Vype Games Of the Week 9/25/09

The message boards are sounding off with trash talk and predictions for the Hutch-Derby game tonight. It’s funny how the fans are showing up early for this one after little fanfare a year ago. Hutch’s Gowans Stadium wasn’t even close to full – on either side – for last year’s match-up, which Derby won 30 to 27 in shocking fashion. Now, all of a sudden, this game matters again. Truth is, though, no one knows how this game is going to turn out tonight, not even the coaches, even if they are sure of themselves. Talk is cheap, and that’s why fans don’t get paid. This I do know: Derby can exacerbate Hutch’s consistent fumble problems. Even before they forced and recovered a fifth Hutch fumble in the final minutes last year to score the winning touchdown, an average Derby team in 2007 recovered two fumbles in the second quarter against Hutch to keep them scoreless in that frame. Fumbles and subsequent quick offensive strikes, that’s the only way Derby keeps this game close.

VIDEO PROVIDED BY KAKE 10

Look, at least be thankful for this match-up. Hutch has had one competitive game in the area the past four seasons, and it was last year's loss to Derby. Blowouts get boring, so good on you, Derby.

In the old Ark Valley days, Derby pummeled Hutch every year. Then a guy named Randy Dreiling showed up at Hutch and beat No. 1 Derby in 1998. Soon thereafter, Hutch consistently got the best of Derby. Then last year this upstart named Brandon Clark pulled off the upset over No. 1 Hutch. It's great to have this competition alive again between two great football towns.

Kapaun enters its game against Southeast at 2 and 1 this season, instead of 0 and 3 like last year, indicative of Kapaun’s improvement. A healthy Dyllon Knox at running back will move Kapaun to 3 and 1 and rolling into their match-up with Carroll in two weeks. Can Kapaun puts itself in contention to win the City League? Possibly.

Mulvane is proving its staying power this season. Dylan Hageman at running back and Gus Strunk at quarterback are new faces putting together similar results for this program. At 3-0, they have a big test tonight at home against Andover High.

In my eyes, Wellington’s stock doesn’t dip after a 21-14 loss to Gravette, Arkansas last week. Every year Wellington is poised to become a factor at the state level once again. Tonight they found out who they are in 2009: Their opponent Andale has scored 133 points in three games this year.

Finally, McPherson coach Tom Young can achieve a mark of epic proportions tonight at home against Newton: Win number 300. Young can become the fourth coach in Kansas history to win 300 games, joining Ed Buller, Les Davis and C.J. Hamilton. Exclusive to Young will be his standing as the first large-classification coach to achieve 300 wins. That’s big-time stuff.