Week 7 saw some big-time matchups across the state.
And boy did they deliver.
Class 6A No. 1 Derby got a major scare from the last team it lost to, Maize, in a heavyweight showdown in Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Division I. Maize jumped out to a 14-0 lead and led 21-7 before Derby stormed back with 28 straight points.
The madness was just getting started. Maize answered with two scores to tie the game early in the fourth quarter before Dylan Edwards' 23-yard run put Derby back up 42-35 with 1:38 left. Maize got a 16-yard touchdown pass from Avery Johnson to Justin Stephens with 38 seconds left and the Eagles opted to go for two and the win.
But Britton Pascual intercepted the conversion pass and Derby recovered the ensuing onside kick to hold on for a 42-41 win.
That thriller was just the tip of the iceberg.
- Class 2A No. 1 Rossville overcame the loss of All-State quarterback Torrey Horak to survive its War on 24 battle with arch rival and No. 2 Silver Lake 24-19. The Bulldawgs saw a 10-0 halftime lead disappear quickly in the second half, but rallied behind tailback-turned quarterback Corey Catron and their offensive line and came up with a sack to end the game with Silver Lake trying to drive for the game-winning score.
- Hays and Class 5A No. 5 Maize South had their own shootout with Hays holding on for a 47-43 win. Hays got an 11-yard touchdown run from Roy Moroni with 1:17left after Maize South had gone up 43-40 with 2:34 left. The Indians then saw the Mavericks drive to the Indians 2 before a pass into the end zone fell incomplete to end the game.
- Lawrence knocked off Class 6A No. 4 Olathe North, getting a 26-yard field goal from Grant Glasgow on the final play of the game.
- Dodge City and Garden City went to double overtime in their rivalry Hatchet Game. The Red Demons came back from down 19 to force overtime and got a touchdown run from Rudy Hernandez to take the lead and an interception from D'Andre Vontress to clinch the win. Dodge City kicker Emmanuel Aguilar had field goals of 52 and 55 yards in the game.
- Blue Valley rallied with 10 points in the fourth quarter to edge Blue Valley West 23-17, getting the game-winner from quarterback Greyson Holbert with just more than two minutes to play.
- Cimarron got a field goal from Braxton Harrison with 2:44 left to beat TMP-Marian 11-8 in a defensive slugfest.
- Hill City knocked off Eight-Man Division I No. 4 WaKeeney-Trego as Kaleb Atkins scored a touchdown with 19 seconds remaining for a wild 56-50 win.
The flurry of thrillers combined with a handful of other upsets led to changes in the rankings in nearly every classification with only Class 3A and Class 1A staying the game
In Class 6A, Blue Valley flipped positions with Blue Valley Northwest, moving up to No. 2 after Northwest suffered its first loss of the season, 35-16 to St. Thomas Aquinas. The Huskies dropped to No. 3 while Free State moved up from No. 5 to No. 4 after North's loss to Lawrence with the Lions moving into the rankings at No. 5
In Class 5A, Hays replaced Maize South at No. 5.
In Class 4A, McPherson falls out of the rankings after suffering its second straight loss, falling to Mulvane 22-12. Wamego, which has won six straight since a four-overtime loss to Concordia in the season opener, replaces McPherson at No. 5.
Silver Lake's loss to Rossville dropped the Eagles just one spot in the 2A rankings with Silver Lake switching places with another Eagle team, unbeaten Wellsville.
In Eight-Man Division I, Chase County moves up one place to No. 4 after WaKeeney-Trego's loss, the Golden Eagles replaced in the rankings by unbeaten Meade, which comes in at No. 5.
In Eight-Player Division II, Frankfort falls out of the rankings after getting throttled 60-12 by No. 2 Thunder Ridge. Unbeaten Bucklin moves up to No. 4, while Lebo takes over at No. 5.
The ranks of the unbeaten shrunk by five as Blue Valley Northwest, WaKeeney-Trego, Concordia, Caldwell and Medicine Lodge all suffered their first losses of the season. Concordia fell 48-7 to Riley County, Caldwell lost 46-34 to South Barber and Medicine Lodge dropped a 44-14 decision to Argonia-Attica.
The KSHSAA Covered rankings are compiled by the four-man staff of Brent Maycock, Scott Paske, Rick Peterson Jr. and Mac Moore.
CLASS 6A
Team 2021 Record
- Derby (1) 6-0
- Blue Valley (3) 6-1
- Blue Valley Northwest (2) 6-1
- Free State (5) 6-1
- Lawrence (NR) 5-2
Others –Blue Valley West 4-3, Dodge City 5-2, Junction City 6-1, Manhattan 6-1, Olathe North 5-2, Olathe Northwest 5-2, Olathe West 5-2, Washburn Rural 5-1.
CLASS 5A
Team 2021 Record
- Bishop Carroll (1) 6-1
- Kapaun Mt. Carmel (2) 6-1
- Mill Valley (3) 6-1
- Maize (4) 5-2
- Hays (NR) 6-1
Others – Andover 5-2, Maize South 5-2, Pittsburg 5-2, Salina Central 5-2, Seaman 5-2, Spring Hill 7-0, St. Thomas Aquinas 3-4, Wichita Heights 5-2, Wichita Northwest 5-2.
CLASS 4A
Team 2021 Record
- Basehor-Linwood (1) 7-0
- Miege (2) 2-5
- Andover Central (3) 6-1
- Buhler (4) 6-1
- Wamego (NR) 6-1
Others – Atchison 6-1, Augusta 5-2, Chanute 6-1, Circle 5-2, KC Piper 4-3, McPherson 5-2, Mulvane 5-2, Paola 4-3.
CLASS 3A
Team 2021 Record
- Andale (1) 7-0
- Wichita Collegiate (2) 7-0
- Cheney (3) 7-0
- Holton (4) 7-0
- Frontenac (5) 6-1
Others – Caney Valley 5-2, Chapman 5-2, Concordia 6-1, Galena 6-1, Girard 7-0, Hayden 6-1, Holcomb 5-2, Parsons 5-2, Prairie View 5-2, Pratt 5-2, Riley County 7-0, Rock Creek 4-3, Southeast-Saline 7-0.
CLASS 2A
Team 2021 Record
- Rossville (1) 7-0
- Wellsville (3) 7-0
- Silver Lake (2) 5-2
- Chaparral (4) 7-0
- Hoisington (5) 6-1
Others – Atchison County 6-1, Beloit 5-2, Cimarron 6-1, Garden Plain 4-3, Hillsboro 6-1, Humboldt 5-2, Kingman 6-1, Lakin 5-2, Nemaha Central 5-2, Osage City 6-1, TMP-Marian 5-2.
CLASS 1A
Team 2021 Record
- Olpe (1) 7-0
- Smith Center (2) 7-0
- Inman (3) 7-0
- Sedgwick (4) 7-0
- Centralia (5) 6-1
Others – Conway Springs 6-1, Jefferson North 5-2, Lyndon 3-3, Plainville 4-3, Remington 3-3, Wabaunsee 5-2.
EIGHT-PLAYER DIVISION I
Team 2021 Record
- Little River (1) 7-0
- Madison (2) 7-0
- Canton-Galva (3) 5-1
- Chase County (5) 6-1
- Meade (NR) 7-0
Others – Argonia-Attica 6-1, Bennington 5-2, Clifton-Clyde 5-1, Goessel 5-2, Hill City 6-1, Leoti-Wichita County 5-2, Medicine Lodge 6-1, Sedan 7-0, Solomon 5-2, WaKeeney 6-1, West Elk 6-1, Yates Center 6-1.
EIGHT-PLAYER DIVISION II
Team 2021 Record
- Axtell (1) 7-0
- Thunder Ridge (2) 7-0
- Victoria (3) 6-1
- Bucklin (5) 7-0
- Lebo (NR) 6-1
Others – Caldwell 6-1, Dighton 6-1, Frankfort 5-2, Hanover 4-3, Norwich 4-2, Osborne 5-2, Quinter 6-1, South Barber 6-1, Waverly 4-1, Wheatland-Grinnell 5-1.