Ranking the top 10 games of Week 4, including the Varsity Kansas Game of the Week
It is one of the only games in the Wichita area that will draw fans from the entire metro.
Last year, Derby and Carroll reached their state championship games. The Golden Eagles won theirs, and the Panthers have been ignited following their loss.
Derby has been deemed to have one of the best defenses in Kansas, and Carroll appears to be one of the state’s most well-rounded teams.
The Derby defense has allowed one touchdown through three games but hasn’t gone up against an offense as talented as Carroll and likely won’t again until the playoffs.
Carroll heads into Week 4 at 2-1 and will run a bit of a two-quarterback system with Cade Becker, who is nursing an injury, and dual-threat John Honas, who will come in on special formations. The game will likely come down to how efficient the Eagles’ offense can be against the Derby defense.
Prediction: Derby 42, Bishop Carroll 28
This might be the most evenly-matched game of Week 4.
Kapaun’s defense has been phenomenal so far this season. The Crusaders have played suspect offenses, but through the first two weeks, they allowed negative yards of total offense.
They will be faced with an Andover offense that has gained steam since its Week 1 loss.
The Trojans are young, starting eight sophomores and a pair of freshmen, but they are talented with quarterback Eli Fahnestock, running back Peyton Henry and receiver Ethan Richardson.
The east-side rivalry will be decided in which side of the ball can dictate the early tempo.
Prediction: Kapaun 21, Andover 17
Eisenhower has come out of the gate slowly, but the Tigers always bring it for Goddard.
Andover Central took Goddard to overtime in Week 3, but the Lions got the 17-16 win. They stumbled too many times for coach Tom Beason’s liking, but Goddard is still 3-0 and one of the favorites in Class 4A.
The Lions’ defense has been outstanding so far in 2018, and Eisenhower’s offense has not. The Tigers had a handful of turnover in their 30-22 home loss to Andover last week, and starting quarterback Collin Mackey took a game-ending hit.
Eisenhower has plenty of weapons in running backs Parker Wenzel and Colton Mackinnon, and receiver Chance Omli. They will be key to frustrating Goddard standout linebackers Kam’Ron Gonzalez and Dhimani Butler.
Prediction: Goddard 35, Eisenhower 14
Ell-Saline and Sedgwick is one of the great lower-classificiation rivalries in Kansas.
The Cardinals met twice in 2017, and both games were shootouts. That should be the same this season.
Sedgwick comes in with one of the top offenses in the state with senior quarterback Hooper Schroeder leading Kansas with 1,063 passing yards, 15 touchdowns and no interceptions through three games.
Ell-Saline has a stout defense to match. Although they lost, the Cardinals held Hutchinson-Trinity to 8 points last week in an 8-6 game.
Prediction: Sedgwick 49, Ell-Saline 42
The Maize defense still hasn’t allowed a point this season.
Newton’s offense has some options starting with senior quarterback Colton Davis, but the Railers are coming off a rough 55-7 loss to Derby in Week 3. On the other side, Maize is soaring.
The Eagles shut out Campus 21-0 and held firm when the Colts got into the red zone. As long as senior quarterback Caleb Grill and the offense can produce a couple of scores, Newton could be in trouble.
Prediction: Maize 28, Newton 7
It’s tough to make out either of these teams.
Andover Central sits 1-2 with a couple of heartbreaking losses to the Goddard schools. And Valley Center has won the games it should have against Garden City and Maize South — both down teams in 2018.
Thursday night will prove a lot of where each team’s true talent lies.
Prediction: Andover Central 24, Valley Center 21
Conway Springs took Kingman’s best shot in Week 3, and it doesn’t get any easier.
Hutchinson-Trinity’s defense took the wheel against Ell-Saline in its 8-6 win. That same energy will be critical to beating a team that hasn’t lost in the regular season since the 2016 season.
For the Cardinals, a win over Trinity would go a long way in making a statement that they are still the premier small-school football team in the Wichita area.
Prediction: Conway Springs 45, Hutchinson-Trinity 28
On paper, Northwest should win easily.
But the Pioneers have a lot of talented athletes, including senior quarterback Zion Parks, who gave Carroll a solid challenge in Week 3.
West’s schedule did itself no favors going against two of the Wichita area’s top three teams, but giving the Grizzlies a game would show a lot of mental fortitude.
Prediction: Wichita Northwest 59, Wichita West 21
Hesston needs a good showing.
The Swathers were thumped 55-0 at home against Pratt in Week 3, and Smoky Valley is about as talented. Problem is, Hesston has injuries that could hold itself back for the second straight week.
At this point in the season, a road win against the Vikings would be an upset and one that could right the direction of 2018.
Prediction: Smoky Valley 52, Hesston 14
Trinity has had one of the most brutal starts of any team in the Wichita area.
The Knights have played three of The Eagle’s top five teams in Class 2A and lost them all handily. But a win against rival Collegiate could make all of that forgotten.
The Spartans have been hard to pin down this season with a 20-point home win over Mulvane and a 32-point shutout loss to Wellington.
Prediction: Collegiate 36, Trinity Academy 14
This story was originally published September 20, 2018 at 2:12 PM.