and Jared Curtis recovered a fumble in a 32-14 victory over Nickerson. TB Sean Urban (576 yards, 8 TDs), rushed for 153 yards, scored two rushing touchdowns and caught a TD pass. QB Mason Haxton scored a TD. RB Wyatt Pedigo (357 yards, 3 TDs) and RB Rudy Gearhart (230 yards, 3 TDs).
Ellsworth’s QB Zach Schneider, Jordan Base and Grant Gwinner scored TDs as the Bearcats beat Minneapolis 22-8 to win its first NCAA football title since 1987. In 1987, the Bearcats beat Hillsboro 38-7 and Halstead 17-0 in the 3A playoffs before losing to Medicine Lodge 28-21.
DIGHTON (6-0, 2-0) AT OTIS-BISON (5-1, 2-0)
It’s showdown time at Otis.
The Cougars have made 13 playoff trips. TB Blake Bahr (511 yards, 12 TDs) scored touchdowns rushing, receiving and on a punt return as the Cougar football team defeated Tribune-Greeley County 50-0. QB Anton Foust (442 rushing, 8 TDs; 435 passing, 7 TDs) scored on an interception return and threw TD passes to Bahr and Maitland Wiltse. LB Daniel Scott avearges 10.5 tackles per game.
The Cougars start QB-DE Anton Foust, RB-S Blake Bahr, RB-LB Daniel Scott, C-NG Landon Hoopingarner, LG Hunter Mitchell, RG-DE Luke Higgason, TE Clade Anderson, TE-DB Maitland Wiltse, LB Seth Hopingarner, LB Bevan Gradig, NG Kaden Schwartz.
Dighton features QB Blair Hoffman (512 yards, 9 TDs) and WR David Cramer (220 yards, 5 TDs) in the passing game and QB Hoffman (616 yards, 14 TDs) and RB Dalton Hoffman (498 yards, 7 TDs) in the running game.
FOWLER (2-4) AT PAWNEE HEIGHTS (6-0)
Pawnee Heights has clinched the top seed in the 6-man state playoffs. TB Kade Scott gained 268 and scored six touchdowns as the Tigers rolled past Wheatland 47-0 in six-man football Friday. Scott has scored 25 TDs and rushed for 1,184 yards and scored 22 TDs. The Tigers (6-0) are averaging 51 ppg. Back Dalton Hamby gained 69 yards with a TD. Caleb Karst caught a 24-yard TD pass from Trace Baker.
Tiger offensive starters are QB Trace Baker, TB Kade Scott, FB Dalton Hamby C Caleb Karst, E Jackson Henbest, E Gabe Oddo and E Shawn Peterson.
ELLINWOOD (1-5, 0-2) AT CENTRAL PLAINS (5-1, 2-0)
The No. 3-state ranked Central Plains Oilers (5-1, 2-0) have beaten the two teams with district victories, virtually assuring the Oilers of a playoff berth. QB Myles Menges completed four touchdown passes and Alex Barton scored three touchdowns to spark the Oilers past Little River 52-12. Menges passed for 261 yards and Barton had eight catches for 169 yards. Goessel (2-4) and St. John (2-4) are left on the Oilers’ schedule.
The Oilers start QB Myles Menges, C-DE Philip Donecker, RG-DE Lee Letourneau, LG Kealy Burris, E-DB Kade Beck, E-S Alex Barton, RB-LB Dalton Beck, RB Alex Hickel, RB-LB Jerred Bieberle, NG Dylan Lemieux and DB Devin Ryan.
Goessel routed Ellinwood 73-28 in last week’s game. TB Drew Blake, WR Landon Robl and QB Kyler Doll have led the Eagles. The Eagles have reached the football playoffs 12 times, but not since 2004.
SKYLINE (1-5, 0-2) AT MACKSVILLE (4-2, 1-1)
Macksville has reached the playoffs 13 times and will seek its first trip since 2011. TB Jacob Rein (405 yards rushing, 308 yards receiving, 14 TDs) rushed for three touchdowns and wide receiver Kreed Parr (390 yards receiving, 9 TDs, 4 int) caught three touchdown passes to spark the Mustangs past Kiowa County 46-0. Punchless Skyline lost 47-0 to South Central.
QB Kody Mead (959 yards, 20 TDs) threw for three TDs last week. Harley Blaske averages 7.6 tackles and Nate Brandyberry averages 6.8 tackles per game.
The Mustangs start RB-WR Jacob Rein, QB-DE Kody Mead, E-DB Karson Waters, D-DB Kreed Parr, RB Luis Saenz, C-NG Kaleb Lickiss, LG-DE Clayton Cross, LB Nate Brandyberry and LB Brandon Ibarra.
LYONS (0-6) AT LARNED (2-4)
Larned will get a welcome break after playing six consecutive playoff teams from last year. The Indians beat Lyons and Ellsworth last year to make the 3A playoffs.
Larned QB Carson Smith completed a 28-yard pass to Mason Perez and Wes Davis scored a TD in a 34-6 loss to state-ranked Phillipsburg. RB Anthony McConnell (748 yards, 10 TDs) averages 143 yards rushing and the Indians average 250 yards rushing per game. QB Smith, WR Damontay Phillips and RB Davis are reliable offensive threats.
STAFFORD (3-3, 2-0) AT SOUTH BARBER (5-1, 2-0)
Stafford is a heavy underdog. Stafford QB D.J. Peak threw for two TDs and DB Nicholas Gift intercepted two passes and caught two TD passes in a 30-0 victory over Ashland. RB Justice Manning (423 yards, 4 TDs) rushed for two TDs and TB Caleb Hilebrand (664 yards, 11 TDs) averages 14 tackles per game. Stafford has made five playoff trips, the last time in 2014.
South Barber RB Nick Gugelmeyer (502 yards, 9 TDs) and QB Rooks (245 yards, 5 TDs) lead the running game. South Barber QB Trevor Rooks (614 yards, 12 TDs) and and Gugelmeyer (4 TDs) lead the Chieftains’ passing game. The Chieftains have 15 takeaways.
ST. JOHN (2-5, 1-2) FORFEITS TO GOESSEL (2-5, 2-1)
CENTRAL KANSAS LEAGUE
Pratt 6-0 6-0
S. Valley 5-1 5-1
Hoisington 3-1 4-2
Nickerson 4-2 4-2
Hesston 3-2 3-3
Kingman 2-3 3-3
Larned 2-3 2-4
Haven 2-4 2-4
Halstead 2-4 2-4
Hillsboro 1-5 1-5
Lyons 0-6 0-6
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Ellsworth at Hoisington
Haven at Halstead
Hesston at Hillsboro
Holcomb at Kingman
Hugoton at Pratt
Larned at Lyons
Nickerson at Wichita Trinity
Rock Creek at Smoky Valley
CENTRAL PRAIRIE LEAGUE
Cent. Plains 3-1 5-1
Otis-Bison 3-1 5-1
Macksville 3-1 4-2
Victoria 3-1 5-1
Ness City 3-2 3-3
St. John 2-3 2-4
Ellinwood 1-4 1-5
Kinsley 0-5 0-6
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Dighton at Otis-Bison
Ness City at South Gray
Ellinwood at Central Plains
St. John at Goessel
Skyline at Macksville
Victoria at Osborne
Wichita Co. at Kinsley
WESTERN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE
Garden City 2-0 5-1
Great Bend 1-1 4-2
Dodge City 1-1 3-3
Hays High 2-2 2-4
Liberal 0-2 4-2
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Dodge City at Garden City
Liberal at Great Bend
McPherson at Hays High
CLASS 3A-DISTRICT 16
Ellsworth 0-0 5-1
Hoisington 0-0 4-2
Larned 0-0 2-4
Lyons 0-0 0-6
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Ellsworth at Hoisington
Larned at Lyons
EIGHT-MAN 1-DISTRICT 5
Central Plains 2-0 5-1
Little River 1-1 3-2
Canton-Galva 1-1 3-3
St. John 1-1 2-4
Goessel 1-1 2-4
Ellinwood 0-2 1-5
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Ellinwood at Central Plains
Little River at Canton-Galva
St. John at Goessel
EIGHT-MAN 1-DISTRICT 6
So. Central 2-0 5-1
Attica 2-0 5-1
Macksville 1-1 4-2
Kiowa Co. 1-1 3-3
Skyline 0-2 1-5
Fairfield 0-2 0-6
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Fairfield at South Central
Kiowa Co. at Attica
Skyline at Macksville
EIGHT-MAN 2-DISTRICT 6
Dighton 2-0 6-0
Otis-Bison 2-0 5-1
Hodge Co 1-0 4-1
Greeley Co 0-2 3-3
Wallace Co 0-2 1-5
Triplains 0-1 0-5
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Dighton at Otis-Bison
Greeley Co. at Triplains
Hodgeman Co. at Wallace Co.
EIGHT-MAN 2-DISTRICT 7
So. Barber 2-0 5-1
Stafford 2-0 3-3
PPrairie 1-1 4-2
Bucklin 1-1 1-4
Chase 0-2 1-5
Ashland 0-2 0-6
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Chase at Bucklin
Pretty Prairie at Ashland
Stafford at So. Barber
6-MAN LEAGUE
Pawnee Hts 6-0 6-0
Weskan 4-2 4-2
Cheylin 4-2 4-2
G. Plains 4-2 4-2
Wheatland 3-3 3-3
Fowler 2-4 2-4
Natoma 1-5 1-5
W. Plains 0-6 0-6
FRIDAY’S GAMES
Fowler at Pawnee Heights
Golden Plains at Wheatland
Natoma at Cheylin
Western Plains at Weskan
