Playmakers Ready to Crush the Competition This Fall

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The early days of August practice are off and running. Ballers across the state are shifting gears from being locked in on the off-season grind to being fully focused on getting better every play in practice.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>It probably already feels like the dog-days of preseason practice for many, but the returning warriors know the coaches have a method to their madness.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Every practice and play is part of the single thread process that prepares and aligns the team to incrementally prep for the all-important first game. Every activity builds on and reinforces the game plan for getting off to a great start.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In this report, we will take a look at three seniors who are committed and aligned to produce big-time senior seasons and then shine the spotlight on a pair of rising-star sophomore quarterbacks who will be getting a chance to lead their teams this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>So, without further adieu, let's take a look at what these guys have been doing to get ready for this fall:</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='780429' first='Zane' last='Farney']</strong></strong>, 5'11, 185, RB/DB,&nbsp;<em>Sterling</em>, '26. As a seasoned veteran on both sides of the ball, he has been hard at it getting ready to top his lofty stat totals from the last couple of years. And, it should be a challenge, as all he has done the last two years is rush for 1,500+ yards in consecutive seasons. As one of the top all-purpose backs in the state in recent memory, he combines a high speed-to-power ratio with lateral quickness and a sprinter's burst. He is also dangerous catching the ball out of the backfield or lining up in the slot. On the other side of the ball he is a ballhawk of a defensive back who can play a centerfielder free safety and disrupt the pass game but this year will be used as a shutdown corner who can neutralize the other team's best receiver. This guy will be en fuego this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1593671' first='Jesiah' last='Gooch']</strong></strong>, 6'2, 215, RB/LB, <em>Hillsboro</em>, '26. He is coming off an excellent junior season as a rising star who had just under 1,000 yards rushing and receiving on offense, 12 TD's and piled up 84 tackles and seven TFL on defense. He has been working hard all summer, lifting for explosiveness, running hills, footwork drills, and working on the nuances of his craft. With his combination of size, speed and athleticism, he is surprisingly quick and agile with the ball in hand in the open field. With his powerful frame he can be a battering ram runner up the middle or deliver pile-driving blocks on the perimeter. His off-season work is paying off as he has established PR's in all the key lifts and has his 40 time in the high 4.6's. This guy is shifting into beast-mode on both sides of the ball this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1250383' first='Jack' last='Reeves']</strong>, 6'0”, 185, QB/RB/ATH, <em>Shawnee Mission East</em>, '26. He is coming off a solid season a year ago as a QB/RB in the SME flexbone, piling up 1,700 yards of total offense and 22 total touchdowns for the year. This year he will continue leading from the quarterback position, where he is a dangerous dual-threat who uses his speed and elusiveness to torch defenses on the run, but is also adept at throwing quick strikes in the short-to-medium pass game or dial up the long ball when needed. He has been locked in on his off-season training, hitting the camp-combine circuit this summer, while working on footwork and mechanics, as well as being an unselfish teammate and leader. With his athleticism, versatility and ability to adapt on the fly he is getting ready to bring the fireworks this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1147299' first='Holden' last='Ferralez']</strong></strong>, 6'0, 165, QB/ATH,&nbsp;<em>Sedgwick</em>, '28. He is a player I have been following since he hit the high school ranks as a rising star dual-threat quarterback who put up video-game numbers early in his career and will now get a chance to show his stuff this fall as a sophomore starter for the <em>Cardinals</em>. He has had a busy off-season fine-tuning his skill sets in 7v7 for the <em>Kansas Colts</em> while also hitting a number of camps and combines during the summer. He has also been pounding the weights and consistently doing his speedwork and the effort is paying off as he has put on 15 pounds, is up over six feet tall and can already dunk a basketball. With his well-trained pocket mechanics, smooth delivery and release and versatility throwing on the move he is going to light teams up this fall.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Michael Dunn</strong>, 6'3, 180, QB/ATH, <em>Shawnee Mission SW</em>, '28. He is another quarterback from the class of '28 who caught my eye as a gunslinger with promise last year. Since then he has grown five inches, put on 35 pounds and has still managed to get faster. He has had a busy summer attending camps and K-State and KU, while also playing 7v7, working with his QB trainer/coach and conducting regular film study. He has been diligent in doing his speedwork while working on explosiveness and lightning-fast lateral movement. As a dual threat QB he can air it out from the pocket or on the rollout but also keeps teams off-balance with running ability and skills in extending plays. He has been busy the entire off-season getting ready to compete for a starting spot as a sophomore and with his focus and relentless drive he is ready to take his game to the next level this fall. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>In conclusion, get out and see these guys in action – you will not be disappointed.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>And, as usual…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><em>Keep grindin'</em></strong>…</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->