The high school football season is moving toward the final stages of the season. Most area schools are still trying to scrape together wins in order to push for a playoff position. Meanwhile, Humboldt remains in cruise control as the Cubs remain 5-0 on the season
This will be the third week the Register has done high school football picks, and I have been 7/10 so far. Seventy percent is sub par, so I will try to do better. Here are the matchups for week 6:
Iola @ Burlington
Head coach David Daugharthys Mustangs learned how to win a football game last week against Osawatomie. Iola buckled down defensively after allowing an opening score, and fresh-face quarterback Landon Carson led the offense with 3 touchdowns passing. Personally, it was not a better performance than what the Mustangs showcased for the first three quarters at Parsons, but it was a move in the right direction.
This week, the Mustangs travel to Burlington. The Wildcats are 2-0 on the season with wins against Wellsville and Council Grove, but are coming off a 22-6 loss against Prairie View. Last season, the Mustangs went 3-2 after an 0-4 start to the season, to finish at 3-6. Iola followed up last years win against Osawatomie with a win versus Burlington and they intend to do the same. The key for Iola will be to stop quarterback Cael Johnson, the focal point of the Wildcat offense. Iola will need to win the battle in the trenches and control field position. Daugharthy has high
hopes the boys can repeat last seasons heroics and so do I.
Winner: Iola
Riverton vs. Humboldt
Senior quarterback Conor Haviland racked up 221 yards rushing on 7 carries last week against Erie in the first half. Those types of stats couldnt be replicated on the newest Madden video game if you adjusted your settings to the easiest difficulty. What makes Havilands performance unique was his perfect 4-4 in the air for 53 yards and a touchdown. Now, teams have to expect Haviland can throw, even if it is not his specialty.
Riverton ran past Northeast-Arma 48-18 last week, and crushed Erie 54-12 the Friday prior. The Rams may not be a walk in the park for the Cubs on homecoming, meaning the game will likely not be over by halftime. The toughest test of the season for the Cubs was against Eureka in Iola, when the Cubs came back late in the fourth quarter. A similar test could present itself this weekend, but Im sure the Cubs will not wait late into the dying minutes to wrap this game up. It should be a great evening for homecoming in Cub country.
Winner: Humboldt
St. Paul vs. Marmaton Valley
After earning a rare 2-point lead to start, the Wildcats allowed 26 unanswered points to Crest, dropping to 1-4 on the season. Marmaton Valley has only been able to generate 50 points on offense through five games, averaging 10 points per contest. In many cases, 10 points are not enough unless your defense is stellar.
The Wildcats face St. Paul, who has been on an absolute tear through the first five games of the season. The Indians have scored 50 or more points in every matchup other than when they faced the Lancers, scoring only 48 (still impressive). Last week, St. Paul handled Altoona-Midway with ease, winning 76-14, and are currently ranked fourth in the state for 8M-II football. Miracles are always a possibility, but in this case, seem nearly impossible.
