STATE SEMIFINALS PREVIEW
 
CLASS 6A
 
EAST
 

BLUE VALLEY (7-4) AT GARDNER EDGERTON (10-1)
 
If you look at the long view, Blue Valley is the traditional football power while Gardner Edgerton is the underdog.

But looking at the short term of this season, and even the last few years, Gardner Edgerton has been building toward powerhouse status. Blue Valley has been trying to recapture the spark of championships past.

In that short-term view, Gardner Edgerton has spent all season as the favorite in the East to advance to the 6A state championship game again this year. Blue Valley has spent the last two weeks knocking off the only teams to really give the Trailblazers trouble this year.

Olathe East was the only team to defeat Gardner Edgerton this season. Blue Valley pitched a 17-0 shutout against the Hawks in the regional finals.

Olathe North was the only other team to finish within one score of the Trailblazers, dropping a 21-14 game in Week 5. Blue Valley scored 24 unanswered points to start last week’s game against the Eagles, ultimately winning 42-21 to advance past the state quarterfinals for the first time since 2019.

Blue Valley senior running back John Price has led the way for the Tigers with 931 rushing yards and eight touchdown runs this season. The Eagles found a way to hold the K-State commit to just 18 yards on 18 carries, and yet that did nothing to slow down the Tigers.

Junior quarterback Christopher Aiello, who has thrown for 1,563 passing yards with nine touchdowns and six interceptions this season, got his offense rolling with so much attention focused on slowing down the Tigers run game. Aiello only hit 8 of 11 passes, but he averaged 22.5 yards per completion as he threw for 180 yards and two touchdown passes. 

Junior Grady Westphal hauled in most of that, with four catches for 129 yards and a touchdown receptions. His younger brother, freshman Grant Westphal, made the other touchdown reception.

On top of those performances, senior running back Martell Buchanan took advantage of his four carries as he rushed for 84 yards and two touchdowns, including a 74-yard score that put the game away.

Buchanan was equally impressive leading the Tigers defense, which gave up some big gains to the Eagles, only to consistently make a big play at the right time to keep Olathe North off the scoreboard for most of the game.

Junior defensive lineman Lincoln Stueve finished with just one sack, but he led a front seven that lived in the Eagles backfield. The Tigers finished with nine tackles for loss.

Junior tight end and linebacker Maguire Richman doubles as a special teams savant. 
Richman led the Tigers in points after going a perfect 6-of-6 between his extra point tries and two field goal attempts. As a punter, he routinely helped the Tigers win the field position battle. As a member of the punt return team, he scored another six points by scooping up a blocked punt and returning it for a defensive touchdown.

The Tigers will need to duplicate their success winning all three phases of the game if they want to knock off one more favorite.

While Blue Valley excelled despite Olathe North keeping the Tigers' top offensive weapon in check, Gardner Edgerton rolled through its state semifinal game without needing to unleash nearly all of its weapons in that one.

Gardner Edgerton raced out to a three-touchdown lead in the first half on the way to a 28-6 victory over Blue Valley Northwest. Trailblazers senior running back Dylan Butash rushed for 128 yards and four touchdowns, doubling his total for that latter category this season.

Junior quarterback Bravin Powell only connected on 2 of 7 passes for 64 yards while rushing for 45 yards on 12 carries. But the Trailblazers have more than proved this season that their offense can turn on the jets when they need it to do that.

Powell has thrown for 1,250 passing yards and 13 touchdowns to three interceptions this season. He also leads the team in rushing yards with 782 and 14 rushing touchdowns. His top targets in the passing game have been senior receivers Randy Singleton and Colton Hawkinson. Those two have combined for 888 receiving yards and 11 touchdown receptions.

Along with Powell, the Trailblazers have four other rushers with at least 278 rushing yards on over 4.0 yards per carry and multiple rushing touchdowns. Butash continues to lead that group with 644 yards and eight touchdowns heading into this week’s game.

With all that firepower, Gardner Edgerton’s best unit might still be its defense. The Trailblazers have kept their last three opponents to seven points or less, the team's eighth such game this season. 

Junior safety Chase Bojanski intercepted a pass to be the standout against Blue Valley Northwest, but the Trailblazers defense really just rotates between a long list of names of who ends up being the one to make the big play.

Senior edge rusher Mark Debiak, senior defensive back Daryus Williams and senior linebacker Dawson Kindler are just a few among the many players on a defense that often puts the Trailblazers offense in position to run away with games.

Both teams will try to prove they have the more complete team in the state semifinals match-up Friday in Gardner. Even if this one ends up not creating fireworks on the scoreboard, expect there to be explosive plays throughout.

WEST
 

 
DERBY (10-1) AT WASHBURN RURAL (11-0)
 
It’s not often Derby goes into a game looking for payback. But after losing three straight to Manhattan, including a playoff loss last year that ended the Panthers’ string of seven straight appearances in the state championship game, that’s exactly what Derby was seeking in last week’s state quarterfinals.
 
Thanks to a late 26-yard field goal by Grady Jesseph, Derby got its revenge, taking a 23-21 victory to return to the state semifinals for the ninth straight season. Derby saw a 20-7 lead in the second quarter disappear as Manhattan took a 21-20 lead on a halfback touchdown pass late in the third quarter.
 
But the Panthers came up with a big defensive stop at their own 29 inside the final four minutes and Braxton Clark hit Daylen Bledsoe for gains of 17 and 12 yards and then found Da’Saahn Brame to get the ball inside the Manhattan 20. After reaching the 4, Derby called on Jesseph, who after a delay of game pushed the field goal from 21 to 26 yards, booted the game winner with 37 seconds left. The Panthers forced three straight incompletions on Manhattan’s final drive to seal the win and end the three-game losing streak to the Indians.
 
Derby has now won 10 straight since a season-opening loss to Manhattan. The Panthers overcame the loss of Clark for four games due to a shoulder injury with Easton Splane moving over from the defense to fill the void more than capably.
 
While Derby was getting its revenge, Washburn Rural was denying Wichita East its shot at redemption in a rematch from their season opener. In that game, the Junior Blues got a blocked PAT in the final minutes of the game to preserve a 26-25 victory.
 
Rural navigated through the regular season undefeated for the first time since 1989 when the Junior Blues captured the Class 5A state championship. But a meeting with a hot Wichita East team coming off an impressive romp past rival Wichita Northwest figured to be a major test for Rural and when the game was tied 14-14 at halftime, it was every bit the battle it was expected to be.
 
But Rural dominated the second half. JC Heim ran for three touchdowns, including a back-breaking 95-yarder after one of three stands by the Rural defense inside its own 10-yard line. Rural shut out the Blue Aces after halftime, taking a 35-14 victory and returning to the state semifinals for the first time since 1992.
 
Now it’s the Junior Blues’ turn to try to get some payback. Derby ended Rural’s season a year ago in the state quarterfinals, taking a 36-21 victory.
 
Heim has emerged as an offensive force as the season has gone along, rushing for 178 in the win over East to push his season total to 453 and 9 touchdowns. But he’s been the consistent leader of Rural’s defense all season, tallying 153 tackles (91 solo) with 17 tackles for loss and 8 sacks to lead a squad that allows just under 14 points per game.
 
Rural has been a turnover-producing machine as well with King Leonard getting 9 of the Junior Blues 22 interceptions and Rural also recovering 14 fumbles. Jaren Heim, JC’s twin brother, has 4 defensive touchdowns and Rural has gotten 7 defensive scores overall.
 
Senior quarterback Branton DeWeese has been efficient in leading Rural’s offense all season, completing 62% of his passes for 1,644 yards and 27 touchdowns with just 2 interceptions. He’s also run for 7 touchdowns while being complemented in the offense by Heim, Lafayette Thompson (559 yards, 4 TDs rushing) and Titan Osburn (528 yards, 11 TDs receiving).
 
Derby’s defense has given up just over 14 points per game and is led by defensive end Mason Hopper, the program’s all-time leader in sacks. He’s got 13 sacks this year along with 17 tackles for loss.
 
Despite missing four games, Clark has thrown for 1,246 yards and 14 touchdowns with just two interceptions. Derek Hubbard has rushed for 917 yards and 13 touchdowns and Brame leads the receivers with 807 yards and 12 touchdowns.
 
CLASS 5A
 
EAST
 

MILL VALLEY (9-2) AT BLUE VALLEY SOUTHWEST (10-1)
 
This is a rematch of last year’s 5A East state semifinals match-up. But Blue Valley Southwest is hoping it's anything but a repeat.

Mill Valley pitched a 63-0 shutout against the Timberwolves last season. The Jaguars went on to win their fourth straight state title and sixth championship in the last eight seasons.

Even with that finish, Blue Valley Southwest still had one of its best seasons in program history last year with the team finishing above .500 and finishing one game shy of a trip to state.

Blue Valley Southwest senior quarterback Dylan Dunn came back this season looking better than ever. That’s saying a lot considering he threw for more than 2,500 yards and 19 touchdowns each of the past two seasons.

Now Dunn has leveled up, hitting the marks of 3,287 passing yards and 42 passing touchdowns to five interceptions after the team beat Shawnee Heights 38-10 last week in the state quarterfinals.

Dunn has two 1,000-yard receivers in seniors Alex Parks and Tate Everard. Throw in senior Emmitt Peters, and the Timberwolves have three wideouts with double-digit touchdown receptions.

The Timberwolves even have a one-two punch in the backfield now that senior running back Drake Dombrosky returned from injury, pairing with junior Quin Lemons. Those two have combined for 950 rushing yards and 18 rushing touchdowns, split almost evenly.

If that’s not enough, Blue Valley Southwest’s defense has continued to hone its skills as a ballhawking group. The Timberwolves have 21 interceptions this year, led by junior defensive back Parker Lindman with six. Senior defensive tackle Luke Davis has a team-high 19 tackles for loss, leading a group of five players with at least nine in that category.

Many of those descriptions for the Timberwolves match the formula Mill Valley has used to dominate 5A for the last decade. But that formula has only been replicated, not stolen away from Joel Applebee’s team.

Mill Valley’s previous teams might not have liked the final score from last week, but the Jaguars still proved lethal in a 72-44 win over Topeka Seaman in the state quarterfinals. Mill Valley picked up all of its 632 yards on the ground. The team had three 100-yard rushers, which included senior quarterback Daniel Blaine and junior quarterback Conor Bohon. 

While those two share duties, senior running back Tristan Baker has excelled as the team’s go-to player in both the rushing and passing attack for the Jaguars.

Baker leads the team in both rushing and receiving with 1,324 rushing yards and 20 rushing touchdowns to go along with 207 receiving yards and two touchdown receptions.

Last week Mill Valley gave up its second most points this season, only allowing more in its 49-10 loss against Gardner Edgerton in Week 4. But otherwise, the Jaguars' defense has put the clamps of most everybody else. They kept five opponents to seven points or less and kept nine opponents to 13 points or less.

Junior defensive lineman Jayden Woods has been a key reason why the Jaguars defense remains formidable once again this season. Woods has 5.5 sacks, 10 quarterback hurries and 10 tackles for loss this season. Senior linebacker Evan Seifert leads the team with 63 tackles. Senior defensive lineman Sam Colleti tied Woods for most tackles for loss with 10.

Blue Valley Southwest has wins over two teams still alive in other state semifinals, beating 6A's Blue Valley 33-19 in Week 1 and beating 4A's St. Thomas Aquinas 42-21 in Week 8. Now the Timberwolves will need to prove once again that they’ve elevated their game this season. Rematch, not repeat.

WEST
 

 
EISENHOWER (10-1) AT KAPAUN MT. CARMEL (10-1)
 
Eisenhower’s first playoff victory in program history came eight years ago against Kapaun. The teams will finally meet again with an even bigger prize on the line at Wichita Southeast High School.
 
Eisenhower has reached the same point as that 2015 team, which finished 7-5 after a 34-7 semifinal loss to Bishop Carroll. This year’s Tigers have added to the school’s single-season record for victories with each playoff win, defeating Andover, Hays and 2021 and 2002 state runner-up Maize in the 5A bracket.
 
Kapaun, the No. 1 seed in the West, is in the semifinals for the second time in three seasons. The Crusaders still have key players from that team, which fell to Maize 22-21 on a touchdown and two-point conversion with 29 seconds remaining that kept them from reaching the title game for the first time since 1987.
 
In last week’s 35-14 victory over Maize, Eisenhower trailed 14-0 after the first quarter but seized momentum by halftime with three second-quarter touchdowns. Junior quarterback Derek Morgan sandwiched TD passes of 13 yards to Chase George and 15 yards to Carter Pabst around an 8-yard scoring run. The touchdown to Pabst came 20 seconds before the break and capped a 94-yard drive.
 
Eisenhower kept things rolling in the third quarter with touchdown runs of 12 and 4 yards by senior Lucas Dickman, his 13^th and 14^th of the season.
 
Meanwhile, Kapaun used the running of standout senior Omari Elias to fend off Maize South 57-47 in its second straight stern challenge of the playoffs. The Air Force-bound Elias had 39 carries for 346 yards and six touchdowns, including fourth-quarter scoring runs of 9 and 4 yards after Brady Rapp’s 2-yard touchdown gave Maize South its first lead at 47-43 with 9:10 to play.
 
Elias’ performance came on the heels of a 261-yard, 3-touchdown effort in Kapaun’s 36-34 second-round victory over Great Bend.
 
Elias has been a focal point of Kapaun’s offense for three seasons, while senior quarterback Dylan Hamilton has played alongside him during that time. Hamilton passed for 153 yards and a touchdown against Maize South as the Crusaders rolled up 543 total yards.
 
Eisenhower, which started the season 7-0 before falling 22-14 to Goddard in the regular-season finale, has been balanced on offense. Morgan has passed for 1,574 yards and 24 touchdowns, while Dickman has run for 1,509 yards. Pabst is Morgan’s top target, with 42 receptions for 703 yards and 16 touchdowns.
 
Kapaun has scored at least 33 points in every game and is averaging 49.2 points. The Crusaders have won eight consecutive games since a 42-35 loss to Wichita Northwest.
 
 
CLASS 4A
 
EAST
 

ST. THOMAS AQUINAS (8-3) AT TONGANOXIE (9-2)
 
Sure, St. Thomas Aquinas won the 4A Catholic school triple-threat match already. 

But after the Saints took down reigning champ Bishop Miege in the regional finals, just a week after the Stags took out St. James Academy, it became a ticking clock for the teams on the other side of the bracket battling for the opening opposite Aquinas this week.

Tonganoxie upset two higher seeds to clinch its spot in this showdown. After earning a 28-21 victory over Chanute in the regional finals, Tonganoxie outlasted Atchison 57-50 on the road in a high-scoring, back-and-forth battle last week in the state quarterfinals. 

Tonganoxie trailed by three points early in the fourth quarter, but a Jackson McWilliams field goal and the final of four rushing touchdowns by senior running back Colton Brusven pushed Tonganoxie to the next round. Brusven finished with 255 rushing yards. Brusven crossed the 2,000-yard mark for rushing yards while also scoring 28 rushing touchdowns this season.

Senior quarterback Trevor McGraw threw for 182 passing yards and three passing touchdowns against Atchison, pushing his season totals to 2,012 passing yards and 20 passing touchdowns. Senior wide receiver Isaiah Holthaus was McGraw’s top target, hauling in three catches for 101 yards and two touchdown receptions. Holthaus is 130 yards shy of the 1,000-yard mark for this season while earning 13 touchdown receptions

Tonganoxie, which reached the state semifinals for the first time in program history, will need all of those players at their best to score against a vaunted Saints' defense this week.

St. Thomas Aquinas rolled to a 38-7 victory over Basehor-Linwood. Saints senior running back Cole Richardson rushed for 151 yards and three rushing touchdowns. Three different Aquinas players intercepted a pass -- seniors Luke Hancock, Blake O’Brien and Wyatt Potter.

Potter leads the team in tackles with 70 from the linebacker position. Senior Kian Payne leads the team in sacks with six. Payne also leads the team in tackles for loss with seven, followed closely by sophomore linebacker K’lyn Curtis and senior defensive end Owen Charlton at six.

Aquinas was able to let senior running back Gianni Rizzi rest after he returned from injury last week, still not 100% according to Saints head coach Randy Dreiling. The Saints are looking for their second state title, previously winning in 2018. Dreiling earned his eighth state championship as head coach with that 2018 title. He won his previous seven with Hutchinson. A championship this year would tie Dreiling with former Kapaun Mt. Carmel coach Ed Kriwiel with the most all-time by a football head coach in Kansas at nine.

WEST
 

 
ANDOVER CENTRAL (8-3) AT WAMEGO (9-2)
 
A year after making program history with its first-ever appearance in a state championship game, Wamego is one step away from a repeat title-game appearance.
 
The Red Raiders made a pretty emphatic statement last week, shutting out a potent Wellington offense in a 49-0 victory. Wamego held a Wellington offense that had been averaging just under 400 yards per game to a mere 155 yards and 9 first downs in the quarterfinal, forcing four turnovers including a pair of pick sixes from Gannon Couture and Kaden Kern.
 
The defensive performance shouldn’t have been a huge surprise as that unit has been the program’s strength for the past two seasons. After allowing the fewest points in 4A a year ago, Wamego has repeated that achievement, giving up just 109 points through 11 games (9.9 per game). No team has scored more than 19 points against the Red Raiders, with Clay Center accomplishing that in a season-opening 19-7 win for one of Wamego’s two losses.
 
The other was a 12-7 loss to Shawnee Heights, which reached the 5A quarterfinals.
 
Wamego’s defense might face its toughest task of the season against Andover Central, which averages nearly 300 yards and 26.6 points per game with a balanced attack against a predominantly 5A schedule. The Jaguars have bounced back from a three-game losing streak (all to 5A schools) in the middle of the season to win five straight, including a tough 28-21 win over McPherson in last week’s quarterfinals.
 
Jace Jefferson threw for 157 yards and all four of Central’s touchdowns a week ago, hitting Jace Adler for a pair of the scores. Adler also had a game-clinching interception after McPherson had rallied from down 28-7 to get within a score and had the ball in the final two minutes.
 
Jefferson has thrown for 1,972 yards and 22 touchdowns this season and has been complemented in the run game by Maddox Archibald, who has run for 1,150 yards and 15 touchdowns. Adler and Brandt Stupka each have more than 750 yards receiving with Adler snagging 12 touchdown passes and Stupka 5.
 
Wamego had to replace key offensive pieces from last year’s state runner-up team, but has done so quite capably. Pruitt Nowlin has stepped in at quarterback and thrown for 1,443 yards and 23 touchdowns, spreading it out to a bevy of receivers with five Red Raiders having at least 185 yards and six having multiple touchdown catches.
 
Thomas McIntyre and Porter Smith both returned from a year ago at running back and have been a solid 1-2 punch. McIntyre has run for 1,205 yards and 17 touchdowns, getting 125 and 2 scores against Wellington last week, and Smith has added 725 yards and 10 scores.
 
A 42-7 win over Andover Central in the quarterfinals a year ago was one of the biggest program wins ever and avenged a 42-0 loss to the Jaguars in the 2021 playoffs.
 
CLASS 3A
 
EAST
 

 
HOLTON (7-4) AT HAYDEN (11-0)
 
Despite not being in the same league, Hayden and Holton have forged one of the biggest rivalries in the state. Perhaps it’s because the stakes are always high whenever they meet.
 
From epic district battles when only one team advanced to the playoffs to meeting in state championship games, Hayden-Holton has always been big. And it is again this year with the winner advancing to the 3A state championship game.
 
That was the case a year ago as well when Holton rolled past Hayden 48-17 in the state semifinals, its second win over Hayden after beating it 37-13 in district play. This year, it’s Hayden looking for the season sweep after beating Holton 24-7 in district play in mid-October.
 
That was the second straight loss for Holton and dropped the Wildcats to just 3-4 on the season. But Holton has found its groove since and won four straight, including a regional 21-13 upset of previously undefeated Wellsville.
 
Last week, Holton got past another familiar playoff rival, Frontenac, taking a 35-22 to beat the Raiders for the fourth time in six playoff meetings since 2015. Abbott Hundley ran for 240 yards and two touchdowns and Holton cranked out 468 yards on the ground overall while also throwing just its second touchdown pass of the season.
 
A converted lineman, Hundley has thrived in his backfield role this year, rushing for a team-high 1,329 yards and 14 touchdowns. Kyler Jackson is closing in on 800 yards rushing and as a team, Holton has just over 3,500 yards on the ground this season.
 
Hayden, meanwhile, has yet to really be pushed this season, a 42-24 win over Santa Fe Trail in the regionals the Wildcats’ closest victory of the season outside of the 17-point win over Holton. The Wildcats have overcome multiple injuries to key players on the offense, but have plugged the holes more than capably to get to 11-0 for the first time since 2005.
 
That year, Hayden took a 12-0 record into the state semifinals before falling 41-0 to … Holton.
 
In blowing past Parsons 64-19 in the quarterfinals, Hayden got a 99-yard kickoff return touchdown from Kade Mitchell, who has rushed for 748 yards and 11 touchdowns after taking over as the feature back for the injured Finn Dunshee. Dunshee returned in limited time last week for the first time since suffering a knee injury in Week 4 and his return could be key for a backfield that is still missing starting quarterback Jett Wahlmeier, who was injured in the playoff opener against Baldwin after throwing for 1,370 yards and 14 touchdowns.
 
Dunshee has run for 691 yards and 12 touchdowns this year, while Dom Ridley has added 552 yards and 12 scores on the ground as well. Jensen Schrickel has 627 yards and 6 touchdowns receiving and also has run for two scores and is a threat in the return game and on defense.
 
Since 1998, Hayden and Holton have met 17 times, all the meetings coming in either district play of the playoffs. Hayden has won 9 of the meetings and Holton 8, each beating the other for a state title during that stretch – Hayden topping Holton 52-27 in the 1998 title game and Holton winning 34-21 in the 2003 championship game.
 
Hayden has three state titles during that span as well, the last coming in 2008. Holton has also won three championships in that stretch, the last coming in 2012.
 
WEST
 

 
ANDALE (10-1) AT CHENEY (11-0)
 
Cheney coach Shelby Wehrman labeled it “Andale 2.0” within days of the first meeting, and indeed it will occur – four-time reigning 3A champion Andale travels to face unbeaten Cheney, which snapped the Indians’ 57-game winning streak in a 36-30 overtime thriller on Oct. 13.
 
The rematch wasn’t guaranteed until the final tick of the Cheney scoreboard clock in last Friday’s quarterfinals.
 
The top-ranked Cardinals slipped past Clay Center 23-21 on Grady Kuehn’s 32-yard field goal on the game’s final play. Facing the team that ended its 2022 season in the state quarterfinals, Cheney led 20-7 early in the fourth quarter before Clay Center rallied with a pair of touchdown passes.
 
The second came with 25 seconds remaining after the Tigers took over at Cheney’s 9 following a Cardinal punt that struck a Cheney blocker. But Cheney started its winning drive in Clay Center territory after a facemask penalty, and moved into field-goal position with a pair of pass completions by quarterback Josh Burdick.
 
The drama-filled victory rivaled the classic Cheney and Andale played in mid-October.
 
Andale’s Gage Prosser returned the opening kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown and the Indians built a 22-0 lead late in the first half. But Burdick connected with Gavin Maass for a 13-yard touchdown just before the break, launching a Cheney comeback filled with highs and lows.
 
The Cardinals committed four turnovers, but tied Andale at 22 and again at 30-all with 1:53 remaining on Burdick’s 7-yard touchdown pass to Jackson Voth and two-point conversion pass to Maass.
 
In overtime, Voth knocked down Andale’s fourth-down pass, then scored on a 10-yard run on the first play of Cheney’s possession to end what was the nation’s longest active winning streak.
 
Andale has bounced back from the loss with four straight victories by an average of 36 points, including a 50-25 quarterfinal win over Wichita Collegiate. The Indians have battled through injuries down the stretch, losing standout running back-defensive back Owen Eck and offensive lineman-linebacker Ian Aouad for the rest of the season.
 
Prosser filled the void against Collegiate, running for 226 yards – most by an Andale back this season – and three touchdowns against Collegiate.
 
The teams’ other postseason meeting came in the 2019 semifinals, when Andale won 55-20 en route to the first of its current streak of titles. 
 
CLASS 2A
 
EAST
 

 
SABETHA (10-1) AT NEMAHA CENTRAL (11-0)
 
Nemaha Central and Sabetha spent the bulk of the 2023 season ranked No. 1 and 2, respectively, in Class 2A and the only thing keeping them from being that way going into Friday’s semifinals was the Thunder’s 28-0 win over Sabetha in the final week of the regular season, dropping the Bluejays a couple spots in the final rankings.
 
One of the best rivalries in the state has played out on the big stage with the Big Seven League powers meeting in the state semifinals for the second straight year. Last year, after fighting off Sabetha 24-7 in a regular-season meeting, the Thunder completed the season sweep, taking a 30-14 win in the semifinals on its way to winning the Class 2A state championship and finishing 13-0.
 
Both teams were 7-0 going into this year’s regular-season finale. But Nemaha Central dominated on both sides of the ball, holding the Bluejays to just 127 total yards (67 rushing) and 9 first downs. Carter Hajek paced the Thunder offense with 146 yards and two touchdowns on the ground and threw a 19-yard touchdown pass to Caleb Strathman, who capped the win with a 58-yard touchdown run.
 
The shutout was the seventh of eight straight for the Thunder defense, which allowed just 6 points through its first nine games. But in the playoffs, Nemaha Central’s defense has been a bit mortal.
 
Riley County took an early 6-0 lead in the quarterfinals before Nemaha Central scored 48 straight points to roll to a 55-13 win. Last week, Osage City gave the Thunder all they wanted for three quarters, rallying from down 26-7 in the second quarter to be within 33-27 with six and a half minutes left in the third quarter.
 
But the defense came up big. After a 3-yard touchdown run by Hajek made it 39-27, Hajek and Cooper Kramer came up with pick sixes on back-to-back Osage City possessions and Nemaha Central pulled away for a 53-27 win.
 
The Thunder have still given up just 46 points all season, the fewest of any team in the state. Behind a monstrous offensive line led by Holden Bass and Abe Hilbert, Hajek has had a breakout season, rushing for 1,936 yards and 37 touchdowns and throwing for 858 yards and 10 scores.
 
Sabetha has bounced back strong after its loss to the Thunder in Week 8. The Bluejays turned in an impressive 45-34 win at Silver Lake in the regionals with Caleb Menold rushing for 370 of the team’s 563 yards in the victory.
 
Last week, Sabetha showed off its passing game in a 49-18 win over Humboldt as Mitchell Kramer completed 10 of 15 passes for 202 yards and 3 touchdowns with Nate Menold catching 4 passes for 126 yards and a score. Colin Menold added 111 yards and 2 TDs on the ground.
 
For the season, Colin Menold has run for 1,434 yards and 20 touchdowns and Chase Frey has added 713 yards and 7 scores on the ground. Kramer missed three games with an injury, but has thrown for 687 yards and 10 TDs in 8 games.
 
The two teams have combined for four state championships since 2017 with Sabetha taking back-to-back 3A titles in 2017 and 2018 and Nemaha winning 2A championships in 2019 and 2022.
 
WEST
 

 HOISINGTON (11-0) AT NORTON (11-0)

The showdown between the Cardinals and the Bluejays will be the only battle of unbeatens in Friday’s semifinal slate. 

Hoisington squared off previously-unbeaten Southeast of Saline in the quarterfinals, putting up 35 points in the first half en route to a 49-42 victory. Norton secured its spot in the semifinals with a 20-6 win over Ellsworth. 

It will be a rematch of a 2019 semifinal that saw Norton pull out a 10-8 win over Hoisington to earn a spot in the 2A title game before falling to Nemaha Central. Hoisington reached the championship game a year later, losing to Rossville. 

The Southeast of Saline win was just the second game decided by fewer than 24 points for Hoisington this season. The Cardinals’ only other close contest was a 27-19 victory over Pratt. 

The 42 points allowed against the Trojans were a season high for Hoisington, which surrendered 20 points or more on just one other occasion (67-20 win over Cimarron). 

Norton also has a smothering defense, allowing fewer than 10 points per game. Outside of a 64-34 playoff win against Cimarron, no other team has put up more than 18 points on the Bluejays. 

Hoisington quarterback Tony Moore has thrown for over 1,300 yards with 17 touchdowns and rushed for 669 yards and 7 touchdowns. The ground game is led by Teron Kraft, who has rushed for over 1,100 yards with 12 touchdowns. 

The Cardinals have won their first 11 games five times since 2015. 

Norton’s closest game was a 12-8 victory over Smith Center in Week 2. The Blue Jays have won each of their last seven by double digits. 

Eli Jones went over 2,000 passing yards for the season during the Ellsworth win and enter's Friday with 2,019. He’s thrown 17 touchdowns. 

Jones also leads the Bluejays in rushing with 790 yards and 18 touchdowns. 

Tyce Melvin (49 catches, 755 yards, 5 TDs) and Roman Hauser (43 catches, 644 yards, 5 touchdowns) are Norton’s top receiving targets. Hauser also leads the team with 10 sacks while Melvin has snagged a team-high five interceptions.
CLASS 1A
 
EAST
 

 
JEFFFERSON COUNTY NORTH (10-1) AT ST. MARY’S COLGAN (11-0)

The No. 1 team in Class 1A from the start of the season, St. Mary’s Colgan left little doubt that it has belonged there with its performance in last week’s state quarterfinals.
 
Going up against defending 1A champion St. Marys, Colgan dominated from start to finish in taking a 33-8 win to avenge last year’s quarterfinal loss to the Bears and reach the state semifinals for the first time since 2018. Tucker Harrell ran for three touchdowns and threw for another and finished with 146 yards on the ground and 125 through the air to pace the Colgan offense in the win. Cooper Simmons added a 35-yard touchdown run and 119 yards rushing and the Panther defense smothered St. Marys, holding the Bears to just a fourth-quarter touchdown after Colgan had built a 27-0 lead.
 
The defense has been strong this season, allowing just 83 points with only three teams scoring more than one touchdown in a game. The Panthers have had just one game closer than 25 points, a 27-20 win over arch rival Frontenac in the season opener.
 
Harrell missed last year’s quarterfinal game with an injury and has been big this year, throwing for 1,309 yards and 16 touchdowns and rushing for 899 yards and 16 scores. Simmons leads the team with 1,385 yards and 24 touchdowns on the ground.
 
While Colgan has been a program consistently this deep in the playoffs – the Panthers won four straight titles from 2000-03 and 66 straight games from 2000-2004 – Jefferson County North is in some uncharted territory. The quarterfinals had been a sticking point for the Charger program, which had made six appearances in that round but had never gotten past it and into the semifinals.
 
North broke through that barrier in a big way last week, demolishing traditional power Olpe 52-0. The Chargers led 30-0 at halftime and forced six turnovers in the game, one of which Ethan Noll returned 17 yards for a touchdown in the opening quarter.
 
Connor Keirns and Grady Noll each ran for three touchdowns in the game with Keirns going for 167 yards. That pushed him to 819 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground for the season, giving the Chargers three backs with at least 800 yards and 14 touchdowns. Grady Noll has run for 1,043 yards and 14 scores and Ethan Noll has just over 800 yards with 16 touchdowns.
 
North and Colgan have never played each other in football. Colgan last reached the title game in 2017, falling to Smith Center in the championship game.
 
WEST
 

 
MEDICINE LODGE (9-2) AT CONWAY SPRINGS (9-2)
 
A Central Plains League showdown for a spot in the 1A final might not have seemed likely in late September when Conway Springs fought off Medicine Lodge 40-34 to win its homecoming game, leaving both teams at 2-2.
 
But the competitiveness of that duel, coupled with the teams’ performances since that night, makes for an intriguing rematch.
 
Conway Springs shook off season-opening losses to Garden Plain and Kingman and has a nine-game winning streak after a 28-20 victory at Marion in last week’s quarterfinals. Like last season, the Cardinals have flourished behind the running of senior Brayden Kunz, who carried the ball 37 times for 194 yards and four touchdowns against Marion.
 
Kunz, also Conway Springs’ leading tackler (92) at linebacker, has run for 2,227 yards this season, giving him 5,738 for his career. He ran for a season-high 322 yards and three touchdowns against Medicine Lodge in Week 4.
 
Medicine Lodge has won seven straight since the loss to Conway Springs, including a 48-30 victory last week at Valley Heights. The Indians, 3-6 a year ago, advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 1987 as junior quarterback Ke’Veon Ruiz ran for three touchdowns and passed for two.
 
The Indians recovered a fumble on Valley Heights’ first offensive play and blocked a punt after an errant snap on the Mustangs’ second possession, quickly turning both into touchdowns that produced a 14-0 lead four minutes into the game.
 
Senior Derrek Randels, who blocked the punt, added a scoop-and-score touchdown, caught seven passes for 92 yards and two scores, and finished with 15 tackles.
 
In the first meeting, Conway Springs built an early three-touchdown lead before Medicine Lodge rallied. Ruiz completed 18 of 33 passes for 360 yards and three touchdowns. He was intercepted twice. All of Conway Springs’ 438 yards came on the ground.
 
The Cardinals reached the semifinals a year ago, losing to Inman 23-6. Their last title-game appearance came in 2011, when they defeated Silver Lake for the Class 3A title.
 
 
EIGHT-PLAYER DIVISION I
 
EAST
 

 
CAIR PARAVEL (9-2) AT LYNDON (11-0)
 
History will be made in Lyndon on Friday night as either the host Tigers or visiting Cair Paravel will earn their program’s first-ever trip to a state championship game.
 
Well, Cair Paravel does have a trio of state championships on its resume. But all three of those titles came in the Kansas Christian Athletic Association before the Lions became a full-fledged KSHSAA member in football in 2022.
 
After going just 3-5 a year ago, the Lions have flipped the script this year and have turned their first trip to the KSHSAA playoffs into a deep one. Cair Paravel knocked off previously unbeaten Central-Burden with a 76-30 romp in the quarterfinals and then last week fought past Chase County for the second time this season with a 48-23 win.
 
Friday’s semifinal will be another rematch for the Lions, who will look to avenge one of their two losses of the season. Cair Paravel and Lyndon played in the district opener in Week 4 with Lyndon rolling to a 58-30 victory.
 
Cair Paravel actually led 16-14 in the first half of that game before Lyndon standout Tanner Heckel took over. The senior quarterback ran for 349 yards and 7 touchdowns and also threw for a score, sparking a string of 24 straight points that erased the two-point deficit and sent the Tigers on their way.
 
Heckel has had a monstrous season for Lyndon after transferring in from Inman, where he helped the Teutons to back-to-back runner-up state finishes in Class 1A. He’s rushed for 1,965 yards and 44 touchdowns and thrown for another 899 yards and 17 touchdowns.
 
Throw in three interceptions returned for touchdowns and Heckel has accounted for 64 total touchdowns this season for the Tigers, who average just over 57 points per game. He’s far from Lyndon’s only weapon, however, with Jalen Massey adding 1,261 yards and 16 touchdowns on the ground and another 354 and 6 scores receiving.
 
Lyndon’s closest game was a 38-34 win over Chase County and the Tigers come into the game off a 58-12 romp past West Elk where Heckel ran for 267 yards and 5 touchdowns and Massey added 174 yards and a score.
 
Cair Paravel also boasts multiple offensive weapons. Quarterback Jase Pavlik has thrown for 1,671 yards and 34 touchdowns and also run for 820 yards and 14 touchdowns. Jesiah Bonura has been a Swiss army knife, rushing for 1,118 yards and 14 touchdowns and added nearly 650 yards and 12 touchdowns receiving. Five other Lions have at least three touchdown catches.
 
Lyndon is in just its second year playing eight-player football and reached the quarterfinals a year ago, falling to Burlingame. The Tigers’ last semifinal appearance came in 2020 when they lost 14-12 to eventual state champion Olpe. Lyndon also made the semifinals in 2012 and 2013, falling to Centralia each time.
 

 
WEST
 
ELL-SALINE (10-1) AT WICHITA COUNTY (11-0)

Reigning state champion Wichita County has been a juggernaut over the last two seasons, entering Friday on a 24-game win streak. 

The Indians haven’t been challenged much this year. They have outscored opponents 678-92 with their closest margin of victory coming in last week’s 66-34 quarterfinal win over Atwood-Rawlins County. 

Wichita County’s ultra-aggressive offensive attack is led by quarterback Wyatt Gardner and running back Khris Hermosillo. Gardner has thrown for 885 yards and 21 touchdowns and rushed for 1,247 and 21 TDs. Despite missing two games with an injury, Hermosillo is over 1,000 yards rushing at 1,032 with 22 touchdowns. 

Lineman Christopher Michel is a force on both sides of the ball for the Indians. He leads the team with 10 sacks. 

Ell-Saline has been on a tear since dropping its opener 32-6 to Moundridge. In their only tight game of the season, the Cardinals pushed their winning streak to 10 by pulling out a thrilling 44-42 win over Hoxie last week. 

Ell-Saline quarterback Marshall Johnson has enjoyed a solid year, throwing for 1,250 yards and 18 touchdowns with just two interceptions. Ryder Dent has a team-high 923 yards on the ground with 22 touchdowns while Joe Hiechel has added 686 rushing yards and 12 TDs. Johnson is also a threat to run with 413 yards and 12 TDs on the ground. 

Kas Kramer has picked off a team-high six passes for the Cardinal defense. 

Ell-Saline has posted its highest win total since 2008 when it went 10-1. EIGHT-PLAYER DIVISION II
 
EAST
 

 
FRANKFORT (9-2) AT AXTELL (11-0)
 
Frankfort will try to do what no team has been able to do over the past three seasons – beat Axtell. Winners of the past two Eight-Player Division II state championships and owners of the state’s longest active winning streak at 37 straight games, Axtell is the dominant power in Division II.
 
The Eagles were certainly dominant in the first meeting with Frankfort this season as well, taking a 46-0 win in a game that ended in the third quarter on a pick six by Rilyn Buessing. That capped a night that saw Axtell hold Frankfort to just two first downs and 63 total yards – far and away season lows for a Wildcat offense that’s been explosive all season.
 
Brandon Schmelzle completed 15 of 17 passes for 176 yards and 3 touchdowns in the win and also ran for 123 yards and a score. All three touchdown passes went to Eli Broxterman and that duo has been a serious 1-2 punch this season as the Eagles had to replace graduated Top 11 quarterback Isaac Detweiler.
 
Schmelzle has completed a sizzling 75 of 91 passes (82.4%) for 1,347 yards and 29 touchdowns and run for 588 yards and 12 scores. Broxterman has 470 yards and 13 touchdowns rushing and 459 yards and 10 touchdowns receiving. Grady Buessing and Landon Schmitz both have 8 receiving touchdowns.
 
Axtell needed only a half last week to race past Osborne 54-6 with Schmelzle throwing for three touchdowns and running for two and Wyatt Detweiler returning an interception 30 yards for a score.
 
Frankfort survived a Twin Valley League rematch in the quarterfinals, beating Hanover 38-12 after having beaten the Wildcats 62-14 in the regular-season finale. Wes Anderson threw for 145 yards and 2 touchdowns and also ran for a score while Brock Armstrong ran for two touchdowns. Frankfort trailed 6-0 early, but a 67-yard kickoff return touchdown by Carter Olson started a string of 20 straight points and after Hanover pulled within 20-12, Frankfort pitched a second-half shutout.
 
Anderson has had a big year at quarterback, throwing for 2,107 yards and 33 touchdowns with Olson being his top target with 768 yards and 16 scores. Lane Loiseau has been a weapon as a runner (496 yards, 12 TDs) and as a receiver (682 yards, 11 TDs) and Armstrong has run for 13 touchdowns.
 
Frankfort’s last semifinal appearance came in 2020 when the Wildcats lost to Hanover and prior to that when the Wildcats were an 11-player program in 2003, ending with a loss to eventual champion St. Mary’s Colgan. The Wildcats were 2-1A state runners-up in 1998 and state champions in 1996 and 1983.
 
WEST
 

SOUTH CENTRAL (8-3) AT VICTORIA (9-1)

Victoria shook off a 20-14 season-opening loss to Kinsley to unleash a nine-game win streak, winning each game convincingly. 

The Knights cruised into the semifinals with a 66-20 win over Dighton. Victoria’s top offensive weapons came through with big games in the quarterfinal. Landon Schmidtberger threw for three touchdowns and Chase Schumacher rushed for three touchdowns while Seth Schwien caught a pair of TDs. Matt Pfeifer is also a standout in the backfield who rushed for 78 yards and a TD last week. 

Victoria has outscored opponents 493-98 and posted four shutouts on the season. The Knights are looking for their first title game appearance since 2015, when they captured a second straight state championship. 

The Timberwolves, just 4-5 a year ago, are peaking at the right time, notching lop-sided playoff wins over Bucklin (46-12), Central Plains (58-12) and Minneola (58-12). 

South Central relies on a run-heavy attack. The Timberwolves did not attempt a pass against Minneola last week. They finished with 489 rushing yards on 49 carries for an average of nearly 10 yards per attempt. 

Quarterback J.T. Prusa has rushed for 1,610 yards and 28 touchdowns for the Timberwolves. Isaiah Jellison has added 16 touchdowns and 806 yards on the ground. Gavin Uhl leads the team in tackles with 95 while Jase Rutherford has logged a team-best 15 sacks.  
SIX-PLAYER
 
EAST
 

 
TESCOTT (8-2) AT CUNNINGHAM (10-1)

Reigning champ Cunningham has been absolutely dominant since taking a 32-22 season-opening loss to Ashland in a rematch of last year's championship game. 

The Wildcats responded by notching eight consecutive shutouts. The streak finally ended in last week’s 70-6 quarterfinal win over Pawnee Heights. 

Cunningham has outscored opponents by a staggering 541-38 margin. The Wildcats have a wealth of experience with several of their standouts also playing key roles during last year’s title run, including Luke Albers, Luke McGuire, Dagim Reed, Jack Ruckle and Will Wegerer. 

Tescott is coming off a thrilling five-overtime 52-45 win over previously-unbeaten Waverly. It was an all-hands-on-deck game for the Trojans. James Dickerman rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns, Austin Miller threw for three touchdowns and Carter Peters ran for two touchdowns and threw for a score for the Trojans. Dawson Lee also caught two touchdown passes, and Peters racked up 22 tackles.

Miller has thrown for 717 yards and 4 touchdowns. Peters is the team’s top rusher (637 yards, 17 touchdowns) while Lee has a team-high 402 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. 

The semifinal will be a rematch from Week 4 when Cunningham rolled to a 50-0 win over Tescott. WEST
 

 ASHLAND (10-1) AT CHEYLIN (11-0)
 
Unbeaten Cheylin made a big statement with a 62-32 win over Ashland in Week 3 and the Blue Jays have been hungry for another shot at the Cougars ever since. 

Cheylin has been impressive throughout the season, turning heads early with back-to-back wins over Ashland and Northern Valley.  The Cougars’ closest game was the 30-point Ashland win and they’ve outscored opponents 637-52 on the season. 

Ashland had no trouble bouncing back from the Cheylin loss. They cruised through the rest of the regular season and their first playoff game before fighting off a strong Northern Valley team 50-38 in the quarterfinals. Landen McPhail rushed for over 250 yards with five touchdown to lead the Blue Jays. 

Friday’s semifinal will also be a rematch of last year’s quarterfinal in which Ashland took a 78-34 win over Cheylin en route to its runner-up finish. 

Cheylin cruised to a 54-8 win over Ingalls last week to reach the semifinals. Logan McCarty accounted for five touchdowns in the win. 

Both teams are loaded with veteran playmakers. Landen and Lathan McPhail, Britt Grigsby and Kale Harris are Ashland’s top weapons while Cheylin is led by McCarty, Pablo Berumudez and Brady Ketzner. McCarty has thrown for 1,560 yards and 33 touchdowns.

In the Week 3 matchup, Cheylin forced Ashland into five turnovers and pulled away in the fourth quarter.