Class 5A District 6

District 6

1. Hutchinson Salthawks (11-2)

Incredibly, Hutchinson returns four offensive linemen and their two leading rushers from 2008, Josh Smith (5-9, 205, 1,961 yards, 34 TDs) and Deveon Dinwiddie (5-9, 170, 1,267 yards, 14 TDs). Senior QB Cooper Bell (5-9, 145) is expected to step in seemlessly to coordinate the triple option.

The losses on defense, however, cannot be ignored. The graduation of Nate Dreiling and Forrest Stucky, probably the state’s two most productive defenders in 2008, is significant. Senior DL Justin Goetz (6-1, 200, 80 tackles, 16 for a loss) and senior DE Geneo Grissom (6-4, 230, 47 tackles) return with a corps of experienced linebackers. Junior SS Ben Heeney was fourth on the team in tackles as a sophomore.

Coach Randy Dreiling, entering his 13th season at Hutch, retains his staff, which includes six former head coaches, for a run at a state record six consecutive state titles. –TW

2. McPherson (10-2) enters its fourth season under coach Tom Young. A season after losing only two games – both to Hutchinson – McPherson returns seven starters on each side of the ball, including senior QB/DB Joel Piper (6-5, 205), who threw for a school-record 2,108 yards in 2008. McPherson returns three leading tacklers, LB/FB Kenny Crowther (6-0, 182), S/WR Kenan Warren (5-11, 161) and LB/RB Dylan Barrow (6-0, 180), who led the team in sacks with 6. –TW

3. Great Bend (5-4) has won the WAC in each of coach Bo Black’s eight seasons but one (2002). After missing last season’s playoffs, the 2006 state finalists may have to wait another year to return. Both McPherson and Hutchinson handled them in 2008.

4. Hays (4-5) has lost nine consecutive district games and not made the playoffs since 1995. They hope to end both streaks under first-year coach Ryan Cornelsen, formerly at LaCrosse, where he was 32-3 the past three seasons. Former Liberal coach and father, Gary Cornelsen, returns to Kansas as a Hays defensive assistant after being defensive coordinator at Randall (Texas) High. Senior FB/LB Travis Pfannenstiel (5-11, 190) returns as a three-year starter. –TW