SOUTH CENTRAL KANSAS WEEK 2 PICK SIX
 
HOISINGTON (1-0) AT HESSTON (1-0)

After posting convincing victories to open the season, Central Kansas League foes Hesston and Hoisington reconnect after battling to the wire a year ago in Hoisington.
 
Hesston defeated the Cardinals 28-24 last September on a 3-yard run by Tim Rhodes with 16 seconds to play. The Swathers marched 80 yards for the winning score after Hoisington took the lead on Taylen Morales’ 3-yard run.
 
It was the second loss in an 0-3 start for Hoisington, which turned things around to finish 6-5.
 
Both teams bring momentum into the contest after Hesston opened at home with a 27-7 victory over Halstead, while Hoisington pulled away from Pratt 34-8 in its home opener. Senior Blayne Wilson rushed for 153 yards and three touchdowns in Hesston’s victory, as the Swathers pulled away with 13 fourth-quarter points.
 
Hoisington avenged a 2024 loss to Pratt behind big rushing performances by Morales and C.J. Bryant. Both scored a pair of touchdowns as Morales finished with 21 carries for 130 yards and Bryant added 8 attempts for 122 yards.

 
HUTCHINSON (1-0) AT VALLEY CENTER (1-0)

Hutchinson and Valley Center opened their seasons with victories over teams that made deep 2024 postseason runs, and will try to stay on a roll in Week 2.
 
Hutch sent reigning Class 4A champion Andover Central to its first shutout loss since 2016 and its first at home since 2012, defeating the Jaguars 34-0. The Salthawks led 7-0 at halftime, then pulled away as senior quarterback Robert Hunter finished with three passing touchdowns on five completions. Jackson Anderson sealed the shutout with a 44-yard interception return for the final touchdown.
 
Valley Center fended off last year’s 5A semifinalist Eisenhower 38-28 in its home opener, as senior Connor Thatcher passed for 278 yards and two touchdowns to sophomore Spencer Crumrine, a Sedgwick transfer. Crumrine, who hauled in five passes for 110 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown on a fourth-and-11 play to seal the victory.
 
Hutch has defeated Valley Center three times in the last five seasons, including a 13-0 victory a year ago on its home field. The Salthawks limited Valley Center to 43 yards of total offense in that game.

 
WELLINGTON (1-0) AT ANDALE (1-0)

Nobody played reigning Class 3A champion Andale closer than Wellington last season, a reassuring thought for the Crusaders after Andale opened with a 104-0 victory last week against El Dorado.
 
Andale hit the century mark for the second time in four seasons despite playing its first-team offense just 15 snaps. Quarterback Sam Harp ran for three touchdowns and passed for another during the first of back-to-back 40-point quarters for the Indians. Andale added 24 second-half points with reserves and a running clock.
 
Wellington, moving forward without All-4A first-team quarterback Dusty Bannister and wide receiver Carter Burnett, opened with a 32-13 victory over Wichita Collegiate, No. 5 in the 3A preseason rankings. Jalik Armstrong ran for 188 yards and three touchdowns as the Crusaders defeated Collegiate for the first time since 2018.
 
Andale, which has won 14 consecutive games, outlasted Wellington 56-48 last season in a game that featured nearly 1,000 yards of total offense. Bannister burned the Indians for a school-record 480 passing yards, but Andale’s defense came back strong, allowing a combined total of 33 points with four shutouts in its next eight games.

 
BLUESTEM (1-0) AT NEODESHA (1-0)

Football success has been fleeting for Tri-Valley League members Bluestem and Neodesha. Bluestem hasn’t won more than four games in a season since 1990, while Neodesha has seven consecutive losing seasons since a 5-5 record in 2017.
 
The Lions and host Bluestreaks are coming in hot for this meeting, however.
 
Bluestem opened the season with a victory over Uniontown for the second straight year, rallying from a 16-0 halftime deficit to win 30-24 on the road. Fullback Logan Squier capped the comeback with on a 3-yard touchdown run with 1:43 to play and finished with 15 carries for 143 yards to go with Axton Vice’s 178 rushing yards.
 
Neodesha won its second season opener in three seasons under coach Nathan West, avenging a setback last year to Cherryvale with a 33-6 victory. Quarterback Tayte Leck completed 11 of 19 passes for 193 yards and three touchdowns, while Jayedin Huckabey added a pair of rushing scores.
 
Since dropping games to Bluestem to end the 1998 and 1999 seasons, Neodesha has won seven straight in the series. The Bluestreaks defeated Bluestem 28-8 a year ago. A win would give Neodesha its first 2-0 start since 2015.

 
GARDEN PLAIN (1-0) AT CONWAY SPRINGS (1-0)

A coveted victory in Conway Springs’ current 25-game winning streak was its 13-7 victory over Garden Plain a year ago. The Cardinals snapped a five-game skid against their Central Plains League rivals, and went on to win their second consecutive Class 1A title.
 
Close matchups have been commonplace in the series of late, with all but one meeting decided by single digits since 2019. In last year’s game, Conway Springs scored 13 second-quarter points and held on. Logan Osner ran for 67 yards on 10 carries in the victory.
 
Garden Plain opened its season last week with a 34-15 victory at Wichita Trinity. Senior Emrick Hays rushed for a school-record 327 yards, breaking a 63-yard touchdown on the Owls’ second offensive play. He added scoring runs of 60 and 8 yards as Garden Plain won its 11^th consecutive season debut.
 
Conway Springs, No. 1 in 1A, ran for 404 yards in a 28-20 victory over Nickerson. Osner finished with 28 carries for 198 yards and two touchdowns, while Eli Benge added 18 carries for 148 yards and a score. The Cardinals scored all their points in the first half while Nickerson pulled within a score in the third quarter.

 
STERLING (1-0) AT MOUNDRIDGE (1-0)

Sterling avenged the first of its 2024 losses last week with a 47-6 victory over Sedgwick. The Black Bears will try to continue the revenge tour in their first road test against Moundridge.
 
Moundridge is coming off an impressive victory as well, thumping Bennington 52-0. The Wildcats forced three turnovers and held Bennington to 102 yards to win for the eighth time in nine games since returning to 11-player football last season.
 
Sterling, which lost to Sedgwick 42-13 in last season’s opener, dominated the Cardinals behind 155 rushing yards and four touchdowns from senior Zane Farney. The Black Bears finished with 379 yards on the ground.
 
Moundridge took down Sterling 28-7 last year on the road. The Wildcats got rushing and receiving touchdowns in that game from returning senior Kaizer Kanitz, who led Moundridge with seven carries for 63 yards.