By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(All games at 7 p.m.)
THURSDAY'S GAME
Junior Jamon Wilson has rushed for 243 yards and caught 20 passes for 415 yards for Highland Park, 4-2 on the season. [File photo/TSN]
KC-NORTHEAST (0-6) vs. HIGHLAND PARK (4-2)
At Hummer Sports Park
Highland Park will be looking to bounce back from two straight losses, including a 64-8 Meadowlark Conference decision to Atchison last Thursday. The Scots are fighting for a home berth (top eight seeds) in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs. The Scots are currently tied for No. 5 spot in the East and No. 7 in terms of point differential. HIghland Park junior quarterback Craig Sipple has completed 33 of 66 passes for 684 yards and seven touchdowns while senior Amari Taylor is the Scots' leading rusher with 370 yards and four TDs on 42 carries. Junior Jamon Wilson has carried the ball 19 times for 243 yards and three scores and has 20 receptions for 415 yards and four TDs.KC-Northeast, Mo. is coming off a 41-20 loss to KC-Sumner and has been outscored 269-84. .
FRIDAY GAMES
Junior quarterback Jett Wehlmeier has passed for 748 yards for 6-0 Hayden, which hosts Holton Friday night. [File photo/TSN]
HOLTON (3-3, 2-0 Class 3A District 4) at HAYDEN (6-0, 3-0 Class 3A District 4)
Hayden can clinch the Class 3A District 4 championship with a win Friday night over Holton, which handed Hayden its only two losses a year ago en route to a runnerup finish in 3A. Hayden is coming off 49-0 district road romp past Royal Valley last Friday while Holton dropped a 21-0 non-league home decision to Rossville. Hayden junior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier has completed 42 of 80 passes for 748 yards and six touchdowns while junior Jensen Schrickel has caught 16 passes for 345 yards and four TDs. Junior Broderick Desch and sophomore Kade Mitchell have helped take up the slack for injured star running back Finn Dunshee, with Desch carrying the ball 43 times for 233 yards and eight touchdowns and Mitchell gaining 221 yards on 30 attempts with four TDs.
Topeka West's Trey Parker picked up his first win as a head coach in last Friday's 35-15 UKC win over KC-Turner. [File photo/TSN]
TOPEKA WEST (1-5, 1-5 United Kansas Conference) at SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (4-2, 3-2)
Both the Chargers and T-Birds are coming off big wins last Friday, with Topeka West picking up its first win of the year with a 35-15 home UKC win over KC-Turner while Shawnee Heights rallied for a 12-7 non-league home win over Wamego, the Class 4A runnerup in 2022. Shawnee Heights will be looking to strengthen its hold on a home berth for the first round of the upcoming 5A playoffs. The T-Birds are tied for the No. 5 East seed but are eighth in terms of point differential. The top eight seeds will host first-round games. Topeka West senior Josh Nitschke rushed for 271 yards and scored four touchdowns in the Chargers' win over Turner. Heights senior quarterback Ryeki Tuley has completed 106 of 168 passes for 1,293 yards and 10 touchdowns and has rushed for 242 yards and five TDs on 61 attempts. Senior Allen Baughman has carried the ball 98 times for 370 yards and four TDs while senior Jayden Moore has 39 pass receptions for 483 yards and a pair of scores.
JUNCTION CITY (3-3, 0-2 Centennial League) vs. TOPEKA HIGH (1-5, 1-2 Centennial League)
At Hummer Sports Park
Both the Blue Jays and Trojans are coming off Centennial League losses. Junction City dropped a 38-7 decision to reigning Class 6A state champion Manhattan while Topeka High lost a 48-15 game to undefeated Washburn Rural. Sophomore quarterback Zane Smith passed for 147 yards and a touchdown for Topeka High in the Trojans' loss at Rural while senior Isaiah Kincade scored both of High's touchdowns. A longtime Centennial League and Class 6A stalwart, Junction City is looking for its first league win after back-to-back league losses to Washburn Rural and Manhattan.
CHASE COUNTY (4-2, 2-1 Eight-Man I District 2) vs. CAIR PARAVEL LATIN (4-2, 2-1 Eight-Man I District 2)
At Seaman
Chase County and Cair Paravel Latin are currently tied for the second playoff berth out of Eight-Man I District 2 with 2-1 district records. Cair Paravel is coming off a 34-12 district victory over Madison while Chase County dropped a 38-34 district decision to undefeated Lyndon. CPLS junior quarterback Jase Pavlik completed 21 of 30 passes for 311 yards and three touchdowns against Madison and carried the ball six times for 109 yards. Senior Jesiah Bonura caught six passes for 125 yards while Simon Everhart had four catches for 70 yards and Evan Will had eight catches for 63 yards. Ian Brian registered nine tackles with six assists for the Lions against Madison.
Junior King Leonard returned a pass interception for a touchdown in Washburn Rural's 48-15 Centennial League win over Topeka High last Friday. [Photo by Doug Walker/Special to TSN]
WASHBURN RURAL (6-0, 3-0) vs. EMPORIA (0-6, 0-2)
At Welch Stadium
Washburn Rural is a heavy favorite to clinch the outright Centennial League championship Friday night. The Junior Blues are currently tied with Free State for the top seed in the Class 6A West playoffs and is No. 2 in terms of point differential. Washburn Rural is coming off a 48-15 home Centennial League win over Topeka High while Emporia dropped a 76-0 non-league game to Wichita East last week. Washburn Rural opened its season with a 26-25 win over East. Junior Blues senior quarterback Branton DeWeese threw for 266 yards and three touchdowns in Rural's win over Topeka High while junior King Leonard had a pick-six.
Seaman senior Callen Barta hauls in a pass for the Vikings in last Friday's 56-0 UKC win over Leavenworth. [File photo/TSN]
SEAMAN (3-3, 3-2 United Kansas Conference) at BASEHOR-LINWOOD (4-2, 4-1 United Kansas Conference)
Both Seaman in Class 5A and Basehor-Linwood in 4A will be looking to improve their seeds for the upcoming postseason playoffs. Seaman is currently the No. 9 East seed, with the top eight hosting first-round games, while Basehor-Linwood is No. 7 in the East in 4A. Seaman is coming off a 56-0 UKC win over Leavenworth while Basehor-Linwood is coming off a 28-25 UKC win over Lansing, the Bobcats' fourth straight win. Seaman junior quarterback Max Huston has completed 119 of 187 passes for 1,970 yards and 28 touchdowns and has rushed for 357 yards and five TDs on 83 attempts. Senior Jack Bloom has carried the ball 93 times for 425 yards and seven TDs while senior Callen Barta, a Nebraska commit, has caught 45 passes for 1,106 yards and 15 touchdowns.
ROSSVILLE (3-3, 1-1 Class 2A District 3) at PLEASANT RIDGE (2-4, 1-2 Class 2A District 3)
Rossville is coming off a big 21-0 non-league win at Holton, the 2022 Class 3A runnerup, while Pleasant Ridge dropped a 54-0 Class 2A District 3 decision to Silver Lake. Rossville senior quarterback Camden Horak has completed 87 of 148 passes for 1,238 yards and 11 touchdowns and has carried the ball 94 times for 288 yards and seven TDs. Junior Tayson Horak has carried the ball 28 times for 265 yards and two touchdowns and caught 24 passes for 376 yards and three scores. T. Horak also has four pass interceptions. Sophomore Jack Donovan has 21 pass receptions for 299 yards and two TDs.
SILVER LAKE (5-1, 2-0 Class 2A District 3) at MAUR HILL-MT. ACADEMY (0-6, 0-2 Class 2A District 3)
Silver Lake stretched its winning streak to four games last Friday, rolling to a 54-0 Class 2A District 3 victory over Pleasant Ridge while Maur Hill-Mt. Academy remained winless with a 44-6 district decision to Atchison County. Logan Pegram's Eagles are in the driver's seat for the district championship after district wins over rival Rossville and Pleasant Ridge. Top players for Silver Lake include senior quarterback Tanner Martin and senior running back Blake Redmond.
