Week 4 carries special significance for most area high school football teams because it marks the start of district play.
Iola High is in the same boat. Even after dropping two straight, to Wellsville and Parsons, the Mustangs, like the other teams in Class 3A, District 2 are 0-0 in the race that determines its postseason fate. Iola travels to Anderson County, which is riding a two-game winning streak, having defeated Osawatomie and Santa Fe Trail in the prior two weeks.
In Class 2A, District 2, Humboldt opens district play with what is shaping up to be one of the games of the year.
Both the Cubs and the Council Grove Braves are 3-0 headed into districts, and neither has seen much of a challenge. Humboldt has won its three games by a combined score of 122-18, including consecutive shutouts over Caney Valley and Neodesha. Council Grove has been even more dominant, albeit against weaker competition, with three straight shutouts over Central Heights, Mission Valley and Northern Heights.
The rest of Humboldt’s district doesn’t look much easier. The other three teams in West Franklin, Eureka and Osage City are a combined 7-2, with a number of impressive victories already on their resume.
In eight-man play, Crest opens district play at winless Hartford. The Lancers (2-1) have been dominant in their two victories, sandwiched around a hard-fought 70-54 loss to fellow eight-man power Chase County in Week 2.
Marmaton Valley (1-2) opens district play with a homecoming affair against Marais des Cygnes Valley. The Trojans are 0-3 on the season.
Yates Center is 0-3, but like the others, is effectively 0-0 headed into district play. The Wildcats travel to Oswego Friday.
THE SOLE exception to the district scheduling is Southern Coffey County, which already has played two district games, including last week’s 62-14 win over Chetopa. The Titans will look to make it two in a row with a game Friday at Wetmore.
