After 2 weeks of district play there is one thing I think we can all agree on . Humboldt is taking the #1 spot in this district . After winning 73-0 in week one and 63-0 in week 2 against who I think are the next best teams in district 1. The real fight is going to be between Jayhawk Linn , Erie , and Southeast Cherokee. All three teams are sitting at 1-1. Even with a 14-12 loss last week to Jayhawk Linn , Southeast sits in second place as of now with 19 points. Thats 19 points ahead of the third spot (Erie and Riverton 1-1 0 points). This week we will go over the matchups for week 6 and next week we will talk about what each team needs to do to either get in the playoffs or where they could place themselves in the district.
Erie 1-1 versus Southeast Cherokee 1-1
Easily the matchup of the week in the district. Both teams are coming off losses from a week ago. If you lose this game your looking at an uphill battle and probably a third or fourth place finish. And I am telling you that is not a place you want to be when you look at district #2 . Those teams will have to play on the road against either #2 ranked Silver Lake or Osage City.
Erie has the quarterback they can lean on to win their remaining games with Jaden Gard. He is a playmaker with his legs and his arm. Coach Hudson came in with a good game plan a week ago to take away Humboldt’s best defensive player and it worked. They just couldn’t overcome the rest of the players talent. If Hudson can come up with a good game plan against Southeast and the Red Devils can execute it I would think Erie will have the advantage .
Southeast has played tough in its two losses this year to 5-0 Pleasanton and Jayhawk Linn. Losing those games by a combined 10 points. The Lancers have won 3 more games already than they did a year ago. They will need to be ready to defend the deep pass along with containing quarterback Gard in the run game if they want to add to the win total.
Riverton 1-1 versus Humboldt 2-0
The Riverton Rams have a challenge in front of them Friday night trying to slow down the Humboldt Cubs. Humboldt has won the last two weeks with a combined score of 136-0. The Rams gave up 44 points two weeks ago to an Erie team that the Cubs just put up 63 points on. Last week the lone CNC league team in district 1 was able to score 35 against the winless Northeast Arma squad. To keep this game close they will need to a lot of things better than what they have in 2018.
Humboldt will beat you with a swarming powerful defensive front. If you pay attention to offensive stats the Cubs haven’t put up gaudy numbers like their point total would make you think. The reason is the defense and special teams have put teams away . The leading rushers for the Cubs last week had only 5 & 6 carries with 90 and 109 yards respectively. Every team in class 2A should be well aware of junior Conor Haviland by now. He is a very good running back but even more spectacular as a punt returner. He had two punt return touchdowns last week where he didn’t even catch the punts.
Jayhawk Linn 1-1 @ Northeast Arma 0-2
The Jayhawks were able to get back on the winning side of things last week after defeating Southeast Cherokee 14-12. They really needed that victory after losing two straight for the first time since 2015. Junior Treyton Compton and senior Hayden Broyles should lead the offensive attack again this week. Compton the signal caller for Jayhawk Linn is a scrappy ball player that when given the time after the snap will make things happen. If he is able to get the ball in the hands of Broyles its game over for the opponents. A win would put the Jayhawks in good shape for next weeks tough matchup with Erie.
Where do I begin with the Vikings of Northeast Arma? They haven’t won a football game since 2015 where they went 3-6. Coach Hobbs will not let them give up though. They just have to keep trying to get better every week. Its not going to happen overnight. The Vikings really have no chance at making the playoffs. But they can use the rest of the season to get better and play some of the younger men so they can have some varsity game experience going into 2019.
District standings after 2 weeks
X= Champion; Y=Runner-Up; E= Eliminated