Kansas high school football playoff previews for week of Nov. 18

With the football postseason winding down, only a few local teams are still in contention for state titles in Kansas Classes 6A, 5A and 4A-DI. Here is a preview of this week’s slate of games, which will all be Friday at 7 p.m.

Blue Valley vs. Shawnee Mission East (Class 6A semifinals)

This year’s Kansas Class 6A season has been building up to this matchup: 11-0 Blue Valley will take on 10-1 Shawnee Mission East. Both teams destroyed much of their competition this season. Blue Valley has won all of its games by an average of 27.5 points.

With the exception of its 26-20 loss to Rockhurst and a one-point victory over Gardner Edgerton in the playoffs, Shawnee Mission East has seen similar results. Aside from those two close games, the Lancers are winning by an average of more than 40 points.

It will be a battle of powerful offenses: Blue Valley’s aerial attack is led by quarterback Matthew Dercher (the Eastern Kansas League offensive player of the year) and wide receiver Harrison Van Dyne, while SM East uses a stable of running backs, including Nigil Houston and Milton Braasch, and versatile receiver Trevor Thompson, to light up the scoreboard.

Lawrence Free State at Derby (Class 6A semifinals)

The lone Kansas City-area team on the western half of the Kansas Class 6A playoff bracket, Lawrence Free State (9-2) will have its toughest test yet. The Firebirds will have to get past defending Class 6A champions (and undefeated at 11-0) Derby to keep their postseason alive.

Free State is no slouch, though. The Firebirds have won eight games in a row, and allowed only 9.1 points per game during that streak.

Mill Valley at St. Thomas Aquinas (Class 5A semifinals)

It’s been an up-and-down season for both teams. Mill Valley, the Kansas Class 5A defending champions, posted a .500 record in its first season in the Eastern Kansas League. But the Jaguars have been rolling in the playoffs, led by quarterback Brody Flaming and wide receiver Ben Hartman.

Meanwhile, Aquinas – the only local team to lose to 2-8 Blue Valley Southwest – has had its own struggles. But the Saints have won their three playoff games by an average of 30 points each and are in the middle of their hottest streak this season.

Basehor-Linwood at Bishop Miege (Class 4A-DI semifinals)

The biggest question in Class 4A-DI recently has been “who can compete with Bishop Miege?” The Stags have one loss this year, to undefeated Class 6A Blue Valley, and are charging for their third straight state championship.

Miege’s dynamic offense is led by quarterback Carter Putz and wide receivers Jafar Armstrong and Landry Weber.

But if anyone is to put a chink in the dynasty, it could be Basehor-Linwood, whose surprise season is still perfect (they’ll come into Friday’s matchup with Miege at 11-0). Basehor is led by quarterback Justin Phillips, who has passed for more than 1,500 yards and thrown only three interceptions this season.

This story was originally published November 15, 2016 at 12:36 PM with the headline "Kansas high school football playoff previews for week of Nov. 18."