Kansas Pregame, Volume 9
Page 66
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ANTHONY/HARPER-CHAPARRAL ROADRUNNERS
ARMA-NORTHEAST VIKINGS
ATCHISON-MAUR HILL-MT. ACAD. JR RAVENS
BELLE PLAINE DRAGONS
Despite a tough district schedule, Chaparral – which returns at least nine starters on both sides of the ball - is aiming for a trip to the playoffs. “We will return almost everybody from last year’s squad and will look to keep the even year tradition of going to the playoffs,” coach Justin Burke said. The Roadrunners have their entire defense back, including first-team All-Central Plains League selections Shawn Nulik at defensive back and Eric Hurt on the line and Adam Clark, the team’s leader in tackles, back at his linebacker position. Other defensive starters coming back for Chaparral are linemen Jaden Helms, Austin Thomas, and Chance Bergman; linebackers Zakiah Reeves and Seth Williams; and defensive backs Weston Shroeder, Pierce Bringer and Ramon Valderas. Offensively, the Roadrunners return Nulik under center as well as Bryce Duhon, Helms, Hurt and Reeves on the line. Burke’s squad also brings back Clark and Valderas at running back and senior Roger Clark at receiver. “Chaparral has never beat Conway Springs or Garden Plain and we have struggled playing at Douglass and Cheney,” Burke said. “We will have to be mentally tougher than we have been in the past, but we are bigger, faster and stronger than last season after a great effort in the offseason.”
Consecutive 4-5 seasons may not sound like much for many programs, but it is a sign of great progress for the Northeast Vikings. Head coach Phil Hobbs has directed the Vikings to eight wins over the past two seasons after finishing with a 1-35 record in his first four seasons at the helm. Now, Hobbs is aiming to take the next step. “We want to continue to improve,” Hobbs said. “We have made gains the last two seasons, and now we need to take the next steps. Improving our record to over .500 in a season and making the playoffs are attainable if we continue to see the dedication to the offseason programs.” The Vikings graduated all-state QB J.T. Richardson and all-state receiver Nick Younge and several experienced linemen, but they return seven starters on each side of the ball. Leading the way is senior Antonio Slingluff. The running back and linebacker rushed for 1,312 yards and 15 touchdowns on 173 carries, while leading the team in tackles with 126. Junior Drew Mills will take over the quarterback duties after starting one game for an injured Richardson last season. Mills rushed for 256 yards and five touchdowns and caught 35 passes for 382 yards and a touchdown in various roles last season. “Our keys to success will be developing leadership in our younger players and continuing to make gains in the weight room during the offseason,” Hobbs said. “We have to fill positions on our offensive line. I feel confident that we have the players who are ready to step in to those positions and that we have established a program that has allowed players to develop.”
Maur Hill opened last season with five straight losses. The Ravens lost 30-26 to Oskaloosa, 44-7 to Troy, 40-14 to Riverside, 48-8 to Jackson Heights and 28-21 to Doniphan West. After a 24-22 win against Horton, Maur Hill lost 3713 to Atchison County, defeated Pleasant Ridge, 21-20, and then lost to Silver Lake, 74-14. Maur Hill went 2-3 at home and 0-4 on the road. The Ravens had a two-win decrease after 4-5 seasons in 2011 and ’12. Maur Hill has won six league crowns and two state titles, but the last of both came in 1992. Maur Hill will play in Class 3A, District 3 with Pleasant Ridge, Effingham-Atchinson County and McLouth. Maur Hill has lost eight in a row to EAC. The win against Pleasant Ridge last season ended a five-game losing streak from ’06-12. “After looking back on our season we should have ended up with a (4-5) record,” coach Jermaine Monroe said. “Our problem was that we couldn’t sustain a drive or stop the other team when we need to. One of our goals each year is to improve with each game. Last year we didn’t improve. Which was a first for this group of seniors, (4-5, 4-5, 2-7). Although, the record was the same in 2011 and 2012, in 2012 the quality of the wins were better so in my eyes we improved.” Maur Hill will have 27 players, but has six returning senior lettermen, one junior, one sophomore. Monroe said the young players need to step up and play for the team to have success. Senior lineman Dillon Kramer (66 tackles, four sacks) is a three-year starter.
Step one in Belle Plaine: fix the defense. For a squad coming off a 0-9 campaign, there are no shortage of numbers that need addressed in order to start a turnaround process. But none stick out quite like 454 – the number of points given up by Belle Plaine’s stronghold. No team in 3A gave up more than the Dragons. In all nine contests, the opposition scored at least 41 points. Yet some blame, too, has to go to Belle Plaine’s offense. Any good defense needs its offense to keep the opponent’s attack off the field. The Dragons struggled to do that, scoring 96 points on the season. There were signs that the offense began to click as the season wore on. After being shut out in the first two games, Belle Plaine broke into double digits in six of the next seven matchups. Included in that run was a 28-point outburst against Haven. Belle Plaine’s playoff drought is nearing two decades. The Dragons last saw the postseason in 1996. Ending it this year would require a valiant effort against a beefy schedule. The Dragons open the slate hosting Medicine Lodge, a three-win team from a season ago. After that, seven of the eight remaining games come against schools that registered four-ormore wins in 2013. The lone outlier, Bluestem, picked up its only victory this past season against Belle Plaine. Douglass, a 3A playoff qualifier in 2013, moves out of Belle Plaine’s district, but its replacement hardly softens the task for the Dragons. Cheney drops down from 4A to 3A to fill the void. Belle Plaine dropped its season-opener to Cheney 43-0 a year ago. Conway Springs, an annual title contender, and a challenging Chaparral team round out the district.
4-5 in 2013 / 1-2 in district / 3A Central Plains League Coach: Justin Burke (5th year, 16-22; 18th overall, 77-56) Assistants: Britt Whealy, Mike Reed, Sheldon Patton, Josh Inslee, Justin Wilcox, Austin Vornauf Offense: N/A Defense: N/A Returning lettermen: 18 Returning starters: 9 Offense, 11 Defense Shawn Nulik, QB/DB, 5-9, 160, Sr.; Eric Hurt, OL/DL, 6-2, 270, Sr.; Jaden Helms, OL/DL, 6-3, 270, Sr.; Adam Clark, RB/LB, 5-10, 180, Jr.; Roger Clark, WR/DB, 6-2, 165, Sr.; Austin Thomas, OL/DL, 5-11, 195, Sr.; Bryce Duhon, OL/ DL, 6-3, 220, Sr.; Zakiah Reeves, OL/LB, 5-11, 205, Sr.; Weston Shroeder, WR/DB, 5-9, 165, Sr.; Seth Williams, WR/LB, 6-1, 180, Sr.; Pierce Bringer, QB/DB, 6-3, 180, Jr.; Ramon Valderas, RB/DB, 5-11, 175, Jr.; Chance Bergman, OL/DL, 6-4, 180, So.
4-5 in 2013 / 2-2 in district / 3A Three Rivers League Coach: Phil Hobbs (7th year, 9-45) Assistants: Jason Clemensen, Jim Leonard, Scott Post Offense: Pistol-Spread Option Defense: 4-2-5 Returning lettermen: 24 Returning starters: 7 Offense, 7 Defense Gage Moore, OL/DL, 6-1, 180, Jr.; Austin Baker, OL/DL, 6-1, 185, Jr.; Drew Mills, QB/DB, 6-0, 170, Jr.; Antonio Slingluff, RB/LB, 5-11, 175, Sr.; Michael Balk, RB/DB, 5-8, 150, Sr.; Troy Howard, TE/LB, 6-0, 190, Jr.; Kegan Willard, RB/DB, 5-8, 170, Sr. Mark Schremmer Melanie McGee
BELOIT TROJANS
2-7 in 2013 / 1-2 in district / 3A Northeast Kansas League Coach: Jermaine Monroe (3rd year, 6-12) Assistants: N/A Offense: Spread Defense: 5-3 Returning Lettermen: 8 Returning Starters: 8 Offense, 7 Defense Dillon Kramer, OL/DL, 6-3, 230, Sr.; Jake Schmidt, TE/ DL, 6-2, 170, Sr.; Drew Harris, OL/DL, 6-1, 185, Sr.; Cole Siebenmorgen, OL/DL, 6-0, 185, Sr.; Josh Caudle, QB/ CB, 5-11, 170, Sr.; Harry Trotter, RB/LB, 5-10, 165, Jr.; Nick Caudle, RB/DB, 6-0, 155, So.; Tobin Kocour, WR/ LB, 6-4, 150, Sr. Conor Nicholl
Pregame Staff
CANEY VALLEY BULLPUPS
The Bullpups are a perennial playoff team in Beloit finished as state runner-up for the first “We will need to replace the production and Class 3A, and this year they’ll be led by one of time in school annals to go along with four leadership of an outstanding group of seniors the state’s best players. Senior Levi Wyrick has state titles, the last coming in 1996. The Trojans that graduated,” Koenig said. “Getting the right been labeled the best player in the Tri-Valley lost 82-38 to Silver Lake in the Class 3A state players on the field in the correct positions, League by an opposing coach, and he’s just championship game. Beloit allowed 13 more developing depth, and staying healthy while one of a dozen Bullpups returning with starting points than any defense in state championship striving for weekly improvement will be impor- experience. history, and the game also set the record for tant keys for us.” Veteran coach Criss Davis will need to fill most points in a state title. Still, Beloit finished some holes on the offensive line, but his 13-1 in 2013 / 3-0 in district / 3A No. 1 in 11-man offense at 731 points and squad has Wyrick back under center and three North Central Activities Association allowed 307 points on the season. receivers with starting experience in seniors Coach: Greg Koenig (9th year, 74-10; 16th overall, The Trojans graduated its four standouts in Wade Davis, Bryson Hawthorne and Jake Todd. 100-69) four-year starting quarterback Payton Vetter, Assistants: Kevin Harris, Andy Niemczyk, Matt Thierolf, Caney Valley also brings back senior tight end running backs Bowe Behymer and Tanner Jake Matthews, tackle Ethan Gustus, center Brad South, Jadon Adams Niemczyk and lineman Bryce Black, but returns Offense: Double Wing Defense: 10-1 Bryson Gulick and guards Wyatt Anderson and senior fullback/defensive end R.J. Jackson, one Returning Lettermen: 23 Jacen Clapp. Returning Starters: 4 Offense, 7 Defense of Kansas’ top players. “We have several others who rotated in R.J. Jackson, FB/DE, 6-3, 215, Sr.; Elliot Kimminau, OL/ Jackson rushed 57 times for 357 yards and depending on what formation we were in,” DL, 6-2, 290, Sr.; Dustin Reiter, TE, 6-2, 190, Sr.; Derrick four TDs, caught 13 passes for 242 yards and Davis said. Koster, OL/DL, 6-0, 200, Sr.; Levi Robison, OL/LB, 5-11, two scores, and collected 40.5 tackles, with Defensively, the Bullpups have Gustus, Mat200, Sr.; Gavin Koch, DB, 5-9, 155, Sr.; Jace Adams, three sacks and a blocked kick. While the Trothews and sophomore Baylor Melchiori back at LB, 5-8, 165, Jr.; Carter Wessling, DL, 5-7, 155; Colson jan line won’t have the size of the past several Reames, DB, 5-9, 150 tackle while junior linebacker Austin Waltrip, seasons, Elliot Kimminau (6-2, 290) is among senior defensive back Colton Stalford and the Conor Nicholl very versatile Wyrick are also back. Wyrick the best blockers in 3A and is also a heavy hitter from his nose guard spot. split his time between defensive end, linebacker
110 W Main • Beloit, KS • 785-534-1111 www.cunninghamtelephoneandcable.com
0-9 in 2013 / 0-3 in district / 3A Central Plains League Coach: Jason Jinkens Assistants: N/A Offense: N/A Defense: N/A Returning lettermen: N/A Returning starters: N/A
Todd Clover • Jason Chan cellor • Lin dy Lin dblad
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and safety in 2013. “We’ve just got to fill some people into some positions,” Davis said. “We’re going to have some question marks on our offensive line so filling those positions will be key.” Caney Valley is coming off an 8-2 season in which the only losses came to Conway Springs and St. Marys Colgan. “We hope to return to the playoffs and make a strong run this year,” Davis said. “That’s something we didn’t do last year.” 8-2 in 2013 / 3-0 in district / 3A Tri-Valley League Coach: Criss Davis Assistants: Jeff Wyrick, Kirk Duckers, Robert Osborn Offense: N/A Defense: N/A Returning lettermen: N/A Returning starters: 9 offense, 6 defense Levi Wyrick, QB/DE/DB, Sr.; Jake Matthews, TE/DT, Sr.; Ethan Gustus, OT/DT, Sr.; Bryson Gulick, C, Jr.; Jake Todd, WR, Sr.; Bryson Hawthorne, WR, Sr.; Wade Davis, WR, Sr.; Baylor Melchiori, DT, So.; Jacen Clapp, OG, Jr.; Wyatt Anderson, OG, Jr.; Austin Waltrip, LB, Jr.; Colton Stalford, DB, Sr. Melanie McGee
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