Week 3 Preview: Games of the Week Wichita/Western KS

Week three already? It's hard to believe we are already deep into week 3 of the 2024 season. And, as expected, there has been a mixed bag of record-breaking starts and extraordinary performances, tempered with the painful reality of winless starts and inexplicable injuries. It is definitely not a game for the faint of heart.   It is, however, a game for the resilient, focused warriors who don't throw in the towel just because the team is off to a bad start or the stat line is not what was visualized.   It is also a long season, so there is plenty of time to turn setbacks into comebacks and salvage the season. In week 3 we have quite a few teams looking to do just that. We also have a small number of elite teams hitting on all cylinders right off the start and are looking to continue to build momentum toward a playoff run.   And, when the two collide, we have the opportunity for some classic Friday-Night showdowns. This week I selected five games in the Wichita and surrounding area and Western Kansas that featured ranked teams, reinforced by a glittering array of some of the best football players in the Sunflower state.   But, before delving into the top results, here is a reminder of what my posting plans are for the rest of the week:   –Week 3 “Games of the Week” (posting today/Wednesday).   -Week 3 “Game Reports” (posting this Saturday)   But, enough of all that, let's plow into the "Games of the Week":   Game #1:   6A Game of the Week - #5 Manhattan @ Hays - this should be an interesting match as Manhattan (2-0) is riding high after hitting 6A #2 Lawrence Free State in the mouth last week 38-28. Hays (1-1) is coming off a key win over Wheat Ridge, CO 42-7 in week 2 after getting taken to the woodshed by #1-ranked Derby in the season opener.   Players to Watch - both sides of the ball will be dotted with big-time talent in this game, as undefeated Manhattan rides the three-headed juggernaut of dual-threat QB-extraordinaire [player_tooltip player_id='1112377' first='Carter' last='Aslin'], athlete [player_tooltip player_id='1115490' first='Jaydin' last='Hudley'] and all-world defensive-back and return man, [player_tooltip player_id='904447' first='James' last='Dunnigan Jr']. Aslin fueled the big win last week with 195 yards rushing, 169 yards passing on 15 of 22 attempts and has accounted for nine total touchdowns on the year. Also propeling the offense is the versatile Hudley,who rushed for 65 yards on 8 carries and scored a TD. On the other side of the ball, Dunnigan was doing what he does best - make plays. When he wasn't playing lock-down coverage in the secondary he lit up the Indian special team play with a dazzling 99-yard kickoff return. For Hays, WAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2023, MLB [player_tooltip player_id='1115489' first='Dalton' last='Meyers'], '25, will need to bring his A-game to try and slow down the Manhattan freight train rolling into Hays Friday.   Game #2:   5A Game of the Week - #5 Great Bend vs. Buhler ("Others" 4A) - another intriguing contest as unbeaten and fifth-ranked Great Bend hosts a strong Buhler team after throttling Olathe South last week 26-14. Buhler (2-0) blasted Augusta in week two, 43-14, after opening the season with a 28-7 beat down of Mulvane.   Players to Watch - another anticipated contest where top talent will be all over the field, as Great Bend features the top-ranked player in the 2026 class in wideout [player_tooltip player_id='1229117' first='Ian' last='Premer'], who has more D1-offers already than he can count. Throwing him the ball is playmaker [player_tooltip player_id='1113368' first='Daxton' last='Minton'], '26, who has 261 yards passing, on 23 of 34 passing, a 68% completion percentage, and two TD's. On the other side of the ball, Great Bend features one of the best middle linebackers in the state in junior [player_tooltip player_id='1083225' first='Trenton' last='Kern'], who has already piled up 23 tackles and a pair of tackles for loss in the first two games. Look for the vaunted Panther passing attack to bust out this week.   Game #3:   4A Game of the Week - Chanute ("Others" 4A) vs McPherson ("Others" 4A) - a couple of teams flying just under the radar and looking for an early-season statement win. Both teams are cruising along with 2-0 records, as Chanute dispatched Field Kindley 34-7 and McPherson topped Circle 28-14 last week. For Chanute, who graduated key skill players, this will be a good test of their prolific passing game. Standout, dual-threat quarterback, [player_tooltip player_id='1113456' first='Kris' last='Harding II'], '26, is coming off a big sophomore season when he established himself as one of the top dual-threat QB's in the state. Last week he was 14-22 for 184 yards in the air, averaged 5+ yards per carry and scored a TD on the ground. For McPherson, senior signal caller [player_tooltip player_id='1552938' first='Carter' last='Allen'] brings his own dual-threat athleticism to the contest, coming off last week's win with 155 total yards and three passing TD's.   Game #4:   3A Game of the Week - Clearwater ("Others" 3A) @ Wellington ("Others" 4A) - another potentially explosive match-up as undefeated Clearwater travels to winless Wellington for a critical game. Clearwater is coming off a 42-13 clobbering of El Dorado, after opening the season with a surprisingly easy win over Rose Hill, 35-12.   Players to Watch - After last week's shoot-out with top-ranked Andale, Wellington QB, [player_tooltip player_id='1112386' first='Dusty' last='Bannister'], '25, leap-frogged to the top of the state's leaderboard with 734 yards passing in the first two games. The offensive potential is there, with a ton of returning talent, but they ran into a jackhammer of an opening season schedule, drawing Collegiate and Andale right out of the chute. Standout receiver [player_tooltip player_id='570215' first='Carter' last='Burnett'], '25, has been on the receiving end of 17 of Bannister's completions, piling up 365 yards after the catch and scoring a pair of TD's, including one from 70-yards out. He is in the top three in the state in receiving yards regardless of classification. For Clearwater, baller athlete [player_tooltip player_id='571098' first='Cooper' last='Williams'] continues to do a little bit of everything for Clearwater, opening the season with a big dual-threat game, passing for 111 yards and rushing for 138 yards, as the Indians started 2024 on a winning note.   Game #5:   1A Game of the Week - #2 Medicine Lodge @ #5 Moundridge - a critical 1A match-up between two teams ranked in the top five. Medicine Lodge is coming off their second win of the season, a 48-10 dismantling of Chaparral, as their high-flying offense continues to soar. Moundridge (2-0) is off to a great start as well, having hammered Sterling last week 28-7.   Players to Watch - [player_tooltip player_id='868977' first='Keveon' last='Ruiz'], QB '25, the returning all-state QB and multi-positional star for Medicine Lodge has been on fire so far in 2024, passing for 399 yards and six TD's, while rushing for 218 yards and two touchdowns on the ground, averaging 13.6 yards per carry. Ruiz spent time in the off-season working on his passing mechanics and continuing to fine-tune his high-ceiling athleticism and it is already reaping dividends. On the other side of the ball is QB, [player_tooltip player_id='1112372' first='Henry' last='Hecox'], '25, from Moundridge who last week became the all-team leading passer in Moundridge school history.   In conclusion, these are can't-miss games, get out and see these teams while you still can. If you think your team should be on this list and isn't, or know of anyone flying under the radar feel free to reach out to CoolDaddyO via DM on X.

Week three already? It's hard to believe we are already deep into week 3 of the 2024 season. And, as expected, there has been a mixed bag of record-breaking starts and extraordinary performances, tempered with the painful reality of winless starts and inexplicable injuries. It is definitely not a game for the faint of heart.