After Class 3A got the high school football playoffs under way earlier this week the rest of the Classes are now in action. A preview of all area playoff showdowns is below and listen to 103.9 KNZA and 92.1 KMZA at 6:00pm for Friday Night Fever preview on the radio of the games with coaches comments and more before the game action tonight. Wrap up the night with the Community National Bank Scoreboard show after the games on 103.9 KNZA and 92.1 KMZA.

Frist Round Playoff Games to be Broadcasted:
103.9 KNZA – Doniphan West at Centralia (click here to listen)
92.1 KMZA – Axtell at Pike Valley (click here to listen)
KAIR 93.7 FM – Jackson Heights at Jefferson County North (click here to listen)

8-Man Division II

Axtell (6-3) at Pike Valley (9-0)
Just two years removed from a run to Sub-State round of the 8-Man DII playoffs for the second straight the Eagles are back in the playoffs and after a matchup with the #1 team in the Division to wrap up the regular season the Eagles have to travel to the #2 ranked team in the Division in Pike Valley. Axtell has been able to put up some big numbers offensively over the season averaging 44.7 points per game with sophomore quarterback, Quinn Buessing leading the charge as he’s thrown for 1,567 yards with 26 touchdowns (7 interceptions). Partnering with Buessing to create a dynamic trio is Michael Swanson and Hunter Koch who have both put up big numbers Swanson has 1,228 yards of total offense with 16 touchdowns, while Koch has 948 yards receiving with 20 touchdowns. While the Eagles offense has been high flying they have struggled at times stopping teams giving up 35.3 points per game and will need to be strong defensively against Pike Valley.

Pike Valley Panthers have been strong all year winning most games by sizeable margins outside of close wins over playoff teams in Osborne and Rock Hills. The Panthers are averaging 49.8 points per game with great balance on offense as six different guys has 100+ yards rushing with Lane Peters and Cole Strickler leading the way with 633 and 562 yards and 14 and 10 touchdowns respectively, while quarterback, Davante Hammer is a dynamic playmaker too. The Pike Valley defense has been great this year two surrendering just 11.8 points per game this season and has forced 24 turnovers.

Axtell won the last matchup between the two back in 2015 during the regular season 22-0.

Rock Hills (8-1) at Hanover (9-0)
Hanover Wildcats have dominated and rolled their opponents all this season winning by 40+ in everything game (won 12-straight by 40+pts) and carry a 21-game winning streak into the playoffs. Wildcats offense is averaging 54.7 points per game this season with several guys contributing as Kevin Diederich has 654 yards rushing with 16 touchdowns, while Daiken Stallbaumer has thrown for 410 yards with seven scores and ran for 338 yards with 10 touchdowns. Carter Bruna has added 395 yards with 11 touchdowns. Defensively the Wildcats have given up just 32 points all season which is 3.6 points per game.

The toughest test for the Wildcats this season looms in the first round of the playoffs as they take on Rock Hills who’s lone loss was to Pike Valley in overtime, while they’ve won all other games by 40+ points. The Grizzles average 53.3 points per game this season and 257 yards per game rushing on the year led by Zane Colson who’s ran for 1,313 yards with 22 touchdowns, while Rylee Whelchel has added 622 yards with 15 touchdowns. Defensively Rock Hills is stout too given up just 10.9 points per game.

Hanover won the last matchup between the two which was back in the 2015 regular season as the Wildcats won 50-16.

Other 8-Man DII 1st round games:
Caldwell (8-1) at Waverly (8-1)
Pleasanton (6-3) at Hutch-Central Christian (9-0)
Hodgeman County (7-2) at Northern Valley (7-2)
Rolla (2-6) at Kiowa-South Barber (8-1)
Sylvan-Lucas Unified (8-1) at Otis-Bison (8-1)
Pretty Prairie (7-2) at Ingalls (6-2)

8-Man Division I

Clifton-Clyde (7-1) at Osborne (8-1)
Clifton-Clyde is back in the playoffs for the second straight year and take on the same opponent this year in the first round of the playoffs in Osborne. Osborne took the matchup last year 64-16. The Eagles enter the contest after a week off having not played since Week eight of the season. Offensively the Eagles are averaging 43.2 points per game and have four guys with 140+ yards rushing on the season led by Drake Steinbrock who has 676 yards rushing with 18 touchdowns and has caught two touchdowns. Eagles’ defense has been strong on the year took giving up only 9.6 points per game and has 15 sacks and forced 18 turnovers. Clifton-Clyde’s lone loss is to unbeaten Burlingame.

Osborne also has only one loss that coming to unbeaten Pike Valley and the Bulldogs are playing well with 48 points per game and 296.6 yards per game rushing. Denton Schurr has amassed 1,111 yards rushing with 19 touchdown, while Darrien Holloway has chipped in 727 yards and 13 touchdowns on the ground and Darnell Holloway had 649 yards and 12 scores rushing. On defense the Bulldogs are giving up just 16.2 points per game, have 12 sacks and have forced 12 turnovers.

Other 8-Man DI 1st round games:
Udall (5-4) at West Elk (9-0)
Victoria (7-2) at Burlingame (9-0)
St. Paul (8-1) at Burden-Central (5-4)
Macksville (7-2) at Central Plains (8-1)
St. Francis (7-1) at Spearville (9-0)
Little River (7-2) at Coldwater-South Central (8-1)
Ness City (5-4) at Hoxie (8-1)

Class 2-1A

Jackson Heights (8-1) at Jefferson County North (9-0)
After sharing an undefeated Northeast Kansas League football title the last two years, the Cobras and Chargers will meet for the first time since 2015 Friday in the opening round of the 2-1A State Playoffs. The last time these two teams played was a first-round playoff game in 2015 that Jackson Heights won at home 24-14. That was the first post-season win for the Cobras in more than a decade as they led 16-14 at halftime and got the only score in the second half from Brady Holliday, who was a sophomore, and racked up 153 yards on 23 carries in the win. Holliday is now a senior and has ran for more than 1,200 this year and should have 700 yard rushing teammate Sabastian Butto rejoining him in the backfield Friday. Butto missed last week’s 32-14 loss at Centralia.

JCN is the only unbeaten team left in all Class 2-1A but in search of their first playoff win since 2002. The Chargers have scored at least 46 points or more in all but one game, winning by an average score of 47–8. The Chargers are highly motivated after first-round playoff losses the last two years and have lost three straight to Jackson Heights, dating back to 2009. JCN is led by senior Ridge Robertson who has 1,446 rushing yards and 24 touchdowns on 100 carries. Sam Larson has added 520 yards while Boston Lane orchestrates the offense with his legs and arm totaling 444 yards and eight touchdowns in the air with his top target being Brayden Summers while on the ground Lane has 337 yards and nine scores rushing.

Doniphan West (6-3) at Centralia (7-2)
It’s the first playoff appearance since 2014 for the Mustangs who get a second chance against fellow Twin Valley League foe, Centralia. D-West had four turnovers in week four and allowed the Panthers 482 yards in a 58-6 loss. The Mustangs have won three games by six points or less and tripled their win total from last year with a solid senior class that includes quarterback Levi Watts and offensive weapons Luke Blevins and Zeb Speer. Watts has thrown for 1,391 yards and 16 touchdowns while running for another 210.  Blevins has 708 receiving yards and caught eight scores while Speer has 474 receiving and another 155 on the ground with 10 total touchdowns.  Fellow senior Matt Buser is the leading rusher with over 350 yards and joins senior Newt Smith as the top tacklers on a defense that is allowing 28 points per game. The last Doniphan West playoff win was 2011 at St. Mary’s 32-26.

For the Centralia Panthers after a year out of the playoffs they are back in and primed to make another run. The Panthers enter the postseason having lost only twice to a pair of 3A playoff teams in Nemaha Central and Sabetha and are doing a lot of good things as the offense is averaging 33.8 points per game and 315 yards rushing per contest. Six different guys have ran the ball for 200+ yards on the season led by Trenton Flentie who has 1,111 yards with 15 touchdowns. While the Panther defense has been on the prowl all year giving up just 10.8 points per game and only 185.2 yards per game. Panthers are looking for their first playoff win in two years.

Other Class 2-1A 1st round games:
Yates Center (3-6) at Olpe (7-2)
Lyndon (8-1) at Pitt-Colgan (7-2)
Ell-Saline (7-1) at Sedgwick (5-4)
Meade (5-4) at Plainville (6-3)
Smith Center (8-1) at Medicine Lodge (4-5)
LaCrosse (7-2) at Elkhart (7-2)