BEN MCCALL/SUN PHOTO
FITTING ROOM: SM East head football coach John Stonner fits junior Ryan Olander with shoulder pads Thursday, Aug. 21 in the East locker room on the first official day for practices in shoulder pads in Kansas. The Lancers open the season Friday, Sept. 5 at Leavenworth.
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Sunflower state
League's gridiron coaches from Sun Country offer insights
By: Mark Dewar, Sports Editor
We diligently sent out The Sun’s tried and true and traditional high school football questionnaires again late this summer.
When the five Sunflower League football coaches who head Sun Country programs weighed in with their responses, some used our form. Others got to the lines and called a few audibles.
No matter. We were all about gaining those coach insights, straight from their computers to your kitchen tables.
And here they are:
SM East
Coach: John Stonner, eighth year at SM East, sixth year as head coach, 22 years coaching experience.
Overall record last year: 2-7
Overall league record last year: 1-5.
League finish: Ninth out of 12 teams.
Returning starters: Senior quarterback Curran Darling (587 passing yards in four games with three touchdowns); senior tailback/outside linebacker Marcus Webb (408 all-purpose yards, 30 solo tackles); senior split end/defensive back Kevin Hertel (13 receptions for 151 yards); junior halfback/defensive back Stewart Jensen; junior center Jake Fleming; senior offensive guard Ben Gloe; senior offensive tackle Jonathan Zeigler; junior linebacker Gabe Miller; senior linebacker Calvin Tidwell.
Lancers analysis: “The Lancers football team comes off a 2-7 season after posting back-to-back winning regular seasons for the first time in 30 years,” Stonner said. “The Lancers will rely on the strong arm of Curran Darling and the running of Marcus Webb on offense. On defense the Lancers return several starters including Marcus Webb, Stewart Jensen and Ben Gloe that should form a strong nucleus.”
SM North
Coach: Ryan Majors, fourth year overall and at SM North.
Career record: 4-23.
Overall record last season: 1-8.
League record: 1-7.
League place: 12th.
How do you look at the upcoming season?: “A great opportunity to start progressing up in our league and see the results of the hard work and rebuilding of the program which our athletes have been working toward each day,” Majors said.
Number of athletes graduated or not returning: 16.
Returning offensive starters: Senior linemen Josh Arrington, Adrian Iliescu, Richard Pearson and Jacob Winsby; senior running back/wide receiver Owola Shields; junior quarterback Arthur Rucker, 72 of 149 passing for 983 yards with seven touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 63.13 quarterback rating.
Returning defensive starters: senior lineman Richard Pearson, senior lineman Jermaine Rollins, senior cornerback Owola Shields, senior linebacker Zack Latham, junior linebacker Dallas Buck, senior back Josh Bernal.
What will be the keys to success for your team?: “We have experience on both the offensive and defensive lines, along with a handful of starters in our skill positions and secondary/linebacking crew that we feel have a great opportunity to take their past experiences and make them a positive turn this season. We are going to rely heavily on these seniors and their perseverance in our program.”
How do you look at the league race?: “We start our season with a couple of games that we had opportunities to have some success in and it is fueling our kids in all of their off-season and practice preparations. We know they will be hard-fought contests this year as well. I think this year’s league race will be a very tight race for all teams, and wide open (as) to who can emerge as the elite in the league.”
SM Northwest
Coach: Aaron Barnett, third year at SM Northwest, 11th year as a head coach. Overall Barnett is 61-35 as a head coach and 13-7 at SM Northwest.
Last season: 9-2 overall, Sunflower League champions.
Returning offensive starters (six): Senior wide receiver Mark Fancher, senior wide receiver Nick Kolega, senior running back Bryce Atagi, senior lineman Ben Davis, senior lineman Darion Hillman, senior lineman Nick Andrus.
Returning defensive starters (six): Senior lineman Darion Hillman, senior lineman Tucker Hewitt, senior linebacker Ethan Elmer, senior strong safety Bryce Atagi, senior free safety Mark Fancher, senior cornerback Schuyler Jackson.
All-Sunflower League returnees: Senior Darion Hillman, first-team offensive line, first team All-Class 6A; senior Bryce Atagi, second-team running back and strong safety; senior Mark Fancher, second-team free safety and kick returner.
Season outlook: “Our kids have worked hard to raise the bar at SMNW and are excited about going into the season with these raised expectations,” Barnett said. “We have a very strong senior class with an excellent work ethic who are ready to compete.”
Offensive breakdown: “We will be a good offense that will look a lot different than last year without (NCAA) Division I quarterback Alex Carder,” Barnett said. “I think we will be just as good, but different. Mark Fancher is expected to move to QB along with senior Patrick Lancaster. Running back Bryce Atagi will be a three-year starter for the Cougars at running back and is a workhorse. Darion Hillman returns as one of the best interior linemen in the metro. Overall depth at the line position will be a strength. We will not be huge but strong and quick.”
Defensive breakdown: “We will work hard to develop (the) linebacker (position) in the early part of practice. Graduation hit us the hardest at this position. We have unproven players at linebacker but players who can fill the role if they keep getting better. Secondary will be a strong point with three returning starters. Defensive line will be solid with four players with varsity playing experience.”
Special teams breakdown: “Atagi will return as the punter and (junior) Matt Nowak will be the new kicker. Mark Fancher will return as one of the best kick/punt returners in the metro.”
SM South
Coach: Brandon Claypool, fifth year overall, third year at SM South.
Career record: 13-27.
Record at present school: 2-15.
Overall record last season: 2-8.
League record last season: 1-5.
State place: Lost in opening (regional) round of 6A state playoffs.
Coach’s view on the upcoming season: “As an opportunity to see what we have accomplished in the off-season and how we are developing as a program,” Claypool said. “Our players have worked very hard in the past nine months in an effort to make SM South football something special again.”
Gone: Graduated 22.
Starters returning: Dustin King, senior quarterback; Deron Dangerfield, senior wide receiver/defensive back; Alex Baker, senior offensive and defensive line; Travis Baker, senior running back/linebacker; Charles Guillen, senior offensive and defensive line, Aaron Sims, senior linebacker; Daniel Moore, senior defensive line; Danny Lamping, junior defensive back; Adam Olsen, junior defensive back; Christian Beardall, junior offensive line.
Other letterwinners returning: Senior David Saunders, senior Reggie Carter; senior Sam Chatmon, senior Evan Mateos, senior Barnett Thompson.
Athletes moving up from the sub-varsity: Senior JP Swanepoel, senior Mike Gunnoe, junior Ricky Ashley, junior Luke Foiles, junior Ryan Bingaman, junior Ethan Ray, junior Gavin Blankenship, junior Quashawn Simpson, junior Antonio McFadden, junior Johannes Swanepoel, junior Grant Hilton, junior Alex Scott, junior Nick Zuk.
Newcomers: Jake Reed, a senior transfer from Cass Midway High School.
Key to success: “If we play with confidence and improve on the fundamentals week in and week out, we can have a very successful season. As for every team in the area, staying healthy in a few key positions will be very important for us as well.”
League race: “I see it as wide open this year. There will be a lot of quality teams in the Sunflower race. A lot of teams have to fill some big holes due to graduation, so the first few weeks will tell us a lot about those teams.”
SM West
Tim Callaghan, sixth year.
Overall record last season: 5-4.
League record last season: 5-1.
Last league title: 2006.
Last playoff game: 2006.
Last state title: 1985.
Coach’s view on the upcoming season: “This is a hard-working group of players who want to prove themselves,” Callaghan said. “They will be competitive on Friday nights. The line will be the key on both sides of the ball. We feel we have lost a few players off of last year’s team. The competition will be high for the spots to replace them. This team will be young and build during the season. There is a good mix of seniors, juniors and perhaps a few sophomores. They have lofty goals but are humble enough to realize they need to be on top of their game every time they step on the field. They have shown they are hungry enough to do all they are asked.”
Returning starters: Senior running back Zach Allen, 5-11, 185; senior receiver Danny Herring, 6-1, 180; senior tight end/fullback Justin Scott, 5-10, 215; junior quarterback D.J. Balazs, 5-10, 165; senior receiver Brandon Huske, 5-9, 145; senior receiver Ray Brenson, 5-8, 160; junior linebacker Adam Leblanc, 6-0, 185; senior linebacker Justin Scott, 5-10, 215; senior linebacker Preston Garcia, 6-0, 185; senior defensive back Danny Herring, 6-1, 180; senior defensive back Darron Harvey, 6-2, 195; junior kicker/punter Justin Scott, 5-10, 215.
Players to watch: Seniors Cameron Fabert, Alex Harold, Spencer White, Adam Zweiful and Joe Minter; juniors Jake Edwards, Alex Martinez, Alex Snook, Austin Perez, Drew Thornton, Chris Santee and Kevin Webster; sophomores Conner Askren, Drew Humphries, Jordan Chapman and Cordi Pascal.
League outlook: “Olathe North and East look strong, as do Lawrence Free State and SM Northwest and SM East.”
Players lost: Four.
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When the five Sunflower League football coaches who head Sun Country programs weighed in with their responses, some used our form. Others got to the lines and called a few audibles.
No matter. We were all about gaining those coach insights, straight from their computers to your kitchen tables.
And here they are:
SM East
Coach: John Stonner, eighth year at SM East, sixth year as head coach, 22 years coaching experience.
Overall record last year: 2-7
Overall league record last year: 1-5.
League finish: Ninth out of 12 teams.
Returning starters: Senior quarterback Curran Darling (587 passing yards in four games with three touchdowns); senior tailback/outside linebacker Marcus Webb (408 all-purpose yards, 30 solo tackles); senior split end/defensive back Kevin Hertel (13 receptions for 151 yards); junior halfback/defensive back Stewart Jensen; junior center Jake Fleming; senior offensive guard Ben Gloe; senior offensive tackle Jonathan Zeigler; junior linebacker Gabe Miller; senior linebacker Calvin Tidwell.
Lancers analysis: “The Lancers football team comes off a 2-7 season after posting back-to-back winning regular seasons for the first time in 30 years,” Stonner said. “The Lancers will rely on the strong arm of Curran Darling and the running of Marcus Webb on offense. On defense the Lancers return several starters including Marcus Webb, Stewart Jensen and Ben Gloe that should form a strong nucleus.”
SM North
Coach: Ryan Majors, fourth year overall and at SM North.
Career record: 4-23.
Overall record last season: 1-8.
League record: 1-7.
League place: 12th.
How do you look at the upcoming season?: “A great opportunity to start progressing up in our league and see the results of the hard work and rebuilding of the program which our athletes have been working toward each day,” Majors said.
Number of athletes graduated or not returning: 16.
Returning offensive starters: Senior linemen Josh Arrington, Adrian Iliescu, Richard Pearson and Jacob Winsby; senior running back/wide receiver Owola Shields; junior quarterback Arthur Rucker, 72 of 149 passing for 983 yards with seven touchdowns, eight interceptions and a 63.13 quarterback rating.
Returning defensive starters: senior lineman Richard Pearson, senior lineman Jermaine Rollins, senior cornerback Owola Shields, senior linebacker Zack Latham, junior linebacker Dallas Buck, senior back Josh Bernal.
What will be the keys to success for your team?: “We have experience on both the offensive and defensive lines, along with a handful of starters in our skill positions and secondary/linebacking crew that we feel have a great opportunity to take their past experiences and make them a positive turn this season. We are going to rely heavily on these seniors and their perseverance in our program.”
How do you look at the league race?: “We start our season with a couple of games that we had opportunities to have some success in and it is fueling our kids in all of their off-season and practice preparations. We know they will be hard-fought contests this year as well. I think this year’s league race will be a very tight race for all teams, and wide open (as) to who can emerge as the elite in the league.”
SM Northwest
Coach: Aaron Barnett, third year at SM Northwest, 11th year as a head coach. Overall Barnett is 61-35 as a head coach and 13-7 at SM Northwest.
Last season: 9-2 overall, Sunflower League champions.
Returning offensive starters (six): Senior wide receiver Mark Fancher, senior wide receiver Nick Kolega, senior running back Bryce Atagi, senior lineman Ben Davis, senior lineman Darion Hillman, senior lineman Nick Andrus.
Returning defensive starters (six): Senior lineman Darion Hillman, senior lineman Tucker Hewitt, senior linebacker Ethan Elmer, senior strong safety Bryce Atagi, senior free safety Mark Fancher, senior cornerback Schuyler Jackson.
All-Sunflower League returnees: Senior Darion Hillman, first-team offensive line, first team All-Class 6A; senior Bryce Atagi, second-team running back and strong safety; senior Mark Fancher, second-team free safety and kick returner.
Season outlook: “Our kids have worked hard to raise the bar at SMNW and are excited about going into the season with these raised expectations,” Barnett said. “We have a very strong senior class with an excellent work ethic who are ready to compete.”
Offensive breakdown: “We will be a good offense that will look a lot different than last year without (NCAA) Division I quarterback Alex Carder,” Barnett said. “I think we will be just as good, but different. Mark Fancher is expected to move to QB along with senior Patrick Lancaster. Running back Bryce Atagi will be a three-year starter for the Cougars at running back and is a workhorse. Darion Hillman returns as one of the best interior linemen in the metro. Overall depth at the line position will be a strength. We will not be huge but strong and quick.”
Defensive breakdown: “We will work hard to develop (the) linebacker (position) in the early part of practice. Graduation hit us the hardest at this position. We have unproven players at linebacker but players who can fill the role if they keep getting better. Secondary will be a strong point with three returning starters. Defensive line will be solid with four players with varsity playing experience.”
Special teams breakdown: “Atagi will return as the punter and (junior) Matt Nowak will be the new kicker. Mark Fancher will return as one of the best kick/punt returners in the metro.”
SM South
Coach: Brandon Claypool, fifth year overall, third year at SM South.
Career record: 13-27.
Record at present school: 2-15.
Overall record last season: 2-8.
League record last season: 1-5.
State place: Lost in opening (regional) round of 6A state playoffs.
Coach’s view on the upcoming season: “As an opportunity to see what we have accomplished in the off-season and how we are developing as a program,” Claypool said. “Our players have worked very hard in the past nine months in an effort to make SM South football something special again.”
Gone: Graduated 22.
Starters returning: Dustin King, senior quarterback; Deron Dangerfield, senior wide receiver/defensive back; Alex Baker, senior offensive and defensive line; Travis Baker, senior running back/linebacker; Charles Guillen, senior offensive and defensive line, Aaron Sims, senior linebacker; Daniel Moore, senior defensive line; Danny Lamping, junior defensive back; Adam Olsen, junior defensive back; Christian Beardall, junior offensive line.
Other letterwinners returning: Senior David Saunders, senior Reggie Carter; senior Sam Chatmon, senior Evan Mateos, senior Barnett Thompson.
Athletes moving up from the sub-varsity: Senior JP Swanepoel, senior Mike Gunnoe, junior Ricky Ashley, junior Luke Foiles, junior Ryan Bingaman, junior Ethan Ray, junior Gavin Blankenship, junior Quashawn Simpson, junior Antonio McFadden, junior Johannes Swanepoel, junior Grant Hilton, junior Alex Scott, junior Nick Zuk.
Newcomers: Jake Reed, a senior transfer from Cass Midway High School.
Key to success: “If we play with confidence and improve on the fundamentals week in and week out, we can have a very successful season. As for every team in the area, staying healthy in a few key positions will be very important for us as well.”
League race: “I see it as wide open this year. There will be a lot of quality teams in the Sunflower race. A lot of teams have to fill some big holes due to graduation, so the first few weeks will tell us a lot about those teams.”
SM West
Tim Callaghan, sixth year.
Overall record last season: 5-4.
League record last season: 5-1.
Last league title: 2006.
Last playoff game: 2006.
Last state title: 1985.
Coach’s view on the upcoming season: “This is a hard-working group of players who want to prove themselves,” Callaghan said. “They will be competitive on Friday nights. The line will be the key on both sides of the ball. We feel we have lost a few players off of last year’s team. The competition will be high for the spots to replace them. This team will be young and build during the season. There is a good mix of seniors, juniors and perhaps a few sophomores. They have lofty goals but are humble enough to realize they need to be on top of their game every time they step on the field. They have shown they are hungry enough to do all they are asked.”
Returning starters: Senior running back Zach Allen, 5-11, 185; senior receiver Danny Herring, 6-1, 180; senior tight end/fullback Justin Scott, 5-10, 215; junior quarterback D.J. Balazs, 5-10, 165; senior receiver Brandon Huske, 5-9, 145; senior receiver Ray Brenson, 5-8, 160; junior linebacker Adam Leblanc, 6-0, 185; senior linebacker Justin Scott, 5-10, 215; senior linebacker Preston Garcia, 6-0, 185; senior defensive back Danny Herring, 6-1, 180; senior defensive back Darron Harvey, 6-2, 195; junior kicker/punter Justin Scott, 5-10, 215.
Players to watch: Seniors Cameron Fabert, Alex Harold, Spencer White, Adam Zweiful and Joe Minter; juniors Jake Edwards, Alex Martinez, Alex Snook, Austin Perez, Drew Thornton, Chris Santee and Kevin Webster; sophomores Conner Askren, Drew Humphries, Jordan Chapman and Cordi Pascal.
League outlook: “Olathe North and East look strong, as do Lawrence Free State and SM Northwest and SM East.”
Players lost: Four.