Kansas Pregame, Volume 12
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Sabetha
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RUSSELL
Russell slipped back from 3-6 to 2-7 last year. The Broncos scored 17.8 points per contest and allowed 38.7 points a game. Russell graduated senior Alex Windholz, who stepped in for dual-threat quarterback Reshean Holloway and posted a solid season. In ’15, Holloway had 921 passing, 1,058 rushing and 23 TDs accounted for. Windholz passed for 689 and rushed for 935 with 17 scores accounted for. Senior Brooks Nichols returns after he led the team with 82 tackles, 38 more than any other player. Russell struggled with turnovers with 14 and was minus-4 in turnover margin. Russell has made four playoff appearances in school history, none since 2006. Coach Jeff Brull’s motto for the season is “Your Best is The Standard.” “It is our goal to train, practice, and live everyday by those words to reach our full potential as student-athletes,” Brull said. “Furthermore, our team will strive to demonstrate our C.O.R.E. values in everything we do. Character/Commitment, Ownership/Optimism, Responsibility/Resiliency, Effort/Enthusiasm. We believe that if we train, practice, and live according to these values and standards, we can accomplish great things this season.” “The key to our success in 2017 will be player development and becoming a football family that lives by our C.O.R.E. values,” he added. “Our players and coaches must hold each other accountable for our success by expecting the best out of each other everyday and by meeting or exceeding expectations.” 2-7 in 2016 / 0-3 in district / 3A North Central Activities Association Coach: Jeff Brull (4th year, 7-20) Assistants: Deonta Wade, Bryan Kofford, Cade Albert Offense: Spread Defense: Hybrid 3-4 Returning lettermen: 16 Returning starters: 3 Offense, 3 Defense Austin Price, QB/DB, 5-8, 160, Jr.; Brooks Nichols, OG/LB, 6-1, 235, Sr.; Chris Pummell, WR/FS, 5-10, 175, Sr.; Travis Tammen, TE/DE, 6-2, 190, Jr. Conor Nicholl
785-637-5481 Gorham, KS SENECA-NEMAHA CENTRAL
The argument could be made that the only thing standing between Nemaha Central and two straight Class 3A state titles is Rossville. The only losses the Thunder have suffered the past two seasons came to the three-time reigning champions in the playoffs — a 61-20 loss in the second round in 2015 and a 27-22 defeat in the state semifinals last year. Last year’s playoff loss was a heartbreaker. Nemaha Central led 22-21 in the fourth quarter of the monumental semifinal clash and after the Bulldawgs rallied for the lead, the Thunder saw the season end with a late interception in the end zone. It was a crushing end to one of the best seasons in school history. Nemaha Central captured its second straight undefeated Big Seven League title and posted the most wins and deepest playoff advancement since 1975. Don’t expect Nemaha Central to drop off too much despite graduating some top-notch talent, namely AllClass 3A linebacker Trenton Henry (115 tackles) and three-year starting quarterback Ryan Hasenkamp (2,100 total yards, 30 TDs). The cupboard is far from bare for the Thunder with 21 lettermen back and six starters on offense and five on defense. An offense which averaged 44.6 yards per game under Hasenkamp now will be run by senior Mitchell Henry, who moves in from a utility back starting role where he amassed more than 1,000 combined rushing and receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. His shift to quarterback leaves Nemaha with its most glaring hole as to who will surround him in the backfield with 1,000-yard rusher Jacob Koelzer also having graduated. Whoever fills that void should find plenty of space 9-2 in 2016 / 2-1 in district / 3A / Big Seven League with the Thunder returning four of five senior starters Coach: Garrett Michael (9th year, 45-40) to the offensive line, including two-way all-league Assistants: Nathan Bauman, Aaron Frey, Alex pick Eli McWilliams (5-10, 270). A defense which McAfee, Kaleb Moeller, Josh Wertenberger posted four shutouts and gave up more than two Offense: Splitback Veer Defense: 6-1 scores just three times will miss Trenton Henry, but Returning lettermen: 19 returns second-leading tackler Mitchell Heiman (106 Returning starters: 2 Offense, 6 Defense tackles), all-league linemen in McWilliams and Eli Isaac Sunderland, TE/DL, 5-11, 185, Sr.; Cole Oehm, Wilson and all-league free safety Mitchell Henry. TE/DE, 6-0, 185, Sr.; Wyatt Beyer, RB/DB, 6-0, 175, The Thunder enter the season riding a 20-game Sr.; Tanner Ukele, OL/DL, 5-11, 185, Sr.; Blake Frey, regular-season win streak. Since the consolidation of WR/DB, 6-2, 180, Sr.; Elliott Strahm, OL/DL, 6-2, Nemaha Valley and Baileyville B&B in 2014, Nemaha 240, Jr.; Cauy Rokey, OL/LB, 6-0, 180, Jr.; Joe Gru- Central is 29-4 overall. ber, RB/DB, 5-11, 170, Jr.; Braden Cox, K/WR/DB, 5-10, 165, Jr.; Gabe Garber, QB/LB, 5-10, 160, So. 12-1 in 2016 / 3-0 in district / 3A / Big Seven League Brent Maycock Coach: Warren Seitz (7th year, 50-14) Assistants: Mark Mayberry, Terry Stueve, Cory Bass, Kelly Williams, Jason Hajek Offense: Spread Defense: 4-4 selection. Schoenfeld (60), Jonathan Brase (48), Matthew Cruickshank (38) and David Hutley (33) all Returning lettermen: 21 had at least 30 tackles with Schoenfeld also picking Returning starters: 6 Offense, 5 Defense Mitchell Henry, RB/DB, 6-0, 175, Sr.; Mitchell off three passes. Wins over traditional 2A powers Olpe and Centralia Heiman, LB, 6-0, 190, Sr.; Luke Haverkamp, WR, 6-1, 180, Sr.; Eli Wilson, DT, 5-10, 260, Sr.; jump-started St. Marys’ three-win improvement a year ago and the Bears will open with both again be- Eli McWilliams, OG/DT, 5-10, 270, Sr.; Bryant fore starting league play against defending champion Stallbaumer, C, 6-1, 180, Sr.; Caleb Henry, OT/DE, Silver Lake. Though three-time defending 3A cham- 5-11, 180, Sr.; Matt Feldkamp, OG, 5-10, 190, Sr. Brent Maycock pion Rossville awaits in district play, St. Marys should contend for its first playoff berth since 2013 with both Council Grove and Mission Valley having to replace large, talented senior classes from a year ago. Two years removed from a fruitless 0-9 campaign, Sterling was back in the playoff picture in 2016. The 4-5 in 2016 / 1-2 in district / 3A / Mid-East League Black Bears’ re-emergence came under the direction Coach: Myron Flax (3rd year, 5-13) Assistants: Troy Biladeau, Casey Flax, Mark O’Halloran, Kevin of Tyson Bauerle, who spent two seasons at the helm. Bauerle has departed, shifting the head coachVanderbilt Offense: Spread Defense: 4-2-5 ing position to former assistant Derek Schneider. Returning lettermen: 15 Schneider has a history of success on the hardwood, Returning starters: 7 Offense, 6 Defense guiding Sterling’s boys basketball program. David Hutley, OL/LB, 5-9, 183, Sr.; Peter Trausch, Sterling football can score like a basketball squad. OG/DE, 6-1, 183, Sr.; Jonathan Brase, TE/LB, 5-11, 182, Sr.; Mitchel Flanagan, QB, 5-11, 176, Sr.; Tae- The Black Bears scratched their way to 37.6 points gan Schoenfeld, RB/FS, 5-9, 175, Sr.; Trevor Acker, per game, one of the top marks in 3A. The trepidation WR/SS, 5-9, 167, Sr.; Austin Rieschick, WR/K, 5-9, will come from whether Sterling has answers for 176, Sr.; Matthew Cruickshank, NG, 6-0, 197, Sr. BM slowing the opponent down. In all four of Sterling’s losses, the defense caved for at least 35 points. Schneider is stressing accountability and following through on scheme assignments as goals. Most of the roster returns, another year older and expected to make another step in their development. The starting lines are intact, as well as offensive perimeter targets Blake Richter and Lucas Briar. Halstead (9-2) remains the class of 3A’s District 11 (620) 278-2244 Sterling, Ks. www.aldenst8.com until proven otherwise. Sterling picked up fairly comfortable triumphs over Hutchinson Trinity and Haven
ST. MARYS
St. Marys took a big step in Myron Flax’s second year as coach, jumping from one win in 2015 to a 4-5 mark last year. Now in year three and with an experienced senior class which cut its teeth as sophomores in 2015, the Bears hope to take another one this season. Such progress would come within the context of the Mid-East League. Last year, the Bears went 0-4 against league foes (they didn’t play Wabaunsee) and were outscored 190-21 in those contests. The closest league game was a 35-7 loss to Rock Creek and the Bears gave up at least 41 points in the other three. Outside of league play, St. Marys flourished a year ago, going 4-1. The lone loss came to Council Grove in the start of district play, a loss that ultimately kept the Bears out of the playoffs after they finished the season with a 45-28 upset of Mission Valley. Improved offensive production was the biggest key to St. Marys’ turnaround season as the Bears nearly doubled their scoring output from the 2015 season, averaging just more than 20 points per game. Taegan Schoenfeld became a force and workhorse at tailback, rushing for 1,041 of the team’s 1,435 yards and scoring 11 of its 15 touchdowns on the ground. A starter since his freshman year, Schoenfeld returns to lead the St. Marys offense and should have plenty of help. Senior quarterback Mitchel Flanagan missed two games and should improve on his numbers after throwing for just 429 yards and four scores, though he only attempted 61 passes. His top-two receivers also return, but neither had more than nine catches or 150 yards. Five of the Bears’ top-seven tacklers return defensively, led by junior strong safety Trevor Acker, who had 91 tackles and was a first-team all-league
SABETHA
The Bluejays hit the ground running in 2016, literally, and rode a punishing ground game to a 9-2 record in which both losses were by six points and came to 3A semifinalist Nemaha Central and 3A state champion Rossville. Coach Garrett Michael called the team the most unselfish he’d ever been around and a senior class of 14 advanced to the regionals for the third time in four years. Only two starters return to an offense which ran roughshod all season long, producing a pair of backs who topped 1,350 yards — Blake Plattner (1,365 yards, 27 TDs) and Trae Snyder (1,352 yards, 18 TDs) — and averaged 358.2 rushing yards and 44.7 points per game while turning it over just four times. Plattner and Snyder are gone and so are standout linemen Greg Remmers and Peyton Strahm, both first-team All-Big Seven League picks. A number of blowouts allowed reserves to get plenty of varsity snaps, but no returning rusher had more than 215 yards with junior Joel Hackney’s 214 yards and five touchdowns leading the way. The defense returns six starters, but the departed starters were key ones who helped the Bluejays to a plus-15 turnover margin with 19 takeaways including 14 interceptions. Eric Renyer was an All-Class 3A pick on the line and Snyder was the second-leading tackler. Junior linebacker Cauy Rokey led the Bluejays in tackles as a sophomore with 88 and senior Cole Oehm was in on 56 stops to rank fourth on the team. With 19 lettermen returning and Sabetha’s junior varsity going 6-1 in ‘16, the Bluejays are hopeful to simply reload and make another run.
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SILVER LAKE
Already the state’s all-time winningest coach, Silver Lake’s CJ Hamilton hit another major milestone in 2016, becoming the first high school coach in state history — and just the 20th ever nationally — to win 400 games. Hamilton finished the 2016 season right on the number as the Eagles went 10-1, pushing his career record to an astounding 400-90. A 21-14 loss to fellow unbeaten Nemaha Central in the Class 3A state quarterfinals denied Silver Lake a shot at the program’s ninth state title and was the only hiccup on the ledger a year ago. The Eagles handed eventual state champion Rossville its only loss of the season, a 36-28 win which secured the Mid-East League title for the first time since 2012, and only two other wins were by less than 23 points — a 27-14 win over Riley County and 21-19 squeaker over Perry-Lecompton to start district play. An explosive offense directed by quarterback Dalton Dultmeier averaged 35 points and just more than 400 yards per game a year ago with the Eagles scoring less than 36 just three times and topping 50 on four occasions. Dultmeier finished with 2,714 yards of total offense and led the Eagles in passing (2,089 yards, 19 TDs) and rushing (625 yards, 11 TDs), but has graduated leaving the offense in the hands of junior Mason Griffin. Griffin saw plenty of time in the Eagles’ numerous blowouts and wound up throwing for 364 yards and nine touchdowns. The return of three starting receivers led by senior Keenan Baird (42 catches, 554 yards, 6 TDs) and Wyatt Heiman (31 catches, 605 yards, 9 TDs) will make the transition an easy one, as does the return of tailback Mason Jones, who ran for 516 yards and 7 touchdowns. As good as Silver Lake’s offense was a year ago, it’s defense was as strong or stronger. The Eagles pitched four shutouts and held six of their 11 opponents to a touchdown or less, allowing just 12 points and 175 yards per game. All-Class 3A linebacker Josh Boyd spearheaded the unit, making 127 tackles to lead the Eagles for the second straight season Three of the top-four tacklers from a year ago return overall with Will Boyd in on 83 tackles and Baird on 54. Baird and cornerback Trent Byers each had five interceptions as both joined Josh Boyd as first-team all-league selections. Silver Lake will have holes to fill on both lines with senior all-league tackle Josh Dallman and senior offensive guard Tyler Griffin the lone returners. 10-1 in 2016 / 3-0 in district / 3A / Mid-East League Coach: CJ Hamilton (42nd year, 400-90) Assistants: Warren Bledsoe, Travis Hamilton, Nick Hamilton, Loren Ziegler, Mike VandeVelde Offense: Spread Defense: 4-3 Returning lettermen: 20 Returning starters: 6 Offense, 6 Defense Josh Boyd, LB, 5-11, 210, Sr.; Keenan Baird, WR/S, 6-1, 190, Sr.; Mason Jones, RB/S, 5-9, 170, Sr.; Josh Dallman, OT, 6-1, 240, Sr.; Jordan Priddy, LB, 5-6, 140, Sr.; Will Boyd, LB, 5-11, 190, Sr.; Trent Byers, CB, 5-11, 175, Sr.; Tyler Griffin, OG, 5-10, 215, Sr.; Wyatt Heiman, WR, 6-2, 160, Jr.; Dillon Byrne, WR, 6-2, 170, Jr. Brent Maycock
STERLING
to place itself as the district runner-up and earn its ticket to the playoffs. Sterling visited the playoffs each year from 2006 to 2013. The program won a state title in 1982, the Black Bears’ only journey past the quarterfinals in their history. Sterling placed third in its first season assigned to the eight-team Heart of America League, compiling a 5-2 record against HOA competition. 6-4 in 2016 / 2-1 in district / 3A / Heart of America Coach: Derek Schneider (1st year) Assistants: Wes Laudermilk, Eric Wenzel, Brian Richter Offense: Split Back Defense: 4-4 Returning lettermen: 12 Returning starters: 9 Offense, 9 Defense Trent Jones, OL/DL, 5-11, 230, Sr.; Eli Miller, OL/ DL, 5-10, 195, Sr.; John Schweizer, OL/DL, 6-5, 195, Sr.; Brady Ravenstein, OL/DL, 6-0, 190, Sr.; Blake Richter, WR/DB, 6-1, 165, Sr.; Lucas Briar, WR/DB, 6-4, 190, Sr.; Hans Anderson, RB/LB, 5-9, 175, Sr.; Dylan Stewart, OL/LB, 6-0, 175, Jr.; Conan Ball, RB/ DB, 5-10, 165, Jr.; Brady Myers, QB/LB, 5-11, 170, So. Kyle McCaskey