Week-8-Sunflower-2018

10-18
OWO vs. SME (Series tied 0-0)
* The Owls and Lancers will meet for the very first time in team history. The Lancers, while meeting the Owls in week-8, did the same many seasons ago in 1997 against the Firebirds in week-1. The Owls, Firebirds, and Lancers ties to opening games is something that is rare depending on the school and when it opens as a Varsity program.

The Owls will be building on this great learning experience and preparation for a week-9 game in the 5A East bracket.

10-19
SMN vs. LVP @ SMN (SMN leads the series 17-11)
* The Indians, and Pioneers will meet for the first time ever as non-conference foes in Fall Football. Although these two have had struggles against others within the league, the Pioneers are 6-4 in their last 10 games since the 2007 season. There will be no doubt, non-conference game or not, Zach Rampy will have his student-athletes ready to come out against the Pioneers.

GET vs. SMW @ GET (Series tied 0-0)
* The Vikings and Trailblazers will be playing for the very first time. This will be a second time this season Coach Tim Callaghan will be 0-0 against another Sunflower opponent. While the Vikings will be on the road for this game, it should be a great match up of Football wits for Ryan Cornelson to exercise his playbook as both programs will be fighting for 6A East seedings.

For the Vikings, playing a strong game and with the hopes of stealing a win from the Trailblazers can be done.

OEH vs. OSF @ CBAC (Series tied 15-15)
* Solid ground. If it is CBAC or ODAC, these two have been fighting from the first whistle when their series first began in 1992. Having never missed a season playing against each other, this is one of the best off the radar games played of the Olathe #233. While it goes un-noticed by many, these two schools have been going back and fourth since 2008. Both teams have been streaky in the win and loss column going 3-0 and 0-4, and but never in a format of W-L-W-L-W in any kind. The Falcons are 7-2 and have won four straight from 2013 to 2016. Olathe East came out with the win in 2017, and will again look to move the series record above 500.

LFS vs. LAW @ LFS (LFS leads the series 13-8)
* Outside of Olathe North vs. Olathe South, the Lawrence vs. Chesty Lions City Rivalry is perhaps one of the best to close out the regular season. Both teams have experience and great coaching that will push the teams to reach their best potential to come out with the win.

There is much to be said about this rivalry, and you can read up more from Lawrence Journal World's own Bobby Nightengale who now is a Cincinnati Reds beat writer. His run-down of the Lawrence history is stories these two schools share is what makes the Sunflower League a great one each and every season.

ONE vs. ONW @ ODAC (ONE leads the series 12-2)
* Since 2004, the Eagles have dominated from the start the Ravens program begin. In their last 10 games, the Eagles are 9-1 with both teams going through multiple-coaching changes. Under Coach Aaron Hafner, the Ravens will look to stop the Eagles, as this will never be an easy game. This at one time was considered a rivalry early on in the 2000's but had never materialized.

SMS vs. SNW @ SMS (SNW leads the series 25-24) 
* In which will be the schools 50th game against each other. Unfortunately, these two have fallen on hard times against SM East, North, and West since the 2010 season. While Bo Black is 2-1, Brett Oberzan is 1-2 against the Cougars since they both took over in 2015. These two will have to fight hard in this final week to maintain spots in the upper eight seeds to begin playoff week which begins soon.

Both programs have improved immensely over the course of the year which is a great sign for the league in the seasons ahead.