The question on almost everyone’s mind going into the 2019 football schedule has to do with Sedgwick County and its run of dominance. Can the Cougars keep it going and win a fifth straight state title? If not, who will be the program that puts an end to the run that is currently tied for the fourth longest in state history?
WILL SEDGWICK COUNTY AND HOEHNE MEET IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME AGAIN?
If the preseason rankings are accurate, we could be in for a repeat of last year’s title game. Sedgwick County opened as the #1 team, receiving 11 of 12 first place votes. Hoehne, who fell to the Cougars 58-14 last year, took the remaining first place vote and will begin the season ranked #2.
The Cougars, who also beat Hoehne 40-8 in the season-opener in 2018, once again find themselves needing to break in a new starting quarterback, with the departure of Ethan Walter. Walter threw for more than 700 yards and added another 800 on the ground. Coupled with the loss of two-time Player of the Year, Layne Green, the Cougars must replace nearly 2000 yards on the ground. Beau Parker, who finished second on the team last year behind Green with 952 yards, has rushed for more than 2400 in his first three years. Whoever ends up at QB (Jared Ehmke was the backup last year) will have last year’s leading receiver, Terrance Heath (19/341/5) back as a target. Defensively, Sedgwick County will return its top two tacklers from last year in Dalton Carlson (77 tackles) and Parker (73 tackles). Junior defensive back, Jaciel Villalobos, led the squad with five interceptions a season ago.
Hoehne finished last year with an 11-2 mark, both losses coming against Sedgwick County. Most of the 11 straight wins between the bookend losses weren’t close. Only two came by fewer than 20 points. In what has been the calling card of the program, the Farmers rolled up a ton of yards on the ground, amassing more than 3900. However, the top two backs from last year are gone, with Trystan Moltrer (1659 yards) and Kyle Rowe (1112 yards) both having graduated. That leaves junior quarterback Weston Hill (688 yards) as the top returner. Hill also threw for close to 900 yards. Dario Orozco will have the chance to step into a more prominent role after gaining 221 yards last season. The Farmers will have to replace four of their top five tacklers from 2018, with only Shane Montoya (99 tackles) returning from that group.
MERINO, CALICHE POISED TO LEAD CHALLENGERS IN PLAINS
Preseason #3 Merino handed Sedgwick County its only loss last year, a 27-24 defeat in the regular season finale. When they met in the semifinals, the Cougars posted a 32-0 shutout of the Rams. The scenario was nearly completely opposite when Sedgwick County faced Caliche, the fifth-ranked team in the initial poll. The Cougars rolled to a 36-0 victory in the regular season, but had their hands full in the quarters, eventually claiming a 28-16 victory.
Merino had key players out for long stretches during the season, but got healthy at just the right time. The Rams will have a hole in the running game to will, with the loss of 1000-yard rusher, Matt Frank, but returning Cade Conger at QB will help. As a junior, Conger finished with 756 yards through the air and 704 on the ground. Trent Elliott, who was second on the team last year with just 859 yards, will take some of the pressure off Conger. After finishing with 143 tackles last season, Elliott will need some help on defense, as the Rams lost their second, third, and fourth leading defenders. Elliott’s total was five more than the next two top returning players, combined.
Speaking of voids in the running game, Caliche has a large one with the graduation of Adam Zink. Last season, Zink had 203 carries for more than 1900 yards. In his career, those numbers were 836 and 5621, both of which would have been higher, but he only played two games as a freshman. Dylan Huss, who had off-season surgery, will have the opportunity to step into that workhorse role, as he was second on the Buffs last year with 860 yards and 12 touchdowns. Huss also threw for a team-high 192 yards, just ahead of Ezekiel Johnson, who also returns. Those two are the top returning defenders, and they should receive plenty of help from Correy Derr, Braydon East, and Riley Stump.
Dayspring Christian and Akron also drew consideration in the opening poll. The Eagles will have their talented junior quarterback, Christian Still, back after throwing for close to 1800 yards last year, and running for just under 500. Akron has a number of holes to fill, as the leading skill player from last year, Cameron Collins, recorded 10 yards from scrimmage. The defense does return Xavier Livesay, who registered 82 tackles last year as a freshman, and junior Kacyn Kessinger (54 tackles).
WEST GRAND, RANGELY TO SLUG IT OUT IN NORTHWEST?
Two seasons after playing in the state championship game, West Grand opens 2019 ranked fourth, but the Mustangs have some questions to answer. First off, who replaces their do-it-all standout, Luis Dominguez, who tallied almost 2600 yards of offense? They must also fill the void left by leading receiver Hugh Wheatley, and their top three tacklers.
Helping answer the first question is the return of Rene Dominguez (717 yards rushing), Jakob Buller (221 yards), and Jesus Dominguez (114 yards). Rene Dominguez was second on the team with 10 receptions, and Collin Warren was second in yardage with 190. The defense will still feature Alejandro Castanon, who recorded 75 tackles and four sacks.
Rangely finished second to the Mustangs in the Northwest, following a hard fought 20-6 loss at home. The Panthers only managed 169 yards of offense in that contest, and only one player who touched the ball returns. Tytus Coombs, who rushed for 51 yards in the loss, was second on the team last year with close to 700 yards and nine touchdowns. He’ll be joined by Anthony Lujan, Zane Varner, and Keihlin Myers as returning skill position players on the offense. Lujan and Coombs are also top defenders for the Panthers, who must find a replacement for Devin Ramirez, who registered 14 interceptions last season.
Vail Christian, who finished third in the division, also received votes. For Soroco, fourth place in the division last year, the big challenge is finding someone to step into the void left by Jace Logan and his 7595 yards over the last three seasons.
FIVE TEAM RACE IN THE MOUNTAIN DIVISION?
Five teams finished the 2018 season with winning records, and four of them received votes to start this year. Of the five, only Norwood, who went 5-4, did not merit consideration from the voters. However, Sangre de Cristo, winless in 2018, gained one vote.
Leading the pack is #6 Mancos, the division champion last season. The Bluejays were undefeated entering the playoffs, where they were blanked by Merino, 40-0. Mancos won an earlier match-up with the Rams, 14-6. They will return their second, third, and fourth leading rushers from last year, led by quarterback Breccen Morelli, who tallied 648 yards on the ground and 538 through the air. Helping provide balance in the backfield will be Anthony Medina (636 yards) and Chase Moore (489 yards). Morelli will also have his favorite target, Christian Cova, back. Colt Fury led the defense with 128 tackles as a sophomore last year, and he looks to get plenty of help from all four of those offensive standouts.
Sargent was the runner-up in the division last year and the Farmers got bounced by Holly in an exciting first round play-off game, 42-36 in double overtime. That loss snapped a streak of four straight wins with at least 57 points scored. That explosive offense will need a number of younger players to step up, as the top returning players on that side of the ball are Cole Seger (13 receptions, 378 yards) and Blake Behil, who ran for 71 yards. While that unit gets settled in, the defense will have two very active players back, led by junior Braxton Asbell (104 tackles). Fellow junior Kage Pepper recorded 84 stops last year.
Sanford and Dove Creek finished in a three-way tie for third with Norwood last season, and they both find themselves in the group of teams receiving votes to begin this year. Sanford started the year 5-0, but stumbled down the stretch, dropping three of its last four. While the Indians have to replace Chase Holman and his nearly 1000 passing yards, the return of the versatile Clay Canty will go a long way. Canty led the team with 859 yards on the ground, while also throwing for 252, and hauling in five passes for 173. Kelton Gartrell added 722 yards rushing and 198 yards receiving. Thomas Faucette led the Indians with 76 tackles as a junior last year, and he’ll spearhead a unit that has two more top five defenders back from last year in Gartrell (67) and Canty (43).
After a three-game winning streak midway through the year, Dove Creek went 1-2, finishing with a 5-4 mark. Chorbin Cressler was called upon to lead the offense last year as a freshman QB and he put up solid numbers, throwing for 582 yards, but rushing for 1243 and 20 touchdowns. He’ll be joined again by top runners Gauge Thompson, Gage Bailey, and Walker Cressler. Thompson was also his leading receiver last year. The defense struggled at times last year, giving up 337 points, 76 in a loss to Sargent. Wyatt Kennedy was the leading tackler as a freshman, recording 68 stops, while Thompson led the back end of the unit with seven interceptions.
Sangre de Cristo is the biggest question mark of the teams in the division receiving votes. The Thunderbirds went 0-9 last year and were outscored 521-98, allowing 50 or more points seven times. They do return Zeb Stephens and Kevin Enriquez, who combined to throw for 1381 yards, but Stephens is the top returning runner, with 11 yards last season.
CAN PIKES PEAK CHRISTIAN REPEAT AS SOUTHERN CHAMPS?
Last season got off to a rough start for #7 Pikes Peak Christian, as the Eagles would drop a 22-6 decision at home to Merino. They rallied themselves and did not lose another game until the state semifinals, winning 10 straight games along the way. Looking to build upon that success, the Eagles will return most of their key players, as they try to win a second straight Southern Division crown.
Hudson Grant led the team in rushing and receiving as a junior last year, tallying 1188 yards on the ground and 325 as a receiver. He’ll have another year in the backfield with quarterback Jackson Thorne, who threw for better than 800 yards, and Sean McKinley, who ran for 864 yards. Grant and McKinley each scored 15 rushing touchdowns. The top two tacklers from last year return, as Andrew Harris (92) and Grant (80) will lead a unit that only allowed 160 points all season.
Simla is expected to once again push the Eagles for the league crown after finishing second to them a season ago. The Cubs were bittern by the turnover bug in a 20-12 loss on the road, as the Eagles intercepted a pair of passes. Simla might have to lean a little heavily on senior running back Darias Harms, who ran for 1018 yards and 18 touchdowns last year. Their most experienced quarterback on the roster this year only attempted three passes last season, and aside from Harms, no one else on the squad ran for as many as 100 yards.
WHO CHALLENGES HOEHNE IN THE ARK VALLEY?
While Hoehne is considered a pretty clear favorite to win the Ark Valley, at least two other squads were on the minds of voters. Fowler, who finished third in the conference last year, opens this season at #8, while last year’s runner-up in the league, Holly, is on the outside of the top 10 to begin things.
The Grizzlies, who were shutout by Caliche in the opening round of the play-offs, return a number of top players on offense, including quarterback Luke Bitter. The senior missed three games last year, but still finished with 493 yards passing and 228 yards rushing. He’s joined in the backfield by juniors Jackson Bates (606 yards rushing), Damian Romero (241 yards rushing), and Braxton Bates (115 yards rushing, 144 yards passing). A new receiving threat will need to be developed, as the Grizzlies saw their top three in that department graduate.
The defense also has lots of talent returning, including last year’s top three tacklers. Gabriel Proctor led the way with 105 stops, while Johnathan Mobbley (89) and Thor Schiffer (66) round out the leaders. Schiffer topped the unit with five sacks.
For the first time since 2016, Holly will be putting the ball in the hands of a primary quarterback not named Kobe Davis. Davis, who was a three-year starter at the position, threw for close to 2100 yards last season. Five of his top six targets were also seniors, leaving only Andy Ramos (22 rec., 272 yards, six TD) with more than two catches. Dakota Eaton threw for 220 yards as a freshman last year, and it looks like it will be his show this season. Senior Alex Ramos (628 yards) is the top runner coming back for the Wildcats, and sophomore Donovan Pecina showed promise last year as a freshman.
While the top three tacklers are gone from last year, the next three, and five of the next six, are all back. Grayden Flint (80), Diego Tamayo (71), Andy Ramos (64), Alex Ramos (49), and Eli Ramos (47) all give the Wildcats experience on that side of the ball. Eli Ramos recorded eight sacks in 10 games as a freshman.
