A Look Back and a Strong Move Forward

SM South needs a lot of help but new
HC Brett Oberzan should provide much
needed support. Photo by LJWorld

250 wins in 50 years seems like a number unreachable by many, but in the case of the SM South Raiders, 250 is within near reach. The Raiders who enter their 50th year as a school and their 50th season in the Sunflower League have won 249 games in their 49 seasons of varsity football. 

New Head Coach Brett Oberzan is starting his first year with the Raiders after previously spending the last decade as an assistant under Bob Lisher with the Free State Firebirds. He spent his athletic career as a student-athlete under Lawrence Head Coach Bill Freeman to conclude the end of the 80s era. SM West legend Dick Purdy would succeed in Freeman's footsteps and continue domination in Kansas State Football Titles until the arrival of Olathe North in the late 90s under Gene Weir. 

Of all first year head coaches, Brett Oberzan's first W, will land on the schools 250th win. Of all 33 current, and former SMSD Football Coaches, not one has ever had their first Win fall on an anniversary date or number of any sort including the Shawnee-Mission Indians, or North as we call them today. 

As the dawn of the new football season begins across the KC-metro area, the SM South Raiders will be celebrating their 50th anniversary of sports covering all Fall, Winter, and Spring seasons. These Football Raiders are a great and strong program despite having losing seasons in recent years. The potential of the team is there, a change at the top from principal  to head coach should spark some great life into this program. 

SM South is most notable for a handful of great names to walk through its hallways. Head Coach John Davis, who was the schools only Head Coach for it's first 20 seasons from 1966 to 1985 (131-57-5), two State Titles in 1971, and 1973 finishing 11-0 both times. Steve Little, who was a student-athlete under John Davis, also played in the NFL for the St. Louis Cardinals (now the Arizona Cardinals). The story of Steve Little alone is great, although tragic reminder of how well we can, at times take life for granted. 

Other more recent names many of us know are Rodney Peete, long time NFL Football Quarterback who played his Senior year for the Raiders, and one of our own comedians, the great Rob Riggle. Rob Riggle played for Fred Merrill in the 90's, prior to joining the USMC, and the start of his legendary comedy, and acting career.

These days, you can find former Raiders Head Coach Don Hanna, is an Assistant Coach for the Blue Valley Tigers, while you can find Dr. Brett Potts working crowd control as Principal in his second year for the Blue Valley West Jaguars. Former Raiders Head Coach Ryan Lonergan has returned to SM West, as an Assistant under Tim Callaghan. 

Best of luck to SM South as they begin their 50th year as a school and Football program. 


If you are a SM South Raider Football alumni, we would love to hear of your memories of playing on Friday nights of seasons past and present! 

Ultimate Roadtrip: Week 3

I'll be taking a note from ESPN's Big XII team and talk about the games that I think will highlight each week and which ones will be the best to attend! This list will be based on the teams playing, the stadium, the possible implications of the game, and of course how rowdy and exciting the atmosphere will be! Of course, these games will be based on my pre-season thoughts on each team so the best games for each week might change as time moves forward.

NOTE: I will try to avoid adding venues outside of the Sunflower League unless a game truly becomes a can't miss situation. That means no Garden City, Blue Valley, or other schools of the sort.

Crowd-Pleasers (Runner-Ups)

Olathe North @ Olathe South
Location: ODAC, Olathe, KS

Date: September 18th, 2015 7:00PM

This game wraps up an awesome three-week span of Olathe North games and what better way to round it out than the original O-Town rivalry ? The Eagles and Falcons don't like Olathe East. They don't like Olathe Northwest either. But these teams absolutely hate each other on the field. These teams wait all year for this game and last year's double overtime win for Olathe North was perfect proof.
 
Both teams played really well in the regular season and I wouldn't doubt that they will repeat again. It wouldn't be far-fetched to say that both teams could enter the game 2-0 and a win for either team would be huge.

 

Olathe East @ SM South (Thursday)

Location: SMSDS, Shawnee, KS

Date: September 17th, 2015 7:00PM

The rest of the league could be interesting with teams like SM North and Northwest getting real challenges. That said, I thought about it for awhile and I couldn't find one that especially stuck out like the other two games in this post.

I finally decided that the week's Thursday night would give people a good chance to see how both the Hawks and Raiders have improved after lackluster seasons last year. For those with open schedules on Thursdays and Fridays, that also means watching two games in one week is possible. I don't think any Sunflower League fan could be disappointed with that.

Ultimate Roadtrip: Week 3

Lawrence @ Lawrence Free State

Location: Free State Stadium, Lawrence, KS

Date: September 18th, 2015 7:00PM

 

This rivalry may not be as long as The Hula Bowl, but I would bet everybody and their mother in the metro knows about this rivalry. I don't think much explanation is necessary, but here's the basics.

1. Lawrence is the only town in the Sunflower League with two high schools. That alone means that players mainly have a choice between Free State and Lawrence High. You don't have to focus on three or four other schools in your city like the Olathe and Shawnee schools do. I'm not saying they don't have clear rivals, but there is definitely a big difference when you mainly share athletes with a single school across town.

2. These teams should be great this year. Not just good like their 6-3 (Free State) and 5-4 (Lawrence) records from last season. Both teams are chock full of talent again and some believe we could potentially see a rematch at the state championship. I'm not personally in that boat but it should still be an indicator of how good these teams could really be. The Hula Bowl in recent history has just been about pride as both teams are in heavy slumps. LFS vs. LHS is a game that almost always means something.

3. This is kind of going back to reason #1 but it warrants its own bullet. The fans are awesome at this game almost every  year from what I hear. Free State fans are rowdy when they play Olathe North and Lawrence High fans can hold their own as well. I can only imagine what they are like against each other. It goes without saying that playing in the same city helps fans with travel as well.




Both teams should be primed for a much better game than last year's 31-12 Free State visc
Photo by Richard Gwin; LJWorld, 2014

Top 5 Current Uniforms in the SFL (Home Edition)

A few years ago, Eli of the Sunflower League Football Blog made a post talking about the team uniforms and which ones were the best. A lot has changed since then and I think it is a good topic to discuss as many teams have new uniforms while others have tried to stick to the classics.

The best thing about football uniforms is that a team can look completely different just because they are playing away. Yes, pretty much all other sports have away uniforms, but with football you can really be creative with your style and still let people know who is playing by just looking at the uniforms.

Since home and away uniforms can vary so greatly and because some teams have really nice uniforms for one type but fail to deliver the same punch in the other; I will make two separate lists. Let's begin with the home uniforms!

5. Olathe North

Sponsor: Unknown (???)

I admit the blue version of the home uniform has grown on me. I will also say that this uniform is STILL not as good as the old Reeboks from the year before and I would be shocked if anybody disagreed with me on that. I still like the color scheme and the helmet is the one thing that should never change just like Lawrence or SM West.

The helmet is by far the greatest part of this outfit but I will say that the blue jersey holds it's own. The biggest problem are the numbers which I despise. The single digits are okay but for big guys with big chests and the double digits... how about no. Perhaps I just haven't moved on yet but that's just how I see it. A big positive for me is the fact that the front of the jersey still says "North". 

The pants are a lot better as I really like how they flow with the new shade of blue used in the jersey. I miss the old red-blue stripe but these that's more because of nostalgia. These pants are eye catching and I especially like the "Eagles" on the left thigh. It's not new but I think it looks nice.

Bottom Line:

I still think this is one of the better uniforms in the league, but if there's ever a vote to change back to Reebok or the even older Nikes, you can be sure on which side I'm choosing. The uniform is good overall but the numbers create a weird flow and hold the entire outfit back.

4. Olathe East

Sponsor: Nike

I'm not sure when they last used the all-orange outfit, but I actually LOVE that version. Some could say it is literally a sea of orange. However, I think the fact that it's orange is what makes it stick out the most. I mean hell, it's better than most of this league where the poppiest uniforms color-wise are Olathe North and SM West (who uses mostly black for their uniforms anyways).

Bottom Line:

I can see why others would hate this uniform. That said, I like it simply because it brings some variety to the playing field. That's about all there is to say. Besides that, I just think orange is a good color to use for an entire uniform compared to oh I don't know... dark green. It's okay to be all green, but not that green.

3. Olathe Northwest

Sponsor: Adidas

I wasn't really a big fan of the prior uniform for the Ravens. It didn't really do anything wrong, but I just never felt like it really popped as much as this updated version. I keep it here at #3 mainly because I think the blue should be a little darker.

That may sound like a gripe, but I think  it's way too close to Olathe South's shade of blue. With that said, this uniform still looks nice with the black jersey which is slowly becoming a more accepted color in my mind. I used to think of black jerseys as boring before seeing ONW's take on the color.

Bottom Line:

The Ravens have a very solid uniform that makes great use of a difficult color palette. The uniform is very appeasing to the eyes but the helmet color tends to obscure and overwhelm the Raven logo. I hear that they will further take notes from Oregon and switch to wings on the helmet sides for next year. That will definitely help this uniform come together.

2. Lawrence High School

Sponsor: Adidas

There are classic high school uniforms, and then there's Lawrence High classic. I actually prefer the all-red uniform (below) but the white pants still looks rather nice.

I mainly don't have this at the top because while it is indeed a classic and a throwback to the old days of football, it's rather bland compared to other uniforms today. The black lines down the side of the white pants look out of place to me. The uniform would come together a lot more nicely with either two red lines or just removing the black lines all together.

Bottom Line:

The uniform should never be changed as it truly is a classic. However, being a classic is far from being perfect. The Lions have a great home uniform but sometimes newer versions can be better. I am one of the people that think we need to explore more options in terms of how teams present themselves visually. Also, this is another example of how you do the mono-color jersey and pants look right.

1. Shawnee Mission East

Sponsor: Under Armor

From what I understand, there are a few variants to the Lancers' home uniform. My personal favorite is the the black-grey-grey version shown to the right. I just love how well this outfit comes together. The two different shades of grey for the jersey and pants is slightly strange, but it still feels natural to me. The new helmet design looks absolutely stellar as well.

Bottom Line:

The mix of powder blue, grey, and black creates a very professional looking outfit overall. My one gripe is the the numbers and lettering. I think something a little sharper would look amazing. Despite that, this is an incredible outfit that I hope becomes the usual if it isn't already. (Most photos I see have the Lancers wearing black pants and I just don't like it as much.)

Side Note:
- If anybody can let us know what sponsor made the Olathe North uniforms, it would be greatly appreciated.

Ultimate Roadtrip: Week 2

To start off the posting, I'll be taking a note from ESPN's Big XII team and talk about the games that I think will highlight each week and which ones will be the best to attend! This list will be based on the teams playing, the stadium, the possible implications of the game, and of course how rowdy and exciting the atmosphere will be! Of course, these games will be based on my pre-season thoughts on each team so the best games for each week might change as time moves forward.

NOTE: I will try to avoid adding venues outside of the Sunflower League unless a game truly becomes a can't miss situation. That means no Garden City, Blue Valley, or other schools of the sort.

Crowd-Pleasers (Runner-Ups)

Lawrence Free State @ Olathe North

Location: ODAC, Olathe, KS

Date: September 11th, 2015 7:00PM

As a former player, I can personally say that these two teams have a much closer rivalry than people would think. Their last five regular season games alone have been decided by 7 points or less and I haven't seen many games where the teams played as rough as these. There is absolutely no love between these teams and the fans definitely know it. That just means the stadium should be especially loud this week and both teams should definitely try to use that as motivation. 

Lawrence @ Leavenworth

Location: Pioneer Stadium, Leavenworth, KS

Date: September 11th, 2015 7:00PM

Photo taken by the Lawrence Journal-World, 2010

This game is more suited to those who are really curious about Leavenworth's potential this year. It's definitely a drive from pretty much any part of the KC Metro, but the beautiful stadium almost makes up for it all by itself. The Pioneers have only beaten Lawrence twice in their entire history playing together (Lawrence leads the series 12-2), but this year might give them the best chance to start evening out that record. Leavenworth really needs its fans to come through and help motivate them past the Nittany Lions and I believe that the stadium will be rocking if they can at least compete.

Ultimate Roadtrip: Week 2

"The Hula Bowl"

SM North @ SM Northwest

Location: SMNDS, Shawnee, KS

Date: September 11th, 2015 7:00PM

Photo taken by the Prairie Village Post

Nothing beats getting to watch a rivalry game that is getting onto its 45th game. The Cougars hold a small series lead at 24-20 and even when either team is down on the season, the Hula Bowl almost never fails to show two teams fighting for their pride in an exhilarating fashion. I really don't know what to expect from either teams considering they both have new head coaches, but I feel confident in saying that they are at least on equal ground this year. I can say that another tight finish like last year's 34-32 SMNW win can be expected. That's always a good sight to see.

Ultimate Roadtrip: Week 1

To start off the posting, I'll be taking a note from ESPN's Big XII team and talk about the games that I think will highlight each week and which ones will be the best to attend! This list will be based on the teams playing, the stadium, the possible implications of the game, and of course how rowdy and exciting the atmosphere will be! Of course, these games will be based on my pre-season thoughts on each team so the best games for each week might change as time moves forward.

NOTE: I will try to avoid adding venues outside of the Sunflower League unless a game truly becomes a can't miss situation. That means no Garden City, Blue Valley, or other schools of the sort.

Photo taken by the Lawrence Journal, 2009

I'll start things off with the opening week!

Crowd-Pleasers (Runner-Ups)

Shawnee Mission West @ Lawrence Free State

Location: Free State High School Stadium, Lawrence, KS

Date: September 4th, 2015 7:00PM

These two teams have potential to be among the Top 5 teams in the entire state. However, one of them has to take a hit on their yearly resume and that means the stakes for this game are especially high on Week 1. Free State squeaked away with a 20-14 win against the Vikings in Shawnee last year, so you can bet that West wants to come out with a little more fire. A general fan of the Sunflower League looking for a high intensity game will not be disappointed here as both are expected to make a playoff run later in the year.

Photo taken by Hutchinson News, 2014

Hutchinson @ Olathe South

Location: CBAC, Olathe, KS

Date: September 4th, 2015 7:00PM

Olathe South should be a lot better than what we saw in Round 1 of the playoffs last year. Even if they aren't, you can be sure that the atmosphere will make you think otherwise! Olathe South has always had a loud and committed student section and playing against the 6A State Runner-Up who they utterly dominated last year to the tone of 24-2 won't help the visiting Salthawks.

Ultimate Roadtrip: Week 1

Roger's Heritage (AR) @ Olathe North

Location: ODAC, Olathe, KS

Date: September 4th, 2015 7:00PM

Photo taken by the Kansas City Star, 2014

People may think that I'm being biased by saying that ODAC is the place to be when there is a State Runner-Up playing on the other side of town and two potential Top 5 teams playing in Lawrence, but I personally am very interested to see Olathe North compete against a team from another state that isn't less than an hour drive away. The Eagles beat Heritage last year 18-13, but the teams' seasons weren't nearly as close, as the War Eagles ended last season at 4-9 while as most of us know, Olathe North finished with an 11-1 record.

What I wonder about is whether or not Olathe North was just slow out of the gate last season (which has happened a lot in recent history), or if Kansas schools really do have a ways to go before we can truly compete with states outside of Missouri. I will definitely be at this game to see if maybe I can find at least part of the answer first hand. A decent number of fans made the trek to Arkansas last year, so I can imagine a packed home stand to open the season at ODAC.


Feel free to comment with which game you hope to attend for the opening season or make a post about it on the message board! A lot of games should be very exciting so you can't really go wrong!

Welcome Letter from Sunflower Football News

Welcome to the blog for Sunflower Football News (SFN), a site dedicating to following and reporting on the happenings of the football teams within the Sunflower League of the Kansas City Metro. This blog is currently in the developmental stages but we are expecting to be fully up and

running no later than the end of July 2015. As a spiritual successor to the Sunflower League Football Blog, we plan to cover each week of the regular and post-season while also providing a look at the off-field happenings around the league.

The blog is currently being run by Olathe North alumnus Austin Lockwood and Shawnee Mission East alumnus Kevin Booker. Those who have arrived from sunfowerfootball.com may know us better as EagleGrad and Sunflowere00. We will be working together to bring you week-to-week updates on all Sunflower League games while also covering the history of the league that only a few may be aware of. We hope you enjoy our coverage of the Sunflower League and you can expect to see more posts in the near future!

Regards,
Austin Lockwood