Ryan Wood’s Weekly Football Report
Area Top Five
Players of the Week
School | Record | Previous | Last Week | This Week | Comment |
1. Ottawa | 5-0 | 1 | beat KC Sumner 37-19 | at Atchison | Area’s most potent offense |
2. Tonganoxie | 5-0 | 2 | beat Santa Fe Trail 24-0 | at Mill Valley | Excellent defense gets huge test Friday |
3. Baldwin | 4-1 | 3 | beat Spring Hill 41-15 | vs. Eudora | Micah Mason, O-line spectacular vs. Broncos |
4. De Soto | 4-1 | 5 | beat Perry-Lecompton 21-14 | at Santa Fe Trail | Underrated Wildcats keep winning |
5. Eudora | 4-1 | NR | beat Wellsville 14-7 | at Baldwin | Schedule gets tough starting Friday |
Dropped out: Mill Valley (3-2). |
City
Taylor Parker
Lawrence
HT: 5-7 WT: 160
Class: Senior
Position: Quarterback
The Game: In an offense with so many running options, Parker punished the Olathe North defense in a 21-16 Lions victory. Parker ran the ball 22 times for 138 yards, had two rushing touchdowns, and added a 25-yard passing touchdown in the second half. Parker’s performance helped LHS beat O-North for the first time since 1995.
Comment: “Pound for pound, he’s probably the strongest kid on this team,” LHS coach Dirk Wedd said. “He got all those yards with his heart.”
Honorable Mention: Will Malcolm, Free State, senior; Drew Cummings, Lawrence, senior.
Area
Micah Mason
Baldwin
HT: 6-0 WT: 210
Class: Senior
Position: Running back
The game: Mason had one of the area’s best performances of the season Friday, garnering 303 rushing yards on 22 carries in Baldwin’s 41-15 victory over Spring Hill. Mason had five touchdowns — two of them on runs of 77 and 67 yards — and helped improve Baldwin’s record to 4-1 in front of a homecoming crowd.
Comment: “Our offensive lineman came off the ball and got the job done up front,” Baldwin coach Mike Berg said. “Micah found the open holes, and ran hard. He’s done that for us his whole career.”
Honorable Mention: Todd Newell, junior, Oskaloosa; Tim Hopkins, senior, Tonganoxie.