Kansas Class 6A
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No. 5 Blue Valley North (8-3) at No. 3 Olathe North (9-2)
Our 810 Varsity Game of the Week features the best two offenses in 6A, as both teams have outscored opponents 303-109 in the playoffs.

After dropping its first three games, Blue Valley North, the defending Class 6A champions, have caught fire with eight straight wins and all the wins have come in convincing fashion. Wisconsin-bound quarterback Graham Mertz is playing like the elite recruit that he is with 3,132 yards passing and 44 touchdowns. He’s not the only weapon, as receiver Cameron Burt is now the all-time single-season leading receiver in Kansas high school history with 1,576 yards and 19 touchdowns and running back Amauri Pesek-Hickson can kill you running the ball and catching it out of the backfield.

Olathe North also has a college-level recruit at quarterback with sophomore Arland Bruce IV. Bruce doesn’t have bad passing numbers – 11 touchdowns and only three interceptions – but he destroys defenses with his feet. He’s rushed for 1,275 yards and 19 scores, including 134 yards and two key touchdowns last week against SM East.

This game will likely come down to special teams and which team can get some stops on defense. Olathe North’s defense has played better this season, but the Eagles haven’t faced a defense like they’re going to see this week.

Missouri Class 6
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No. 5 Blue Springs (9-3) at No. 2 Rockhurst (10-2)
Every time Blue Springs and Rockhurst meets, it’s a monster matchup. These are the two perennial powers in Kansas City football, as you must beat either Rockhurst or Blue Springs to win a state title. Normally, that doesn’t happen. But earlier this week it was revealed that Blue Springs coach Kelly Donohoe is battling cancer. Donohoe recently found out he needed nine weeks of chemotherapy, with weeks one, four and seven necessitating daily treatment. He began that treatment this week, missing school earlier this week and being late to a practice.

You never know how a team will respond to a situation like this. Will it rally and win one for coach, or will it be emotionally drained. On paper, Rockhurst is the better team, especially with the way their defense has played this season, but when you add something unknown into the equation, you just never know how games like this will play out.

Kansas Class 5A

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No. 11 Olathe West (5-6) at No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (10-0)
T.J. O’Neill’s squad is the best storyline of the playoffs. Playing in its first year of varsity football, the Owls have won three playoff games, including a big upset last week over second-seeded DeSoto. Junior running back Gavan McDaniel has been outstanding in the playoffs, including 141 yards last week against the Wildcats. You don’t want to say the Owls don’t have a chance, but they are running into a juggernaut this week. Aquinas blew through the EKL without any problems and has scored 155 points in three playoff games. They have more talent, more experience and are the overwhelming favorite, but there are some question marks for the Saints. Has star running back Tank Young recovered from an injury that slowed him down last week? Even with Young at 80 percent, the Saints are the overwhelming favorites.

Missouri 5
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No. 19 Fort Osage (7-4) at No. 8 Staley (9-2)
These two programs have been mainstays in Missouri Class 5, but it’s Staley that has dominated the series lately. The Falcons won both meetings last season convincingly, and even with a banged up offense Staley is the favorite. The Falcons did something that nobody has done all season – shut down North Kansas City star running back C.J. Price en route to a 44-0 victory. The Falcon’s defense is outstanding and they should get enough offense to move on to the semifinals.

Kansas 4A
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No. 5 Bishop Miege (9-2) vs. No. 2 Basehor-Linwood (9-1)
Another playoff game, another week where Bishop Miege is going to get the best of the best from an opponent trying to knock them off the throne. With two losses – to Rockhurst and Aquinas – Miege entered the playoffs as a fifth seed, but everybody knew they were the class of 4A and the Stags have showcased that with big victories, including tough road tests at Pittsburg and Louisburg. The Stags will face another motivated team in Basheor-Linwood on their home turf, and the Bobcats are talented, but Miege is the big favorite.

Missouri 4
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No. 22 Warrensburg (9-3) at No. 11 Smithville (11-1)
This Class 4 quarterfinals features one of the best teams that hasn’t gotten the attention it deserves. That team is the Smithville Warriors. Most of the attention traditionally in the Northland has been on Kearney and Platte County, but the Warriors beat both of those programs in back-to-back weeks. The win over Platte County was a big one, as both teams had met in each of the last seven years in the playoffs and most of those have gone Platte County’s way. Warrensburg is a solid team, but this Smithville team is special and should have enough to move on to the semifinals.