Class 5A Around the State

Class 5A Around the State

Gardner-Edgerton (10-2) lost two games in 2008 – both to Aquinas by narrow margins. Legendary former Salina Central coach Marvin Deiner now enters his fourth season at Gardner, poised to meet back up with former rival, Hutch coach Randy Dreiling, in the 5A state title game. (The last meeting between Diener and Dreiling was in the 2005 regular season. Central pounded Hutch 42-14 before both teams went on the win state titles.) Gardner continues to grow, will have 100 freshman and sophomore players in the 2009 program and play their final season in the 4A-dominated Frontier League (defeated FL opponents 320-24 in 2008) before entering the EKL (Blue Valley schools, STA, Miege) next year. Junior QB Bubba Starling (6-5, 190), a 1,000-yard rusher and 1,000-yard passer who accounted for 21 TDs as a sophomore, returns… St. Thomas Aquinas (11-2), 10 times district champion in 12 seasons under Kevin Kopecky, loses 16 starters and 43 seniors. Seniors DE Blake Martin (6-3, 215) and DE Ryan Mueller (6-2, 210) combined for 204 tackles, 9 for a loss, in 2008… Shawnee Heights (6-4), which fell to Gardner-Edgerton, 18-6, in the first round of playoffs last season, loses all its 2008 offensive skill players and will have 10 defensive positions filled by new players.