Varsity Football

#VK17FB: A preview of Class 4A II West

The Wichita Eagle

DISTRICT 5

CLEARWATER

Coach: Dirk Ankerholz, ninth season, 35-42

League: AV-CTL IV

Last season: 3-6

Returning starters: 15

Offense: Flexbone

Defense: 3-3-5

Schedule: Sept. 1, at Wellington; Sept. 8, at Augusta; Sept. 15, El Dorado; Sept. 22, Rose Hill; Sept. 29, at Andale. Oct. 6, Chaparral; Oct. 13, Collegiate; Oct. 20, Wichita Trinity; Oct. 27, at Nickerson.

Projected record: 3-6

Top returning players

Player

Ht.

Wt.

Yr

Pos.

Bryce Wiens

5-9

160

Sr.

DB

Brant Huckaby

6-0

175

Sr.

LB

Ethan Willis

6-0

210

Sr.

RB

Taylor Gibbs

6-1

180

Sr.

TE-LB

Brit Demel

6-2

220

Sr.

OL-DL

Corbin Lill

6-1

180

Sr.

QB

Dan Schule

OL

Journey Schule

LB

Luke Steuver

DL

.

COLLEGIATE

Coach: Mike Gehrer, 24th season, 174-50

League: AV-CTL IV

Last season: 7-3, lost in 4A II first round

Returning starters: 9

Offense: Spread

Defense: 4-2-5

Schedule: Sept. 1, at Rose Hill; Sept. 8, Hoisington; Sept. 15, Buhler; Sept 22, at Mulvane; Sept. 29, at Wellington. Oct. 6, Andale; Oct. 13, Clearwater; Oct. 20, at Nickerson; Oct. 26, Trinity Academy.

Projected record: 8-1

Top returning players

Player

Ht.

Wt.

Yr

Pos.

Cody McNerney

6-1

195

Sr.

QB

Mac Copeland

6-4

245

Sr.

OL

Jack Bendell

5-10

195

Sr.

OL

Colin Egan

5-9

175

Sr.

WR

Trey Charbonneau

5-10

200

Jr.

OL

Kaden Ramos

5-8

170

Jr.

RB-DB

Grant Morrow

6-0

170

Jr.

RB-DB

Gabe Fisher

6-5

195

Jr.

OL-DL

Grant Deiter

6-3

190

Sr.

OL-DL

Will Devore

5-8

165

Sr.

RB-LB

.

NICKERSON

Coach: Mike Vernon, third season, 10-10

League: Central Kansas League

Last season: 6-4, lost in 4A II first round

Returning starters: 14

Offense: Flexbone

Defense: 4-2-5

Schedule: Sept. 1, Haven; Sept. 8, Lyons; Sept. 15, at Pratt; Sept. 22, at Hesston; Sept. 29, Larned; Oct. 6, Hoisington; Oct. 13, at Trinity Academy; Oct. 20, Collegiate; Oct. 27, at Clearwater.

Projected record: 7-2

Top returning players

Player

Ht.

Wt.

Yr

Pos.

Trystan Isley

5-11

170

Sr.

RB

Peyton Kuhns

6-0

190

Sr.

RB

Tanner Schrag

6-4

190

Jr.

QB

Chance Gorges

6-2

190

Sr.

OL

Camron Stewart

6-2

210

Sr.

OL

Trevor Frederick

6-0

190

Sr.

TE-LB

Hunter Jones

6-2

170

Jr.

LB

Chandler Eaton

6-0

175

Jr.

LB

Koalten Hornback

6-5

295

Sr.

OL

T.J. Powell

6-2

180

Sr.

DB

.

TRINITY ACADEMY

Coach: Jared McDaniel, sixth season, 30-33

League: Central Plains League

Last season: 3-6

Returning starters: 13

Offense: Spread

Defense: 4-3

Schedule: Sept. 1, at Cheney; Sept. 8, Garden Plain; Sept. 15, at Independent; Sept. 22, Chaparral; Sept. 29, Conway Springs; Oct. 6, at Belle Plaine; Oct. 13, Nickerson; Oct. 20, at Clearwater; Oct. 26, at Collegiate.

Projected record: 4-5

Top returning players

Player

Ht.

Wt.

Yr

Pos.

Sammy Hardin

6-2

190

Sr.

QB

Caden Williams

6-0

185

Sr.

WR

Hillard Cozine

6-5

235

Sr.

TE-DL

Ben Ralston

6-2

220

Sr.

LB

Felix Johnson

6-5

340

Sr.

OL-DL

Tucker Trevett

6-0

180

Jr.

OL-DL

Andrew Nordberg

6-0

180

So.

RB_LB

Mark Hedstrom

5-11

165

So.

DB

Nate Adler

6-2

185

Jr.

LB

Lawrence Dreiling

5-10

165

So.

DB

.

DISTRICT 8

HOLCOMB

Coach: Kent Teeter, fourth season, 33-6

League: Great West Activities Conference

Last season: 10-2, lost in 4A II semifinals

Returning starters: 13

Offense: Spread

Defense: 4-2-5

Schedule: Sept. 1, Cimarron; Sept. 8, at Scott City; Sept. 15, at Ulysses; Sept. 22, Goodland; Sept. 29, Colby; Oct. 6, at Lakin; Oct. 13, at Kingman; Oct. 20, Pratt; Oct. 27, at Hugoton.

Projected record: 8-1

Top returning players

Player

Ht.

Wt.

Yr

Pos.

Trey Gilbert

6-2

165

Sr.

QB

Reece Morss

5-11

200

Jr.

RB-LB

Paden Cornelson

6-1

215

Sr.

OL-LB

Kaden Tichenor

5-10

180

Sr.

RB-LB

Andrew Morss

6-2

190

Sr.

WR-DB

Carter Blackburn

6-1

170

Sr.

WR-DB

Steven Crain

6-3

260

Sr.

OL-DL

Brayden Ramirez

5-10

240

Sr.

OL-DL

.

HUGOTON

Coach: Todd Fulton, fourth season, 13-16

League: Great West Activities Conference

Last season: 5-4

Returning starters: 9

Offense: Spread

Defense: 4-3

Schedule: Sept. 1, Lakin; Sept. 8, Ulysses; Sept. 15, at Colby; Sept. 22, at Scott City; Sept. 29, Goodland; Oct. 6, at Southwestern Heights; Oct. 13, at Pratt; Oct. 20, Kingman; Oct. 27, Holcomb.

Projected record: 3-6

Top returning players

Player

Ht.

Wt.

Yr

Pos.

Marcos Baeza

5-9

170

Sr.

RB-LB

Mitchell Hamlin

5-10

160

Sr.

RB-DB

Dawson Kerbow

5-9

150

Jr.

RB-LB

Nick Gold

6-0

195

Jr.

RB-LB

Peter Loewen

6-0

190

Jr.

OL-DL

Jeff Persinger

6-4

215

Jr.

OL-DL

Bradan Slemp

5-9

150

Sr.

WR-DB

.

KINGMAN

Coach: Curtis Albin, seventh season, 26-31

League: Central Kansas League

Last season: 3-6

Returning starters: 16

Offense: Triple Option

Defense: 4-2-5

Schedule: Sept. 1, Hoisington; Sept. 8, at Hillsboro; Sept. 15, at Halstead; Sept. 22, Haven; Sept. 29, at Independent; Oct. 6, Hesston; Oct. 13, Holcomb; Oct. 20, at Hugoton; Oct. 27, Pratt.

Projected record: 4-5

Top returning players

Player

Ht.

Wt.

Yr

Pos.

Jack Govert

6-1

205

Sr.

OL-DL

Adam Meng

6-1

195

Sr.

OL-DL

Gage Pickering

5-8

150

Sr.

RB-DB

Carter Oeding

6-3

160

Sr.

WR-DB

Logan Waldschmidt

5-9

155

Sr.

WR-DB

Devin Williams

6-1

230

Sr.

OL-DL

William Milford

5-10

165

Sr.

DB

Chris Ontiveros

5-10

165

Sr.

DB

Joe McGinnis

6-2

170

Sr.

OL-DL

.

PRATT

Coach: Jamie Cruce, fifth season, 23-18

League: Central Kansas League

Last season: 12-1, won 4A II championship

Returning starters: 5

Offense: Flexbone

Defense: 3-4

Schedule: Sept. 1, Larned; Sept. 8, at Haven; Sept. 15, Nickerson; Sept. 22, Lyons; Sept. 29, at Hoisington; Oct. 6, at Halstead; Oct. 13, Hugoton; Oct. 20, at Holcomb; Oct. 27, at Kingman.

Projected record: 9-0

Top returning players

Player

Ht.

Wt.

Yr

Pos.

Travis Theis

5-9

175

Jr.

RB-DB

Landon Studer

5-9

150

Sr.

QB

Justin Lamatsch

6-0

200

Sr.

OL-LB

Raiden Kohman

6-0

240

Jr.

OL-DL

Kadence Riner

5-9

155

Jr.

RB-LB

Caden Blankenship

5-11

165

Jr.

RB-LB

Andres Fernandez

6-0

195

Jr.

OL-DL

Brett Winsor

6-2

160

Jr.

WR-DB

Hunter Huber

5-9

205

So.

OL-LB

This story was originally published August 24, 2017 at 9:27 AM with the headline "#VK17FB: A preview of Class 4A II West."

Get unlimited digital access
#ReadLocal

Try 1 month for $1

CLAIM OFFER