Varsity Kansas Top 25 heading into Week 3 of the high school football season
Record: 2-0
Week 2: Derby 63, No. 20 Salina Central 0
Week 2 Rank: 1 (-)
Week 3: at No. 16 Newton
Last Meeting: Derby 57, Newton 0 (Week 5, 2015)
Prediction: Derby 45, Newton 7
Salina Central was coming off its biggest win in years, and Derby tore the Mustangs to shreds pitching a 55-point shutout in the first half.
Record: 2-0
Week 2: Wichita Northwest 56, Wichita East 0
Week 2 Rank: 2 (-)
Week 3: vs. Great Bend
Last Meeting: Wichita Northwest 63, Great Bend 27 (Week 3, 2017)
Prediction: Wichita Northwest 52, Great Bend 15
Northwest took care of business against a struggling East team. Everyone knows about the defense, but the Grizzlies’ offense might be just as good.
Record: 1-1
Week 2: Bishop Carroll 36, No. 9 Wichita Heights 20
Week 2 Rank: 3 (-)
Week 3: at No. 14 Wichita West
Last Meeting: Bishop Carroll 45, Wichita West 14 (Week 3, 2017)
Prediction: Bishop Carroll 28, Wichita West 14
Carroll’s offense came to life in the second half against Heights. The Eagles still need that downfield explosion, but the pieces seem to be in place.
Record: 2-0
Week 2: McPherson 47, Winfield 7
Week 2 Rank: 5 (+1)
Week 3: at El Dorado
Last Meeting: McPherson 21, El Dorado 7 (Week 5, 2015)
Prediction: McPherson 35, El Dorado 7
The Bullpups took Winfield to the shed as expected. McPherson’s offense was a little slow out of the gate but now seems to be churning.
Record: 2-0
Week 2: Andale 28, No. 21 Wellington 0
Week 2 Rank: 4 (-1)
Week 3: vs. Rose Hill
Last Meeting: Andale 32, Rose Hill 16 (Week 2, 2013)
Prediction: Andale 45, Rose Hill 0
Dropping in the rankings after a shutout is unfair, but Andale and McPherson will likely waffle back and forth before the first one blinks.
Record: 2-0
Week 2: Campus 29, No. 15 Newton 20
Week 2 Rank: 6 (+1)
Week 3: vs. No. 8 Maize
Last Meeting: Maize 38, Campus 28 (Week 6, 2017)
Prediction: Campus 35, Maize 34
Winning at Newton was no small task. The Colts have gained a lot of momentum offensively and seem to have a new top threat every week.
Record: 2-0
Week 2: Goddard 34, Arkansas City 0
Week 2 Rank: 6 (-1)
Week 3: vs. No. 25 Andover Central
Last Meeting: Andover Central 28, Goddard 21 (Week 3, 2015)
Prediction: Goddard 31, Andover Central 7
Similar to Andale, splitting hairs sees Goddard fall in this week’s rankings after a shutout win. A win over No. 25 Andover Central will seem the Lions climb.
Record: 2-0
Week 2: Maize 49, Hutchinson 0
Week 2 Rank: 8 (-)
Week 3: at No. 6 Campus
Last Meeting: Maize 38, Campus 28 (Week 6, 2017)
Prediction: Campus 35, Maize 34
Maize has played a couple of weak teams to start the 2018 season, so it’s hard to gague exactly where the Eagles are, but 49 points a game is great regardless.
Record: 2-0
Week 2: Conway Springs 28, No. 14 Cheney 7
Week 2 Rank: 10 (+1)
Week 3: vs. Kingman
Last Meeting: Conway Springs 34, Kingman 23 (Sectional, 2013)
Prediction: Conway Springs 35, Kingman 7
The Cardinals got past a huge hurdle on their path to another Central Plains League title. The Conway defense could be special in 2018.
Record: 2-0
Week 2: Pratt 32, Halstead 16
Week 2 Rank: 11 (+1)
Week 3: at No. 15 Hesston
Last Meeting: Hesston 14, Pratt 7 (Week 6, 2015)
Prediction: Pratt 31, Hesston 21
Senior quarterback Travis Theis put up another monster game against Halstead with 221 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
Record: 1-1
Week 2: No. 3 Bishop Carroll 36, Wichita Heights 20
Week 2 Rank: 9 (-2)
Week 3: at Dodge City
Last Meeting: Wichita Heights 65, Dodge City 0 (Week 3, 2017)
Prediction: Wichita Heights 56, Dodge City 6
Heights was on the wrong end of a game that was much closer than the final score showed after a pair of touchdowns were called back.
Record: 2-0
Week 2: Garden Plain 31, Douglass 0
Week 2 Rank: 13 (+1)
Week 3: vs. Trinity Academy
Last Meeting: Garden Plain 49, Trinity Academy 21 (Week 2, 2017)
Prediction: Garden Plain 34, Trinity Academy 7
Garden Plain impressively handled Douglass. The question about the Owls was their offense, but they quieted those doubts in Week 2.
Record: 2-0
Week 2: Kapaun 6, No. 12 Wichita West 0
Week 2 Rank: 18 (+5)
Week 3: vs. Wichita East
Last Meeting: Kapaun 21, Wichita East 0 (Week 3, 2017)
Prediction: Kapaun 35, Wichita East 0
Kapaun has allowed -34 yards of total offense over two games. Even for a program known for its defense, that is nothing short of remarkable.
Record: 1-1
Week 2: No. 18 Kapaun 6, Wichita West 0
Week 2 Rank: 12 (-2)
Week 3: vs. No. 3 Bishop Carroll
Last Meeting: Bishop Carroll 45, Wichita West 14 (Week 3, 2017)
Prediction: Bishop Carroll 28, Wichita West 14
The Pioneers couldn’t get anything going against Kapaun after putting up 55 points on Hutchinson. Only time will tell about this West team.
Record: 2-0
Week 2: Hesston 28, Larned 21
Week 2 Rank: 16 (+1)
Week 3: vs. No. 10 Pratt
Last Meeting: Hesston 14, Pratt 7 (Week 6, 2015)
Prediction: Pratt 31, Hesston 21
Hesston has looked shaky after two weeks, but the Swathers have two wins. Week 3 will show exactly what they are made of.
Record: 1-1
Week 2: No. 7 Campus 29, Newton 20
Week 2 Rank: 15 (-1)
Week 3: vs. No. 1 Derby
Last Meeting: Derby 57, Newton 0 (Week 5, 2015)
Prediction: Derby 45, Newton 7
There shouldn’t be any shame in losing to Campus this year, but the Railers are in danger of turning one loss into two with Derby coming to town.
Record: 1-1
Week 2: Andover 20, No. 17 Maize South 3
Week 2 Rank: 19 (+2)
Week 3: at No. 21 Eisenhower
Last Meeting: Eisenhower 35, Andover 21 (Week 7, 2017)
Prediction: Andover 17, Eisenhower 14
Andover put the pieces together Friday against Maize South. The Trojans set up camp in the Mavericks’ backfield and stifled anything they were trying to do.
Record: 2-0
Week 2: Chaparral 49, Trinity Academy 7
Week 2 Rank: NR
Week 3: at No. 22 Cheney
Last Meeting: Cheney 39, Chaparral 14 (Week 7, 2017)
Prediction: Chaparral 21, Cheney 14
The Runners probably should have been in these rankings sooner. Trinity Academy is down this season, but beating the Knights by 42 was impressive.
Record: 1-1
Week 2: Mulvane 42, Clearwater 14
Week 2 Rank: 23 (+4)
Week 3: at Collegiate
Last Meeting: Mulvane 35, Collegiate 19 (Week 4, 2017)
Prediction: Mulvane 22, Collegiate 14
Mulvane took a lump against Andale but got back on track over Clearwater. A trip to Collegiate will tell a lot about the Wildcats’ quality.
Record: 1-1
Week 2: Buhler 19, El Dorado 6
Week 2 Rank: 22 (+2)
Week 3: at Augusta
Last Meeting: Buhler 24, Augusta 6 (Week 6, 2017)
Prediction: Buhler 26, Augusta 0
Buhler could have been more impressive against El Dorado. The Crusaders get another shot at getting a rhythm against a struggling Augusta team.
Record: 1-1
Week 2: Eisenhower 21, No. 24 Andover Central 14
Week 2 Rank: 25 (+4)
Week 3: vs. No. 17 Andover
Last Meeting: Eisenhower 35, Andover 21 (Week 7, 2017)
Prediction: Andover 17, Eisenhower 14
Eisenhower was embarrassed in Week 1, so the Tigers’ win over Andover Central was nothing short of a relief. Senior running back Parker Wenzel added a pair of scores.
Record: 0-2
Week 2: No. 10 Conway Springs 28, Cheney 7
Week 2 Rank: 14 (-8)
Week 3: vs. No. 18 Chaparral
Last Meeting: Cheney 39, Chaparral 14 (Week 7, 2017)
Prediction: Chaparral 21, Cheney 14
Up there with Blue Valley North, Cheney is one of the most dangerous winless teams in Kansas. Unfortunately, it doesn’t get any easier in Week 3.
Record: 2-0
Week 2: Sedgwick 52, Independent 14
Week 2 Rank: NR
Week 3: at Sterling
Last Meeting: Sedgwick 31, Sterling 21 (Week 1, 2017)
Prediction: Sedgwick 45, Sterling 20
Sedgwick is a 1A team with a 6A offense. Senior quarterback Hooper Schroeder has a great understanding of the game, and it has showed over the first two weeks.
Record: 1-1
Week 2: No. 4 Andale 28, Wellington 0
Week 2 Rank: 21 (-3)
Week 3: at Clearwater
Last Meeting: Wellington 34, Clearwater 6 (Week 1, 2017)
Prediction: Wellington 41, Clearwater 6
Losing to Andale is OK, but losing to Andale without scoring a point is a little concerning for a team trying to get over the hump.
Record: 1-1
Week 2: No. 25 Eisenhower 21, Andover Central 14
Week 2 Rank: 24 (-1)
Week 3: at No. 7 Goddard
Last Meeting: Andover Central 28, Goddard 21 (Week 3, 2015)
Prediction: Goddard 31, Andover Central 7
Andover Central lost a close one against Eisenhower. The defense seems to be strong enough to contend. It will come down to the offense.
This story was originally published September 11, 2018 at 11:24 AM.