Prospect Matchup: State Championship Edition

Championship Saturday is upon us! Eighteen teams will be squaring off tomorrow afternoon for the right to be crowned champions. While Saturday's slate of games are headline by matchups such as Mill Valley vs. Maize, Kingman vs. Nemaha Central, and Gardner-Edgerton vs. Manhattan; folks shouldn't forget about the lower classification levels. Specifically the 6-Man and 8-Man state title games. Fans and recruiters tend to over look these games, but this year's contests setup for some interesting matchups that feature some of the state's most underrated athletes. Here's a preview for these three games, and a rundown of the players to watch for.   6-Man State Championship:   Ashland (9-1) vs. Cunningham (11-0)    If fans are craving excitement and a different style of football, then look no further than the 6-Man State Championship Game. This year's title game will be a rematch from Week 1 of the '22 campaign, as the Ashland Blue Jays take on the Cunningham Wildcats. Both teams head into the matchup looking for redemption. Cunningham has gotten the better of Ashland in their previous two meetings, but the Blue Jays are riding a nine-game winning streak and have averaged nearly 70 points per game over the past three weeks. For the Wildcats, they're looking to redeem themselves after falling in the last year's state title game.   A few players to lookout for will be Landon McPhail of Ashland and Trey DeWeese of Cunningham. After seeing his role expand this season, McPhail has put together a very strong junior year. Offensively he's accumulated over 2,000 yards of total offense with 37 total touchdowns, and on defense he's piled up 58 total tackles, four interceptions, and nine pass breakups. On the other side, DeWeese brings experience to the table. The senior has accounted for over 1,200 yards of total offense with 30 total touchdowns, and has 31 total tackles and six interceptions on defense.   8-Man D-II State Championship:   Thunder Ridge (11-1) vs. Axtell (12-0)   The matchup between the Thunder Ridge Longhorns and the Axtell Eagles could be one of the best of Championship Saturday. Thunder Ridge is led by a strong senior class, and they're a group sure to have a chip on their shoulder heading into this game. The Eagles have eliminated the Longhorns the past two postseasons, but this year's meeting looks to be different. However, Axtell will also be playing with extra motivation. They'll not only have the opportunity to secure their third state championship as a program, but they'll also be looking to complete their first-ever back-to-back.    This game features several talented prospects, but it is without a doubt headlined by seniors [player_tooltip player_id='87645' first='Dylan' last='Bice'] of Thunder Ridge, and [player_tooltip player_id='123617' first='Isaac' last='Detweiler'] of Axtell. These two prospects have made a name for themselves over the past two years, and now they will face off for the third and final time. They're two of the biggest stars in the 8-Man ranks, so fans should expect to see a very entertaining game.    8-Man D-I State Championship:   Little River (11-1) vs. Wichita County (12-0)   This year's 8-Man D-I State Championship presents an intriguing matchup between two programs that have become playoff rivals. Saturday's game will be the third postseason meeting in four years between Little River and Wichita County, with the 2020 State Championship Game being the most recent. They've split their previous two meetings, but Little River won the biggest game, as they defeated Wichita County 70-58 in the 2020 title game. It will be interesting to see if Wichita County will avenge that loss, or if Little River will once again claim a state championship over the Indians.   The Prospect Matchup to look for in this title game will be between standout seniors, [player_tooltip player_id='123016' first='Braxton' last='Lafferty'] of Little River, and [player_tooltip player_id='246116' first='Erhik' last='Hermosillo'] of Wichita County. We've highlighted both prospects a few times during the '22 campaign, and for good reason too. Lafferty is the heart and soul for Little River. The senior leads the team in rushing yards and total tackles, as he's rushed for over 1,500 yards and has piled up over 100 tackles. While Hermosillo doesn't see much time on defense, his impact on offense can be game-changing. Hermosillo has accumulated 3,100 yards of total offense and is responsible for 61 total touchdowns. Fans won't want to miss a minute of the action when these two face off.

Championship Saturday is upon us! Eighteen teams will be squaring off tomorrow afternoon for the right to be crowned champions. While Saturday's slate of games are headline by matchups such as Mill Valley vs. Maize, Kingman vs. Nemaha Central, and Gardner-Edgerton vs. Manhattan; folks shouldn't forget about the lower classification levels. Specifically the 6-Man and 8-Man state title games. Fans and recruiters tend to over look these games, but this year's contests setup for some interesting matchups that feature some of the state's most underrated athletes. Here's a preview for these three games, and a rundown of the players to watch for.