Topeka Capital-Journal sports writer Rick Peterson makes his weekly

Games today

The first and foremost goal for both Hayden and Seaman in tonight's 7 o'clock Centennial League football game at Seaman is to come away with a victory.

A secondary goal for both teams is to get off to a better start tonight.

Hayden comes into the game with a 3-1 record (3-0 in the league), but the Wildcats have trailed in three of those contests, including their last two games.

The Wildcats, ranked fifth in Class 4A, trailed Washburn Rural at the start of the fourth quarter two weeks ago before rallying for a 20-10 win. Last week, Hayden spotted Shawnee Heights a 14-6 lead and came within an eyelash of falling behind by two touchdowns before running off 33 unanswered points in a 46-20 victory.

"They're testing me," Hayden coach Tom Stringer cracked about his team, which had to replace eight starters on both sides of the ball from last year's undefeated state championship team.

"The thing that we've worked on the most for the last three weeks is playing from the start, trying to get untracked from the start. We can't continue to get down in a hole and come back on people."

Seaman, 2-2 overall and 0-1 in the league, suffered through the same problem last week, spotting Emporia a 10-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter before a late rally fell short in a 16-14 loss.

"I don't know what it takes for this team to get going from the start," Seaman coach Bill Lowe said after the Emporia loss. "They have to realize you have to play for a whole game.

"This is football; it's a war. I'm not doing a good enough job getting that through to the kids."

Once they've gotten untracked, both teams have had their shining moments in their first four games.

Hayden has had a player rush for 100 yards or more in every game, with three different players accomplishing that feat.

Junior quarterback Jerad Head has gone over the 100-yard mark in back-to-back games, rushing for 144 yards and passing for 174 yards last week against Heights. Head ran for one TD and passed for two others.

Seaman got a big boost from sophomore running back Kyle Edwards last week, with Edwards rushing for 93 yards on 12 carries, including touchdown runs of three and 14 yards.

Junior defensive lineman Bill Wall had a sack and two tackles for losses, along with a fumble recovery.

n Tonight's other city games

EMPORIA (2-2, 1-1) at

HIGHLAND PARK (1-3, 1-0)

7 p.m. at Highland Park

Highland Park turned in a gutsy victory last Friday, winning its first game of the season --- 30-25 over Washburn Rural --- despite not having star senior quarterback Raphael Posey for most of the game. Posey left the game with a first-half ankle injury and is questionable for tonight's game. Before Posey was injured, he moved into the No. 2 spot on the city career passing list, passing former Topeka West standout Steve Mallory. Posey has passed for 3,074 yards in his career. Emporia is coming off a 16-14 win over Seaman last week. Senior Joel Gerdes scored all of Emporia's points in that game, including the game-winning field goal, his third of the game.

JUNCTION CITY (3-1, 2-0) at

TOPEKA WEST (2-2, 1-2)

7 p.m. at Moore Bowl

Emotion could play a factor for Topeka West, which will be celebrating its Homecoming and honoring its second class of Hall of Fame inductees. The Chargers will be trying to snap a two-game losing streak, including a 28-0 loss at Salina Central last week. West was without standout senior receiver Shawn Keeling in that game (ankle). The Chargers will try to get their offense, led by senior running back Quincy Cosey, cranked up again tonight after back-to-back sub- par outings. Junction City beat Topeka High 41-20 last week in the Blue Jays' second straight I-70 League victory. Quarterback Matt Devine passed for 253 yards against Topeka High, while Kijana Thomas rushed for 104 yards.

TOPEKA HIGH (1-3, 0-3) at

SALINA SOUTH (2-2, 1-2)

7 p.m. at Salina Central

Topeka High is coming off a 41-20 I-70 League loss to Junction City, while Salina South edged Manhattan in a league game, 14-7. High will be looking to snap a three-game losing streak tonight, while Salina South will be looking to develop some consistency. The Cougars blasted Abilene in their season-opener and played top-ranked and undefeated Salina Central to within a point, but then were routed by Junction City before bouncing back last week. Topeka High is led by 248-pound senior running back Donnell Smith, who rushed for 173 yards on 18 carries last week. Smith scored touchdowns on runs of 2 and 52 yards.

WASHBURN RURAL (1-3)

at AQUINAS (2-2)

7 p.m. at Aquinas

Aquinas posted a big win last Friday night, knocking off last year's Class 5A champion, 16-6. Washburn Rural, meanwhile, has lost two straight games, including a 30-25 Centennial League decision to Highland Park last week. Rural senior quarterback Jake Blodgett and senior wide receiver Ray Glaze both had big games against the Scots, but the Junior Blues were hurt by four turnovers. Blodgett passed for 227 yards and two touchdowns, while Glaze caught seven passes for 195 yards and a touchdown.

SHAWNEE HEIGHTS (1-3) at SM NORTH (1-3)

7 p.m. at SM North

Shawnee Heights dropped its third straight game last week, a 46- 20 decision to Hayden, but the T-Birds played well at times. The T- Birds led 14-6 and had the ball at the Hayden 16-yard-line before a turnover turned the tide. Hayden went on to score 33 unanswered points. Senior Luke Waldo rushed for 100 yards and a touchdown in a losing cause for Shawnee Heights, while Jim Kilmartin continues to be a standout defensively. SM North took a 63-13 beating at the hands of Olathe South last Friday.

n Rick's picks

Hayden over Seaman by 12.

SM North over Heights by 1.

Aquinas over Rural by 6.

West over Junction City by 1.

Salina South over High by 12.

Emporia over Hi Park by 7.

Last week: 4-1. Season: 16-5.

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