Free State Decade in Review 2010-2019

Free State Firebirds Football 

Entering 2018

Bob Lisher (138-84+)  

2010  5-5 - Loss in week-10 to Olathe East 20-16

2011  6-3 - Loss in week-9 to Lawrence 20-0

2012  10-2 - Loss in State QF/week-12 to SM West 21-17 

2013  9-2 - Loss in week-11 to Olathe North 22-18  

2014  8-4 - Loss in week-12 to Hutchinson 42-14 

2015  8-4 - Loss to the Derby Panthers in week-12

2016  9-3 - Loss to the Derby Panthers in week-12

2017  10-1 - Loss to the Derby Panthers in week-11

2018  0-0 - x 

2019

2018 SFL Schedule - Bob Lisher (138-84+)

8-31 - Olathe West - First meeting in school history. Free State was once in same place 1997-1998

9-7 - Olathe East - Won four straight in seasons: 2012-13-6-17

9-14 - @ SM North - Won 7 straight from 05-06-09 to 2013

9-21 - SM West - Since 2010, 4-4 in 8 games played 

9-28 - Smith Cotton MO - First ever meeting for both Football programs 

10-5 - Olathe South - DNP in 13-14-15; 

10-12 - SM East - First meeting after a two year hiatus   

10-19 - Lawrence - First rivalry meeting against Steve Rampy and the Chesty Lions; 6-2 since 2010 

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Olathe Northwest Decade in Review

Olathe NW Raven's Football 

Entering 2018

Todd Dain (27-57) 

2010   3-6 - Loss to Olathe North in week-9 35-6 

2011   5-5 - Loss to Olathe East in week-10 40-23 

2012   2-7 - Resigned after 9* seasons as Head Coach. Principal at SM South High School

Chip Sherman (21-25)

2013   3-6 - Takes over for Todd Dain, after leading SME to 3 of 4 winning seasons from 2009 to 2012 

2014   5-4 - Loss to Olathe North in week-9 20-0

2015   6-3 - Loss to Olathe North in week-9 19-13

*2016   3-6 - Loss to Gardner-Edgerton in week-9 23-16 

*2017   4-6 - Wins first playoff game in history of Ravens Football. Retires from 10 years of Coaching in Kansas after a 2008 season with Salina South, 2009-2012 with the SM East Lancers, and 2013 to 2017 with Olathe Northwest. Chip Sherman was also a 2008 Missouri Sports HOF Inductee.  

Aaron Hafter (0-0+)

*2018   0-0 - 

*2019   

2018 SFL Schedule - Aaron Hafner (0-0+)

8-31 - @ Manhattan - First ever meeting between both schools 

9-7 - Olathe South - DNP in 2016 & 2017

9-14 - @ SM East - Ravens Football bloodlines have been from SME since 2003 to 2017. 

9-20 - Lawrence - Lost 3 straight in 13-14-15; DNP in 2016 & 2017

9-28 - @ GET - First ever game vs. the Trailblazers as a league game and not District play of old

10-5 - @ SM Northwest - Won 4 straight from 2012 to 2014; DNP in 2016 & 2017

10-12 - SM South - Only team the Ravens are undefeated at 8-0 all-time within the SFL 

10-19 - @ Olathe North - Last win against the Eagles in 2011; Lost 6 straight since 2012

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Olathe North Eagles Decade in Review

Olathe North Eagles Football

Entering 2018

@ Pete Flood (51-16) 

2010   11-2 - Loss to in the 6A State Final to Wichita Heights 48-14  

2011   5-4 - Resigned from ONE, currently an AC for the ST Aquinas Saints

Gene Weir2 (22-12, 210-48 in SFL from 1989-2002)

2012   3-7 - Loss in week-10 to Free State 38-22

2013   8-4 - Lost to SM East in week-12 37-27

2014 11-1 - Lost to State Champions SM East Lancers in week-12- Double OT 36-35

Chris McCartney (20-12+)

2015   10-2 - Loss to Blue Valley in week-12 43-19

2016   3-6 - Loss to SM North in week-9 36-22 

2017   7-4 - Drastic improvement from 3-6, and increased talent from the 16 season. Look for young Arland Bruce to continue in his fathers legendary footsteps from the early 1990's under Gene Weir. 

2018   0-0 - x

2019

2018 SFL Schedule - Christ McCartney

8-31 - @ Olathe East - 5-3 in all games since 2010; DNP in 2016

9-7 - SM North - Lost in week-9 of 2016 playoff game vs. Will Schneider; DNP in 2017

9-14 - @ SM West - DNP from 2013 to 2015; 1-1 in 2016 & 2017

9-21 - @ Columbine CO - First ever meeting between both schools

9-28 - @ Olathe South - DNP in 2017; ending a streak of 30 straight games played. 25-5 overall 

10-5 - SM East - Since 2012, the Eagles are 1-6 vs. SM East (Sherman & Delaney) 

10-12 - Lawrence - Since 2010, 4-3 in 7 games played; L-W-W in last 3 games   

10-19 - @ Olathe NW - Owns series outright 12-2; won 6 straight from 2012 to 2017

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Chesty Lions Decade in Review 2010-2019

Lawrence Chesty Lions Football

Entering 2018

@ Dirk Wedd (104-84)  

2010  4-5 - Week-9 to Free State

2011  6-4 - Week-10 loss to Olathe South 

2012  8-3 - Week-11 loss to SM West  

2013  3-6 - Week-9 loss at Free State 

2014  5-5 - Week-10 loss at SM East

2015  10-1 - Week-11 loss to Blue Valley

2016  6-4 - Week-10 loss to SM North 

2017  5-5 - Retires from Lawrence School District 

Steve Rampy (0-0+)

2018  0-0 -  Steve Rampy returns to High School Football from Pittsburg State University KS, after spending 25 seasons as Head Coach of the Blue Valley Tigers Football program 1985 to 2009.

2019

2018 SFL Schedule - Steve Rampy

8-30 - @ Olathe South - First meeting for SR, lost three straight in 2015 to 2017

9-7 - SM East - Have lost five straight since 2013, 1-6 since 2010

9-14 - GET - First meeting in teams history

9-20 - @ Olathe NW - First meeting for SR, DNP in 2016 & 2017

9-28 - SMNW - First meeting for Steve Rampy vs the Cougars 

10-5 - @ SM South - First meeting for SR, SMS has lost five straight since 2010

10-12 - Olathe North - First meeting for SR, was 2-4 vs. Olathe North at BV Tigers in the 1980s  

10-19 - @ Free State - First meeting vs. Bob Lisher and his Firebirds

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Darren Sproles, A Super Bowl Champion

Congratulations Darren Sproles!

Congratulations to Darren Sproles, and his Philadelphia Eagles on winning the Super Bowl "52"! 

Although Darren Sproles was injured early on in the 2017-2018 season, his impact on the Eagles has been felt since his arrival from the New Orleans Saints in 2014. 

Darren Sproles (Olathe North 2001), joines Ryan Lilja, of SM Northwest (Class of 2000), Don Davis (2x Super Bowl Champion in New England 2004-2005; Olathe South 1992) as the only three Sunflower League Football alumni to win a Super Bowl, participate in multiple Super Bowls, and win.  

The impact of Darren Sproles within the City of Olathe, in addition to his tireless work-ethic is known all over the Kansas City area. While, rumored, it is true, that at times, in the off-season, you can find, him at the Olathe North Track consistently getting better to gain speed and strength which are his biggest assets to a team on the offensive side of the ball. 

For those keeping a running total, this is his fourth Title (State, or NFL) that he has won under an "Eagles" moniker as an athlete. 

Congratulations once again, to a Sunflower League Football legend, and to the Sproles family! 

Super Bowl Sunflower Style

Have you dreamed of playing in the Super Bowl?

Do you have what it takes? Do you spend that extra time before, and after practice, in addition to the weight room? How important is that goal of yours?

Despite all of those questions, you can make it. We all can.

In the State of Kansas, there are a documented 249 former student-athletes state wide that have played in the NFL (National Football League.) While this blog is catered to the Sunflower League, and portions of other local High Schools in the post-season, it is a dream that those 249 (inactive, and active) professional athletes have achieved.
                                                     
                                                                


The Sunflower League is fortunate to be represented in the Super Bowl by one Ryan Lilja (SM Northwest 2000.) He was able to play along side Peyton Manning as his Center (C) and return home to play for our Kansas City Chiefs before retiring.

Another notable is Don Davis. Don starred for the starred for the Olathe South Falcons at the early move of the Olathe North Eagles, and Falcons after leaving the EKL to SFL in the Fall of the 1989 season. Don Davis played in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriot in 2001 with the St. Louis Rams.

Although injured, participating in his second Super Bowl is the Olathe North Eagles own local hero in Darren Sproles. Darren Sproles first Super Bowl appearance came in 2008 against the New England Patriots. Although it was a loss, to the Patriots, he is the third student-athlete alumni of the Sunflower League to participate. During the 2017 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, he was injured after playing in only three (3) regular season games. At one point it was known that retirement was considered but hopes to return healthy for the 2018 NFL season. 

Best of luck to the Sproles family and the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl!