Belated Rusher

Forgive this belated Weekend Rusher. I got married on Saturday, thus was relieved of my duties for the magazine, website and radio from Thursday on. Now I'm back, just in time for the biggest news for Carroll football ever.

The KSHSAA released the district football schedule for the 2010 and 2011 football seasons today, creating the largest preps news item of the fall: Carroll, while retaining Liberal and Wichita West as district opponents, welcomes five-time state champion Hutchinson into its district for the next two seasons.

In the September 13 Rusher, I lamented the fact that Carroll would not play a competitive football game for the remainder of the season following its 39-29 Week 2 win over Northwest. Kapaun possibly will give them a good ballgame Friday night, but my overall point was that after the first two weeks each season Carroll does not have an all-out, no-doubt battle to look forward to.

Next year, they most definitely will. And the next year.

Hopefully, for many years to come.

This is the big-time game we were denied a year ago, when McPherson knocked off Carroll in the state quarterfinals, denying the Golden Eagles a shot at the Salthawks. Both sides are hoping the match-up materializes this year, though Carroll is not favored to make it happen as they were last year. Roles have reversed this season: I think McPherson is the better team this year. However, I'm anxious to see Carroll play them as the underdog.

I stray from the point, however. I have spoken to both coaches, Carroll's Alan Schuckman and Hutch's Randy Dreiling, about this topic in the past and to their knowledge this game has never happened before. Hutch has never played Carroll. Only an exhaustive research of the Wichita Eagle's records could answer this question for sure, but when would they have played? Hutch used to always be Class 6A and a member of the Ark Valley; only recently did they move down to Class 5A. Carroll has never been a member of the top classification in Kansas and have always played in the City League.

Next year, thankfully, they will play. If ESPN televises another Kansas preps game next year, it has to be this one. Mark it down now: October 29, 2010. The state's best program against Wichita's best program, bringing together two of the largest fan draws in the state, if not the largest.

Interesting District Assignments for 2010-11

Unfortunately, there are no interesting new districts in Class 6A. The area remains especially boredom-inspiring.

Class 5A

Wow, Gardner-Edgerton and St. Thomas Aquinas no longer get a free pass into the playoffs. Blue Valley Stilwell, four times a 5A state titlist since 1991, returns to 5A from 6A to become a thorn in these two's sides. How did a Blue Valley school drop in population? Blue Valley Southwest, the first directional school of that direction in Kansas, entered Class 4A.

With Ryan Cornelsen starting to coach the boys up at Hays, soon there will not be an assumed 'W' on this district schedule: Hays, Great Bend, Salina South, Salina Central. Central Kansas will be on fire next October.

Class 4A

I am absolutely thrilled that Wellington and Winfield, which moved down to 4A from 5A, will drive 24 miles on Highway 160 to play one another the next two years. Anytime two schools play that locally, it's a good thing. Winfield has showed real improvement that last couple seasons; this will be a big one.

Buhler was not helped by this realignment: From playing Andale in district play, they're now with Haven, Nickerson and Pratt. Andale's new alignment could turn out to be fun: Trinity Academy, Maize South and Cheney. It's local, and all three of these teams could become very good by next year.

New Rankings

Power Rankings
1. (1) Hutchinson (5-0, Salina Central 63-21)
2. (2) McPherson (5-0, Ark City 66-0)
3. (3) Junction City (5-0, Topeka Hayden 21-7)
4. (4) Olathe North (5-0, SM North 42-0)
5. (6) Gardner-Edgerton (5-0, Spring Hill 55-0)
6. (NR) St. Thomas Aquinas ()
7. (5) Manhattan (5-0, Shawnee Heights 14-7)
8. (8) Bishop Carroll (5-0, Wichita East 35-7)
9. (7) BV Northwest (4-1, Aquinas 3-16)
10. (NR) Buhler (5-0, Andover Central 48-13)
Note: Due to 4A Miege playing with the big boys and the fact that I wanted to rank Buhler in the state's top 10, I have changed turned the 6A/5A Power Rankings into just Power Rankings

4A Rankings
1. (1) Buhler (5-0, Andover Central 48-13)
2. (2) Andale (5-0, Rose Hill 26-15)
3. (4) Bishop Miege (3-2, Blue Valley Stilwell 42-28)
4. (NR) Louisburg (4-1, Eudora 28-14)
5. (3) Eudora (4-1, Louisburg 14-28)

3A Rankings
1. (2) Conway Springs (5-0, Chaparral 64-10)
2. (3) Garden Plain (5-0, Bluestem 52-7)
3. (1) Marysville (4-1, Abilene 28-35)
4. (4) Silver Lake (5-0, St. Marys 38-16)
5. (5) Scott City (4-0, Larned 45-0)

State championship game predictions
6A: I'm all-in on Junction City. Probably won't change this pick. Apologies to coach Randall Zimmerman for having any doubts at the beginning of the season. Junction City (3) over Olathe North (4) 21-14.
5A: Hutch (1) over McPherson... er, Gardner-Edgerton (5) 42-21.
4A: I was anxious to see how Eudora fared against Gardner-Edgerton in Week 6. However, they lost to a good Louisburg squad this past week. Miege got a big win over 6A Blue Valley Stilwell. Buhler (1) over Bishop Miege (3) 41-28.
3A: Conway Springs is clearly for real. I'm starting to think they might be better than last year. Conway over Silver Lake -- again -- 27-21.

Quote of the Week 1

You'll always have a little bit of pressure, but when you prepare as fully as you can, it alleviates it a little bit.

-Conway Springs head football coach Matt Biehler in the current issue of Vype. Preparation alleviates pressure. Brilliant.

Quote of the Week 2

"Problem is I'm not smart enough. I was a P.E. major."

-Said in jest by Hutch athletic director Eric Armstrong when explaining how he was going reschedule the Rockhurst football game for the next two seasons even though Hutch now has a league schedule of 6 games rather than 5 after the promotion of Campus to Division I of the AV-CTL.

Maglight

Next week, the new issue will be on stands. I just finished up the mid-October magazine yesterday. Expect a surprise out of Reno County and a huge promotion of what you are reading now.

The Weekend Rusher will be back next week with a full slate, including a feature story. Thanks for bearing with my new marriage.