KPZ Pregame Week 3: Seaman vs. Shawnee Heights

TOPEKA, Kan. (WIBW) - It doesn’t get much better than a good old fashioned rivalry game.

Shawnee Heights is hosting long-time rival Seaman on Friday night, and it’s promising to be a dog fight. The game will be 13′s Kansas Prep Zone Game of the Week.

“They’re just like us, they have a lot of chemistry. And it’s a rivalry. They’re gonna be ready,” said Shawnee Heights quarterback Brayden Wheatley.

“We can’t make mistakes,” said Shawnee Heights head coach Jason Swift. “I mean attention to detail is vital for us because Seaman’s an awfully good football team. They’re well coached, they play hard, it’s gonna be a tremendous matchup.”

The Thunderbirds are 2-0 on the young season, boasting a 42-point shutout in week one, a gritty week two win, and a talented offensive line.

“Last game was a little rough, but we got it done in the end. And I feel like we’re ready to beat Seaman,” Wheatley added.

“We’re playing well, and we’re playing with a lot of confidence. And you’ve gotta believe in yourselves and your teammates to do that,” Coach Swift said.

But the T-Birds aren’t underestimating their opponent.

“We’re pretty cohesive this year I think, a lot better than last year. And the offense is really clicking right now,” said Seaman running back Jack Bloom.

The Vikes average 68 points a game so far, only allowing 6 on defense. They know if they want to move to 3-0, they’ll need to contain Shawnee Heights’ explosive plays out of the backfield.

“They’re gonna be tough, they’re gonna be physical. They fly to the ball. They do a lot of stuff that’ll put you in a bind,” said Seaman head coach Jared Swafford. “We’ve gotta make sure we stay in our lanes, do our job, and not try to do too much.”

One thing these rivals can agree on is that there’s a special type of excitement in the air this week, that isn’t there for just any other opponent.

“There’s gonna be some buzz in the hallways, even from the students that aren’t playing,” Coach Swafford said. “You’re always excited to play, but when it’s your rival, it puts a little bit more in there.”

To put it lightly, both of these squads are really good. But only one will remain undefeated.

Catch all the highlights and postgame interviews during Kansas Prep Zone on Friday night at 10:00 p.m.

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