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12 Thursday, September 3, 2009 2009 Football Preview
The Hutchinson News
Dodge City looks for balance from potent offense
BY GENE SCHINZEL
The Hutchinson News
gschinzel@hutchnews.com
When Kale Pick was injured
during the first game of the 2007
season, Dodge City coach Justin
Burke had to start switching his
skill players to different positions.
Mykael Thompson, who was a
1,000-yard receiver in 2006, shifted
over and spent time at quarterback
to fill in for Pick, who currently
is the No. 2 quarterback at
the University of Kansas.
That shuffling meant Landon
Head got to see more time at receiver
during his sophomore year.
“That really allowed him to
blossom as a junior,” Burke said.
Head put up huge numbers during
his junior year, catching 77
passes for 1,050 yards as he was
named a first-team all-state player.
Burke said the 6-foot-3, 195pound
Head has worked to improve
himself during the summer.
“He’s got a good frame and he’s
BY GENE SCHINZEL
The Hutchinson News
gschinzel@hutchnews.com
Having one big-play receiver on
an Eight-Man II team can cause
problems for opposing coaches.
Having two of those receivers
make those headaches mount.
That’s what Haviland’s opponents
will face this season as the
Dragons return seniors Tanner
McFarland and Tanner Stevens.
During their junior years, Mc-
Farland caught 51 passes for 773
yards and seven touchdowns,
while Stevens had 31 catches for
654 yards and nine touchdowns.
Stevens caught a lot when he
was on the defensive side of the
ball – he intercepted 13 passes in
nine games.
“He has the best feet on the
improved his speed in the 40 (meter
dash). He’s run under 4.6 in the 40.
That’s something D-I coaches want
to see,” Burke said. “He got in the
weight room this summer and gotten
stronger and he’s much quicker.”
Burke would like another 1,000yard
season from Head, which
would rise his stock the eyes of
college coaches. But Burke’s hoping
the Red Demons don’t have to
depend on that.
While Dodge City was primarily
a passing team last year, Burke be-
team, which might have something
to do with it,” Haviland
coach Greg Wyrick said. “He just
has a nose for the ball. He’s in the
right place at the right time.
“But, both of those guys have
great hands. We stress running good
routes, and that’s what they do.”
McFarland and Stevens spent
most of last season catching
throws from quarterback Lane
Kendall, who threw for 1,775 yards
PRESEASON ELITE 11
Player, School Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos.
Dylan Burrow, McPherson 6-0 180 Sr. RB-LB
Jake Craig, Lyons 5-11 185 Sr. QB-DB-K
Deveon Dinwiddie, Hutchinson 5-8 171 Sr. RB
Laton Dowling, Dodge City 6-4 230 Sr. TE-LB
Tanner Engweiler, Trinity Catholic 5-11 175 Sr. RB-DB
B.J. Finney, Andale 6-4 250 Sr. OL-DL
Jorden Funk, Scott City 6-4 215 Sr. TE-DE
Geneo Grissom, Hutchinson 6-5 230 Sr. DE
Landon Head, Dodge City 6-3 195 Sr. WR
Jordan Oden, Buhler 5-9 190 Sr. TB
Josh Smith, Hutchinson 5-10 215 Sr. RB
PRESEASON ELITE 8
lieves his team has enough talented
skill position players to be
more balanced this year.
Quarterback Ty Thomas, who
completed 60 percent of his passes
for 2,284 yards, is back, and the
running back should be bolstered
by Jace Banner, a senior who
transferred from Missouri.
The Red Demons also have Laton
Dowling, who plays tight end
and linebacker and has committed
to Kansas State.
“We’ll be much better at run-
and 25 touchdowns before an injury
shortened his season.
Kendall is playing for Dodge City
Community College this fall.
This season, Ross Binford will
be the team’s quarterback as the
Dragons look to stay healthy and
improve on a 5-4 record.
Haviland has four seniors, but
all four will be impact players. Besides
McFarland and Stevens,
Ruben Perez caught 20 passes and
ning back. With Landon, he can be
more effective with less numbers,”
Burke said. “He changes defensive
schemes.”
While Head is one of the best receivers
in the area, one of the best
lineman is Andale senior B.J.
Finney.
The 6-4, 250-pound Finney enters
his third year as a starter, and
Andale coach Gary O’Hair said
he’s continually improved.
“He’s firmed up since (he was a
sophomore) and become a better
athlete,” O’Hair said. “He’s strong
and faster and become tougher
mentally.”
The success for Andale, a perennial
state power which starts this
season ranked second in Class 4A,
always starts with its offensive
and defensive lines.
Andale returns just three offensive
starters this season, but all
three are keys to controlling the
offensive scrimmage – Finney at
tackle, guard Jake Steven and
tight end Scott Hermreck.
seven touchdowns last season and
Garett Somerhalder was the
team’s leading tackler.
Another top receiver returning
this season is Quivira Heights senior
Jacob Ingham, who helped the
high-scoring Thunderbirds win
nine games last season.
Ingham averaged about four
catches a game and was one of the
team’s leading tacklers.
“We’re expecting big things out
of him this year,” Quivira Heights
coach John Phelan said. “He has
excellent hands. You throw anything
close and he catches it.”
The past two seasons, Nathan
White and Darren Siemsen have
had big years from the quarterback
spot for the Thunderbirds.
This year, Ingham will be catching
passes from junior Gunner Phelan.
Ingham plays a slot receiver on
“We have some other seniors on
the line, so that’s a good foundation
to start from,” O’Hair said.
O’Hair said Finney has been offered
a scholarship by Ohio and
has been getting looks from
NCAA Division I and II schools,
but he’ll wait until later to decide
on a college.
Other top players back this season
include Hutchinson’s Deveon
Dinwiddie and Josh Smith. Smith
rushed for 1,701 yards and 31
touchdowns during the Salthawks’
2008 championship season.
Buhler’s Jordan Oden rushed for
more than 1,300 yards, even though
he battled injuries, and Trinity
Catholic’s Tanner Engweiler is a
do-everything player as he rushed
for more than 1,000 yards, caught
seven touchdown passes, returned
kicks and punts and intercepted
nine passes as a defender.
Lyons’ Jake Craig is a similar
player to Engweiler. Last year, he
passed for 1,600 yards, rushed for
nearly 800 and is a strong kicker.
Haviland receiver tandem will give secondaries, coaches fits
Player, School Ht. Wt. Yr. Pos.
Nolan Dreiling, Pawnee Heights 6-3 204 Sr. OE-LB
Devin Hoffman, Claflin 5-10 165 Sr. QB
Jacob Ingham, Quivira Heights 6-1 200 Sr. WR-S
Evan Loomis, Macksville 6-3 200 Sr. OE-LB
Tanner McFarland, Haviland 5-11 160 Sr. OE-DB
Hunter Pittman, Pretty Prairie 6-0 140 Jr. QB-DB
Tanner Stevens, Haviland 6-0 170 Sr. OE-DB
Kirk Woodruff, Ashland 6-3 195 Sr. C-DE
offense and free safety on defense.
But, coach Phelan added “we probably
could play him anywhere.”
Other top players who will be
ones to watch this fall include
quarterbacks Devin Hoffman of
Claflin and Pretty Prairie’s
Hunter Pittman.
Hoffman threw for 1,771 yards
and 31 touchdowns for the Wildcats,
while Pittman stepped into
the starting role at Pretty Prairie
and accounted for 23 touchdowns.
Evan Loomis of Macksville had
119 tackles from his linebacker
spot and caught 28 passes as an
end, while lineman Kirk Woodruff
recorded 99 tackles, including 13
sacks, as a junior for Ashland.
Ashland also has a solid receiver
returning as Ervin Swonger
caught 54 passes and 19 touchdowns
last season.