People ask me what’s missing for the Friends football team, and my answer is always the same: An elite running back. The same thing that’s been missing the last two years. The Falcons won the KCAC in 2008 behind a great defense, the best offensive player in the league in offensive lineman Jacob Bruster and a smart-as-a-whip QB in Alex Melugin. Last year, their lack of a running back killed them. Cost them a fourth straight NAIA playoff berth.
But maybe not this year. Former Wichita Northwest and Missouri State running back Jeran Trotter appears to have found his form three games into the season — he ran for 240 yards and three touchdowns on 21 carries in the Falcons’ 35-21 win at Tabor last Saturday. For his effort, Trotter was named KCAC player of the week. I honestly believe that there’s another playoff spot up for grabs in the KCAC (Nobody is gonna beat McPherson) and Friends, if Trotter keeps playing like this, has a legitimate shot at it. I’ve always thought Trotter could be one of the best RBs in the league if he put his mind to it, and this might be the year he proves me right. We’ll see.
Fort Hays State (1-0 league, 3-0 overall) at Emporia State (1-1, 3-1), 1 p.m. — The Tigers are 3-0 for the first time since 1983 and a win here, in their first road game of the season, could propel them into the national rankings. Fort Hays quarterback Mike Garrison, a Butler Community College product, is the early leader for MIAA offensive player of the year honors as he’s thrown for 931 yards, 10 touchdowns and just one interception to go with 180 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
Emporia State pulled off the minor upset last week with a 30-27 win over Missouri Southern in which the Hornets intercepted five passes.
Other games
Washburn (0-1, 1-2) at No. 21 Central Missouri (2-0, 3-1), 1:30 p.m. – Ichabods in a fix, likely loss for Washburn
Pittsburg State (0-1, 2-1) at Missouri Western (1-0, 3-0), 6 p.m. – Western is MIAA upstart, PSU is MIAA has-been
KCAC
No. 25 Sterling (1-0, 2-0) at No. 15 Ottawa (1-1, 2-1), 6 p.m. — And the battle for second place in the KCAC begins right here. With Ottawa coming off of its first league loss in nearly two years last Saturday, a 56-24 shellacking at McPherson, the Braves could be vulnerable against a Sterling team that has been just outside of the league’s playoff race the last couple of years. Sterling tailback Rashard Colquitt is fifth in the KCAC in rushing with 100.5 yards per game and three touchdowns.
Other games
Bethany (1-1, 1-1) at MacMurray (1-1), 1 p.m. – tough loss for Swedes last week at hands of Tabor
Southwestern (0-2, 0-3) at Saint Mary (0-2, 0-3), 1:30 p.m. – Moundbuilders should get first win after three tough losses
Bethel (0-1, 0-2) at Kansas Wesleyan (2-0, 2-0), 7 p.m. – KWU still unproven in KCAC, can they contend?
Friends (1-1, 1-1) at Tabor (1-1, 1-1), 7 p.m. – Falcons need to get back on track
JAYHAWK
Dodge City (0-2, 0-3) at No. 2 Butler (2-0, 4-0), 7 p.m. — Consider this the first of the Grizzlies’ three tune-ups (Dodge City, Garden City, Independence) before back-to-back showdowns against fellow top 5 teams Coffeyville and Hutchinson in October, games that will likely go a long way toward determining the league champion and, possibly, a shot at a national title for one of the three schools. With Butler’s bye not coming until the final weekend of the regular season on Oct. 30, injuries have to be a concern.
Other games
No. 5 Coffeyville (2-0, 3-0) at Fort Scott (1-2, 1-3), 1 p.m. – Greyhounds’ season of woe continues
Garden City (1-2, 2-2) at Air Force Prep (2-2), 2 p.m. – should be another loss for Broncbusters
Highland (1-2, 1-3) at Independence (1-2, 1-3), 7 p.m. – both teams have legit shot at last playoff spot
So it looks like 2012-2013 will be the first year with the MIAA in its much-rumored 16-team format. And I thought it might be interesting to take a look at one way the conference might break up. I’m assuming they’ll go into East-West divisions, with all the Kansas, Nebraska and Oklahoma schools in the West and all the Missouri school. I think once this thing comes together that it will be hands-down, the best NCAA Division II school in the country.
And Newman University, right here in Wichita, must be kicking itself for not putting in football sometime in the last decade. You have to think that, with football, they’d be a better option than Southwest Baptist or Lincoln in the East and you could make an argument to having the Jets over either of the Oklahoma schools or Nebraska-Kearney in the West.
MIAA WEST
Pittsburg State
Fort Hays State
Emporia State
Washburn
Northeastern (Okla.) State
Central Oklahoma
Nebraska-Omaha
Nebraska-Kearney
MIAA EAST
Central Missouri
Northwest Missouri
Missouri Western
Missouri Southern
Lindenwood (Mo.)
Truman (Mo.) State
Southwest Baptist (Mo.)
Lincoln (Mo.)
So that’s my thinking as far as realignment. As far as football scheduling, right now all the MIAA teams play 11 games, and everybody plays each other, so that means two non-conference games. In the new version, the league will likely still play the two non-conference games, all 7 opponents in-division and then get to play two opponents from the opposite division. This is where you have problems. Do you let a team like Pitt State play rivalry games against Missouri Southern and NW Missouri every year or do you make everybody rotate opponents? I don’t envy new MIAA commish Bob Boerigter in trying to get this figured out, but don’t feel too bad for dude because in a couple of years he could be the most powerful guy in all of D2, with his mega-conference and all.
Just got off the phone with Hutchinson Community College men’s coach Steve Eck (hopefully he doesn’t change his cell number now) and he confirmed to me that sophomore guard Joe Mitchell, a Wichita Southeast product, committed to Ohio University earlier this week and 6-foot-10 power forward Robert Goff is committed to Oklahoma. Mitchell was All-Jayhawk last season and picked Bobcats over several other “good offers” although Eck declined to say who else came calling. Recruiting guru Jerry Mullen told me at last year’s Region VI tournament that JM was a “poor man’s Sherron Collins” – AKA he can really fill it up. Goff had to sit out last year after playing for Eck two years ago at Cowley and is a BEAST that had looks from a lot of high-majors.
Goff averaged 9.2 points and 6.9 rebounds per game in 2008-2009. Mitchell went for 16 points and 2.5 assists per last season.
Blue Dragons are hands-down favorite to win Jayhawk and Region VI this year with those two, in my opinion.
So it’s time to recognize what McPherson is – the hands down favorite to win the KCAC, a Top 10 team and, in my opinion, a team that could make some real noise in the NAIA playoffs.
The Bulldogs, 3-0 and ranked No. 7 in the latest NAIA poll, dismantled then-No. 15 Friends two weeks ago and then showed that was no fluke by hammering No. 7 Ottawa this past Saturday at McPherson. Offensively, they’re a nightmare for any team that has the misfortune of playing them. Stop the run? They’ve got a quarterback in Shane Mascarenas who has shown he can turn any of his receivers into 100-yard game guys on any day. Focus on the pass? Bad idea. Preseason All American Aaron Lafitte will make you pay.
And the defense? Fuhgeddaboutit. They’re No. 1 in total defense in the league, and even those numbers are a little misleading because both of their KCAC games this year have been over by halftime. Like over over. Like the other team might as well have not played the second half. I’m looking forward to (hopefully) getting to see them play at home this year, as I’ve heard they’ve got one of the best home advantages in the league, if not the best. That being said, I think the rest of their schedule bears taking a look at as they get a bye this week. Why? Because I think they could run the table if they can survive two more tests – at Sterling and home against Kansas Wesleyan. And I use the word test very loosely.
With Matthew Stafford’s arm almost ready to fall off of his body after barely over a season in the NFL, the Detroit Lions have turned to Parsons native and former Hutch CC quarterback Shaun Hill as their starter. My guess is that San Francisco, the team Hill used to play for, wishes he were back on their roster with Alex Smith going back in the tank. Hill came in for Stafford in last week’s loss at Chicago and delivered what looked like the game-winning pass to Calvin Johnson, who Josh Wood thinks is going to end up in the Hall of Fame.
Hill played for Maryland after he left Hutch, and led the Terrapins to the Orange Bowl in 2001.
The picture you’re looking at is a sketch of the new Newman University mascot — they’re the Jets — and he needs a name. NU is having a contest to find that name, and it’s open to the entire Wichita community and runs through Sept. 19. The mascot — dude in the aviator gear — will make his first appearance on Sept. 27 at halftime of a women’s soccer match at Newman. They’ve also got a female aviator that is supposed to debut in 2011. No word on whether or not they’re a couple.
To submit a suggestion, visit http://bit.ly/bp4cjq. Newman will also solicit suggestions for the mascot’s name at the Newman Booth in the Meadowlark Building at the Kansas State Fair in Hutchinson, starting tomorrow. They’ll decide the winner on the 20th. For questions or more information, contact Kelly Snedden at 316-942-4291, ext. 2164, or sneddenk@newmanu.edu.
I think the winner gets a new IPad, but the wording in the Newman release is kind of convoluted — I can’t tell if it goes to the winner or the 3 finalists draw for the IPad or what. Call Kelly.
