The high school football season is moving toward the final stages of the season. Most area schools are still trying to scrape together wins in order to push for a playoff position. Meanwhile, Humboldt remains in cruise control as the Cubs remain 5-0 on the season
This will be the third week the Register has done high school football picks, and I have been 7/10 so far. Seventy percent is sub par, so I will try to do better. Here are the matchups for week 6:
Iola @ Burlington
Head coach David Daugharthys Mustangs learned how to win a football game last week against Osawatomie. Iola buckled down defensively after allowing an opening score, and fresh-face quarterback Landon Carson led the offense with 3 touchdowns passing. Personally, it was not a better performance than what the Mustangs showcased for the first three quarters at Parsons, but it was a move in the right direction.
This week, the Mustangs travel to Burlington. The Wildcats are 2-0 on the season with wins against Wellsville and Council Grove, but are coming off a 22-6 loss against Prairie View. Last season, the Mustangs went 3-2 after an 0-4 start to the season, to finish at 3-6. Iola followed up last years win against Osawatomie with a win versus Burlington and they intend to do the same. The key for Iola will be to stop quarterback Cael Johnson, the focal point of the Wildcat offense. Iola will need to win the battle in the trenches and control field position. Daugharthy has high
hopes the boys can repeat last seasons heroics and so do I.
Winner: Iola
Riverton vs. Humboldt
Senior quarterback Conor Haviland racked up 221 yards rushing on 7 carries last week against Erie in the first half. Those types of stats couldnt be replicated on the newest Madden video game if you adjusted your settings to the easiest difficulty. What makes Havilands performance unique was his perfect 4-4 in the air for 53 yards and a touchdown. Now, teams have to expect Haviland can throw, even if it is not his specialty.
Riverton ran past Northeast-Arma 48-18 last week, and crushed Erie 54-12 the Friday prior. The Rams may not be a walk in the park for the Cubs on homecoming, meaning the game will likely not be over by halftime. The toughest test of the season for the Cubs was against Eureka in Iola, when the Cubs came back late in the fourth quarter. A similar test could present itself this weekend, but Im sure the Cubs will not wait late into the dying minutes to wrap this game up. It should be a great evening for homecoming in Cub country.
Winner: Humboldt
St. Paul vs. Marmaton Valley
After earning a rare 2-point lead to start, the Wildcats allowed 26 unanswered points to Crest, dropping to 1-4 on the season. Marmaton Valley has only been able to generate 50 points on offense through five games, averaging 10 points per contest. In many cases, 10 points are not enough unless your defense is stellar.
The Wildcats face St. Paul, who has been on an absolute tear through the first five games of the season. The Indians have scored 50 or more points in every matchup other than when they faced the Lancers, scoring only 48 (still impressive). Last week, St. Paul handled Altoona-Midway with ease, winning 76-14, and are currently ranked fourth in the state for 8M-II football. Miracles are always a possibility, but in this case, seem nearly impossible.
Winner: St. Paul
Crest @ Chetopa
The Lancers earned a crucial homecoming win against Marmaton Valley last weekend, moving to 2-3 on the season. Head Coach Nic McAulty told Register Eric Spruill that the win over Marmaton Valley was the start of a new season for the Lancers. Crest is in a position to follow up last weeks win with a big victory over Chetopa. The Lancers two wins this season have both come at home. This time they are in search of an away victory.
Chetopas season has not gone according to plan. The Hornets sit winless at 0-5, and are coming off of a 54-0 loss against Southern Coffey County in Le Roy. Chetopa has only mustered six points in their last three contests, and are going up against a Lancer defense that shut down Marmaton Valley a week ago. The Lancers should have no problem advancing to .500 on the season, and a big win could be in the books.
Winner: Crest
St. Marys Colgan vs. Yates Center
The Wildcats remain winless on the season after a 32-21 loss last week against Bluestem. Although YC was unable to earn a victory, they displayed their best offensive and defensive performance of the season. The story of the season for YC had been a roster decimated to only one reserve player. The Wildcats are dancing with the devil, and are only a couple of injuries away of not being able to field a team.
St. Marys Colgan is currently 2-3 on the season. Most recently, the Panthers dominated Abilene 26-0. The Wildcats have shown for the majority of the season they struggle down the stretch, and I expect the same to happen this week.
Winner: St. Marys Colgan
Southern Coffey County @ Altoona-Midway
The Titans earned a blowout win over Chetopa, winning 54-0. The win puts SCC at 1-4 on the season. An issue for the Titans is their small roster, and they paid the price against Marmaton Valley on Sept. 27 when they saw a first half lead go to waste. What the Titans lack in numbers, they make up for in physicality.
Altoona-Midway is recovering from a 76-14 loss against number-four ranked St. Paul. The Jets are 1-4 on the year, with their solo win coming at the hands of Chetopa, winning 48-0. I picked against the Titans last week and they proved me wrong. It will be a close game, but SCC may have the slight upper hand in this matchup.
Winner: Southern Coffey County
