Game Balls from Around the State: Week 7

The seventh week of the ’21 season was one for the books. It was arguably the most thrilling week thus far, with a slate of rivalry games and intriguing matchups that went down to the wire. Here are the top offensive and defensive performances from this exciting week of action. <em>Offense: </em> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="88868" first="Jovanni" last="Blackie"]</strong> – Paola, RB, <em>Class of ’22</em> Blackie has been on fire since making his ’21 debut in Week 5. The senior was out the first four weeks of the season due to injury, but it’s safe to say he’s fully healthy now. In Paola’s matchup against Eudora, Blackie rushed for 280 yards on 28 carriers and found the end zone three times. He and the Panthers are peaking at the right time with playoffs right around the corner. <strong>Colby Middleton</strong> – Burlingame, QB, <em>Class of ’23</em> This junior from the 8-Man ranks turned in his best performance of the season in Burlingame’s huge win over Maranatha Academy. Middleton’s play during this game was a big reason for the Bearcats putting up 62 points on the scoreboard. He was responsible for 316 yards of total offense and seven total touchdowns. Middleton also added eight total tackles to his stat line. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="122493" first="Hayden" last="Oviatt"]</strong> – Wamego, QB, <em>Class of ’23</em> Oviatt has been having another great season and has the Red Raiders as one of the hottest teams in the state, riding a six-game win streak into Week 8. He didn’t need to show off his arm much in this one because of how dominant he was on the ground. Oviatt rushed for 235 yards on 12 carries with four scores and finished with 54 yards through the air with one touchdown. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="87650" first="Benson" last="Berndt"]</strong> – Beloit, RB, <em>Class of ’23</em> Berndt is yet another junior that went off during Week 7. The Trojans ran all over Minneapolis, and Berndt led the charge. They fed him the ball 24 times as he went on to rush for 254 yards with a pair of touchdowns. Beloit now sits at 5-2 and has a huge matchup with 6-1 Hoisington in Week 8. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="35577" first="Tyler" last="Schultze"]</strong> – De Soto, ATH, <em>Class of ’22</em> Schultze took his game to another level in De Soto’s shootout victory over Leavenworth. The dynamic senior hurt the Pioneers’ defense all game with his legs. He eclipsed 300 yards rushing during this game, as he ended the night with 323 total. Schultze also threw for 99 yards and accounted for four total touchdowns. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="155123" first="Roy" last="Moroni"]</strong> – Hays, RB, <em>Class of ’22</em> Moroni has thrived this season as the lead back for Hays, and he played a significant role in their narrow win against Maize South. The senior boasted an explosive nine yards per carry, as he went on to rush for 202 yards and a touchdown on 22 attempts. His play this season has his stock on the rise and has earned him a higher ranking in the next update. <strong>Owen Bailey</strong> – Maize South, QB, <em>Class of ’22</em> Despite the tough loss to the Indians, Bailey had a historic night. He helped the Mavericks’ trade shots with Hays throughout the contest, as he went on to break Maize South’s school record for passing yards in a game. Bailey’s total at the end of the night came out to more than 360 yards through the air with three touchdown passes. <em>Defense: </em> <strong>Grant Amon</strong> – Jackson Heights, ATH, <em>Class of ’22</em> Amon makes his second appearance in our Game Ball series, but this time for his play on the other side of the ball. He contributed to a lot of the Cobras’ success on defense in Week 7, as they held Valley Heights to just 12 points. Amon finished the game second in total tackles with 12, and he also added three sacks. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="219695" first="Kolten" last="Lacrone"]</strong> – Chanute, DL, <em>Class of ’22</em> This senior also put together a multi-sack game during Week 7. In Chanute’s blowout win over Field Kindley, LaCrone racked up three tackles with 2.5 sacks and one forced fumble. This whole defensive unit has been dominant throughout the ’21 season, and LaCrone has been a leader for them upfront. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="159154" first="Andrew" last="O’Doherty"]</strong> – Pittsburg, LB, <em>Class of ’22</em> O’Doherty was a tackling machine during his junior campaign, and he’s continued to maintain that reputation as a senior. He led all Dragon defenders in tackles against Wyandotte with 16 total on the night. The senior also came up with a tackle for loss and a sack. Pittsburg’s defense has been solid this season, but Week 8 presents a challenge when they take on unbeaten Basehor-Linwood.