Football notebook: Redington helps Mulvane to another postseason
With his play this season, Mulvane junior Ty Redington has turned himself into one of the elite quarterbacks in the Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail League.
Last Friday's 49-7 win over Clearwater provided ample evidence to Redington's rise. Redington threw for 289 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for another 61 yards and one touchdown. He also went 7 for 7 kicking extra points.
Redington (6-foot-1, 155 pounds) has thrown for an AV-CTL III-best 1,632 yards and 19 touchdowns and rushed for 445 yards and eight touchdowns in his first year as a starter.
The Wildcats (6-2) host Winfield tonight.
"His biggest blessing is he always understands exactly what we're trying to do, whether it's passing or running," Mulvane coach Dave Fennewald said. "He is athletic and he is smart."
Fennewald said he had concerns about replacing last year's starter, Gus Strunk, in both productivity and leadership. Redington has handled both areas superbly.
"Gus was a great leader, but Ty learned a lot from him," Fennewald. "The hardest thing was going to be replacing that leadership... but what Ty brings to the field and how he plays has proven he can handle it."
Up in the air _ A look around area leagues shows that while some conference passing titles have been locked up, some are still up for grabs headed into the final game of the regular season.
McPherson's Tyler Matthews has the AV-CTL II crown sewed up with 2,144 yards and the Bulldogs hosting Newton on Friday. Redington can't be caught in AV-CTL III, and neither can Pratt's B.J. Dean (1,500 yards) in the Central Kansas League. In the City League, Bishop Carroll's Zeke Palmer has thrown for 1,487 yards and leads East's Desmond McGee by 317 yards.
In AV-CTL I, Maize's Blake Pontius has thrown for 1,005 yards and still has an outside shot at catching Salina Central's Jackson Rolfs, who has 1,225 yards.
In the AV-CTL IV, Collegiate's Markus Phox has 1,025 yards and is in a three-way race with Wellington's Ryan Jenkins (994) and Maize South's Drake Dukes (896).
The closest race is in the Central Plains League, where Bluestem's Blake Bolander has thrown for 1,022 yards _ just 43 yards ahead of Chaparral's Zack Duwe.
Milestones — It's the little things that stick out to Heights coach Rick Wheeler after 99 career wins:
* The six wins in 1999, his first season and then a Heights record.
* Qualifying for the 6A playoffs in 2002, the first time in school history. The first playoff win, also in 2002.
* The first 10-win season, in 2004.
"There's been a lot of those little milestones along the way, and each group that has passed through contributed a great deal," Wheeler said.
"Every group of kids that has come through has been able to leave their mark, their legacy."
Wheeler, who is 99-33, would tie for sixth place in City League wins if the Falcons can beat Derby on Friday.
Former Kapaun Mount Carmel coach Ed Kriwiel is the league's winningest coach with 297, while Northwest's Weston Schartz is second with 154.
Perry's a necessity — Hesston running back Kyle Perry won't play tonight in the Swathers' final regular-season game against Chapman (0-8). Hesston (6-2) needs a win to get to the Class 4A playoffs.
Perry had a helmet-to-helmet collision in last week's loss to Abilene.
"It was really scary when one of your kids gets hurt like that," coach Marc Marinelli said. "It makes it awfully real."
Marinelli said Perry's CT scan was fine, but Perry will take the week off.
"We're not as explosive without him," Marinelli said. "We have kids who we feel are good backs, though."
Perry has 1,362 rushing yards on 177 carries to lead the Central Kansas League.
Hesston doesn't have to find ways to get Perry his yards. He just does it.
"He fits our scheme so well," Marinelli said. "He can see the crease or cut it back and bounce it. He's almost the perfect zone runner.... He can run with power or outrun people. You just say, 'let Kyle be Kyle and our offensive line will block well for him, and he'll take it to the house.' "
Rushing leaders — West senior Arnez Jones continues to lead the City League in rushing with 1,125 yards on 256 carries. He is 141 yards short of tying the West single-season record, set by Jeremy Benford in 1994. Benford ranks 25th in City League history.