Rankings Remix
The regular season is in the books as we move on to district play this week. Everyone in the state can start fresh with a 0-0 record heading into the three-game mini-season that will determine which teams move on passed districts and which teams get an early jump on basketball and wrestling season.
Class 6A
1. Olathe North (6-0)
Last week: No. 1
The Eagles won arguable their most impressive game of the season Friday night, beating Lawrence Free State on the road, 38-20.
2. Junction City (6-0)
Last week: No. 2
The Bluejays' extended their win streak to 18-games with a 41-7 win over Topeka Seaman.
3. Manhattan (6-0)
Last week: No.3
The Indians outlasted 5A contender Emporia 35-34 on the road Friday night. Will Manhattan benefit from having to gut out a hard-fought win, or did the Spartans expose weaknesses that the Indians' district opponents can take advantage of? We'll soon find out. Manhattan has a rough district, which includes Junction City and a strong Topeka Washburn Rural team.
4. Blue Valley Northwest (5-1)
Last week: No. 5
The Huskies and Lawrence Free State trade places again this week. Northwest moves up to No. 4 with an impressive 35-12 win over Blue Valley West and a Free State loss to Olathe North.
5. Lawrence Free State (4-2)
Last week: No. 4
The Firebirds suffered their largest defeat of the season Friday night, 38-20 to Olathe North. As we recall, however, Free State lost to Olathe North by a larger margin in Week 6 of the 2008 season and rebounded to beat the Eagles in the Class 6A state quarterfinals one month later.
6. Shawnee Mission West (5-1)
Last week: No. 6
The Vikings shut out Lawrence 31-0 Friday night.
7. Olathe East (4-2)
Last week: No. 8
The Hawks beat up Leavenworth 53-3 to tune up for a tough district assignment, starting at Blue Valley Northwest this Friday.
8. Olathe South (4-2)
Last week: No. 9
Another game, another nail-biter for the Falcons. Olathe South skated by Shawnee Mission East 34-30 Friday night. The Falcons could be 6-0 at this point, but they also could be 0-6. If you're interested in seeing a good high school football team have to battle every week, Olathe South is the team for you.
9. Derby (4-2)
Last week; No. 10
The Panthers found a way to get the job done against a hungry Salina South team, 21-9. Salina South doesn't appear to be as strong as last season, but they're capable of competing with anyone. Derby's district schedule stacks up favorably with the luxury of playing Wichita Southeast and Wichita Heights at home, sandwiched around a trip to Wichita East.
10. Dodge City (4-2)
Last week: No. 7
The Demons lost to Hays 28-17 Friday night for their second-consecutive defeat. Dodge City is down, but not out of the top 10. If they fall again, the Demons will have to give up their spot on our list. Both losses have been to good 5A teams. Dodge City's overall body of work is still top 10 worthy, just barely.
Dropped out: Nobody
(NOTE TO TOPEKA WASHBURN RURAL: WE KNOW YOU'RE HAVING A NICE SEASON AT 5-1. WE'RE NOT FULLY SOLD ON YOU YET, HOWEVER. IT WILL GREATLY ENHANCE YOUR RESUME TO PLAY JUNCTION CITY CLOSE NEXT WEEK. YOUR STOCK WILL SKYROCKET IF YOU FIND A WAY TO PULL THE UPSET.)
Class 5A
1. Hutchinson (6-0)
Last week: No. 1
The Salthawks beat Goddard 49-13 Friday. We expected the score to be even more lopsided, but we're not worried about Hutchinson. The Salthawks will have to work this week when they visit No. 2 McPherson.
2. McPherson (6-0)
Last week: No. 2
The Bullpups had a nice tuneup game at Valley Center Friday night, holding the Hornets to 17 total yards of offense. This week is the big one as No. 1 Hutchinson rolls into town.
3. Gardner Edgerton (6-0)
Last week: No. 3
It's been nearly a month since Gardner Edgerton has allowed an opponent to score. Last week, the Trailblazers got their third consecutive shutout with a 26-0 win over 4A contender, Eudora.
4. St. Thomas Aquinas (6-0)
Last week: No. 4
The Saints outfought Blue Valley 20-19 Friday night. Blue Valley is easily the best 1-5 team in the state.
5. Wichita Bishop Carroll (6-0)
Last week: No. 5
The Golden Eagles didn't play their best in Friday night's 36-34 over cross-town rival Kapaun Mount Carmel, but they found a way to win and presented themselves well in front of a national audience.
6. Hays (6-0)
Last week: No. 6
The Indians proved they are the real deal after beating Dodge City, 28-17 on the road Friday night. We considered switching Hays and Bishop Carroll this week, but Carroll has a slightly better resume when we compared each team's schedule. Hays is one of the most improved teams in the state, finishing 4-5 last season.
7. Emporia (4-2)
Last week: No. 7
Yes, the Spartans lost Friday night. However, losing by one point to the No. 3 team in 6A doesn't warrant a drop in the rankings at this point of the season. Emporia will look to rebound from the 35-34 loss to Manhattan this week at Topeka West.
8.) Salina Central (5-1)
Last week: No. 8
The Mustangs handled Maize 36-6 Friday night and now look forward to this week's rivalry game with cross-town nemesis, Salina South.
9. Kansas City Turner (5-1)
Last week: No.9
The Golden Bears beat Bonner Springs 39-14 Friday to avenge a 36-14 loss last season. Turner is another much-improved team in 5A. Like Hays, the Golden Bears finished 4-5 in 2008.
10. Newton (5-1)
Last week: No. 10
The Railers beat Pratt 47-35 in a tough road contest Friday night and can now look ahead to Winfield. The Railers fell to the Vikings 27-20 last season.
Dropped out: Nobody
Class 4A
1. Buhler (6-0)
Last week: No. 1
Buhler beat a solid Mulvane team 49-14 Friday night. Next up is a monster match-up at No. 2 Andale this Friday.
2. Andale (6-0)
Last week: No. 2
The Indians disposed of Kingman 62-0 Friday and can now look forward to hosting No. 1 Buhler.
3. Andover (5-1)
Last week: No. 4
The Trojans won 30-8 at Pittsburg and begin a favorable district schedule at home against El Dorado this Friday.
4. Rose Hill (5-1)
Last week: No. 4
The Rockets outlasted a decent Wellington club 21-15 to avoid their second straight loss.
5. Holton (6-0)
Last week: No. 5
The Wildcats won at Sabetha Friday night, 41-21. Holton has beaten every opponent except for one by at least 20 points.
6. Bishop Miege (4-2)
Last week: No. 6
The Stags slayed yet another Class 6A opponent last week. Miege had little trouble against Blue Valley North Friday night, winning 36-13.
7. Basehor-Linwood (5-1)
Last week: No.7
The Bobcats made easy work of Lansing, 42-7 Friday night and can now look ahead to this week's showdown with 5-1 Tonganoxie.
8. Louisburg (5-1)
Last week: NR
Besides a 40-point outburst by Gardner Edgerton in week 4, Louisburg's defense has done very well, giving up a total of 27 points in the five other games. The Wildcats got their first shutout of the season Friday night, beating Baldwin 28-0.
9. Hugoton (6-0)
Last week: NR
It's safe to say the Eagles have flown under the CoachesAid radar. We knew Hugoton was decent, but we haven't been able to create space for them to break into the top 10 until now, thanks to losses by Mulvane and Eudora. Statistically, Hugoton is the most dominant team in 4A, outscoring opponents 308-36. The Eagles are No. 2 in scoring behind Buhler and No. 1 defensively by a significant margin. Andale is No. 2 on defense, with 52 points allowed this season. Hugoton's schedule isn't as tough as some of the other contenders in 4A, but we can't ignore the Eagles' dominance anymore. Hugoton is the perfect case study to illustrated just how deep Class 4A is. We'll find more about the Eagles when they visit Pratt this week.
10. Osawatomie (6-0)
Last week: NR
The Trojans are another team making their first appearance in the top 10, thanks to an undefeated record. Osawatomie shut out Central Heights 36-0 Friday night. The Trojans' most significant win so far is a 36-33 win over Tonganoxie in week 2. Osawatomie is another good case study to explore the depth in Class 4A.
Dropped out: Mulvane, previously No. 9, Eudora, previously No. 10
(NOTE TO THE SIX 5-1 TEAMS AND 16 4-2 TEAMS WHO WANT A PIECE OF THE TOP 10 ACTION: WE KNOW THERE ARE A BUNCH OF YOU WHO ARE REALLY GOOD. JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT ON THE LIST, DOESN'T MEAN YOUR EFFORTS GO UNNOTICED.)
Class 3A
1. Garden Plain (6-0)
Last week: No. 1
The Owls were impressive in their 47-7 win against a decent Wichita Trinity team. Next up for Garden Plain is the big time showdown at Conway Springs this Friday.
2. Silver Lake (6-0)
Last week: No. 2
The Eagles beat Riley County 56-21Friday night. Silver Lake has beaten every opponent by at least 20 points this season.
3. Conway Springs (6-0)
Last week: No. 3
The Cardinals beat Wichita Independent 51-6 to set up this week's visit from Garden Plain.
4. Scott City (6-0)
Last week: No. 5
The Beavers beat Thomas More Prep 55-15 Friday night. Scott City is one of a handful of teams in 3A who has yet to be seriously challenged this season.
5. Hutchinson-Trinity (6-0)
Last week: No. 9
The Celtics allowed their first points in a month in their 56-7 win over Moundridge Friday night.
6. Marysville (5-1)
Last week: No. 7
The Bulldogs rebounded from their first loss of the season with a 40-24 win over Chapman Friday night.
7. Wichita Collegiate (6-0)
Last week: No. 8
The Spartans beat Halstead 35-13 Friday night.
8. Cherryvale (6-0)
Last week: No. 9
With their 56-6 win over Eureka Friday night, the Chargers are the top defensive team in the entire state regardless of class, allowing just 18 points through six games. Cherryvale is also pretty good on offense. The Chargers have scored 255 points on the year.
9. Galena (6-0)
Last week: No. 10
The Bulldogs beat Southeast 65-6 Friday night. It won't be so easy this week when Galena hosts 5-1 Riverton.
10. Southeast of Saline (6-0)
Last week: NR
There are 12 undefeated teams in 3A, which means a couple 6-0 teams are left out. Marysville gets to stay in the top 10 because their only loss was a 35-28 decision to Abilene, who is 5-1 in 4A. Norton lost their second game of the season Friday night, which created a vacant spot in the top 10. This week, Southeast of Saline gets the nod over fellow 6-0 teams, Mission Valley and Caney Valley. The tie breaker was total point differential for the season. Southeast of Saline has outscored their opponents 266-58 for a difference of 208. Caney Valley is close behind, outscoring opponents by 193, 239-46. Mission Valley's total point differential is 125, outscoring opponents 221-96.
Dropped out: Norton, previously No. 6
(NOTE TO CANEY VALLEY AND MISSION VALLEY: WE HOPE YOU ENJOY THE CONSOLATION PRIZE OF BEING IN THE TOP 12.)
Class 2-1A
1. Smith Center (6-0)
Last week: No. 1
The Redmen beat 4A Colby 24-12 Friday night. The nation's longest winning streak is at 74 games.
2. Olpe (6-0)
Last week: No. 2
The Eagles picked up their fourth shutout of the season Friday night, beating Uniontown 48-0. Olpe leads 2-1A in scoring.
3. Oakley (6-0)
Last week: No. 3
The Plainsmen go into a bye week following a 60-6 win over Trego.
4. (Pittsburg) St. Mary's-Colgan (5-1)
Last week: No. 4
The Panthers beat Frontenac 35-6 Friday night.
5. Saint Marys (5-1)
Last week: No. 5
The Bears recovered from their first loss of the season by escaping Rock Creek, 28-20.
6. Ellis (4-2)
Last week: No. 6
After taking Smith Center to the brink Oct. 2, Ellis notched an impressive 22-14 win over Norton Friday night. Norton was ranked No.6 in last week's 3A rankings.
7. Meade (6-0)
Last week: No. 7
After a close game Oct. 2 at Elkhart, the Buffaloes made easy work of Cimarron Friday night, 60-8.
8. Ell-Saline (5-1)
Last week. No. 8
The Cardinals bounced back from their Oct. 2 loss to Hutchinson-Trinity with a quality 40-20 win over Remington.
9. Oswego (6-0)
Last week: No. 9
The Indians beat Northeast 43-0 for their fourth shutout. Oswego has only allowed 19 points this season, which is the No. 2 defense in the state regardless of class, one point behind 3A's Cherryvale.
10. Centralia (5-1)
Last week: No. 10
The Warriors beat Washington County 59-7 Friday night for their fifth-consecutive blowout win.
Dropped out: Nobody
8-Man Division I
1. Baileyville B&B (6-0)
Last week: No. 1
The Falcons beat Wakefield, 62-6.
2. Madison (6-0)
Last week: No. 2
The Bulldogs beat Hartford, 44-8.
3. Clifton-Clyde (5-1)
Last week: No. 3
The No. 2 scoring team in the state rolled on with a 56-8 win over Lakeside.
4. Quinter (5-1)
Last week: No. 4
The Bulldogs got their second shutout of the season Friday night with a 46-0 win over Stockton.
5. Minneola (6-0)
Last week: No. 5
The Wildcats got their highest point total of the season with a 67-20 win over Deerfield.
6. Hill City (5-1)
Last week: No. 6
The Ringnecks got their third shutout and fifth consecutive win at Western Plains Friday night, 48-0.
7. Crest (6-0)
Last week: No. 7
The Lancers' had their toughest battle of the season Friday night in their 58-34 win over Marmaton Valley.
8. Pretty Prairie (6-0)
Last week: No. 8
The Bulldogs were involved in one of the most competitive games of the week Friday night in their 46-44 survival of Claflin, one of the better 8-Man teams outside the top 10.
9. Lebo (6-0)
Last week: No. 9
The Wolves beat Southern Coffey County, 52-6.
10. Frankfort (5-1)
Last week: No. 10
The Wildcats beat Elwood, 60-12.
Dropped out: Nobody
8-Man Division II
1. Hanover (5-1)
Last week: No. 1
The Wildcats secured their position at No. 1 with an impressive 60-12 win over No. 9, Hope.
2. Victoria (6-0)
Last week: No. 2
The Knights recorded their highest scoring output of the season with a 76-28 win over Palco Friday night.
3. Ashland (6-0)
Last week: No. 3
The Bluejays beat Moscow 56-8.
4. Beloit-St. John's (6-0)
Last week: No. 5
The Bluejays turned in their first shutout performance with a 46-0 win over Wilson.
5. Otis Bison (5-0)
Last week: No. 6
The highest scoring team in the state handled Natoma 62-14.
6. Sylvan Grove (6-0)
Last week: No. 7
The Mustangs beat Lucas-Luray 60-16.
7. Caldwell (6-0)
Last week: No. 8
The second-highest scoring team in 8-man II outfought Norwich, 48-34.
8. Haviland (5-1)
Last week: NR
The Dragons have played well since their week 2 loss to Greensburg and join the top 10 this week after shutting out Bucklin 47-0. Haviland gets the top 10 nod over a few other 5-1 candidates because they won the point-differential tie-breaker used in this week's Class 3A rankings. The Dragons have outscored their opponents 277-130.
9. Hope (5-1)
Last week: No. 9
The Lions were beaten easily by Hanover Friday, but get to stay in the top 10 because of the quality of their opponent.
10. Wallace County-Sharon Springs (4-2)
Last week: No. 4
The Wildcats dropped their second game in three weeks Friday at Golden Plains, 44-28. Golden Plains is a decent team, but Sharon Springs should have won. The Wildcats are 1-2 on the road this season. While there are some concerns here, we're keeping the Wildcats in the top 10 for now. Sharon Springs is usually a safe bet to make a deep run in the state playoffs. The Wildcats won the 2007 8-Man II state championship. They'll have to turn things around quickly to steal the crown back from Hanover.
Dropped out: Chase, previously No. 10
(NOTE TO 5-1 SOUTH HAVEN AND CENTRE: WE KNOW YOU'RE DESERVING OF SOME RECOGNITION. MAKE SOME NOISE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS AND YOUR DAY AMONGST THE TOP 10 WILL COME.)
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