For the second consecutive year, high school football districts for much of the state of Kansas will begin this week. The only classifications not affected will be Class 6-4A, where every game, and up-to-13 points, in the regular season matters and Class 1A, whose districts will begin in the traditional week 7 portion of their schedules.
We break down the Class 3A Districts for SEK-Sports.com coverage area teams.
Check out the individual team pages as well as the “Football Playoff” section of our website for season-long information.
CLASS 3A DISTRICT 1
Baxter Springs, Caney Valley, Columbus, Frontenac, Galena, Parsons
If you’re a fan offense then this will be the district to keep an eye on in the SEK-Sports.com coverage area. Caney Valley, Columbus, and Frontenac are all off to a 3-0 start entering into district play this week. Caney Valley enters averaging 38 points per game and giving up 4 ppg. Columbus, who arguably is one of the hottest teams in 2019, averages 38 ppg offensively and averages 20 ppg given up on defense. Frontenac may be one of the more grittier teams in the district. After a 20 point come from behind victory in the 4th quarter in week 1, the Raiders have steamrolled Colgan and Commerce, OK. Frontenac is averaging 32 points per game on offense and surrounding 9 points per game defensively. Not to be forgotten is the Galena Bulldogs, who put up 58 and 48 points in their first 2 games before being shut out for the first time in the regular season since 2012 last week against the Pioneer League’s Prairie View.
Despite their 1-2 start to the season, Parsons is no stranger to getting hot at the right time and making a run for the playoffs. The bring to the district one of the best offensive weapons in quarterback Ethan Houk, who enters with 623 yards passing and 3 touchdowns as well as Dariq Williams, who has recorded 385 yards passing and 3 touchdowns.
Other notable names to keep an eye on in this district including Galena quarterback Brett Sarwinski who had 532 yards passing and 2 touchdowns entering into week 4 along with Nick Sarwinski who has 237 yards receiving and 2 touchdowns.
SEK-SPORTS.COM 3A DISTRICT 1 PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
- Galena
- Caney Valley
- Columbus
- Frontenac
- Parsons
- Baxter Springs
CLASS 3A DISTRICT 2
Anderson County, Burlington, Girard, Iola, Osawatomie, Prairie View
Before week 3, this District was almost too easy to predict. Now, on the eve of the kick-off of the 2019 district action, I have no idea who to pick where. You can make an argument for each of the teams in this district to come out in the top 2 spots. So let’s cross-examine, shall we?
Anderson County
The Bulldogs come in at 1-2 overall. They are led by S-T-U-D running back Bo Dilliner. He comes in with 490 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. The Anderson County offense, under first-year head coach Logan Pegram, has put up some impressive offensive numbers. 31 points per game offensively, who were averaging just 12 ppg this time last year. The defense has been vulnerable, but Pegram has this program headed in the right direction. The cliche: anything can happen on any given Friday night and the Bulldogs are the embodiment of that.
Burlington
The only blemish on the Wildcats season thus far is the shut out over Olpe in week 2. Otherwise, Burlington has taken care of business where they’ve needed too. Turnovers have been an issue for the Wildcats, but when clicking the Wildcat offense has been hard to beat (exhibit Week 1 against Council Grove). Burlington’s offense is a good pick to finish in the top 2 spots, if their defense can handle the explosiveness of Prairie View, Iola, and Anderson County, the Wildcats will be in a position to host the week 9 playoff game. The cliche: defense wins championships. Defense secures a home playoff game.
Girard
I don’t believe we’ve seen the best of the Trojans just yet. They come in at a 1-2 record overall. A dominating performance of Baxter Springs in week 1 and then outmatched by powerhouse Galena and a much improved Columbus Titans team. Girard’s ground game has shown flashes of dominance and against teams like Iola, Burlington, and Osawatomie, which will be the key for the Trojans to capture a top 2 finish. Senior running back Durbie McReynolds will be leaned on heavily for Girard and their quest to finish atop of the district. The cliche: just grind it out.
Iola
The Mustangs have been plagued by injuries since week 1 in their loss to Parsons in the memorable 5 overtime game. In that game, Iola led until the 4th quarter when key players were out. Since then, Iola has slowly started to get those players back and factor back into continuing the rebuilding of Mustang football. Senior Casen Barker has stepped up in the quarterback position since junior Bradyn Cole went down due to injury. Barker is 8 of 13 with 134 yards passing, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Isaac Badders has 210 yards rushing and 2 touchdowns. Barker is right behind him with 131 yards rushing and 2 rushing touchdowns. Health will be critical for Iola from start to finish and snap a 2-year playoff drought. The cliche: one game at a time.
Osawatomie
Osawatomie Trojans turned a bunch of heads last week with their win over an athletic Parsons team by a score of 42-20. It ended an 11 game losing streak that went back to 2018. They were picked last in the 1st annual SEK-Sports.com Pioneer League Coaches Poll, primarily due to their youth and having a new head coach. Osawatomie will host Prairie View to start district play, travel to Iola and Anderson County. Should the Trojans come out of that first 3 game stretch 2-1, they will be in good position with 2 remaining home games against Burlington and Girard and not just getting a playoff game, but hosting one. The cliche: any given Friday night.
Prairie View
The Buffaloes caught the attention of many in the area last week with their shut out win over a usually dominate Galena football squad. They shutout the Bulldogs 28-0. It’s the first shut out for Galena since 2012 in the regular season. The Buffaloes offense is led by senior quarterback Justin Scott, who is 13 of 23 on the season with 267 yards passing, 5 touchdowns thrown, 1 interception with 54 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns on the ground. Senior Hunter Boone leads the team with 319 yards passing and 3 touchdowns and sophomore Damien Kline has 235 yards and 2 touchdowns. Prairie Views defense has not been scored on since Santa Fe Trail in the 4th quarter when the game was well in hand. Their defense has 5 interceptions and 5 fumble recoveries. The cliche: perfectly balanced, as all things should be.
SEK-SPORTS.COM 3A DISTRICT 2 PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
- Prairie View
- Girard
- Burlington
- Anderson County
- Osawatomie
- Iola
CLASS 3A DISTRICT 3
KC-Bishop Ward, Meriden-Jefferson West, Perry-Lecompton, Santa Fe Trail, Topeka Hayden, Wellsville
Our coverage area teams, Santa Fe Trail and Wellsville, will have their work cut out for them with their district. Jefferson West and Topeka Hayden come in with a 3-0 record each. Perry-Lecompton and Bishop Ward are on the bottom of the overall records at 1-2 and 0-3 respectively. Perry-Lecompton will bring one of the best quarterbacks in Class 3A in William Welch, who enters district play with 532 yards passing and 3 touchdowns as well as rushing juggernaut Thad Metcalfe, who has posted 366 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns. For Santa Fe Trail, defensively they’ve already been tested with Prairie View, who they lost to in week 1 35-15, and Anderson County, who they won 43-26 over last week. Wellsville has had some tough, gritty battles that should pay dividends for them in district play against teams like Perry, Hayden, and Santa Fe Trail. Still, this is one of the more stacked districts in the eastern side of the state in 3A and do not be surprised if standings with the overall records as of this writing do not change much at the final whistle of week 8.
SEK-SPORTS.COM 3A DISTRICT 1 PREDICTED ORDER OF FINISH
- Jefferson West
- Topeka Hayden
- Perry-Lecompton
- Santa Fe Trail
- Wellsville
- Bishop Ward