State Championship QB's - So Close, Yet So Far

The 2024 rollercoaster football season has zipped by in the blink of an eye, leaving us right on the precipice of championship weekend. The festivities will kick off this afternoon when 6A powerhouses Manhattan and Gardner Edgerton go to war in Emporia. After that, the floodgates open for the rest of the classifications to compete for the most highly-coveted crown in the land - a football state championship.   In this report we will take a look at a handful of the QB's who have made it to the biggest game of the year. The final test for team and individual glory.   Two quarterbacks enter. One walks out as state champion.   In this afternoon's game the battle will be led by two of the best dual-threat QB's in the state in [player_tooltip player_id='1112377' first='Carter' last='Aslin'], 6'0, 180, Manhattan '25, and [player_tooltip player_id='733500' first='Bravin' last='Powell'], 6'3, 200, Gardner Edgerton '25. Both are battle-tested, gifted playmakers who can beat you with their feet, arm or instinct, and have combined for an incredible 76 touchdowns running and passing this year.   On the year Aslin has piled up a seriously balanced stat line with 1,482 yards passing, to go with 1,467 rushing and 38 total touchdowns. Powell has been a dual-threat ace as well, throwing for 850 yards and rushing for another 1,269 yards and has also collected 38 TD's so far. This is going to be a rock fight between two of the state's best teams led by rising-star stud QB's.   Shifting gears to the other games, we have a boat-load of interesting match up's and story lines. The 2A game between Nemaha Central and SE Saline is going to be a fireworks show as the two quarterbacks have run and passed for more total TD's than any other QB duo in the finals, cranking out an extraordinary 88 total touchdowns on the year.   [player_tooltip player_id='780500' first='Carter' last='Hajek'], 6'0, 215, Nemaha '26, was player of the year last season and just keeps getting more formidable over time. This year he ran and passed for 3,174 and has scored an eye-popping 49 total TD's. On the year he passed for 1,026 yards and 11 TD's to go with 2,148 yards rushing and another 38 touchdowns. This guy is a man among boys. Get your popcorn ready.   Rising to the challenge on the other team will be SE Saline's talented gunslinger, [player_tooltip player_id='1403641' first='Gannon' last='Jacobson'], 6'2, 175, '26, who has willed his team to the big game with his big play all year. On the season he has thrown for 2,032 yards and 31 touchdown passes and added 721 rushing and eight scores to give him 39 total TD's. He came up big in sub-state, firing five TD passes, including the walk-off game winner. If anyone is ready for the state crown challenge it is this guy.   In the 4A game, the two quarterbacks walking out on the field this Saturday stacked up the most passing yards of any other title-game QB duo with 5,000+ passing yards combined already this season.   Leading the way is [player_tooltip player_id='1370888' first='Marco' last='Rodriguez'], 6'5, 205, Bishop Miege '25, , who fired away for 3,028 passing yards and 21 touchdown passes. He and his teammates weathered the early storm of a brutal schedule to gather momentum at the right time and roll into the biggest game of the year. It hasn't always been pretty, as Rodriguez was picked off 18 times this year and even with the late season rally the team still has a losing record, but this is a group that is battle-tested and has been here before. Count them out at your own peril...   Ready for the challenge on the other side is sharpshooter, [player_tooltip player_id='1333007' first='Jace' last='Jefferson'], 6'0, 185, '25, who has led the powerful Andover Central offensive juggernaut this year with exceptional precision. On the year, even with not getting much playing time in blow-out games, he still completed 160 of 255 passes for a 63% completion percentage, 2,380 yards, 30 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions. For the season he has a gaudy 121.0 passer rating (reminder: anything above 105 is considered elite).   And, not to be ignored, a couple of virtuoso quarterbacks who have been winning all year and even so seem to be flying under the radar. For powerful Aquinas, [player_tooltip player_id='1632544' first='Elzie' last='Slaughter'], 6'3, 195, '25, has stepped up as the straw that stirs the drink on offense. Doing a little bit of everything to get his team to the top game once again, he has piled up just under 1,500 total yards running and passing and 17 touchdowns.   Meanwhile for 11-1 Centralia, senior dual-threat Jacob Flentie, has delivered all year and will be a huge component in Saturday's game with apex-predator Conway Springs, the defending 1A state champs and currently rocking a 23-game winning streak. He will need his full bag of tricks, which he has delivered in the form of 763 passing yards, 1,591 rushing yards and 29 total scores so far this year. His name may not be well known just yet, but this guy is up to the challenge.   In conclusion, the end draws near, so get out and see the state's best on display in either Hutchinson or Emporia today and tomorrow. You will not be disappointed. And, as always, if you know of any players or teams flying under the radar give me a shout via DM on X.   Happy Holidays!

The 2024 rollercoaster football season has zipped by in the blink of an eye, leaving us right on the precipice of championship weekend. The festivities will kick off this afternoon when 6A powerhouses Manhattan and Gardner Edgerton go to war in Emporia. After that, the floodgates open for the rest of the classifications to compete for the most highly-coveted crown in the land - a football state championship.