The Pick List -- Week 9
By: Kpreps.com & Kansaspregame.com
Posted: October 27, 2009 - 10:04 PM

The last week of the regular season is at hand with four of our feature games deciding the district champions and runner-ups. Defending 6A champ Junction City looks to rebound from its first defeat in 20 games on the road at Manhattan. Rivals Hillsboro and Marion will square off in a match-up that has been decided by a single point in each of the last two years, and two of the best from 2-1A west will decide a district battle in the southwest corner of the state.

Feature Games of the Week:

6A #4 Junction City (7-1) at 6A #2 Manhattan (8-0)

While this game may have lost a little of its luster with Junction City’s 40-28 loss to Topeka High last week, it certainly hasn’t lost any significance. If last season’s 6A champion Blue Jays want a shot a defending their crown, they’ll likely need to win at second-ranked Manhattan. The Indians set at 2-0 in district play, while Topeka High and Junction City are 1-1. The Trojans travel to Washburn Rural in the other half of District 5.

Junction City will certainly need to raise their game a level from last week’s performance in the capitol city. The Blue Jay defense gave up 446 total yard rushing to the Trojans, including 238 on the ground. The offense will also try to get back on track after accumulating only 167 yards rushing against Topeka. Jimmie King returned to rush for 92 yards after missing the Washburn Rural game the week prior. The Blue Jays played without Cody Parmely last week, who left the Rural game with an injury. When healthy, the three headed rushing attack, completed by Nathen Kozlowski, has proven hard to stop. King is the team’s leading rusher with 805 yards and five touchdowns. Kozlowski has added 536 yards and eight scores, and Parmely has rushed for 482 yards and scored nine times.

Manhattan enters the contest undefeated, but not without being tested. The Indians have won five of their eight games by 10 points or less, including their last four. The defense has been a key reason the Indians have remained unbeaten as they are giving up just 13 points per game and have posted three shutouts. Manhattan has also been operating at less than full strength as star running back Derek Campbell missed last week’s shutout over Washburn Rural after suffering a concussion the week prior against Topeka High. Ty Suggs has stepped up in Campbell’s absence and will need to do so this week for the Indians to capture the district title.

Our Pick: Junction City 31 Manhattan 24


Emporia (6-2) at Salina South (5-3)

After knocking the Salina Central Mustangs out of the playoffs for the first time in almost two decades with a 32-28 win last Friday, the Emporia Spartans will travel to Salina to face that city's south side representative in the Salina South Cougars Friday night. Spartan running back Mark Kolmer continues to tear up opposing defenses on the ground - he rused for 238 yards in the win over Central - but starting quarterback Brandon Gentz suffered a hip flexor strain and is questionable for the game.

For South, new head coach Sam Sellers is 4-1 since taking over for Dave Dunham and has the Cougars looking for a district championship behind the running of freshman tailback Cody Busby and senior QB Jason Seibel who rushed for 52 and 138 yards respectively in last week's 34-7 win over Topeka West.

Our Pick: Emporia 28 Salina South 24


Paola (6-2) at 4A #4 Louisburg (7-1)

The 4A District 5 championship will be on the line Friday night as Paola will make the short 14 mile trip over on 68 to Frontier League rival Louisburg. Both teams began the year ranked in our 4A polls, and both have since suffered losses to powerful Gardner-Edgerton. Paola also stumbled at home against Eudora, 35-27 in week 4, while Louisburg handled the Cardinals 28-14 on the road one week later. The Panthers are led by talented junior running back Skylar Hawkins, but when defenses key on him Quarterback Seth Kern is liable to get loose. The Wildcats, on the other hand, will turn to Ryan Roberts and Alex Gentges to pace their offense. Paola tends to keep the ball on the ground, while the Wildcats have shown the ability to throw the ball at times this season. That added dimension may prove to be the difference.

Last fall, Paola won a 39-32 shootout over Louisburg as the Panthers struck the decisive blow with just over a minute left. Both teams would advance to the state quarterfinals last season with Paola losing at Holton 42-20, and Louisburg falling to state runner-up Perry-Lecompton 35-23. This year’s winner will host either Iola or Anderson County, while the loser will travel to Chanute on Tuesday night.

Our Pick: Louisburg 28 Paola 17


Hillsboro (6-2) at Marion (5-3)

For Hillsboro the answer is simple, win and it's a district championship and playoff berth, but the opponent, in-county rival Marion, is not so simple. If the last two match-ups between these two Marion County teams are any indicator this one should be a dandy. In 2007 Hillsboro picked up a 20-19 win at Marion and last year the two teams went to overtime before the Trojans posted yet another one-point win 22-21. For Hillsboro, talented senior quarterback Jacob Fish will try to dissect a physical warrior defense led by big defensive lineman Nick Klenda and linebacker Sheldon Boone.

In one of the most balanced districts in all of Kansas, Marion and Southeast of Saline (7-1) are tied at 1-1 while Hillsboro improved to 2-0 with last week's win over Herington. A Marion win with an expected Southeast victory over Herington will yield a three-way tie with points determining playoff qualifiers.

Our Pick: Marion 16 Hillsboro 14


LaCrosse (7-1) at Meade (8-0)

A year ago this game was the match-up of the week in the state. Both teams were undefeated and rolling through opponents. Both squads featured some of the top football players in the state and both were expected to challenge Smith Center for 2A supremacy. The game did not live up to the hype, though, as the Leopards manhandled the Buffaloes in front of a packed house in LaCrosse.

This year LaCrosse will make the trek to southwest Kansas and two quality 2A squads who have already qualified for the playoffs will battle for a district championship.

Both teams have dominated their last three opponents with Meade outscoring opponents 166-29 during that stretch and LaCrosse winning by a 135-31 margin. In match-ups against fellow district opponent Kinsley the Buffaloes won 64-14 while the Leopards dominated in similar fashion 53-6 last week.

Our Pick: Meade 34 LaCrosse 20


8 Man-I #4 Pretty Prairie (8-0) at Goessel (7-1)

The #4 ranked Pretty Prairie Bulldogs will travel to Goessel on Thursday night to decide the championship in 8M-I District 4. The will look to avenge last year’s 52-44 defeat at the hands of the Bluebirds that kept Pretty Prairie at home for the postseason with a 7-2 record. This season, Daniel Krehbiel and company have already clinched a playoff spot by virtue of a thrilling 46-44 win over Caflin in week 6. Krehbiel has led the Bulldog ground attack with 988 yards and 17 touchdowns thus far. Quarterback Hunter Pittman has been productive through the air as well throwing for nearly 600 yards and 10 scores.

Goessel will counter with the tandem of Cameron Stultz and Jonathan Berkholz who have combined for 1,040 yards rushing and 17 scores. Neal Brubaker has thrown for 628 yards and 11 touchdowns against no interceptions in sharing time behind center with Tyler Schimdt. Schmidt has added 321 yards and three scores through the air for the Bluebirds. Both quarterbacks tend to look in the direction of Weston Hiebert who has hauled in 22 passes for over 400 yards and 7 touchdowns.

As we mentioned above, the Bulldogs closest game was the two point survival over Claflin. Goessel also slipped by the Wildcats in a much lower scoring affair, 12-6 in week 4. The Bluebirds have only played seven games this season as St. John’s Military was forced to forfeit due to illness two weeks ago. Pretty Prairie is pretty much in the same boat however, as their week 4 game with Attica was called in the first quarter due to rain and lightning with the Bulldogs leading 18-0.

Our Pick: Pretty Prairie 44 Goessel 36


The Pick List:

Topeka High (5-3) at Washburn Rural (5-3) – Topeka 35-20

Wichita South (5-3) at Wichita Northwest (6-2) – Northwest 42-13

Kapaun Mt. Carmel (5-3) at Newton (7-1) – Kapaun 24-17

5A #3 McPherson (7-1) at Hays (7-1) – McPherson 45-14

Hugoton (8-0) at Ulysses (5-3) – Hugoton 20-12

Basehor-Linwood (7-1) at KC Piper (6-2) – Basehor-Linwood 24-21

4A #3 Holton (8-0) at Jefferson West (6-2) – Holton 35-21

Caney Valley (7-1) at Galena (8-0) – Galena 34-13

Phillipsburg (5-3) at Beloit (6-2) – Phillipsburg 27-13

Wathena (4-4) at Troy (4-4) – Troy 20-14

Pleasanton (0-8) at Northeast-Arma (0-8) -- Pleasanton 20-6

Bennington (4-4) at Minneapolis (5-3) – Minneapolis 35-16

St. Francis (5-3) at Atwood-Rawlins Co. (5-3) – St. Francis 27-16

Frankfort (6-2) at Burlingame (4-4) – Frankfort 56-18

Udall (6-2) at Central Burden (6-2) – Central Burden 46-28

Mankato-Rock Hills (7-1) at 8M-I #2 Clifton-Clyde (7-1) – Clifton-Clyde 60-12

St. Paul (5-2) at Centre-Lost Springs (6-1) – Centre 38-30