Week 8 Ballers Closing Regular Season With A Bang

The season is flying by fast and the performances and big games keep rolling in. Teams are shifting to a post-season focus, taking their game to another level and finishing strong.   Week 8 brings the regular season to a close and with it numerous rock fights are getting ready to bust out all over the state.   In this report we will take a pre-Friday look at some ballers who have come on strong as the season progressed and are poised and ready to bring the fireworks in the final regular-season game and then really amp things up in post-season.   First up we will take a quick look at Standout Defenders, followed by All-Purpose Backs, and Dual-Threat QB's and then then wrap up with Crazy Two-Game Stats.   So without further adieu, let's check out what these guys have been up to.     STANDOUT DEFENDERS:   [player_tooltip player_id='1229113' first='Jackson' last='Anderson'], 5'11, 180, LB, Hutchinson, ‘26, he is coming off an excellent junior season when he piled up 94 tackles, averaging nine tackles a game and also had 16 TFL and a pair of fumble recoveries. This year it has been much of the same for this baller backer who brings the hammer on impact, as he started the year with a monster game in the season-opening win against Andover Central when he had 15 tackles, three TFL, and a 48-yard interception return for a TD. On the year he is looking to top last year's numbers and already has 89 tackles, averaging 13 per game, along with eight TFL, three sacks and a pair of picks.   [player_tooltip player_id='1658264' first='Gage' last='Koenigs'] , 6'0, 215, LB/RB, Goddard, '26, this guy has been one of my favorite local linebackers the last couple of seasons and so far this year has been crushing it. As a battering ram of a hitter he destroys game plans by shooting gaps and tracking down backs on the perimeter. He hit the ground running early in the season and in a two-game span piled up 36 tackles and six TFL, including 20 tackles in game three alone. He is a powerfully-built defender with great read and react skills who has registered 89 tackles, averaging 13 per game to go with eight TFL, three sacks and a pair of picks.   Melvin Pougoue, 6'4, 210, Edge/LB/ATH, Kapaun, '26, he is another standout defender not getting near the attention he deserves so far but that is changing in a hurry. With prototype size, length and athleticism he can crash the gate off the edge as a dominating defensive end, but is also versatile enough to drop back and play as a lights-out linebacker. He uses his tracking speed and quick read and react skills to overwhelm blockers In Kapaun's suffocating defense. Once he shifts into search-and-destroy mode expect the play to get stuffed. So far this year he has piled up 24 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, six sacks and eight QB hurries.   [player_tooltip player_id='1114751' first='Jesus' last='Delgado'] , 6'1, 220, LB, Salina Central, '26, he is another stud defender who has been flying under the radar somewhat with all the star power on Salina Central's squad, but he is a heat-seeking missile of a linebacker who has helped bring an edge to the defense. In a week five win over Newton he had 15 tackles, three TFL, two sacks, and a forced fumble. With great instincts and a nose for the ball he hits RB's in the mouth. On the year he has 71 tackles, 13 tackles for loss, three sacks, a pair of caused fumbles and has averaged 12 tackles a game the last five games.   [player_tooltip player_id='1362958' first='Levi' last='McLaughlin']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/levi-mclaughlin/"></a> , 6'3, 185, DB/WR, Rose Hill, '27, he and has teammates have helped turn the tables in Rose Hill this year, standing at 4-3 and have won three of their last four games, including last week's 55-14 dismantling of a ranked Wellington team. He is one of those athletic d-backs who I have had my eye on for awhile now as he already has D1 size and athleticism, with 4.5 forty and 38" vertical. He is a lock-down corner who can stuff the receiver at the line and blanket the route. He is also versatile enough to sink back as a ballhawk safety. So far this year he has 40+ tackles, nine PBU's, two TFL and a sack. He also plays receiver as needed and is on all the special teams.   [player_tooltip player_id='1566706' first='Brody' last='Shearer']  , DL, 6'0”, 275, Lincoln, '26, the Friends-commit is off to a great senior season helping lead the Leopards to an undefeated record at 7-0. As a two-way trench warrior, he delivers pile-driving blocks on the team's high-octane offense and is a bone-crushing defensive tackle who essentially shuts the run game down between the tackles. He worked hard in the off-season with @coachjeddy_DL, who is one of the state's best trench coaches and has used that training, as well as his powerful frame, quick feet and lethal hands, to overwhelm along the defensive front. This guy plays smart as well and is thinking a couple steps ahead of his opponent. He will be a great fit in the #4-in-the-nation Falcons next year.   [player_tooltip player_id='1343607' first='Tyler' last='Brown']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/tyler-brown-3/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/tyler-brown-3/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/tyler-brown-3/"></a> , 6'4, 255, TE/DL, Oxford, '27. He is a two-way baller with ideal size and length, who is versatile enough to play any number of positions but this fall has been balling out at tight end and defensive tackle. On offense he has significant potential as a tight end with an excellent catch radius and is a head-cracking run blocker. On defense he owns the trenches as a defensive tackle, but can also slide down and disrupt offenses at the nose. His aggressive play is starting to garner attention as K-State has shown interest as well as some of the smaller schools. He and his teammates are looking to take Oxford to the post season for the first time.     ALL-PURPOSE BACKS:   [player_tooltip player_id='1113404' first='Kade' last='Mitchell'] , 5'10, 175, RB/DB, Hayden, '26, as arguably the top triple-threat ace regardless of class, he has picked up where he left off last fall when he loaded up 1,700 total yards and helped lead his team to a state-runnerup spot. Last week was more of the same as he took the opening kickoff for a TD to set the tone in his team's seventh win of the year. So far in '25 he has carried the ball 61 times for 586 yards and nine TD's, caught 12 passes for 199 yards and three TD's, had four punt returns for 151 yards and a pair of scores, three kick returns for 195 yards and a TD to give him 1,131 total yards and 15 TD's on the year.   [player_tooltip player_id='1333005' first='Cody' last='Wright'] 5'10, 185, ATH, Colby, '26, he has developed into one of the most dangerous return men in the state and currently leads all classes averaging 40 yards a return. Last week he continued his dominating play, carrying the ball 17 times for 114 yards and three TD's, caught five passes for 134 yards and a score and added seven tackles and a TFL. He has been a force all season, racking up 381 yards rushing and five TD's, 417 yards receiving, including a 96-yard score, 393 yards in returns and eight TD's. He also has picked up 25 tackles and a pick on defense   [player_tooltip player_id='1343588' first='Tahj' last='Edwards']   , 5'10”, 175, RB, Lawrence, '26. Last but certainly not least for the backs, we have a game-breaker, all-purpose RB who is coming off a junior campaign when piled up 1,000+ yards running, receiving and returning kicks and 12 touchdowns along the way. This year it has been a challenging year for the team but he has been a bright spot, rushing for 157 yards on 20 carries and three TD's in a tough loss to SMN last week. On the year he has 800+ total yards and 10 TD's.  He is a burner who can take it to the house at any time but can also rip through arm tackles moving through traffic.     DUAL-THREAT GUNSLINGERS:   [player_tooltip player_id='1347133' first='Max' last='Olson'] , 6'2, 210, QB, Andover Central, '26, it has been an up and down season for AC but this senior has been solid all season and came up big last week when he completed 13 of 19 passes for 200 yards passing and two TD's and added 30 yards rushing in a big win over Eisenhower 55-52. After a frustrating junior campaign marred by injury he has made up for lost time this year throwing for 800+ yards and seven touchdowns on the year for the 4-3 Jags. With his size and athleticism he is adept at throwing strikes from the pocket but can also burn teams with his legs as needed.   [player_tooltip player_id='1327831' first='Maxson' last='Smiley'] , 6'0, 185, QB, Colby, '28, he is one of the western Kansas gunslingers I have had my eye on since last year when he destroyed teams on JV running and passing the rock. This year he wasted no time showing he was ready for whatever the opposition was about to bring. He started the year hot averaging 310 yards passing in the first two games and rifled eight TD passes. He has been a sharp shooter since and last week it was more of the same as he went 16-21 for 341 yards, a sizzling 76% completion rate and three TD's in his team's 44-23 win over Lakin. On the year he has 1,266 yards passing and 13 TDs.   [player_tooltip player_id='1236247' first='Sam' last='Harp'], 5'10, 195, Andale, '26, as a returning all-state quarterback on 3A state-champion Andale he has established himself as one of the most dangerous QB's in the state the last few years. This past week the Indian triple-threat rushed for 125 yards and three touchdowns, threw a pair of touchdown passes, and returned a punt for a touchdown. He is coming off last year's title run when he had just under 2,000 yards and piled up 34 touchdowns despite generally playing less than half the game. This year #1-ranked Andale is averaging 67 points per game on offense vs giving up six points per game on defense.   [player_tooltip player_id='585904' first='Jaylen' last='Mason'], 6'3, 205, Wichita NW, '26, the KU-commit has been one of my favorite local QB's the last few years as he has that rare balance of prototype size, speed and athleticism, as well as significant starting experience at a large school. He is off and running on an encore season that continued last week in a rout of South with 307 total yards on 206 yards passing and two TD passes and carried the ball 11 times for 101 yards and two more scores. On the year he has completed 79 of 122 passes for 1,120 yards, a 65% completion percentage and 10 TD passes to only one pick. He has also picked up 356 yards rushing and is averaging 39 yards a punt.     DOUBLING DOWN - CRAZY TWO-GAME STATS:   [player_tooltip player_id='780353' first='Drake' last='Mellies']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/drake-mellies/"></a> , 5'11, 170, ATH, Jackson Heights, '26, he is another baller dual-threat back who has been in beat-down mode the last two weeks with 814 total yards and 11 TD's. In game six he put up a record-breaking performance for rushing yards with 334 yards on a scant 11 carries and passed for another 167 yards. He followed up with a game seven where he passed for 164 yards and a pair of TD passes and carried three times for 64 yards and also caught a 5-yd TD pass for 11 total TD's.   [player_tooltip player_id='426515' first='Brayden' last='Pappas']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/brayden-pappas/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/brayden-pappas/"></a> , 5'8, 195, RB, Eisenhower, '26, the Tigers have had an up and down season this fall, but this guy has been on fire all year and in particular, the last two games, when he had 645 yards rushing and eight TD's. In game six he broke the school record with 382 yards rushing on 29 carries, averaging 13.2 yards per carry and scored five TD's. He followed up with a game 7 where he rushed 38 times for 263 yards and had four receptions for 58 yards for 321 total yards and three touchdowns.   [player_tooltip player_id='1590226' first='Holden' last='Lind']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/holden-lind/"></a> , 5'8, 175, RB, Hays, '26, he has been the Indian workhorse all year and has continued to bludgeon defenses the last two weeks with a huge two-game total of 433 yards rushing on 53 carries and a pair of scores. In game six he carried the ball 30 times for 304 yards and a touchdown in his team's win over Dodge City. In game seven in their loss to red-hot Great Bend he rushed for 129 yards on 23 carries and two more touchdowns.   [player_tooltip player_id='1545224' first='Wyatt' last='Newberry'] , 5'11, 175, ATH, Sterling, '26, this guy was in last week's article as well and followed up with another jaw-dropping performance in game seven. In the last two weeks he has rushed and received for 306 yards on a scant nine touches, averaging 34 yards per and scored five TD's. In game six he torched Conway with 161 yards on four carries, averaging 40+ yards everytime he touched the ball and scored a pair of TD's. He then followed up in game 7 with four carries for 124 yards and two TD's and caught a 42-yard TD pass to give him 306 yards on nine touches, averaging 34 yards everytime he touched the ball and piled up five TD's. On defense he has been a headhunter as well with 29 tackles and an interception the last two games.     In conclusion, get out and see these guys while you still can.   And, as always -   Keep Grindin'

The season is flying by fast and the performances and big games keep rolling in. Teams are shifting to a post-season focus, taking their game to another level and finishing strong.