Top high school football games of Week 2, plus the Varsity Kansas Game of the Week

Carroll hasn’t lost back-to-back games since the early 2000s.

Heights and senior quarterback K’Vonte Baker have a chance to make it two losses in a row to start the season for a team that is coming off a Class 5A state championship. The stakes are extremely high for the Golden Eagles. And if there was a third team to contend for a City League title, it would probably be Heights.

Northwest hit Carroll in the mouth in the Eagles’ 23-22 loss in the season-opener. Senior quarterback Cade Becker and running back Jackson Nichols are dinged up but will play heading into Week 2.

On the other side of the coin, Heights is coming off an emotional high with a 35-21 win over a solid Maize South team. Baker ran for 275 yards on 14 carries and was named the Eagle’s top performer of the week. He went for 99- and 80-yard touchdowns against the Mavericks to prove he hadn’t lost a step.

Carroll will be extra motivated to make 0-1 doesn’t double, but Baker and the Falcons have the potential to make it happen.

Last Meeting: Bishop Carroll 35, Wichita Heights 14 (Week 7, 2017)

Prediction: Bishop Carroll 31, Wichita Heights 28

The Campus offense is flying high, but Newton is coming off its biggest win in a decade.

With the game at Newton, the Colts may have some trouble offensively out of the game coming off a cupcake win over Dodge City. But Campus has too many high-caliber athletes to not eventually break through the Railers’ defense.

For Newton, its best chance to is to channel the same energy it had in its win at Buhler in Week 1.

Last Meeting: Campus 20, Newton 19 (Week 1, 2015)

Prediction: Campus 34, Newton 24

Conway Springs has a real chance at grabbing another league championship by the throat in Week 2.

Last year, Conway didn’t just beat Cheney. They smoked them. This year’s Cheney team will have to go on the road with a chip on its shoulder to not go 0-2 after losing to Garden Plain in the opener.

For Conway Springs, a win will mean three straight against the Cardinals.

Last Meeting: Conway Springs 41, Cheney 0 (Week 8, 2017)

Prediction: Conway Springs 34, Cheney 15

This is probably the second best game in the City League and it is hard to call.

Kapaun had a brutal first half against Southeast before figuring it out in the third quarter. And West swamped Hutchinson in Week 1. It remains to be seen which Crusader bunch will show up Friday and how impressive the Hutch win actually was.

Regardless, putting up 55 points in a game is hard enough. Doing that against Kapaun will be a different story for the Pioneers.

Last Meeting: Kapaun 31, West 21 (Week 4, 2015)

Prediction: Wichita West 28, Kapaun 24

Salina Central won its first game since 2015 in Week 1. For the Mustangs’ efforts, they get Derby.

The Panthers are coming off a beatdown of Garden City, a Class 6A quarterfinalist last year. Although Central’s 44-7 win over Eisenhower was extremely impressive, the Mustangs’ true quality will be put to the test in one of the hardest places to play in Kansas.

Even if Central loses, a 20-point game might be considered a moral victory for a program that is still learning how to get it done.

Last Meeting: Derby 34, Salina Central 0 (Week 6, 2017)

Prediction: Derby 42, Salina Central 14

Wellington shocked the area in Week 1, and just like Salina Central, the Crusaders get to face one of the best teams in the state.

Beating Collegiate 32-0 was an achievement. Beating Andale would be a landmark for Wellington coach Zane Aguilar and company. But history is against them.

Andale hasn’t lost to the Crusaders since 2011, and since then, the closest game was decided by 30 points.

Last Meeting: Andale 38, Wellington 0 (Week 4, 2017)

Prediction: Andale 28, Wellington, 14

Both are looking for the reset button.

Maize South and Andover lost in Week 1. The Mavericks were torn to shreds by K’Vonte Baker and the Heights offense. And the Trojans got the worst end of Great Bend.

Both offenses are capable of fireworks, but finding that rhythm was a struggle in their openers. Now they will look to do that against each other for the first time.

Last Meeting: Never

Prediction: Maize South 24, Andover 20

Eisenhower was looking to make 2018 special, but now the Tigers have to find their form before AVCTL II rolls over them.

Andover Central’s defense made a statement in a 13-3 win over Augusta in the opener, and Eisenhower’s defense couldn’t find the answers against Salina Central.

Both teams need to find some dynamic qualities to their offenses quickly or else Week 2 could be a bruiser.

Last Meeting: Andover Central 37, Eisenhower 13 (Week 5, 2015)

Prediction: Andover Central 16, Eisenhower 15

First-year East coach Ene Akpan is still trying to establish a winning culture, and he will get to see another example of one in Week 2.

After losing to Goddard in the opener, East gets Northwest - a team that beat the defending 5A champions in Week 1. The Blue Aces have a lot of talent on the defensive side of the ball, but the key will be channeling their talents in the right directions.

Doing that against Division I talent would be a revelation.

Last Meeting: Wichita Northwest 16, Wichita East 8 (Week 3, 2013)

Prediction: Wichita Northwest 38, Wichita East 8

This story was originally published September 6, 2018 at 1:12 PM.