2022 Pick Records

Brandon

Last week: 20-0
Overall: 121-23
Last season: 158-31

Justin

Last week: 19-1
Overall: 123-21
Last season: 157-32

Jared

Last week: 16-4
Overall: 105-39
Last season: n/a

Games to be Broadcast

Sabetha at Nemaha Central – KNZA 103.9 & Sabetha Channel
Onaga at Jackson Heights – KMZA 92.1 & Cobra Channel
Mission Valley at Jefferson County North – KAIR 93.7
Holton at Jefferson West – Holton Channel
Hayden at Hiawatha – Hiawatha Channel    
 

Week 8 Games (*Denotes District Record)

6-Man District 1

(5-2, 4-1*) Wetmore at (0-6, 0-5*) Chetopa

The Cardinals clinched their first over .500 season in recent memory with their 79-29 win against Centre-Lost Springs last week. Wetmore had Dierk Hanzlicek and Kyler Wommack both go over 300 total yards. Hanzlicek had 4 receptions for 114 yards and 16 carries for 217 yards with six total touchdowns. Wommack had 212 passing yards and seven carries for 110 yards and four scores.

The Chetopa Green Hornets are looking for their first win since September 24th, 2021. Their losing streak has grown to eleven games being outscored 321-33 this season. Chetopa had two weeks to prepare for this one as they had last week off.

Wetmore finished runner-up in district 1 behind Waverly and looks to have a bye in the first round of the playoffs.  

Brandon’s Pick: Wetmore
Justin’s Pick: Wetmore
Jared’s Pick: Wetmore

8M-I District 5

(2-5, 1-3*) Rock Hills at (4-3, 1-3*) Washington County  

Washington County played last Thursday at Ell Saline and lost 46-12. The Tigers have lost three of their last four games since starting the season 3-0. WC has scored 194 points in their four wins compared to just 24 points in their three losses. They’re now 0-4 against Ell Saline since 2008.

Rock Hills have had a tough season as they lost 46-0 last week to Clifton Clyde. The Grizzlies are now 2-5 this season and have won just four games since the start of last season.

This matchup between Washington County and Rock Hills will determine the final playoff spot from 8M-I District 5 as Clifton Clyde, Ell Saline, and Lincoln have clinched the top three spots in the district standings.

Brandon’s Pick: Washington County
Justin’s Pick: Washington County
Jared’s Pick: Washington County

(0-7, 0-4*) Bennington at (6-1, 4-0*) Clifton Clyde

Clifton Clyde continued their dominant stretch after a 46-0 win last week over Rock Hills. Since their only loss of the season to Axtell, the Eagles have won four straight and have outscored those opponents 174-12 including posting back-to-back shutouts. CC’s defense has been the story as they’ve given up 76 points (10.8 PPG) in seven games. 58 of those 76 points were given up to Axtell.

The Bennington Bulldogs dropped to 0-7 last week after a 40-20 loss to Lincoln. This team went 6-3 last season but have lost eight straight since their last game of 2021. Last time out, Clifton Clyde beat Bennington 46-0 in 2020.

Clifton Clyde has already clinched the district 5 Title. The Eagles will host either Quinter or Oberlin-Decatur County in the first round of the playoffs next week.

Brandon’s Pick: Clifton Clyde
Justin’s Pick: Clifton Clyde
Jared’s Pick: Clifton Clyde

8M-II District 3

(3-4, 3-2, 3-1*) Hanover at (3-4, 3-2, 3-1*) Frankfort

Hanover defeated Linn last week 62-12 to clinch a spot in the playoffs. Hanover has won three of their last four games since an 0-3 start. They’ve outscored their opponents 162-18 in their three wins. The Wildcats have now won 12 straight against Linn and haven’t lost to Linn since 2005.

Frankfort’s three-game winning streak was snapped last week after their 62-14 loss to Axtell. Freshman quarterback Wes Anderson had to throw a lot being down for most of the game. He ended up with 195 passing yards and a touchdown.

The winner of this game gets second place in the district and will earn a home game next week to begin the playoffs. The winner will host either Lakeside-Downs or Pike Valley while the loser will have to travel to St. Johns-Tipton.

Brandon’s Pick: Hanover
Justin’s Pick: Hanover
Jared’s Pick: Hanover

(7-0, 5-0, 4-0*) Axtell at (1-6, 0-5, 0-4*) Doniphan West

Axtell quarterback Isaac Detweiler posted another strong outing last week in a 62-14 win against Frankfort. Isaac rushed for 109 yards and added three passing touchdowns with 123 yards. Brandon Schmelzle ran for three touchdowns and averaged over 11 yards per carry. Axtell’s offense is averaging 112.8 points per 48 minutes. The defending 8M-II State Champs have won 20 in a row.

Doniphan West lost their fourth in a row and dropped to 1-6 this season last week with a 56-8 loss at Blue Valley. The Mustangs have lost eight of their last nine games dating back to last season.

Axtell has already clinched the district 3 title and will clinch the TVL title outright with a win over Doniphan West. The Mustangs have been eliminated from the playoffs. Axtell has won the last two meetings against Doniphan West in 2018 and 2019.

Brandon’s Pick: Axtell
Justin’s Pick: Axtell
Jared’s Pick: Axtell

(2-5, 1-4, 1-3*) Blue Valley at (2-5, 1-4, 1-3*) Linn

Blue Valley snapped their three-game losing streak last week with a 56-8 win at home against Doniphan West. The Rams had lost three straight to Hanover, Axtell, and Frankfort and were outscored 172-18 in those three games. The Rams are looking to win three games in the regular season for the first time since 2018 when they went 5-4.

Linn dropped to 2-5 on the season after their 62-12 loss at Hanover last week. The lone two wins for Linn this season have come against Doniphan West and Logan-Palco. A win over Blue Valley would give them at least three wins in a season for the first time since 2017.

Blue Valley is 8-6 against Linn dating back to 2005. The Rams won the matchup last season 52-50. The winner of this game will get the final playoff spot of district 3 while the loser will be eliminated.

Brandon’s Pick: Linn
Justin’s Pick: Blue Valley
Jared’s Pick: Linn

1A District 3

(3-4, 3-1*) Mission Valley at (4-3, 3-1*) Jefferson County North – KAIR 93.7

The Mission Valley Vikings had their three-game winning streak snapped last week with 56-0 loss at home to St. Mary’s. The Vikings started the season 0-3 but rattled off three straight wins against Valley Falls, McLouth, and Oskaloosa in district play before the loss last week.

The Chargers of JCN picked up a big win last week at Valley Falls 58-14. They’ve won three of their last four games and are averaging 51 points per game in those three wins.

The winner of this game will finish runner-up in the district behind St. Mary’s and host a playoff game next week against either Troy or Riverside.

Brandon’s Pick: Jefferson County North
Justin’s Pick: Jefferson County North
Jared’s Pick: Jefferson County North

(1-6, 1-3, 0-4*) Valley Falls at (0-7, 0-5, 0-4*) Oskaloosa

Valley Falls lost in their game last week game against Jefferson County North by a final of 56-14. However, they were only trailing 16-14 at halftime. The defense allowed 32 points in the third quarter which put the game away. Quarterback Dylan Cervantez was efficient completing 11 of 17 passes, however, they went just 2-for-13 on third downs.

Oskaloosa’s comeback last week at McLouth fell short as they lost 30-14. The Bears trailed 20-0 at the half, but Coy Perry had a pair of rushing touchdowns to make it a one-score game. However, the Bulldogs would get one last touchdown to put the game away. Perry was 11 for 27 for 112 yards with an interception, and he had 13 carries for 50 yards and two scores.

These two team’s meet for the first time since 2015. From 2004-2015, Oskaloosa won seven of the 12 meetings including three straight. Both teams are eliminated from the playoffs this season.

Brandon’s Pick: Valley Falls
Justin’s Pick: Valley Falls
Jared’s Pick: Valley Falls

(2-5, 2-2*) McLouth at (5-2, 4-0*) St. Mary’s

McLouth has now won back-to-back games for the first time since 2018 after they beat Oskaloosa last week 30-14. The win over Valley Falls the week before was their first win since 2019. McLouth is in the playoffs as they finished fourth in the district. They’ll have to travel to Centralia next week for the first round of the playoffs.

St. Mary’s clinched the district title after a 56-0 win last week over Mission Valley. The lone losses this season for the Bears were in the first three weeks against Silver Lake and Rock Creek. Since then, they’ve won four straight and have outscored those four opponents 230-14 with three shutouts.

St. Mary’s will host either Jackson Heights or Onaga in the first round of the playoffs next week.

Brandon’s Pick: St. Mary’s
Justin’s Pick: St. Mary’s
Jared’s Pick: St. Mary’s

1A District 4

(1-6, 0-3*) Onaga at (3-4, 0-3*) Jackson Heights – KMZA 92.1 & Cobra Channel

The winner of this game will earn the final playoff spot out of district 4 and will have to travel to St. Mary’s next week. The Buffaloes lost their sixth game in a row last week 42-13 at home against Troy. Onaga has dealt with a lot of injuries this season and have been forced to play a lot of underclassmen.

Jackson Heights is looking to end the season on a positive note as they’ve now lost four in a row since their 3-0 start to the season. The Cobras lost last week at ACCHS 18-6 in a game where the NEKL title was on the line. This is the first time since the beginning of the 2014 season where JH have lost four games in a row.

Jackson Heights and Onaga are playing for the first time since 2014. The Buffaloes won five straight over the Cobras from 2008-2014.

Brandon’s Pick: Jackson Heights
Justin’s Pick: Jackson Heights
Jared’s Pick: Jackson Heights

(3-4, 2-1*) Riverside at (6-1, 2-1*) Troy

Riverside was almost able to hand Centralia their first loss of the season last week in a narrow 26-20 loss. Quarterback Beckam Griffin had a rough go this past week throwing four interceptions, but the running game picked up the slack. Elijah Moore had 14 carries for 114 yards and a touchdown, and Percy Duncan had 15 carries for 61 yards and a touchdown.

Troy ranks #5 in K-Preps latest rankings and #3 in the KSHSAA Covered rankings this week for Class 1A. Troy scored all their points in the first half and beat Onaga last week 42-13. The Trojans and Cyclones are playing for second place in the district with the winner hosting a playoff game next week while the loser will have to go on the road.

Troy and Riverside haven’t played since 2013 with Riverside winning the last three meetings in 2011, 2012, and 2013.

Brandon’s Pick: Troy
Justin’s Pick: Troy
Jared’s Pick: Troy

1A District 5

(2-5, 1-2*) Valley Heights at (5-2, 2-1*) Smith Center

The Mustangs had a rough go last week with a 56-8 loss to Wabaunsee. It was close after the first quarter as Valley Heights trailed 6-0. However, they would give up 20 in the second quarter and 30 in the third quarter. Logan Gray scored the team’s lone score as the Wabaunsee defense held Jayden DeWalt to 13 carries and 63 yards.

Smith Center’s defense has been solid lately after a rough start to the season. The Redmen allowed 26.3 points per game in their first four games, but they have allowed only 21 total points in their last their three games. They won at Sacred Heart last week 35-7 to win their third straight game.

A win for Smith Center against Valley Heights will secure the runner-up finish in the district behind Wabaunsee. Valley Heights is in the playoffs with a win but could be eliminated with a loss and Republic County win.

Brandon’s Pick: Smith Center
Justin’s Pick: Smith Center
Jared’s Pick: Smith Center

2A District 3

(3-4, 2-1*) Rossville at (2-5, 0-3*) Maur Hill-Mount Academy

The Rossville Bulldogs got a much needed 56-0 win over Pleasant Ridge last week after losing their last two games to Silver Lake and Holton.

MH-MA quarterback Mark Harris had a solid day on the ground in their 54-14 loss last week to Silver Lake. He ran for 107 yards and two touchdowns. Unfortunately, the passing game wasn’t there as he was only able to complete 12 of his 28 attempts.

The Ravens are eliminated from the playoffs as they will finish last in the district even with a win because of a head-to-head loss to Pleasant Ridge. MH-MA has played Rossville four times since 2015 and were unable to best them. Their closest effort was a 21-14 home loss in 2018.

Brandon’s Pick: Rossville
Justin’s Pick: Rossville
Jared’s Pick: Rossville

(5-2, 3-0*) Silver Lake at (6-1, 2-1*) ACCHS

The Silver Lake Eagles will win the district title with a win over ACCHS but could fall out of the top spot with a loss. Silver Lake won big over Maur Hill-Mount Academy last week 54-14 for their third straight win.

ACCHS won the Northeast Kansas League Title for a second consecutive season after defeating Jackson Heights last week 18-6. It’s the first time since the early 70’s that the Tigers have won back-to-back league titles.

ACCHS could still win the district title with a win and a Rossville loss to MH-MA. ACCHS could finish as low as third in the standings and have to go on the road in the first round of the playoffs next week.

Brandon’s Pick: Silver Lake
Justin’s Pick: Silver Lake
Jared’s Pick: Silver Lake

2A District 4

(6-1, 3-1, 3-0*) Sabetha at (7-0, 4-0, 3-0*) Nemaha Central – KNZA 103.9 & Sabetha Channel  

Sabetha continues to dominate on both sides of the ball as they won their fifth straight last week with a 62-7 win against Horton. Since their lone loss in week two to Holton, the Bluejays have outscored their last five opponents 249-14 with three shutouts.

Last week, the Thunder won at Riley County 34-12 as running back Cooper Hajek ran 38 times for over 300 yards with four total touchdowns. The Nemaha Central defense held the Falcons scoreless in the second half. Nemaha Central remained #1 in the KSHSAA Covered rankings this week and #2 in the K-Preps rankings.

Nemaha Central is looking for their first unbeaten regular season since 2017. That team would lose in the second round of the playoffs to Silver Lake. If NC beats Sabetha, they will win the district title and outright Big 7 league title. If Sabetha wins, they’ll win the district and claim a share of the Big 7 league title.

Brandon’s Pick: Nemaha Central
Justin’s Pick: Nemaha Central
Jared’s Pick: Nemaha Central

3A District 4

(6-1, 4-1, 3-0*) Holton at (0-7, 0-6, 0-3*) Jefferson West – Holton Channel

Holton is flying high after not only winning their sixth straight game last week, but completely dominating #2 ranked and previously unbeaten Hayden 37-13. The Holton offense was unstoppable running 73 plays with 474 yards rushing led by Jace Boswell and Gary Booth who both ran for more than 175 yards and Booth had all five touchdowns. The Holton defense allowed only five total first downs and 132 yards. With the district title wrapped up, Holton will sit about five starters against the Tigers and hope to get healthier heading into their 25th straight playoff campaign.

Jefferson West dropped to 0-7 last week with a 46-0 loss at Royal Valley. The Tigers have now lost 14 of their last 16 games dating back to the start of last season. Jefferson West will finish last in the district and miss the playoffs this season.

Holton is 15-2 against Jefferson West since 2004 but the Tigers have won two of the last three with wins over the Wildcats in 2018 and 2019. Holton is looking for a Sabetha win over Nemaha Central which would earn a 3-way tie for the Big 7 league title.

Brandon’s Pick: Holton
Justin’s Pick: Holton
Jared’s Pick: Holton

(2-5, 2-3, 1-2*) Royal Valley at (2-5, 2-3, 1-2*) Perry Lecompton

Royal Valley snapped a three-game losing streak last week with a 46-0 home win over Jefferson West. The Panthers three losses prior were against Riley County, Holton, and Hayden and were outscored 125-29 in those three games.

Perry Lecompton had a tough out of league and out of district game last week as they hosted Atchison. They had opportunities to win the game, but the Phoenix were able to prevail over the Kaws 34-22. The Kaws lone two wins this season have come against Jefferson West and Riverside.

Both Royal Valley and Perry Lecompton are in the playoffs as the winner of this game will finish third in the district and the loser finishing fourth. Both teams will have to go on the road next week for the first round of the playoffs.

Brandon’s Pick: Perry Lecompton
Justin’s Pick: Perry Lecompton
Jared’s Pick: Perry Lecompton

3A District 5

(3-4, 1-3, 2-1*) Marysville at (4-3, 3-1, 2-1*) Clay Center

Marysville have now won three of their last four games since starting the season 0-3. They beat Hiawatha at home last week 43-13. The offense is playing much better as they’re averaging over 36 points per game in their last four compared to scoring just 7.6 points per game in their first three games.

Clay Center is coming off a 42-21 loss to Rock Creek. The Tigers have lost two of their last three games since starting the season 3-1. The winner of this game will earn runner-up in the district behind Rock Creek and will host a playoff game next week. The loser will finish third in the district and must go on the road next week.

Brandon’s Pick: Clay Center
Justin’s Pick: Clay Center
Jared’s Pick: Clay Center

Non-District

(2-5) Pleasant Ridge at (7-0) Centralia

The Pleasant Ridge Rams are already done with district play, but they still don’t know their destination next week. After their 56-0 loss at Rossville last week, they finish 1-3 in district play and finish fourth and will have to travel for the first round of the playoffs next week.

After a 26-20 win last week at Riverside, Centralia will look to go unbeaten for the first time since their state championship team in 2013. Their ground game ran for 204 yards and two touchdowns on 42 attempts last week.

With the district title already clinched, them having a chance to go undefeated gives the team a goal which will help them stay motivated among other factors, according to head coach Roger Holthaus.

Brandon’s Pick: Centralia
Justin’s Pick: Centralia
Jared’s Pick: Centralia

(1-6) Horton at (6-1) Wabaunsee

Horton has been eliminated from postseason contention. The Chargers lost their fifth game in a row last week to Sabetha, 62-7. The Chargers offense has struggled in the last month scoring a total of 10 points in their last four games.

Wabaunsee is the 1A district 5 champions this season and are one of the top teams in the classification. Wabaunsee has won six straight since their season opening loss at Troy including last week 56-8 over Valley Heights.

Wabaunsee has outscored Horton 108-8 in their last two meetings in 2020 and 2021.

Brandon’s Pick: Wabaunsee
Justin’s Pick: Wabaunsee
Jared’s Pick: Wabaunsee

(6-1) Hayden at (2-5) Hiawatha – Hiawatha Channel  

Hayden lost their first game of the season last week at Holton 37-13. The loss gave Holton the district title as Holton rushed for over 470 yards in the game. Hayden has already clinched the runner-up spot in their district and will host a playoff game next week.

Hiawatha lost their fifth game in a row last week as they lost 43-13 at Marysville. The Redhawks have continued to battle injuries throughout the course of the season and have had to play a lot of underclassmen at key positions. Hiawatha has been eliminated from the playoffs this season.

Brandon’s Pick: Hayden
Justin’s Pick: Hayden
Jared’s Pick: Hayden

Meadowlark Conference

(7-0, 5-0) Atchison at (2-5, 2-3) KC Wyandotte  

Atchison stayed undefeated as they won at Perry Lecompton last week 34-22. Jesse Greenly had rushed for 225 yards and three touchdowns. Atchison has already clinched at least a share of the Meadowlark Conference Title and can win it outright with a win over KC Wyandotte. The Phoenix are also one of three remaining unbeaten teams in Class 4A with Chanute and Wamego.

KC Wyandotte dropped to 2-5 this season after they lost at Blue Valley Southwest last week 48-0. They lost to Atchison last year in week three 38-16.

Brandon’s Pick: Atchison
Justin’s Pick: Atchison
Jared’s Pick: Atchison