Game Balls from Around the State: Week 9
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It’s officially playoff time in the state of Kansas with the opening round taking place during Week 9. There weren’t many surprises during the first week of playoffs, as a majority of the top seeded teams across all levels advanced…
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Continue ReadingIt’s officially playoff time in the state of Kansas with the opening round taking place during Week 9. There weren’t many surprises during the first week of playoffs, as a majority of the top seeded teams across all levels advanced to the regional round. Week 10 should be more exciting though, with several compelling matchups taking place.
This week’s Game Ball piece highlights a few first-timers and features a historic performance by a prospect that makes his second appearance of the season. Take a look at some of the top performances from the first week of playoff action.
Offense:
Gage Hayden – Eudora, ATH, Class of ‘22
Hayden had the Cardinals’ flexbone offense firing on all cylinders during their opening round matchup against Ottawa. They beat the Cyclones for the second time this season, winning 48-12. Hayden finished the game with 165 yards rushing and three touchdowns on 13 carriers, and went 3 of 4 for 66 yards and two touchdowns.
Eli Riegel Eli Riegel 5'9" | 175 lbs | RB Chapman | 2022 State KS – Chapman, RB, Class of ’22
Riegel once again makes his way into our Game Ball series with another monster performance. He turns in his second highest rushing total of the season, as the Fighting Irish take down Smoky Valley 50-20. The workhorse back carried the ball 40 times for 274 yards and found the end zone four times. He’s dominated this season and should be in consideration for Offensive Player of the Year in Class 3A.
Max Neeley – Dighton, ATH, Class of ’23
The Hornets have significantly turned things around after going 2-7 in 2020, and Neeley has been a huge reason for this. They now sit at 8-1 after Neeley’s all-around performance against Triplains/Brewster. The junior accumulated 287 yards of total offense with four scores and racked up seven total tackles on defense. Dighton will be looking for payback when they take on Quinter in the regional round.
Jason Bosley – Jackson Heights, QB, Class of ’22
Jackson Heights has had an up and down season since Bosley first appeared in our Game Ball series in Week 2. However, he and the Cobras pieced together a nice win over Central Heights in the opening round. Bosley showed off his dual-threat abilities going 11 of 19 for 135 yards and rushed for 236 yards, accounting for seven total scores on the night.
Evan Cantu Evan Cantu 5'9" | 200 lbs | RB Maize South | 2022 State KS – Maize South, RB, Class of ‘22
Cantu’s special season continues as the Mavericks get back into the win column with a big win over Wichita Heights. The senior earns his second game ball of the season after his historic night. Cantu breaks Maize South’s single-game rushing record with a 403-yard and five touchdown performance. He’s been fantastic all season long, and he’ll have a shot at eclipsing 2,000 yards rushing in Week 10.
Defense:
Caden Crawford Caden Crawford 6'4" | 235 lbs | LB Lansing | 2022 State KS – Lansing, LB, Class of ’22
Week 9 was the end to a frustrating season for the Lions, but Crawford managed to string along one last standout performance in his high school career. He gave it his all against Paola, as he ended the game with 17 total tackles. This put the Iowa commit at 101 total on the year.
Aidan Poore – Concordia, DB, Class of ’22
Normally Keyan Miller Keyan Miller 5'7" | 195 lbs | RB Concordia | 2022 State KS is the player from Concordia earning game balls, but this time Poore earns one for his play against Colby. Poore came up with some key plays on defense that helped the Panthers roll past the Eagles. The senior intercepted two passes and returned a fumble recovery for a 55-yard touchdown.
Michael Feltman – Cimarron, LB, Class of ’22
Crawford wasn’t the only senior linebacker that piled up double digit tackles in Week 9. Feltman helped Cimarron get some key stops in the fourth quarter against Norton, as they pulled away to win the battle of the Blue Jays. Just as he’s done all season, Feltman led the Blue Jays in tackles with 18 total on the night.
Special Teams:
Emmanuel Anguiano – Holcomb, K, Class of ’25
Anguiano earns a special teams game ball after an impressive outing against Hesston. Kicking in a playoff game can be a lot of pressure. But kicking in one as a freshmen can be really daunting. That didn’t faze Anguiano though. The freshman ended the game a perfect 9 for 9 on extra points. He proved that the big stage wasn’t too bright for him, and that the Longhorns can rely on him moving forward.