NORTH CENTRAL KANSAS WEEK 1 PICK SIX
 
DERBY AT MANHATTAN
 
Manhattan opened eyes across the state when it opened the season with a 26-23 overtime win over Derby, rallying from down 23-15 to start the fourth quarter to win it on Braxton Frey’s field goal. The loss was the first at home for Derby since 2014 and set the tone for Manhattan’s best season in nearly four decades. The Indians rode the confidence and momentum from the win to a 13-0 season and Class 6A state championship, clinched with a 21-20 double-overtime win over Gardner-Edgerton in the title game. That came after the Indians beat Derby for a second time, 28-23, in the state semifinals, denying the Panthers an eighth straight championship game appearance. Manhattan’s state title was its first since 1988. Unlike a year ago, both teams go into this year’s opener with plenty of unknowns in their offensive backfield as Manhattan graduated Top 11 quarterback Keenan Schartz and very other skill starter. Derby is in the same boat, graduating two-time Top 11 running back Dylan Edwards and only returns receiver Colton Ruedy from its skill starters. Both teams should be solid defensively as the new offensive pieces find their footing as Manhattan returns second-leading tackler Max Stanard seven starters and Derby returns standout corner Demaria’e Baker among five starters. Derby is ranked No. 3 in 6A to start the season while Manhattan is No. 4.
 
 
WICHITA EAST AT WASHBURN RURAL
 
There was plenty of offense on display in last year’s season-opener between Rural and East and there’s little reason to expect anything different in the rematch on Friday. Last year, Rural trailed 42-33 in the fourth quarter before scoring 16 points in the final period to claim a wild 49-42 victory. The Junior Blues went on to post an 8-3 season while East finished 6-4. Both return most of their key pieces on offense. Branton Deweese is a three-year starter at quarterback for the Junior Blues and last year threw for 1,884 yards and 25 touchdowns with 12 of them going to returning receiver Titan Osburn. The Junior Blues will have to replace leading rusher Ma’kenttis Adams. Rural’s defense lost all-time leading tackler Ty Weber, but the unit may still be the strength of the team with several key pieces back among the front seven. The performance of Rural’s secondary will be key against East as the Blue Aces’ passing game could be the best in 6A this year. Like DeWeese, East’s Dae’onte Mitchell is a three-year starter at quarterback, taking over as a freshman. He threw for 2,279 yards and 24 TDs last year and has back not only All-6A receiver Marcus White, but all three of his all-leaguers from that group as well as 1,000-yard rusher Rayvelle Leaks.
 
 
WAMEGO AT CLAY CENTER
 
Wamego is coming off the best season in school history, going 12-1 and reaching its first-ever state championship game, falling in the Class 4A title contest to Bishop Miege. The Red Raiders set the tone for a dominant year by their defense, shutting down what became a potent Clay Center offense in a 45-6 victory in last year’s opener. Wamego allowed the fewest points in Class 4A last year, yielding just 83 through 12 games before Miege’s explosive offense went for 35 in the title game. Defense figures to be Wamego’s calling card again this year with six starters back on that side of the ball, including leading tackler Gannon Couture. The offense survived a preseason injury to standout Hayden Oviatt a year ago with Colin Donahue stepping in and leading a prolific passing attack. Oviatt, Donahue and leading receivers Hagan Johnson and Chase Cottam all have graduated, leaving big voids to fill around returning backs Thomas McIntyre and Porter Smith. Clay Center, meanwhile, has considerably fewer question marks as it looks to build on the momentum of one of its best seasons in program history as the Tigers went 8-4 and reached the Class 3A semifinals. Replacing quarterback Mark Hoffman and All-3A lineman Luke Young are the Tigers’ top tasks but the team’s three leading rushers from last year – Carter Long, Brody Hayes and Owen Craig – return on offense and the top-five tacklers on defense are also back. Wamego is ranked No. 4 in 4A to start the season and Clay Center is No. 5 in 3A.
 
 
HOLTON AT NEMAHA CENTRAL
 
Nemaha Central didn’t have a whole lot of true tests during its 13-0 season on its way to capturing the program’s second Class 2A state championship in four years with the Thunder having an average margin of victory of 36.7 points per game. But its annual battle with Holton was the usual knock-down, drag-out affair with the Thunder taking a hard-fought 35-28 victory. The victory set the Thunder on their way to the title which they capped with a 33-17 win over fellow unbeaten Kingman in the championship game. Nemaha will have to replace Top 11 running back Cooper Hajek after he ran for 2,094 yards and 42 touchdowns and also led the team in tackles. But the Thunder still have a monstrous offensive and defense line led by All-2A pick Holden Bass. Holton bounced back from the loss to Nemaha to win 11 straight games to reach the Class 3A state championship game where the Wildcats fell to four-time reigning champion Andale 28-0. Holton also returns strength in numbers on the lines around returning All-3A pick Dalton Roush. However, the Wildcat backfield will have a vastly different look as all the major contributors to Holton’s 4,724 rushing yards a year ago have graduated. No returning back gained more than 78 yards last year. Both teams are accustomed to reloading and should be contenders again with Nemaha opening the season ranked No. 1 in 2A.
 
 
ELLSWORTH AT BELOIT
 
At the time, Ellsworth’s 14-6 win over Beloit in last year’s season opener was an absolute stunner. The Bearcats were coming off just a 2-7 record in 2021 while Beloit was coming off a runner-up finish in Class 2A, falling in the finals to Rossville. But as the 2022 season went on, Ellsworth more than backed up the upset. Riding a defense that surrendered just 40 points in their first seven games, the Bearcats started the season 7-0. The only losses Ellsworth ended up suffering in an 8-2 season came to teams who were undefeated at the time – Southeast of Saline in the district finale and eventual runner-up Kingman in the playoffs. Ellsworth is more than poised to back up last year’s success, returning all but one defensive starter and all but three players off last year’s team. The Bearcats will be senior-dominant this season, led by returning two-way standout Loden West – the leading tackler and rusher – and quarterback Wes Cravens. Beloit took another big hit from graduation, losing two-time All-2A lineman Grady Seyfert and 2,000-yard rusher Logan Arasmith. The Trojans have shown the ability to absorb big losses in recent seasons and have a strong line returning around Brody Widrig and Quinn Eilert is a three-year starter both ways.
 
 
CANTON-GALVA AT LITTLE RIVER
 
The showdowns over the past three seasons between Little River and Canton-Galva have been nothing short of thrilling offensive shootouts. The two have split four meetings across those three seasons with Canton-Galva winning 56-38 in 2020 and 66-36 last year and Little River taking both meetings in 2021 by 60-52 and 76-68 scores. Both might be hard-pressed to match that kind of offense in this year’s opener as graduation absolutely decimated the skill positions for both teams. Coming off an 11-2 season and runner-up finish in Eight-Player Division I, Little River lost its top-four ground gainers including two-time All-Eight-Player I pick Braxton Lafferty. Andrew Smith was the Redskins’ leading receiver in terms of yards (433) and TDs (9) and will help new quarterback Logan Renken. Canton-Galva, meanwhile, graduated three-year starting quarterback and three-time All-Eight-Player pick Garrett Maltbie from a team that went 11-1 and lost to undefeated Axtell in the Eight-Player Division II state semifinals. Senior Lane McMannis returns as the Eagles’ lone skill player and was third on the team in rushing yards and second in tackles. Both teams should be solid up front with Canton-Galva returning all three starters, led by Wyatt Collins, and Little River returning two of three led by Carter Stansbury. Little River has played in three straight Division I title games, winning it all in 2020, and is ranked No. 4 to start the season. Canton-Galva preceded the Redskins as Division I champions in 2019 before dropping to Division II last year.