Thursday Wrap-Up: Final Four Action/Grinder Status

We are coming down the homestretch of the 2025 season and it has been eventful with teams dominating as expected, others stepping up to surprise people, while still others suffered through the ever-present agony of defeat.   Tomorrow we will kickoff 2025 Sub-State competition for high school football in the Sunflower state and there are some outstanding matchups to follow.   In this report, we will take a look at a few ballers from Manhattan who helped their team knock off top-ranked Maize last week, and then a handful of players from their opponent this week, the Derby Panthers, after their upset win over powerful Wichita Northwest. We will then wrap-up with some studs whose season has ended but I wanted to give them a shout out for their great play this year.   So without further adieu, let's check out what these teams and playmakers have been up to:     MANHATTAN   [player_tooltip player_id='1693651' first='Nisbyc' last='Johnson']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/nisbyc-johnson/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/nisbyc-johnson/"></a> , 5'10, 175, DB/ATH, '26, the first member of the dreaded No Fly Zone secondary, this guy has flown under the radar due to an early-season shoulder dislocation, but has bounced back in a big way. Last week he helped lead a suffocating Indian defense by picking off two key interceptions that helped enable the Indians to knock off number-one ranked Maize. A versatile d-back, he can play as a shut-down corner or drop back as a ballhawk safety who also flies to the ball with next-level closing speed to bust backs in the mouth at the line of scrimmage. This guy is a diamond in the rough and will be key in tomorrow's match up with Derby.   [player_tooltip player_id='1612742' first='Joseph' last='Mortensen']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/joseph-mortensen/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/joseph-mortensen/"></a> , DB/KR/ATH, 5'11, 185, '27, (Pictured Above) the other balling Indian d-back is a shutdown corner who returns kicks on special teams as well as being a dangerous RB on offense. On the defensive perimeter he jams receivers at the line, flips hips and mirrors the route, forcing QB's to throw the ball somewhere else. With his next-level tools, which includes a 4.45 forty and 38" vertical, he is a versatile athlete who can match up with the the opposition's best receivers, or use his instincts and instant read and react skills to blow up plays before they get started in the run game. He has not allowed a TD all season in the secondary and is also a lethal return man. Get your popcorn ready for this guy, he is going to put on a show.   [player_tooltip player_id='1566710' first='Garrison' last='Vikander']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/garrison-vikander/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/garrison-vikander/"></a> , 6'2, 220, OL/DL, '26, he has become one of my trench fave's in following his career the last couple years and he took it to a different level as a mauling, brawling destroyer on both sides of the ball this fall. Last week in the Indian's breakthrough win over the state's top team, he was dominant, whether smothering defenders on down blocks, or pulling and using his athleticism to crush fast-flowing LB's. On defense he can be moved up and down the line of scrimmage where he shoots gaps like a heat-seeking missile to cause chaos in the backfield or decapitating the QB on arrival. This physical headhunter is going to be critical against Derby's loaded front.     DERBY   [player_tooltip player_id='1475567' first='Kaelin' last='Scarth']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/kaelin-scarth-2/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/kaelin-scarth-2/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/kaelin-scarth-2/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/kaelin-scarth-2/"></a> , 6'3, 265, OL, Derby, '27. A year ago he stepped up as one of the few sophomore starters as a versatile offensive lineman who can play either guard or tackle but made a difference on the interior at right guard. This year he settled in at right tackle along the Panther offensive front and with his size, strength and reach brought impressive athleticism, as he showed this summer by posting himself performing a flat-foot slam dunk with a basketball. With that explosiveness, coupled with quick feet and lateral agility he stonewalls the rush in pass pro but can also pull and plaster defenders on the perimeter. He will be key against the Indians tomorrow.   [player_tooltip player_id='1228933' first='Peyton' last='Goble']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/peyton-goble/"></a> , 6'2, 245, OL, Derby, '26, he is another standout on the Panther's loaded offensive front who has developed into a baller who strikes a blow on impact and proceeds to trample defenders in his path. After a strong junior year he was ready for the senior-year challenge and has been one of the key factors enabling his team's high-octane offense to hit on all cylinders. With good size, strength and strong mechanics, he is skilled enough to play multiple positions, but usually lines up at left guard, where he hammers at opening gaps or chips off and blasts defenders flowing to the ball. This guy will be playing somewhere on Saturdays next year.   [player_tooltip player_id='291673' first='William' last='Owens']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/william-owens/"></a> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/william-owens/"></a> , 6'3, 250, ATH, Derby, '26, he is a versatile athlete and a multi-positional trench warrior who has stepped up to help solidify the Panther's brick-wall defense against the run, or use his athleticism to put pressure on the quarterback on pass plays. After playing for several different schools over the past few years, he has settled in at Derby to give them another baller along the d-line. He can play as a defensive tackle in the Panther's vaunted 3-4 defense, or slip outside and use his speed and quickness to blow past tackles on the perimeter. Last week he stepped up with six tackles and a pair of tackles for a loss in the big win against Northwest.     GETTING READY FOR 2026   Hudson Titus, 5'10, 165, DB/ATH, Pratt, '27, he is a three-sport athlete who is also a multi-positional baller in the fall who was flying under the radar to start the year but has stepped up for an excellent junior campaign that has coaches and scouts taking notice. He can play anywhere along the back end of the defense but is particularly effective as a hard-hitting hybrid strong safety/outside linebacker. With his next-level instincts and exceptional lateral closing speed, he is laser-focused on making plays sideline to sideline. This past season he was active, piling up 79 tackles, four tackles for a loss, and an interception in helping Pratt go deep into post-season play. Get him in your sights, he is a baller on the rise.   [player_tooltip player_id='1351253' first='Carter' last='Raney']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/carter-raney/"></a> , 5'10, 170, LB/SS, Spring Hill, '28, after a solid freshman season establishing himself as one of the top young defenders in the state in his class, he delivered again this year. After transitioning from linebacker to safety, he seamlessly shifted gears to secondary play and has been a standout from the start. This past year he was active in both the run and pass game, registering 48 tackles, four tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and had a pick-6 interception. He is a ball-buster making open-field tackles out of the secondary but can also play as a centerfielder safety as needed. He is already grinding away getting ready to blow it up in '26.   [player_tooltip player_id='1591883' first='Beckett' last='Kullberg']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/beckett-kullberg/"></a> , 6'3, 195, TE/WR, Blue Valley North, '28, he is another sophomore baller who caught my eye earlier in the year and I have had him on my watchlist since. He has grown significantly since his freshman year and is maturing into a top-flight OLB/Edge rusher on defense and a hybrid tight end on offense who can split wide or line up as an H-back as needed. On defense he has a quick first step and violent hands that he uses effectively to dismantle opposing blockers. He comes off the edge with great body lean to slip by into the backfield or can bull rush right over the top of unsuspecting OT's. This guy is a baller with a purpose and one who is just getting warmed up.   [player_tooltip player_id='1593671' first='Jesiah' last='Gooch']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/jesiah-gooch/"></a> , 6'2, 215, RB/LB, Hillsboro, '26, his season came to a close quicker than desired but this guy was a force all year and is definitely a D1 prospect who delivers on both sides of the ball. He committed to Washburn initially but has been generating D1 interest since then so we'll see where he lands. He is coming off an excellent senior season as a two-way athlete who does a little bit of everything. On offense, in 10 games he carried the ball 142 times for 1,250 yards, averaging 9-yards a carry and scored 22 touchdowns. On defense he was even more impressive if you can imagine that, with 119 Tackles, 11 TFL, a pair of fumble recoveries and a forced fumble. I'm hoping he ends up getting a shot as a Jayhawk or a Sooner as he can play at that level.   [player_tooltip player_id='426515' first='Brayden' last='Pappas']<a href="https://prepredzone.com/player/brayden-pappas/"></a> , 5'8, 195, RB, Eisenhower, '26, I have written this guy up a few times over the years, but wanted to give him one last senior-season wrap-up before he takes his next-level skill sets to the college game. The Tigers had an up and down season this fall, but this guy was an apex predator of a running back/return man all year. He got off to a blistering start with two high-speed kickoff returns for TD's and piling up the rushing yards along the way before breaking the school record in game six with an eye-popping 382 yards rushing, averaging 13-yards a pop and scored five TD's. He ended the season with 2,000+ total yards, which included 200 carries for 1,649 rush yards, 8+ yards a carry and 23 total TD's. Speed kills defenses and he has plenty of it, with a documented 21.8 mph by <a href="https://x.com/RAanalytics">@RAanalytics</a>. Get ready to watch this guy on Saturday's in the near future   In conclusion, get out and see these ballers while you still can, whether this year or next.   Note: if your stats referenced above are inaccurate let me know - my stat source is usually MAXPREPS and lately have caught numerous errors in their numbers.   And, most importantly...   Keep Grindin'

We are coming down the homestretch of the 2025 season and it has been eventful with teams dominating as expected, others stepping up to surprise people, while still others suffered through the ever-present agony of defeat.