More Underclassmen Ballers: Western KS & Wichita Area

As referenced in earlier reports, the Sunflower state is packed with potentially elite players in the 2027 and 2028 classes. In particular, there are a few prime areas that really standout once you do a deep dive - out in Western Kansas and in the Wichita and Surrounding Area.   This past week was devoted primarily to the class of 2027 and the immediate Wichita metropolitan area, but this week we will branch out to include Western Kansas Ballers in both the class of 2027 and from the class of 2028 to see who the top freshmen are coming up.   In this report we will kick things off with some of the top-ranked ballers in these geographic areas and then report daily for the rest of the week to continue shining a bright spotlight on the guys not ranked and/or flying under the Iron Dome of media coverage.   Additionally, I will be covering 7v7 closely this year, so if there are any teams out there wanting some exposure for their kids let me know. Below, we will be featuring numerous players who will be lacing it up for the Kansas Colts this spring.   Consequently, if you are a baller and haven't received much attention, reach out to me via DM on X so I can get you included. I don't discuss who reaches out to me on DM, that is between me and the baller, so no worries on that end.   The "under the radar" guys are my favorites, so every chance I get to expose a stud in the making who is an unknown entity, I jump on it.   But, again, I digress...   So without further adieu, let's check under the hood and see what we have to work with:   [player_tooltip player_id='1307966' first='Kai' last='Kirchhoff-Jones'], 5'10, 185, ATH/RB, Rose Hill, '27, is ranked #46 overall and is the #3 defensive back in the latest rankings. His off-season training paid off as he was an honorable mention all-conference defensive back and was also a burner of a back on offense. For the year he carried the ball 39 times for 229 yards, six yards a carry and scored three TDs. He also caught three passes for 30 more yards and scored three times for six total TD's. On defense he piled up 64 tackles, and had three TFL and three forced fumbles. He is starting to get attention as a shutdown corner who can get on the LOS and with strong hands, fluid hips and fast feet, mirror the wide receiver's route and jam the pass game. This kid is just getting started, get him on your watchlist as he is going to shine in 2025.   [player_tooltip player_id='1354313' first='Davon' last='Morrison'], 5'10, 160, ATH/RB, Derby, '27, is ranked #43 overall and is the #3 athlete in the latest rankings, Another rising star out of the Panther program who has been turning heads with his speed and agility as a running back, receiver and return man. This summer he worked hard so he was ready to continue as a life-long running back or be skilled enough to switch to WR as needed. It paid off, as for the year he carried the ball 33 times for 332 yards for a 10+ yards per carry average and three touchdowns. He also added another 179 yards on kickoff returns. With his progress as a versatile skill player, he gives the Panthers yet another explosive option. He is getting ready to hit it hard in the off-season like he did last year and get primed to burn it up in 2025.   [player_tooltip player_id='933826' first='Cooper' last='Ohnmacht']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/cooper-ohnmacht/"></a> , 6'0”,170, ATH, Great Bend, '27, is currently ranked #83 and #5 as an ATH. As mentioned in the pre-season report on Great Bend, he is already off and running on a legendary high school sports career and he hadn't yet showed his greatness on the gridiron. Prior to hitting the football field this past fall he won the state championship in the triple jump as a freshman, leaping 47+ feet. He is also the school record holder in the vertical, with a jump just under 40″. On the football field he got his foot in the door as a freshman with nine catches for 119 yards, but this year he took it to another level, catching 35 passes for 466 yards, had 300+ yards in returns for just under 800 yards in total offense. On the other side of the ball he picked up 31 tackles and a pair of tackles for loss. With two years to go the sky is the limit for this baller.   [player_tooltip player_id='1433319' first='Cooper' last='Cranston'], 6'0, 185, ATH, Holcomb, '28, is ranked #16 overall and is the #4 quarterback. Backing up a senior QB , he didn't get many quarterback reps but he didn't sit around and get bored waiting for his turn. On the contrary, he kept plenty busy during his freshman year, using his next-level skill sets to add firepower on both sides of the ball. In addition to completing six of nine passes he attempted, for 47 yards on the year, he also contributed 143 yards rushing on 16 carries for a nine-yard per carry average, and caught 15 passes for 353 yards for 545 total yards and seven TD's. He also had 66 tackles, two tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions. He is another standout all-purpose playmaker getting ready for the 7v7 season as a member of the Kansas Colts.   [player_tooltip player_id='1080736' first='Edric' last='Zorn'], 6'0, 195, RB/LB, Halstead, '28, ranked #7 overall and is the #1-ranked running back in the 2028 class. He is also another member of the Kansas Colts on their loaded 15u team. Before the season started I got with standout head coach Derek Racette and he mentioned him as a player to watch for and he wasn't kidding. A star on the rise, he piled up 201 yards rushing on a scant 21 carries for right at 10-yards a carry and also hauled in a half-dozen passes for 104 yards, which included a 41-yard scoring strike, to give him 300+ yards in total offense. On defense he was a hitter and gathered up 45 tackles and a pair of TFL from his linebacker position. With several seniors graduating he will be primed and ready to take on his share of the ground-game burden in 2025. Get out and see a stud in the making next fall.   [player_tooltip player_id='1586645' first='Dane' last='Chattam'], 5'10, 165, RB/DB, Winfield, '27, is not ranked currently, but that will change in a hurry. Legendary head coach Monty Lewis introduced his stellar running game to the Vikings and this year things started to click as Winfield had five players rush for 300 yards or more, led by this sophomore playmaker, who piled up 548 yards and averaged 6+ yards per carry during the regular season. He also scored eight TD's, including a powerful 74-yard score. He seemed to get stronger with every game and in the second-to-last contest he took it to another level, carrying 39 times for a back-breaking 243 yards for a seven-yard average and three scores. On defense he racked up 21 tackles, recovered three fumbles and intercepted a pass. This kid is just getting started and will be pounding the rock in 2025.   In conclusion, get these guys indelibly etched on your watchlists as they will be lighting things up in the coming years. And, as always, if you run across any teams or players running under the radar, give me a shout on X via DM.

As referenced in earlier reports, the Sunflower state is packed with potentially elite players in the 2027 and 2028 classes. In particular, there are a few prime areas that really standout once you do a deep dive - out in Western Kansas and in the Wichita and Surrounding Area.