2025 FOOTBALL PREVIEW
 

 
CLASS 6A
 
2024 State champion: Gardner Edgerton
 
2024 State runner-up: Manhattan
 
2024 Review: Coming off two straight appearances in the Class 6A state championship game – the first ending in with a heartbreaking 21-20 double-overtime loss to Manhattan, the second culminating in the program’s first-ever state title – Gardner Edgerton had its staying power put to the test in 2023. The Trailblazers graduated almost its entire starting defense from the 2023 championship team as well as a number of key playmakers on the offensive side of the ball. But having passed a big test a year ago in proving that its surprising run to the 2022 title game wasn’t a fluke, Gardner Edgerton handled last year’s test with the mettle of a program in the infant stages of perhaps building a dynasty. The Trailblazers’ only loss in the regular season came to 5A powerhouse Mill Valley by six points and they carried that momentum through the postseason, fighting off Blue Valley West 34-25 to return to a third straight state championship game. Their opponent in the title game was going to be a rematch of some kind, either against 2022 foe Manhattan or 2023 opponent Derby, who each took undefeated 11-0 records into their semifinal showdown, both having navigated their schedules to that point with relative ease with Manhattan’s 34-30 win over eventual 5A runner-up Hays the only game for either program decided by less than 10 points. Manhattan pulled out a 31-21 win over the Panthers for its fourth win over Derby in their last five meetings, the lone loss in that stretch coming in the 2023 playoff quarterfinals. If the first championship game meeting between Gardner and Manhattan was a thriller, their rematch just might have found a way to top it. Manhattan got out to a 19-7 lead early in the second quarter before two straight touchdown passes by Gardner’s Bravin Powell gave the Trailblazers a 22-19 halftime lead. After trading third quarter touchdowns, Manhattan struck early in the fourth quarter on a Jaydin Hudley 33-yard TD run for a 33-29 lead. But with the season on the line – and playing with a broken hand suffered late in the fourth quarter – Powell had the closing statement. His 1-yard touchdown plunge with 10 seconds left gave Gardner a 36-33 win and its repeat, secured after the Trailblazers batted down a Hail Mary pass on the game’s final play. Powell ran for 129 yards and three touchdowns and threw for two scores in the title game as Gardner finished 12-1. Manhattan also ended with a 12-1 record.
 
2025 Contenders: On an unprecedented run for the program as back-to-back 6A state champion, Gardner Edgerton’s staying power will be put to the ultimate test this season after the Trailblazers graduated 17 starters off last year’s team. The program has taken graduation hits during its recent run of three straight title games, but at least on the offensive side of the ball went into the next season knowing Bravin Powell would be running things. The three-year starter earned All-State Top 11 honors last year after fueling the second straight championship season. In his absence, the Trailblazers’ vaunted flexbone offense will lean heavily on running backs Syre Padilla and Porter Swaim, who are the only returning starters on offense. Padilla was an All-6A first-teamer who ran for 1,705 yards and 16 touchdowns, while Swaim fell just short of 1,000 yards with 936 and 12 TDs. No linemen return so a rebuild there is critical to the offense’s success. Defensively, only three starters are back led by linebacker Charlie Drinkard (98 tackles) and safety Penn McCall (81 tackles). Jesse Owen has things rolling with his program, which has gone 24-2 over the past two seasons, and now it’s time for the next wave to keep it going. … While not returning to the 6A title game qualifies as a disappointment for a program like Derby, it was hardly a down season for the Panthers, who were undefeated going into the state semifinals before falling to fellow unbeaten Manhattan. The Panther dynasty is still going strong, though they haven’t claimed a state title since 2020 – that crown third straight and fifth in six years for the program. Derby has reached the state semifinals 14 times in the past 19 seasons and played for the title nine times in that stretch, winning six. With seven starters returning on offense, Derby has the firepower to once again play on the final weekend, even with the loss of All-State Top 11 tight end Da’Saahn Brame. Junior tailback Arieus Finley ran for 1,512 yards and 26 touchdowns last year and was a firsty-team All-6A selection as a sophomore. He’s got four returning starters on the offensive line back to clear the way, led by All-6A pick Max Robinson. The Panthers’ biggest question marks are on the defensive side of the ball where only three starters are back, led by end Dalton Hornback and nose tackle Houston Bolin. … Manhattan was a defensive stop and tipped Hail Mary pass away from capturing its second state title in three years, falling 36-33 to Gardner Edgerton in the title game with the deciding score coming with 10 seconds left. In order to reach a third title game in four years, the Indians will have a bit of a rebuild on offense as the Indians were hit hard by graduation, which claimed the likes of All-6A quarterback Carter Aslin, a three-year starter, All-6A lineman Trey Hoover and 1,000-yard rushing Jaydin Hudley. Only two starting linemen return on that side of the ball, including Garrison Vikander who was one of a handful of Indians who started both ways last year. The best of that group is arguably one of the top players in the state overall, JJ Dunnigan, who earned All-State Top 11 honors last year. The Kansas commit starred at receiver (556 yards, 5 TDs), defensive back (65 tackles) and in the return game (3 TDs) and will be an even bigger playmaker this year as the new weapons develop. Seven players who started at some point return defensively with lineman Evan Middleton leading a new-look defensive front. Manhattan has gone 141-32 under head coach Joe Schartz, who is in his 17th season. … If not for running into Manhattan, Wichita Northwest very well could have found itself playing for the state title last year. The Indians have been a nemesis for the Grizzlies in recent year and handed Northwest both of its losses last year, including 49-28 in the state quarterfinals last year. The Grizzlies have been a model of consistency under head coach Steve Martin, going 110-33 in his 12 seasons. Nothing should change this year with nine starters returning each way, including five with Division I offers. Kansas commit Jaylen Mason returns at quarterback after having thrown for more than 2,000 yards and rushed for another 600. He's complemented in the backfield by senior back Augie Fast, who ran for 1,734 yards and 14 TDs last year. Northwest’s offensive line is stacked with four starters back, three of whom hold Division I offers led by Deongelo Williams and Maddox McGinnis. Linebackers Ja’mari Bland and Johnmichael Fountain (four-year starter) lead a defense that could hold the key to a title run. … Having posted five straight winning seasons for the first time since the 1990s, Blue Valley Northwest shook off a late-season three-game losing skid to reach the state quarterfinals last year, finishing 7-4 after a 44-29 loss to Gardner. The Huskies have some major holes to fill up front with the graduation of Michigan-signee Andrew Babalola and All-6A two-way lineman Brock Heath as well as every other offensive line starter. Top receiver Trevor Garlington and quarterback Joseph Arnold are also gone. But the Huskies have a wealth of skill players led by tailback LJ Bowens (1,177 yards, 11 TDs) and receiver Ayden McGibboney (454 yards, 7 TDs), who will help Northwest break in its first non-senior starting quarterback in five years. Linebacker/tight end Kaleb Peterson leads five returning starters on defense and Northwest has one of the top kickers in the state in Trace Rudd, who has an offer from Oklahoma. … After dropping a tough 25-21 loss to eventual 5A state champion St. Thomas Aquinas in the season opener, Blue Valley West reeled off 10 straight wins to reach the 6A semifinals for the first time since 2021. The road ended there with a 35-24 loss to eventual champion Gardner Edgerton. The Jaguars were hit hard by graduation with just two starters returning on offense and three on defense with All-6A picks Tate Nagy, Quin Myers and Jack Cook among the losses. Senior Lawson McGraw returns as a starter both ways (linebacker/tight end) and is getting Division I offers after making 42 tackles a year ago. He’ll team with Cade Wysong to give the Jaguars a strong 1-2 duo at linebacker but West will be young across the board as they try to reload and continue its recent run of success under 10th-year coach Josh Koerkenmeier. …  Dodge City went 6-4 last year, knocking off Wichita East in the final game of the regular season 21-14 but then falling to the Blue Aces 21-17 in the second round of the playoffs. The Red Demons return six starters each way, though returning linebacker Ty Scheck likely will flip to the offense and take over at quarterback this season. He’ll have three returning starting linemen to operate behind led by second-team All-Western Athletic Conference guard Aldo Reyes who will shift to tackle this season. Easton Smith, Kordell Howard and Jonny Bone are two-way starters who are back as well. … Free State was awfully close from seeing its 6-4 record turn out much better, enduring tight losses to 6A runner Manhattan (38-28), 5A power Mill Valley (31-23) and Shawnee Mission Northwest (27-24). The Firebirds will have to replace a strong senior class that produced nine players that are in college programs this fall, including All-6A kicker Yusef Iskandrani and linebacker Parker Moore. Free State boasts one of the top linemen in the state in senior Braden Wilmes, a Clemson commit. He’ll be joined on the offensive line by younger brother Reece, who is a rising prospect as well. Finn Moore was one of the top defensive players a year ago and will be an bigger part of the offense this year, taking over as full-time quarterback. … Junction City was just 5-5 last year, suffering a four-game losing streak before winning four straight late in the season. The Blue Jays return seven starters on offense and six on defense. Senior quarterback Conrado Gomez threw for 1,471 yards and 15 touchdowns last year while Jamarcus Tyson is the leading defensive returner, earning first-team All-Centennial League honors at linebacker after making 66 tackles. … Maize started last season 0-4 before turning things around and finishing with a 5-5 mark. The Eagles hope that late-season momentum carries over to this year and with seven full-time and two part-time starters back on defense, there’s a good chance it could. Four of those were sophomore starters last year. Only four starters are back on offense, but senior quarterback Brayden Myovela had a solid season, though he’ll miss speedster receiver Bryson Hayes. … Olathe East was somewhat flipped from Maize’s season with the Hawks starting out 4-0 before finishing 6-4. Two of those losses came to Shawnee Mission Northwest, including a 21-7 defeat in the second round of the playoffs. The Hawks return five starters on offense and four on defense, two each way up front. Defense could be a strength despite the lack of returning starters. … After going 8-4 in 2022, Olathe Northwest slipped to 2-7 in 2023 but then turned things back around last year with a 6-4 mark. The Ravens will look to stay on the winning side of the ledger again this year and not fall back under .500 and with seven starters back on offense the opportunity is there to do so. There’s comfort at quarterback, junior Brody Comfort, who handled the job well as a sophomore starter last year. Three linemen also return up front and five starters return on defense. … Shawnee Mission East reached .500 last year for the first time since 2018 and nearly climbed over the break-even mark, losing in four overtimes to Olathe East and in overtime to Olathe South in the final two weeks of the regular season. The Lancers return five starters on offense from their 5-5 team with Jack Reeves one of the top quarterbacks in the Sunflower League after he ran for 1,066 yards and 14 TDs and threw for 690 yards and 8 TDs last year. Leading tackler Davis Eakes returns, but he’s one of only three starters back on defense. … A new regime is in place at Shawnee Mission Northwest as Kurt Webster takes over for longtime coach Bo Black, who retired after leading the Cougars to an 8-3 mark last year that included a one-point loss to eventual state champion Gardner Edgerton. Webster inherits a team that returns five starters each way, though the program will miss All-6A end Hunter Engle and All-6A offensive lineman Jacob O’Donnell. Leading rusher John Whitener is also gone, but the offense is in good hands with dual-threat quarterback Trai Woodruff. … Wichita East will challenge Wichita Northwest for the top spot in the GWAL and lost to the Grizzlies 14-0 last year. The Blue Aces finished 7-4 overall and though top receiver Karlon Ransom is gone and quarterback Robert Hunter transferred back to Hutchinson, tailback Aaron Bohannon returns after rushing for more than 1,600 yards and 22 touchdowns. The defense will be stout led by All-6A linebacker Pharrell Adams and lineman DJ Ngassa. … Wichita South posted its most wins in a season since 1994, going 6-4, which also marked the first winning season since 2015. The Titans also hosted a playoff game for the first time in program history, beating Wichita Heights. Six starters are back on offense including breakout performer Rashawn Johnson, a hybrid quarterback who had 21 total touchdowns last year and also was a deadly returner. Jay’den Kirk will complement him wherever he lines up after rushing for 1,390 yards last year. Johnson also shines on defense in the secondary and is one of five starters back on that side of the ball. South could take another big step this year if it can handle the burden of expectations.
 

 
CLASS 5A
 
2024 State champion: St. Thomas Aquinas
 
2024 State runner-up: Hays
 
2024 Review: While Mill Valley entered last season as the favorite in 5A – a distinction earned by entering the 2024 campaign on a streak of five straight state championships – nobody was sleeping on St. Thomas Aquinas, which returned to Class 5A after spending 2022 and 2023 in Class 4A, capturing the state championship in 2023. The two seemed on a collision course that couldn’t end in the state championship with both in the East bracket and when that collision occurred, it was epic. Aquinas went into their 5A quarterfinal clash undefeated while Mill Valley’s only loss came to Lee’s Summit North (Mo.). Mill Valley had ended Aquinas’ season three straight years prior to the Saints dropping to 4A and positioned itself to maintain the upper hand, taking a 22-15 lead with less than six minutes remaining in the quarterfinal game. But with the Saints needing a miracle, facing fourth-and-16 in the closing minutes, they got one. Calin Arndt’s desperation pass was knocked down by Mill Valley, but right into the hands of Saint Will Callahan, who snagged it for a first down. Arndt scored a handful of plays later and after initially lining up for the game-tying PAT, the Saints went for two after an offsides call on the Jaguars and Arndt cashed in, giving Aquinas the 23-22 win. Aquinas capped an undefeated season by handling Hays 35-13 in the championship game. Hays was making its first-ever appearance in a state championship game as the Indians continued their rise as a 5A power under Tony Crough. After starting the season 1-2 and sitting 4-4 going into the playoffs, Hays got hot and knocked off Western Athletic Conference rival and unbeaten Great Bend 19-14 in the second round after losing 21-0 to the Panthers three weeks earlier. The Indians finished 8-5 after falling to Aquinas in the title game.
 
2025 Contenders: Fresh off capturing the Class 4A state championship in 2023, St. Thomas Aquinasreturned to Class 5A where it had previously won a state championship in 2018. That came before Mill Valley’s run of five straight titles and it became quickly evident that those two programs were on a collision course last year. They met in the quarterfinals and Aquinas pulled off a somewhat miraculous 23-22 victory with Calin Arndt scoring on a two-point conversion run for the winner. Aquinas cruised from there, capping a 13-0 season with a 35-13 win over Hays in the title game. Arndt had a huge year, rushing for more than 2,000 yards and he’ll be back again this year to be the workhorse for the Saints offense. Speaking of horses, Aquinas has a bonafide thoroughbred in offensive lineman Stephen Carroll, who joined Arndt as an All-State Top 11 selection last year after anchoring Aquinas’ dominating offensive line. He’s one of four returners up front as the Saints’ vaunted ground game is in great position to be a force once again, even with the loss of versatile weapon Elzie Slaughter. The defense has more holes, losing All-5A end Cru Huenfeld and linebacker Andrew Ham, among others, but five starters led by linemen K’lyn Curtis and Zion Thornton are back. Aquinas and Mill Valley are likely headed for another showdown again this year. … If not for an answered Hail Mary completion on a busted play, Mill Valley very well could enter this season riding a streak of six straight state championships. But that play in the state quarterfinals by St. Thomas Aquinas helped end the Jaguars state-title run at five straight as the Saints took a 23-22 victory and ended Mill Valley’s season. This year, Mill Valley gets to play the hunter for the first time in a while and they’ve got the weapons to hit their target and get that title back. Without question, two-time All-State Top 11 defensive end Jayden Woods will be missed, along with seven starters on last year’s offense. But the cupboard is far from bare. Senior tailback Reggie Reece ran for 1,948 yards and 25 touchdowns last year and is one of the top backs in the state this year. He’s got Kansas State commit Lamarcus Barber up front to clear a path, though he’s the only returning starter on the offensive line. Blake Jay was an All-5A pick in the defensive secondary and is the leading returning receiver as well. Even in losing Woods, eight starters are back on defense and that unit can carry the Jaguars back to the title game. … Great Bend was cruising along and looking every bit the team capable of representing the West in the 5A title game, motoring through the regular season undefeated, winning both blowouts and tight games. But after blanking Hays 21-0 in Week 7, the Panthers saw the Indians turn the tables and pull off a 19-14 upset in the second round of the playoffs, cutting Great Bend’s playoff run extremely short. That should serve as plenty of motivation for the Panthers, who return eight starters on offense and nine on defense. Great Bend boasts arguably the top player in the state in end/defensive back Ian Premer, who has already committed to Notre Dame. If his presence alone wasn’t enough, the Panthers have another budding prospect in end/defensive back Cooper Ohnmacht, who already has Division I looks. Daxton Minton returns at quarterback after throwing for 1,300 yards and Five of last year’s top six tacklers return on defense, led by Trenton Kern, the WAC defensive MVP who also starts on the offensive line. Expectations are high for the Panthers, who also felt the sting of getting upset to start the basketball playoffs last March. … Hays has been on a steady rise as a power in 5A under Tony Crough and last year took things to yet another level. After setting a school record with 10 wins in 2022, the Indians enjoyed a program first last year by reaching the 5A state championship game for the first time in program history. Hays went into the postseason just 4-4 with three losses to teams that were undefeated in the regular season, but once the playoffs hit the Indians found their groove, upsetting unbeaten Great Bend after losing 21-0 to the Panthers three weeks earlier. They then took down Hutchinson and Eisenhower to make the finals where the breakthrough season ended with a 35-13 loss to St. Thomas Aquinas. Crough thinks this team could be even better despite having to replace leading tackler Dalton Meyers. Eight starters do return on that side of the ball and eight return on offense as well. Hays has one of the top linemen in the state in junior center Gus Corsair, who has multiple Division I offers already, and also has a top-notch tailback in Holden Lind, who ran for 1,800 yards last year. The schedule is still daunting with non-league games against ranked 6A foes Derby (opener) and Manhattan, but Hays still should be a factor for the title in 5A this season. … The record is always deceiving when it comes to St. James Academy, which twice won Class 4A state titles after going into the playoffs each of those seasons at 4-4. Last year, the Thunder started the season 1-4 and hit the playoffs with a 3-5 mark before winning three straight to reach the state semifinals where a 6-6 season closed with a loss to eventual champion St. Thomas Aquinas. The Thunder only return three starters on each side of the ball this year, graduating 32 seniors off last year’s team. The offense will get a boost with the addition of transfer tailback Jake House, son of Chiefs assistant coach Matt House. The defense will be led by returning all-league lineman Andrew Maurer. … Moving up to Class 5A a year ago, Basehor-Linwood didn’t see much else change as the Bobcats continued their winning ways, going 8-2. They started the season 6-0 before falling to Seaman and then ended the season in the second round of the playoffs with a loss to nemesis St. James Academy, which also moved up from 4A last year. While the ground game must be rebuilt, the passing game is in good shape with the return of quarterback Carson Dixon (1,828 yards, 22 TDs) and receivers Nash Morrison (551 yards, 9 TDs) and All-United Kansas Conference tight end Roman Miller. Basehor lost defensive leader Garrett Pierce, but returns all-league performers at each level led by defensive back Nate Martin. Kicker Colin Zimbelman is a major weapon as well and connected on five field goals last year. … Blue Valley was 6-3 last year with one of those losses coming in the playoff opener against St. James Academy, whom the Tigers had beaten earlier in the season. The Tigers must replace several key pieces off last year’s defense, including the Eastern Kansas League defensive MVP in Maguire Richman. Only a handful of starters return overall, but the Tigers always seem to be in the mix whether they’re in 6A or 5A. … It took some time, but Gene Wier’s presence finally made a splash last year at Blue Valley North. The Mustangs labored through the rigors of the tough Eastern Kansas League and went into the postseason just 1-7. But they knocked off one-loss De Soto in the playoff opener and then beat Leavenworth before the run ended with a quarterfinal loss to St. James Academy. The Mustangs should be better equipped to hit the ground running this season despite losing several key players to graduation, including standout tailback Frankie Tryban. … De Soto has posted 10 straight winning seasons under Brian King, including winning at least seven games in eight of those 10 seasons. Last year, the Wildcats were stunned in the playoff opener by one-win Blue Valley North, abruptly ending a 7-2 season. Replacing a stellar senior class that included Iowa State signee Charlie Woleben and All-5A running back Jayden Lang will be a challenge and only four starters are back on offense and five on defense. But the Wildcats were enthused by their summer workouts and will lean on a defense that features standout wrestler Emerson Tjaden and returning all-leaguer Angel Rivera at linebacker and a healthy Ryan Seck at defensive end after he missed the early part of last season with a broken leg. … For the past two seasons, Eisenhower has come within a play of two of reaching the state championship game for the first time in program history, falling in the 2023 semifinals 42-39 to Kapaun Mt. Carmel and then 24-14 to Hays in last year’s semifinals. The Tigers have gone a combined 19-5 the past two seasons to emerge as a power in 5A west. To stay there this year, they’ll have to replace seven starters on each side of the ball. The offense will have almost an entirely new look with the graduation of All-State Top 11 receiver Carter Pabst, who rewrote some state records with 1,655 yards and 29 TDs last year, as well as multi-year starting quarterback Derek Morgan. Eisenhower may lean a little more on the ground game early this year as their replacements ease into their jobs, a task made easier with the return of 1,200-yard rusher Brayden Pappas. Leading tackler Julian Gallegos returns to lead the Tigers defense and will team with fellow senior Jackson Reed to give the Tigers a strong linebacker duo to build around. … The potential Goddard had last season was shown in a 22-16 win over an Andover Central team that went on to capture the Class 4A state title. The Lions couldn’t bottle that formula all season and finished 6-3, falling 7-6 in the playoff opener to Valley Center. Seven starters are back on each side of the ball and the Lions have their largest senior class since the district split with Eisenhower. The offense will get a makeover this year, going back to the gun spread option of the past. Defensively, all-league linebackers Gage Koenigs and Elliot Walk are back to be the backbone. … Despite a young offensive line and the loss of quarterback Robert Hunter to transfer, Hutchinson still responded with a solid 8-3 season that ended with a playoff loss to a red-hot Hays team. The good news is this year, those linemen – four of five starters return – are veteran and Hunter has transferred back to give the offense a jolt it will need after losing All-5A back Kade Smith, who ran for nearly 1,900 yards last year. Seven starters are back overall on offense and five return on defense, though the loss of Terrell King, who was a jack-of-all trades, will be a big hole to fill. … After winning just five games the previous two years combined, Leavenworth posted a 6-4 mark and reached the second round of the playoffs. The Pioneers return a dynamic playmaker in DyVair McCray, who shines in all three phases. If some other pieces can emerge around him, Leavenworth could build on last year’s success. … Liberal went 7-3 last but will have a new look with Trevor Powers taking over as head coach for the departed Bryan Luetters. The Redskins lost All-5A linemen Hudson Rice and Tyren Holmes and leading rusher Xavier Porras, but return standout receiver James Fieser (783 yards, 9 TDs) among five starters on offense and six on defense. … The high-flying passing game that Maize South has boasted for the past several seasons will have a different look to it this year with the graduation of quarterback Tate McNew and receiver Landon Gatto. That duo helped the Mavericks to a 6-4 mark last year as they averaged 35.6 points per game. South may lean on its defense early this season, especially with end Hunter Higgins, a Kansas commit, back to lead that group. … Pittsburg went 7-3 last year and put up a strong fight against eventual champion St. Thomas Aquinas in the playoffs, falling 28-14. The Purple Dragons return 10 players who started at some point last year led by linebacker De’Marus Partee. … Last year’s United Kansas Conference champion, Seaman will have a new look on offense this year after graduating the key components of last year’s potent passing attack that led the Vikings to an 8-3 mark. Gone are quarterback Max Huston (3,311 total yards) and receiver Bryer Finley (1,556 yards, 21 TDs), who each won offensive MVP honors in the league the past two years and were first-team All-5A last year. Leading rusher Kaden McKinney (977 yards, 15 total TDs) returns for the Vikings to lean on early. Leading tackler Cameron Brian (112 tackles) is back to lead the defense. … Spring Hill went 8-2 last year but will have almost an entirely different look about the program. Jason Feeback has left for his alma mater, Belton (Mo.) and in his place comes Fred Bouchard, an accomplished coach in Missouri during his career with more than 250 career victories. He’ll inherit a team that was senior heavy last year so he’ll put his stamp on things in a hurry. Senior quarterback Jordan Miller returns after throwing for 1,090 yards and is one of six starters back on offense, though leading rusher Patrick Stumpff leaves a big hole after graduating. Junior defensive end Brooks Bayer is a rising prospect and was first-team all-league last year.
 

 
CLASS 4A
 
2024 State champion: Andover Central
 
2024 State runner-up: Bishop Miege
 
2024 Review: Eventually, the dam was going to break. The last time a public school had won the Class 4A state championship (Division II seasons excluded) was in 2013 when Buhler claimed the crown. In the 10 years since, private schools Bishop Miege, St. James Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas had ruled 4A with Miege accounting for seven of those titles, including six straight from 2014-19. During that same span, Andover Central had taken its shot at dethroning Miege and Co., reaching four title games, and come up empty with runner-up finishes in 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023. But returning 23 seniors from its 2023 state runner-up team, Central found its way back to the title game with its only regular-season hiccup a 22-16 loss to Goddard. Once again, the Jaguars were tasked with knocking off Miege, which had started the season 0-6 in the rugged Eastern Kansas League but found its customary groove in the 4A playoffs, knocking off Louisburg to start the postseason. In a title game that saw six lead changes and the teams combine for 145 offensive plays (85 from Andover Central) and 1,018 total yards, Andover Central rallied to finally knock off the Stags, who hadn’t lost a title game since 2012 in Class 5A. The Jaguars used a three-touchdown barrage in a span of less than five minutes in the fourth quarter to erase a one-touchdown deficit and build a 49-35 lead with 1:45 left. Miege wasn’t done, getting a touchdown pass in the closing minute, but an onside kick was recovered by the Jaguars, sealing the 49-42 victory – the first by a 4A public school in 5,866 days against the Stags with the last coming from Baldwin in the 2008 playoffs. Jaguar Maddox Archibald was the catalyst for the championship, setting a state championship game record with 341 yards rushing and four touchdowns. The state title was the first-ever for the Jaguars, who finished 12-1.
 
2025 Contenders: Bishop Miege nearly made history by becoming the first team with a losing record to win a state championship, starting the season 0-6 and going into the playoffs with a 1-7 mark before winning four straight games to reach the title game for the eighth time since 2014. The Stags fell just short in the title game against Andover Central, giving up three fourth-quarter touchdowns to fall down two scores and eventually lose 49-42. Miege will once again face a daunting Eastern Kansas League schedule that will test it weekly and will do so with a group that is both experienced with 14 full-time starters back, yet has some glaring holes. The pass-catch combo of Marco Rodriguez and Teryn Jackson has graduated and while the new parts of the passing attack take shape the Stag offense will lean on a proven ground game that saw returners Nick Nabazas and Vinny George combine for more than 700 yards and 9 touchdowns last year. Three starting offensive linemen also return. Defensively, the line will also be a strength with five players back that started at some point. Leading tackler Nikki Rattan is gone, but Daniel Neenan was right behind and returns at linebacker. The Stags may once again not have a glossy record in the regular season, but once the postseason hits they will be a factor, if not the favorite. … Coming off the program’s first-ever state championship, Andover Central will be tasked with replacing a stellar senior class of 23 players that quite frankly are irreplaceable. Lineman Dawson Rodd was an All-State Top 11 selection while the likes of Maddox Archibald, Jace Adler, Brandt Stupka and Andrew Clouse were first-team All-Class 4A selections. The Jaguars return just three starters each way and offensively, all three come on the offensive line led by three-year starting center Paxton McLeod. Seniors Logan Huslig and Pierce Gillen also return up front after missing last year with injuries to make the unit the clear strength. Junior tailback Jaxon Green was Archibald’s backup last year but still ran for 406 yards and will take over as the feature back as Central completely reloads at the skill spots. Three starters are also back on defense led by senior lineman Jaylen Wilson. … A year after playing in the Class 5A state title game, Kapaun Mt. Carmel dropped down to Class 4A last fall and figured to be a strong contender to reach the championship game. But a 20-19 loss to Wellington in the second round of the playoff derailed the Crusaders’ bid for another title game appearance and ended a 7-3 season. With a majority of last year’s production back this season, six starters each way, Kapaun could make a deeper run this season. Offensive line is a strength with three returning starters led by senior Nick Anciaux while linebacker Cal Purvis leads the defense. … Last year’s Ark Valley Division III champion, Buhler went 9-3 overall and reached the state semifinals before falling to Andover Central. The Crusaders will have to almost completely rebuild their defense with only two starters back, but the offense should be potent despite graduating key skill player Mitchel McDaniel and top lineman Bodey Redenbaugh, both first-team all-leaguers. Six starters to return on that side of the ball and the unit welcomes back tailback Ben Clouse, who ran for over 1,000 yards and 19 touchdowns as a sophomore but didn’t play last year. … Defense has long been a calling card for Wamego under Weston Moody and helped the Red Raiders to a 9-2 mark with the unit allowing just under 15 points per game. It will be a strength again this season with nine starters returning on that side of the ball, led by defensive back Jacob DeRouchey and linebacker Mason Isch. The offense lost workhorse back Tate Warren, an All-4A first-teamer, but returns quarterback Logan Fulton, who threw for 1,700 yards last year as a freshman starter. He’ll miss top target Jackson Tupps, but will operate behind an experienced line that returns key starters Rylan Heald and Isaac Braun. Wamego’s only losses last year came to Marysville and Buhler. … Atchison will have a new look this season as longtime head coach Jim Smith has stepped down as coach, turning the program over to Jordan Malcom. He inherits a team that went 8-2 last year, falling in the season opener to Ottawa and then reeling off eight straight wins before losing to Lansing 23-15 in the second round of the playoffs. The Phoenix graduated All-4A defensive end Eric Smith III and four other first-team All-Meadowlark Conference selections, but return two-way first-team all-leaguer Leighton Boldridge, all-league lineman Broady Barnes and all-league kicker Kolton Bonnel, who also was second-team all-league at quarterback. … Chanute has been a consistent winner under Clete Frazell and last year posted an 8-3 mark, the season ending with a loss to Bishop Miege in the quarterfinals. The Blue Comets’ strength will be on the offensive and defensive lines where a total of five starters are back. The lone proven skill player returning on offense is Kris Harding II, who threw for more than 1,800 yards last year and is a four-year starter. … After going 6-4 last year to post its first winning season since 2020, Fort Scott will look entirely different this year. Not only are 20 of last year’s 22 starters gone, but there are also five new coaches on staff this year, including first-year head coach Johnathan Stark. Seniors Ryder Newton and Jacob Adams are the lone returning starters. … Labette County will have a new coach as Bradley Argabright takes over for Sean Price coming off a 5-5 season. Argabright was a coordinator for the past nine seasons and welcomes back 10 starters on offense and six on defense. Tailback Jamaal Jackson is a state champion sprinter and one of the top backs in the state after rushing for 1,822 yards and 18 touchdowns last year. He’ll get even more work this year as the Grizzlies shift to an I-Back offense and emphasize being more physical this season. … Lansing also moved down from 5A to 4A last year and after a 4-4 regular season advanced to the state quarterfinals before falling to Tonganoxie, its second loss to the Chieftains on the season. The Lions only return two starters on offense, but Jaxon Pollard is a hybrid running back/quarterback who can do a little bit of everything. He’s also one of three returning starters on defense along side linemen Noah Mathis and Aden Leftwich. Jonathan Showers is the only other returning starter on offense. … Louisburg had a perfect season going through seven weeks before suffering a one-point loss to Spring Hill in the regular-season finale. It was a critical loss as well as it slotted the Wildcats into the bracket opposite one-win Bishop Miege and the Stags pulled out a 21-14 win in the first round of the playoffs to end Louisburg’s season at 7-2. The talent lost off that team was immense with All-4A picks Conlee Hovey and Ashton Moore among 24 seniors that graduated. That leaves coach Drew Harding with just two starters back each way with lineman Johnny Hendrickson a two-way starter. Louisburg has reloaded before with the Wildcats owning a 24-5 record in Harding’s first three seasons as coach. … For the first time since 2015, McPherson failed to win at least seven games as the Bullpups went just 5-5. They return six starters on each side of the ball and have one of the best receivers in 4A in Ashton Malm, who hauled in 10 TD grabs last year. Who will be getting him the ball this year is the question with three upperclassmen battling it out, but the weapons around whoever wins the job are strong as McPherson looks to get back to being a factor in the 4A race. … Mulvane completely flipped its fortunes from 2023 when it went 3-6, posting a 7-3 mark last fall. The Wildcats might be even better this year with eight starters returning on offense and seven back on defense. Senior quarterback Manny Myers was the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail III offensive MVP last year after accounting for more than 2,600 combined rushing and passing yards and 31 TDs. He’s got four offensive linemen back in front of him and all three of last year’s starting receivers. The ground game will have a new look with the graduation of Fisher Dye, who led them in rushing the past two seasons. … Having built Topeka High into a consistent winner during his stint there, Walt Alexander has been building things at Ottawa and last year the payoff began to show up. After posting seasons of 3-6 or worse in his first three years, Ottawa jumped to a 6-4 mark last year. The Cyclones look to take another step this year and return an offense that should be one of the best in Class 4A. Senior receiver Nate Sims is a Kansas commit and teams with leading receiver Aiden McCullough to provide two big weapons for returning quarterback Haydon Hull, who threw for just under 2,000 yards and 21 touchdowns last year. They’re part of seven starters back on offense while eight starters are back on defense led by leading tackler Liam Marler. Sims also stars at defensive back and in the return game and was an All-4A first-teamer there. Winning the big game against the powers that be in 4A is something Ottawa must prove this season. … Tonganoxie has reached the state semifinals each of the past two seasons, losing to eventual champion St. Thomas Aquinas in 2023 and then to Bishop Miege last year. The Chieftains finished 80-4 overall last season after starting 0-2 with those losses by a combined five points. Tonganoxie’s three-headed offensive monster of quarterback Talon Langford, tailback Tanner Hand and receiver Todd Brown all have graduated leaving major holes to fill if the Chieftains are to make it back to the semifinals for a third straight year. … Wellington started last year 0-2 with losses to 3A powers Wichita Collegiate and Andale (state champion) but then ripped off eight straight wins including a signature 20-19 win over Kapaun Mt. Carmel in the second round of the playoffs. The Crusaders couldn’t quite parlay that momentum the following week, falling to eventual 4A champion Andover Central. A stellar senior class headlined by the likes of Brody Weir and Dusty Bannister must be replaced but more than enough returns to keep Wellington in the conversation. Seven starters are back on defense led by leading tackler Colton Bannister, while six return on offense including a trio of all-league linemen in Ethan Brungardt, Cayson Ramirez and Cameron Rosenberg. … Winfield posted its most wins since 2019 in going 6-4. The Vikings could build on that success this season with seven starters returning each way though two-way playmaker Jackson Davis leaves a big void on both sides of the ball after being a first-team All-4A selection. Kelle Gibson returns at quarterback and also was one of 4A’s top punters. Twin seniors Brayden and Gabe Sutton were each all-league performers last year on the line.
 

   
CLASS 3A
 
2024 State champion: Andale
 
2024 State runner-up: Hayden
 
2024 Review: Things were a little different for Andale coming into the 2024 season. For the first time in five years, the Indians didn’t enter the season with the target on their backs as the defending state champion, their reign in Class 3A ended by Cheney in 2023. But that doesn’t mean the target wasn’t still there with the Indians not only still as talented as anyone in 3A but now a little hungrier. The determination to get that state title back showed throughout the season as aside from a wild 56-48 win over Wellington in Week 2, Andale bulldozed its way through opponent after opponent and got back to the championship game for the fifth time in six years and sixth time in head coach Dylan Schmidt’s eight years. Even the title game was a test of Andale’s resolve as Hayden was more than a formidable foe, playing in the title game for the second straight year after finishing runner-up to Cheney in 2023. The Wildcats scored twice in the second quarter of the title game to take a 19-12 halftime lead, racking up 208 yards in the opening half. But with Hayden getting the ball to start the second half, Andale stiffened. The Indians shut down Hayden, pitching a second-half shutout and two second-half touchdown runs by Landon Harp keyed a 24-point second half for Andale as the Indians roared back for a 36-19 victory, clinching the program’s fifth state title in six years. Andale finished undefeated for the fifth time under Schmidt while Hayden finished with an 11-2 mark, its other loss coming to Wamego.
 
2025 Contenders: With the Andale train getting back on track last year, it’s almost impossible not to deem the Indians the favorite to add to their dynasty with another championship this season. The Indians posted their fifth undefeated championship under Dylan Schmidt and now has gone 97-4 during his first eight years leading the program. While there might be some skepticism with just three starters back on offense from last year’s title team, no team has reloaded quite like the Indians over the last decade and the trio of offensive starters back are as solid as they come. Senior quarterback Sam Harp threw for 813 yards and 13 touchdowns and ran for 1,057 yards and 35 touchdowns while back Jack Horsch was the leading receiver and will move into a bigger role in the ground game with the graduation of Landon Harp. Defense has long been a strong suit for Andale and with six starters back will be once again, even in replacing All-State Top 11 linebacker Cooper Marx. Senior Hunter Grimes was the team’s leading tackler last year and teams with Horsch for a strong linebacker duo ahead of Harp and fellow returning defensive back Lane Parthemer. The biggest holes each way are up front where Emery Craft is the lone returning two-way lineman. … Could the third time be the charm? Hayden is hoping so after two straight trips to the 3A championship game have ended in runner-up finishes, to Cheney in 2023 and to Andale last year. The Wildcats had a halftime lead in last year’s title tilt, but couldn’t slow down Andale in the second half and saw its offense shut out in a 35-19 loss. Graduation claimed standout do-everything performer Jensen Schrickel, who was the team’s leading receiver and second-leading rusher and also a dangerous returner. Also gone is four-year starting quarterback Jett Wahlmeier and some other key pieces. But Hayden is still loaded for another run at a title. Kade Mitchell is a Schrickel clone and led the Wildcats in rushing and was second in receiving with more than 1,300 total yards and a team-high 26 touchdowns. Connor Hanika takes over at quarterback and got plent of experience asya sophomore when Wahlmeier went down at the start of the 2023 playoffs. Linebacker Jude Krentz was Hayden’s leading tackler and is one of eight starters back on defense, teaming with Jackson McGivern, Logan Saenz and Xander Blasing to give Hayden a rock-solid linebacking corps. … After capturing the program’s first state championship in 2023, Cheney only reached the quarterfinals last year before falling to eventual champion Andale, the team the Cardinals had displaced as champion in 2023. The Cardinals finished 9-2, their seventh season of eight wins or more in the last eight years. Cheney has a huge hole to fill with the loss of three-year starting quarterback Josh Burdick with task falling to senior Reece Tolar, who was a starting linebacker a year ago. He’ll bring toughness to an offense that returns five starters including three-year starting lineman Wyatt Starns. Five starters also return on defense, including leading tackler Deitric McDaniel. Transfer Kaden Ludwig, who came in from Pratt, has a chance to be an impact player on both sides of the ball. … Wellsvillehas the longest regular-season winning streak in Class 3A, having gone undefeated in the regular season each of the past four seasons. After two straight disappointing second-round playoff exits in 2022 and 2023, the Eagles reached the semifinals last year before falling 35-7 to Hayden to end an 11-1 season. The addition of Armond Graves was huge for the Eagle offense last year as he ran for nearly 1,250 yards and 25 touchdowns, earning first-team All-3A honors. He’s one of eight returning starters on offense this year and one of seven returners on defense. The Eagle line will be strong with four returning starters led by Wyatt Brungardt. … If an 8-2 season can somewhat fly under the radar, that was the case for Wichita Collegiate last year. The Spartans’ lone regular-season loss came to Andale and the season ended in the second round of the playoffs against Cheney in a 14-6 loss. Graduation claimed All-3A lineman Tristan Sprole and quarterback Harrison Simon, who led the team in rushing and passing. Another blow was the transfer of leading tackler Jaden Parker to Texas. Sebastian Hines-Turner returns as the leading receiver, but is recovering from Achilles surgery in December. Julian Johnson returns at tailback as a two-year starter with nearly 1,400 yards and 23 TDs in his career. The defense returns three starters up front, but just one in the back seven, that being Hines-Turner. … Clay Center will have somewhat of a new identity with the graduation of Cole Pladson, a multi-sport standout for the Tigers who manned the quarterback position the past three years. Expect the Tigers to lean even more into their ground game, which always has been their strong suit. Senior Eisaac Girton returns after rushing for 552 yards and 8 touchdowns last year and has three starting linemen back to run behind. Drew Hoffman takes over at quarterback after starting at linebacker last year. Girton also was the leading tackler last year with 94 stops from his linebacker spot. He’s one of five starters back on that side of the ball. The Tigers went 5-5 last year after going 9-2 in 2023 and 8-4 in 2022. … Going through three straight losing seasons from 2021-23, Columbus got back to its winning ways last year with a 7-3 mark. The Titans return six starters, but lost All-3A first-teamer Jace Midgett in the secondary after he picked off 8 passes last year. Leading rusher Jett Tanner is back as is standout sophomore lineman Kash Smith, who was a first-team All-CNC performer as a freshman. Cole Howard also started as a freshman last year in the secondary and will take over at quarterback for the departed Jack Vilela. … A run at the Class 3A title game seemed in the works after Frontenac posted an undefeated regular season in Leon Miller’s return as head coach of the program. But the Raiders were upset in the second round of the playoffs by Perry-Lecompton, prematurely ending the season with a 9-1 mark. Frontenac doesn’t have a big senior class with just six out, but there are great numbers in the next three classes, setting Frontenac up for good things in the future. This year’s success will be determined by how Miller fills the voids around three returning starters on offense and four on defense. … Girard was 6-4 last yeat and will have to replace standout end Scott Moore, a first-team All-3A pick who starred on both sides of the ball and now is at Delaware. The Trojans do return senior back Lemont Love Jr., who has led the team in rushing each of the past two seasons including 901 yards and 11 TDs last year. ... Starting last season 7-0, Hesston finished 8-2, falling in the regular season finale to Andale and then to Scott City in the second round of the playoffs, the latter a tough 9-7 defeat. The victory total was the most since 2017 and the 7-0 start was the best since 2014. The Swathers are poised to duplicate or surpass that success this season with seven starters back on offense and six on defense. The strength is up front where senior Ethan Coutre and junior Gunner Goalden were both first-team All-Central Kansas League selections both ways and are two of four returning starters. Junior Jerick Humphreys returns at quarterback after throwing for nearly 1,700 yards last year as a sophomore. The skill spots around him will be mostly unproven. … Holcomb made its deepest postseason run since capturing the 2017 state championship in 4A Division II, reaching the state semifinals before falling to eventual champion Andale. Along the way the Longhorns avenged one of its two regular season losses with a 10-7 quarterfinal win over Scott City and the only other loss came to Cheney in the opener in a 9-3 season. Holcomb will return just half of its Johnson & Johnson offensive attack as graduation claimed quarterback Keegan Johnson. Younger brother Korbin was a first-team All-3A pick, however, after rushing for 1,172 yards and 14 TDs and leading the team in tackles. The Longhorns also graduated All-3A lineman Drayton Knoll but they do return seven starters on both sides of the ball. … A state semifinalist in 2023, Holton slid back to a 5-5 mark last year with one-point losses in the first two games setting the tone for a somewhat frustrating season that ended with injuries taking their toll by the time the postseason hit. Healthy and with numbers back up, Holton looks to resume its customary place among the top contenders in 3A. Cael Frazier is the leading returning rusher from a year ago and the Wildcats return four starters on the offensive line as head coach Brooks Barta closes in on his 275th victory, sitting just six wins from that mark. … Rebuilding an offensive line that lost three starters will be the key as to whether Hugoton can build on last year’s 6-3 season. The Eagles return everyone else on both sides of the ball with eight starters back each way. That includes quarterback Miguel Hernandez, who ran for over 1,100 yards last year. Isai Gardado added over 800 yards on the ground in the flexbone offense. Depsite its winning record, Hugoton missed the playoffs, stuck in a loaded district that once again will be one of the best in the state. … Marysville opened everyone’s eyes last year when it opened the season with an upset of Nemaha Central, ending the Thunder’s 26-game winning streak. The Bulldogs rode the momentum for a bit before a tough end to the season led to a 6-3 mark, including a hard 12-7 loss to Holcomb in the playoff opener. Marysville will greatly miss quarterback Will Otott, who was the team’s leading rusher and passer last year. Six starters do return each way, including leading tackler Cameron Wetter and leading receiver Brody Lawrence. … A slow start to the season – 1-4 through five games, 2-5 through seven – didn’t stop Perry-Lecompton from making some postseason noise. After handling Santa Fe Trail in the opener, the Kaws upset undefeated Frontenac in the second round before seeing the run end in the quarterfinals against Hayden. The Kaws return six starters on offense, including three-year starting lineman Trevor Conklin and starting quarterback Garrett Metcalfe, though the rest of the offensive production is gone. Six players that had at least 35 tackles are back on defense. … Much to the delight of opposing coaches, this is indeed Parker Schwarz’s final year at Prairie View. The standout back has seemingly been around forever and he’s been production since Day 1. He led the Buffaloes to an 8-3 mark and the state quarterfinals before falling to Wellsville, which handed them two of their three losses. Schwarz finished the season rushing for a career-high 2,305 yards and 26 touchdowns, giving him 4,983 yards and 63 touchdowns in his career. He’s got a new head coach calling the plays, but Jason Spradling was himself a standout running back so he figures to get another heavy dose of work this season. Josh Goodwin and Jonny Colin are returning all-leaguers to go with Schwarz. … Pratt boasts one of the state’s top recruits in senior end Arley Morrell, who was equally good on each side of the ball, earning All-3A first-team honors at defensive end. He’s one of only three starters back on offense and just five return on defense with that unit losing All-3A first-team defensive back Owen Schmidt. Senior Josiah Schmidt is the lone returning offensive lineman. … One of the stingiest defenses in 3A last year belonged to Rock Creek, which allowed just 82 points in 10 games. Seven starters are back from unit, including the linebacker duo of Nick Allen and Ezra Spiller, each first-team All-North Central Kansas League picks. All-league lineman Wade Rottinghaus also returns as one of four starting offensive linemen back ahead of returning quarterback Gavin Rosa, who will had almost an entirely new set of weapons around him. The Mustangs finished 8-2, losing 21-14 to Holcomb in the second round of the playoffs. … The Great West Activities Conference title went to Scott City last year in what may have been the best year top to bottom in the league. The Beavers’ only loss in the regular season came to Wray (Colo.) but a run to the title game ended in the quarterfinals as Holcomb got payback for a 9-0 regular season loss with a 10-7 win. Scott City returns seven starters on offense, but will greatly miss standout tight end Jackson Rumford and quarterback Camden Vulgamore. Cayden Couchman returns at tailback after rushing for nearly 600 yards and three linemen return led by Emilio Contreras.
 

 
CLASS 2A
 
2024 State champion: Southeast of Saline
 
2024 State runner-up: Nemaha Central
 
2024 Review: Winners of two straight Class 2A state championships and 26 straight games going into the 2024 season, Nemaha Central saw both streaks come to an end last season. The winning streak ended right away as the Thunder were upset in the season opener by Marysville, 16-8. The Thunder bounced back from that loss to win 11 straight games to return to their third straight state championship game, pulling out a tough 33-27 win against Osage City in the quarterfinals in a game that saw Nemaha orchestrate a 90-yard drive in the final 3:28, scoring the game-winner with 19.5 seconds left. There was similar drama in the championship game with Southeast of Saline, which finally got over its string of postseason near-misses, scoring on the final play of its semifinal with North Central Activities Association rival Beloit for a 34-30 win to reach the title game for the first time since winning the 2005 Class 3A state title. That wild finish proved to be a precursor for the title game as the undefeated Trojans came back from down eight points with two scores in the final 1:51 of the game for a stunning 36-28 win that ended Nemaha’s reign. Gannon Jacobson hit Tucker Thaxton on a 29-yard touchdown pass with 11 seconds left for the game-winner. Nemaha had rallied from a 21-7 halftime deficit with three second-half touchdowns, the last on a 5-yard run by Carter Hajek with with 1:51 left that put Nemaha up 28-20. Southeast got a quick answer to tie and then recovered a pooch kickoff the Thunder couldn’t pounce on, setting up the thrilling finish. The title was the second for the Trojans in their history.
 
2025 Contenders: The story on Southeast of Saline for the last half of the past decade has been this: Great in the regular season; heartbroken in the postseason. No team in the state in any class holds a longer regular-winning streak than the Trojans, who put together their fifth straight undefeated regular season last fall and enters this year on a 51-game winning streak in the regular season. But for all that success, Southeast hadn’t been able to cap it with a state title, suffering a number of playoff heartbreaks. But last year, that changed. The Trojans were the playoff heartbreakers, beating Beloit in the semifinals on the final play of the game and then capping a 13-0 season with a touchdown with 11 seconds left in the title game to end Nemaha Central’s two-year reign. While the monkey is off the back, the target is on it. Southeast returns nearly its entire state championship team from a year ago, losing only two offensive starters and five on defense, most notably All-2A receiver Tucker Thaxton, who caught the game-winning TD in the title game. Gannon Jacobson threw the pass and returns at quarterback after throwing for 2,146 yards and 33 TDs and running for another 806 yards and 10 scores in his first year as starting QB. He’s complemented in the backfield by senior Grady Gebhardt, who ran for 1,439 yards and 15 TDs and also is a standout at linebacker. Southeast boasts arguably the top small-school lineman in Brody Chambers, who was an All-2A pick as well. Southeast has all the pieces to go back-to-back this season, even with 2A once again deep with contenders. … In a sense, the 2024 season was a “rebuilding” year for Nemaha Central after suffering heavy graduation losses from its back-to-back state championship teams in 2022 and 2023. Most notably, the Thunder had to rebuild the offensive line a year ago and had the luxury of only four seniors, one of whom was lost for the season right away. Nemaha saw its string of 26 straight wins and two straight titles come to an end, but still fashioned an 11-2 mark and finished as state runner-up, losing in the final seconds of the championship game to Southeast of Saline. The Thunder will be loaded this year despite having to replace All-2A linebacker Abram Keim, who was the leading tackler. But when you still have Carter Hajek, a state title is well within reach. Hajek followed up a huge sophomore season with an even bigger junior campaign, rushing for 2,382 yards and 40 touchdowns and throwing for 1,143 yards and 13 scores. He’s one of nine starters back both ways and has the likes of Caleb Strathman back from a deep set of skill players as well as three offensive linemen. Jack Macke had a big season at defensive end last year as one of the top returning defenders. … It was a historic season for Osage City a year ago as the Indians set a program record with 10 wins and navigated aarguably the toughest 2A district, ending a long losing streak to former league rival Silver Lake. The Indians reached the state quarterfinals for the second straight year, and nearly got to the semifinals, leading Nemaha Central late in their quarterfinal showdown. But Nemaha drove the length of the field for the game-winner, ending Osage City’s season at 10-1. The Indians lost a 10-member senior class that never lost a Flint Hills League game and set a school record with 35 wins in their career. But as big as those losses are, the returning senior class is loaded with the playmakers that have keyed the two straight quarterfinal runs. Kasen Parsons has been brilliant at quarterback and last year threw for 1,821 yards and 21 touchdowns and ran for 1,010 yards and 19 TDs on his way to All-2A honors. Receiver Quenten Stark also was All-2A after having 723 yards and 13 TDs and Dylan Theel made All-2A as a returner but accounted for over 1,000 rushing and receiving yards and 15 TDs on offense as well. Eight starters are back on offense and seven return on defense with the biggest holes coming on the line. … It took somewhat of a miracle finish to deny Beloit its second 2A state championship game appearance in four years. After falling 32-6 to Southeast of Saline in the regular season, Beloit had the undefeated Trojans on the ropes in a semifinal rematch, leading 30-28 with less than a minute to play only to see Southeast score on the last play of the game for the 34-30 victory. That ended a 9-3 season for Beloit, the only other loss coming to then-No. 1 Norton. Beloit took some big hits to the offensive line with graduation claiming four starters including All-2A first-team pick Brodie Boudreaux as well as Eli Johnson, who was first-team All-2A on the defensive line. Eli’s younger brother, sophomore Griffin, is the lone returner though Division I tight end. Prospect Brody Litton is essentially another lineman in the Trojans’ run-heavy scheme. The running game is still in good hands with the return of All-2A back Joel Rexroat, who ran for just shy of 1,900 yards and 29 touchdowns. Beloit will break in a new quarterback and some backs around Rexroat but six starters are back on offense and four return on defense. A talented sophomore class will play big roles this season. … An 0-3 start due to some early injuries slowed Hoisington a bit, but the Cardinals found their stride late in the season, winning five straight to reach the 2A quarterfinals before falling to eventual champion Southeast of Saline. The Cardinals were state runner-up in 2023 but most of the top contributors on that team are now gone. Offensive lineman Layton Hoffman is one of the few left as a three-year starter. Mason Martin will move from being the leading receiver a year ago to take over at quarterback while Taylen Morales is the leading returning rusher. Hoisington got a huge addition with the transfer of Brody Pfannenstiel from Russell with Pfannenstiel drawing major Division I interest on the recruiting trail as just a junior. … Caney Valley was 6-3 a year ago and returns tailback Traxcyn Garton, who ran for 1,229 yards and 17 touchdowns as a sophomore last year. The Bullpups must replace All-2A end Ben Matthews and three first-team All-Tri Valley League linemen. … Coming off the best season in program history, Council Grove came within one win of making its first-ever appearance in a state championship game. As it was the Braves made the semifinals for the first time, falling to Nemaha Central 21-6 to finish the season 8-4. Butch Hayes has moved from head coach to an assistant spot with former assistant and Brave standout Derron Reddick taking over as head coach. He’ll have a team that returns five starters each way, but must replace some key figures that were big parts of the Braves’ recent rise, namely All-2A lineman Holden Ziegler and back/linebacker Ace Monihen. Defensive back Blaise French had a big season with 6 interceptions and Reid Buttrey and Bradley Doornbos are back after having more than 65 tackles and double-digit tackles for loss last year. Luke Stewart leads the offensive returners after throwing for 1,678 yards and 17 touchdowns last year. … It was a tale of two seasons for Ellsworth a year ago as the Bearcats started the season 5-0 before dropping their final four games. Senior back Landin Johnson carried the load, rushing for 1,391 yards and 16 touchdowns, but has graduated. Tucker Goss is the top returning producer but tight end Cooper McGowan is a coveted recruit at his tight end spot and also was the leading tackler, just ahead of fellow returning linebacker Micah Galvan. … A one-win team in Jonah McKee’s first year as head coach, Eurekamade a monstrous leap last year, going 6-3. Another step forward could be in order with eight starters back on defense and six returning on offense. Quarterback Peyton Hare had 1,673 yards of total offense and 25 total touchdowns and has a versatile weapon in first-team All-Tri-Valley League back/receiver TJ Mills. Three starting linemen also return for the Tornadoes. … After starting the season 1-2, Garden Plain ripped off seven straight wins to reach the 2A quarterfinals before falling 19-0 to Beloit to finish 8-3. The Owls will miss All-2A lineman Kaeden Kasselman and All-2A kicker Seth Dugan, but return five starters on offense, including leading rusher Emrick Hays, who ran for 1,157 yards and 18 touchdowns. He also was the leading tackler from his linebacker spot and is one of eight plaers who started at some point on that side of the ball. … Haven was 8-2 last year but graduation a trio of players in Van Loop, Aiden Hoopes and Nash Wray who accounted for 41 of the team’s 51 touchdowns last fall. Almost everyone else from the offense does return and the quarterback spot will go from one Wray to another with Brogan Wray taking over for his older brother. Leading tackler Grant Patry leads six returning starters on defense. … Replacing the winningest senior class in program history will be a big challenge for Humboldt, which went 10-1 last year and won 33 games during their four years. Among the losses were standout quarterback Blake Ellis, who totaled over 2,500 yards and 44 touchdowns and four-year starters Kyler Isbell and Logan Page, among others. The Cubs’ lone loss came to Council Grove in the state quarterfinals after they won their first 10 contests by double digits. Mason Sterling returns after amassing nearly 1,300 rushing and receiving yards and he’ll slide in at quarterback to replace Ellis. All-Tri-Valley League linemen Mark McCullough and Hudson Rees are also back among four starters on offense and five on defense. … Norton spent part of last season ranked No. 1 in 2A as it began the season 6-0. But an upset loss to Phillipsburg ended that run and the Bluejays saw their bid to make a deep playoff run end with a 34-7 second-round playoff loss to eventual champion Southeast of Saline. Lucas Melvin has stepped aside as head coach, turning the program over to former Norton standout Jeremy Hawks. He inherits a team that returns only three starters on defense and five on offense and must replace the likes of All-2A punter Eli Jones, who also was one of the top quarterback and linebackers in 2A last year as a three-year starter. Only one lineman is back on offense and none return on defense, leaving work to do up front. Tyler Backman is the leading returning offensive player, rushing for 550 yards and 11 TDs last year. … Phillipsburg is coming off a 6-4 season that included big wins over Norton, Smith Center and Plainville. The Panthers return six starters on offense including state hurdles champion Tanner Horinek, who will take over as the primary back with the graduation of unanimous All-Mid-Continent League back Seth Keeten. The line only returns two starters and lost All-2A pick Cadin Seems. … Royal Valley was 5-4 last year – its first winning season since 2015 -- and broke eight school records including rushing yards in a season. Of course a ton of those yards went out the door when All-2A back Jaxson Stevens graduated last May. Nearly everyone else is back though and senior Nolan Bausch and junior fullback Manny Olivera will take on bigger loads, as will senior quarterback Griffin Cumpton. Three starting linemen also return and a handful of beefy newcomers are ready to step into the holes to keep the ground game going. … After graduating 23 seniors from its 2023 semifinal squad and also transitioning to a new head coach in Kaleb Moeller last year, Sabetha felt pretty good about its 6-4 mark. Two of those losses came to rival Nemaha Central. The Bluejays have considerably more experience this year with nine starters back on defense and seven on offense. Junior lineman Holden Edelman was a first-team All-Big East League pick last year as a sophomore. … Winning close games was a key last season for Silver Lake, which opened the season with a thrilling come-from-behind overtime win over archrival Rossville and won two other games by a touchdown or less in the first four weeks on its way to a 7-3 season. The Eagles have a lot of holes to fill on offense, namely replacing quarterback Dysen Schooler and a handful of receivers and linemen, but Dayne Johnson is a legitimate playmaker at his receiver spot and will ease the transition from whoever wins the QB job. He’s also one of seven returning starters on defense, which will be the strength of the team early on. … The Class 1A state champion in 2022, St. Marys returned to 2A last year with a new coach in CJ Marple. The Bears hit the ground running with a 3-0 start before dropping three straight games, two by six points or less. The Bears finished 6-4 overall, losing a tough 14-0 decision to Osage City in the playoffs. Seven starters are back for the Bears, who must replace All-2A linebacker Howie Rezac. But 13 seniors do return led by back Korleone Holz, who ran for nearly 800 yards last year on his way to first-team All-Big East League honors.
 

 
CLASS 1A
 
2024 State champion: Conway Springs
 
2024 State runner-up: Centralia
 
2024 Review: New identity. Same result. That was the story of 2024 for Conway Springs, which came into the season as the defending Class 1A state champion. The Cardinals started the 2023 season off with an 0-2 record before hitching its offense to the legs of workhorse back Brayden Kunz and riding him to 11 straight wins and dominant performance in a championship game win over Jefferson County North. But after losing Kunz to graduation, Conway had to find a new horse. And it found a couple Isaac Winter delivered an All-State Top 11 season with 1,934 yards and 23 touchdowns and his backfield counterparts Logan Osner and Grant Fisher each ran for over 600 yards with Osner also topping 1,000 yards. The Cardinals never missed a beat and capped a 13-0 season with a dominating 41-6 win over Centralia in the championship game. The undefeated season was the first for the Cardinals since 2004 with that team finishing off a run of four straight undefeated seasons as part of a 61-game winning streak. In the title game, Conway Springs broke free from a 7-6 first-quarter lead and overwhelmed a Centralia team whose only other loss had come to a Missouri school in an 11-2 season.
 
2025 Contenders: After overcoming an 0-2 start in 2023 to win 11 straight and the 1A state title, Conway Springs did without the hiccups last year and rolled to a 13-0 mark capped by a dominating 41-6 win over Centralia in the title game. The Cardinals reloaded after losing workhorse back Brayden Kunz off the 2023 title team and will have to do the same this year after graduating All-State Top 11 back Isaac Winter after he ran for nearly 2,000 yards last year. Logan Osner is the one returner in the backfield and ran for over 1,000 yards last year from the quarterback spot, but however the new-look backfield shakes out, they’re in good hand with four offensive linemen returning as starters, though All-1A lineman Cooper Koester will be missed. Caleb Newell leads that unit both ways while Osner is the lone returning defensive starter in the back seven. The Cardinals are on a 24-game winning streak and will look for the second three-peat in program history, the other coming as part of four straight titles from 2001-04. … After beating a who’s who of perennial powers Olpe, St. Mary’s Colgan and Rossville in succession on its way to the 1A championship game, Centralia couldn’t quite finish the run with another state title for the program. The Panthers gave defending champion Conway Springs all it wanted for a quarter, but then simply was overwhelmed the rest of the way in a 41-6 loss that capped an 11-2 season in which the only other loss came to Missouri power Mid-Buchanan. The Panthers lost six key seniors including spinnerback (quarterback) Jacob Flentie and All-1A linebacker Ben Haverkamp. But Quentin Alderfer returns after having a big sophomore season at tailback, accounting for more than 1,500 yards and 18 touchdowns. He’ll replace Flentie at the spinnerback spot and is part of a talented junior class this season that will take on major roles. Centralia will also draw on a good sophomore class with only a handful of seniors on the team this season, including two-year starters Aidan Talley and Gradey Becker. … There’s no question the way last season ended has stuck with Jackson Heights throughout the entire offseason. In prime position for a signature win over Rossville and a trip to the state semifinals, leading 38-21 with 5:31 left in the game. But the Cobras had a meltdown on special teams as Rossville recovered back-to-back onside kicks and scored three touchdowns in a span of 1:21 to rally for the stunning 42-38 upset of the undefeated Cobras. That sting could propel Heights to big things this year, especially with seven starters returning on each side of the ball. Four-year starter Drake Mellies will leave as one of Heights’ all-time greats and last year threw for 1,022 yards and 15 TDs and ran for 1,037 yards and 13 scores. Heights lost both running backs that flanked him, but Austin Zeller is a playmaker at his end spot and also stars defensively. So does Mellies, who is a multi-year All-1A selection at defensive back. The line lost standout JW Moore and two other starters and the development of their replacements could hold the key to the Cobras’ season. … Even with a lot of new faces in new positions last year, St. Mary’s Colgan still put together a strong 9-2 season in which the only losses came to 3A Frontenac and 1A state runner-up Centralia. The Panthers return just about everybody this season, including three-year starters Klayton Adamson, Carston Simmons and Anthony Schremmer. Simmons threw for 1,073 yards and 18 TDs last year and Adamson and Schremmer were his top targets. … Dropping down to 1A last year, Rossville figured to be an instant contender after a successful run in 2A over the past decade or so. Sure enough, the Bulldawgs bounced back from an 0-3 start against its 2A Big East League rivals – all three games decided by a touchdown or less – and won eight straight before falling 22-9 to Centralia in the state semifinals. For the first time in some time there won’t be a member of one Horak family with Tayson Horak graduating last year after leading the Bulldawg offense as older brothers Tucker and Torrey did (Thatcher was a receiver). Rossville also lost all five starting offensive linemen so a rebuild up front is a top priority. Conner Bush is back after leading the team in tackles from his safety spot, earning All-1A honors. Andre Johnson also returns at linebacker and Jack Donovan is back as a receiving target for whoever takes over at quarterback. The Bulldawgs might once again take some early lumps, but could be a factor once they hit the 1A schedule. …. A team poised for a turnaround season is Hutchinson Trinity, which went just 4-6 last year but has consistently posted winning seasons under head coach Jordan Bell. The Celtics had a loaded schedule last year with four teams that won at least one playoff game, and it won’t be any easier this year with defending state champion Conway Springs lumped in with the rugged Heart of America slate. Eight starters are back on offense and nine return on defense and the Celtics have a senior class of nine highlighted by lineman standout Isaac Hammersmith, a two-way first-team all-league pick. … Another potential bounce-back team is Inman, which played in two straight title games in 2021 and 2022 but was just 4-5 last year. The Teutons return 10 starters on defense and nine on offense, giving them the experience to flip that script. Cooper Wiens and Dylan Larson are three-year starters on the offensive and defensive lines and Wiens was the leading tackler from his end position a year ago with 83. Inman returns 93% of its rushing yards and 95% of its receiving yards from a year ago as well as 82% of its tackles. … After playing in the first state championship game in program history in 2023, Jefferson County North had to completely reload with a huge senior class accounting for the bulk of the team’s production in that state runner-up season. The Chargers did a nice job of piecing together a 5-4 campaign last fall in a rebuilding year and this year should continue to climb back up after losing only four seniors, only three of whom played the full season after one was lost to injury in Week 2. Will Elias stepped in as a dual-threat quarterback and had 1,600 yards of total offense and 15 touchdowns. He’s one of eight returning starters each way and has been a starter in the secondary since his sophomore season. … Marion went 7-3 last year and though the Warriors only lost a handful of seniors off that team, most were multi-year starters that leave big holes. Six starters are back on offense led by 1,300-yard rusher Jameson Looper at tailback. He’s also an all-league performer on defense at linebacker and one of eight returning starters on that side of the ball. … McLouth is coming off its best season since 2013, going 7-3 and hosting and winning a playoff game. The Bulldogs have some big holes to fill to follow it up with another strong season, losing two players who each ran for over 1,000 yards and threw for over 500. Four starters are back on offense and five are back on defense with only one of those a senior so the Bulldogs will be young. … Without Keveon Ruiz running the offense, Medicine Lodge will have a much different look this year. Ruiz was a three-year starter at quarterback who led the Indians to three straight winning seasons including a 7-3 mark last year. … A return to 11-man football was going pretty smoothly for Moundridge a year ago but an undefeated regular season came to a premature playoff exit as the Wildcats were upset 20-14 by Hutchinson Trinity in the opening round of the postseason last year, ending the season 7-1 overall. The Wildcats lost a stellar senior class that also helped the basketball team to two straight state titles, including All-1A end Bear Moddelmog and three-year starting quarterback Henry Hecox. Nine starters are back with Kaizer Kanitz the leading receiver last year and a dangerous return man and Cyrus Blough a top-notch kicker and punter. … Not many programs consider a 7-3 mark a down year, but the standard has been set high at Olpe and though the season wasn’t disappointing, it didn’t quite meet the program’s lofty expectations. The Eagles have the pieces to change that this year with nine starters returning on offense and eight back on defense. Brayden Lienemann was a standout at end a year ago, but will move to quarterback this year to replace departed Dexton Hoelting and direct an offense that also returns tailbacks Eli Markowitz and Abbott Bailey. Four starting linemen led by Jaiden Kurzen also return. … After going 4-5 in Alex McMillian’s first season as head coach in 2023, Plainville doubled that win total last year with its 8-3 mark. The Cardinals upset Sedgwick in the second round of the playoffs before falling to Conway Springs in the quarterfinals. They could make more noise this season with eight starters back each way. Draden Puckett is one of the top backs in 1A and lineman Ryddik Bethel returns after being an All-1A pick last year. Plainville has experience at every level of the defense and across the board on offense. … Riverside enjoyed its best season in years, going 7-3 with its lone losses coming to Jackson Heights, Centralia and St. Mary’s Colgan. The Cyclones return All-1A defensive back Chase Hewins and All-Northeast Kansas League first-teamers Ty’Zell Harrington and Maddox Meers along with a number of other starters. … Sedgwick lost only two games last year, but both were heartbreakers as the Cardinals fell in overtime to Moundridge in a late-season showdown of Heart of America unbeatens that cost Sedgwick the league title. The other was a 12-6 upset by Plainville in the second round of the playoffs that ended an 8-2 season. Jeff Werner has stepped down as coach replaced by veteran Lee Weber. The Cardinals return six starters on offense nd five on defense, but not only lost All-1A quarterback Corey Crumrine to graduation, but younger brother Spencer, who transferred to Valley Center. Three offensive linemen return as do two top receivers in Owen Luper and Noah Little, who is a two-time state triple jump champion. … The 4-5 record Smith Center posted last year is an anomaly to the success the program has enjoyed for, well, a long time. The Redmen should bounce back in a big way with 10 starters back on offense. Senior lineman Kharson Montgomery is a three-year starter and All-1A pick and quarterback Parker Hutchinson was the team’s top playmaker last year. Smith Center also will draw inspiration after the passing of legendary Redmen coach Roger Barta this summer. … The Heart of America League is stacked and the best of the league very well could be Sterling, which was 6-4 last year. It’s the last go-around for senior tailback Zane Farney, who hit the ground running as a freshman and has been a 1,000-yard rusher ech season, lastin year going for 1,676 yardsd and 20 touchdowns. He’s one of 12 players who return that have started at some point. Senior Wyatt Newberry leads the defensive returners after having 110 tackles last year. … TMP-Marian was 5-4 last year, but returns 10 starters on offense and nine on defense. The Monarchs’ Carson Liles was All-1A at kicker, but also led the offense at quarterback and has all his playmakers back around him as well as four starting offensive linemen. ... Coming off a 6-4 season, Troy returns seven starters on offense and eight on defense. Graduation claimed quarterback Gannon Bowe, who threw for nearly 2,000 yards, but head coach Derek Jasper will turn to his son, Kaston, who moves in from his wide receiver spot. He saw some time there last year and threw for 500 yards and accounted for 14 total touchdowns overall. He’s got two top targets in Hunter Engemann and Caden Rosenberger and four starting linemen back, though the Trojans’ depth there is a concern…. Valley Heights came within one win of reaching the state championship game, falling 55-22 to Conway Springs in the state semifinals. The Mustangs had pulled off mild upsets of Sterling and Medicine Lodge in the previous two rounds and finished the season 9-3 overall. Replacing the backfield tandem of Jayden DeWalt and Logan Gray will be tough with DeWalt and All-1A pick after rushing for a school-record 1,625 yards and 27 touchdowns, but the new-look backfield will benefit from a line that returns four starters led by Creighton Smith and Lawson Stryker. 
 

 
EIGHT-MAN DIVISION I
 
2024 State champion: Hoxie
 
2024 State runner-up: Central Plains
 
2024 Review: Even with Wichita County returning plenty of firepower from teams that made two straight Eight-Man Division I state championship game appearances, winning it all in 2022, the consensus going into last year was that Hoxie had a team more than capable of breaking through as the favorite for the 2024 state title. The Indians returned nearly everyone from its 9-2 2023 squad that was upset by Ell-Saline in the state quarterfinals. After opening last year with a tight 20-14 win over Osborne, Hoxie was nothing short of dominating the rest of the way. The Indians ended Wichita County’s western reign with a 40-30 win in the state quarterfinals and then followed with a 42-28 win over a loaded undefeated South Central team that had moved up from Division II after finishing as state runner-up in 2023. After navigating the gauntlet that the western bracket was, Hoxie still had to be wary of a Central Plains team that reached the finals in dramatic fashion. The Oilers went 6-2 in the regular season and then went into survival mode in the playoffs, pulling out a 40-38 overtime win over Sylvan-Lucas in the opener, outlasting Chase County 58-52 in the second round, edging Little River 38-32 in the quarterfinals and then rallying for a 28-25 win over Clifton-Clyde in the semifinals, scoring the game-winner in that one in the final minute. The energy spent just getting to the finals combined with Hoxie’s talent made the championship game somewhat anti-climactic as Hoxie overwhelmed the Oilers from the opening kick and capped a 13-0 season with a 46-0 victory. The state title was the first for the Indians since 2017. Even though Central Plains’ season ended with a thud, the Oilers still made a statement in JD Johnson’s first year as head coach.
 
2025 Contenders: After playing for the Eight-Man Division II state championship in 2023, South Central moved up to Division I last year and the question was, would the Timberwolves experience the same kind of success in a loaded west bracket. The answer was, yes. South Central boasted one of the highest-scoring offenses in the state, averaging nearly 60 points per game and failing to score 50 in just two contests. One was a 24-6 win over Rawlins County in the second round of the playoffs and the other came in a 42-28 semifinal loss to fellow unbeaten Hoxie. The Timberwolves had to transition at quarterback with returner JT Prusa dealing with an injury that moved him to a flex position and he still enjoyed a huge season, earning All-8M I honors. Sophomore Easton Huck took his place at quarterback and flourished as well with nearly 1,800 yards of total offense and 31 touchdowns. Huck will miss leading receiver Jamie Gardea and lineman Jase Rutherford, but everyone else returns. Senior linebacker Jack Herd was a first-team All-8M I pick after making 120 tackles and Coda Lindsey returns after rushing for 712 yards. Two All-District linemen also are back among six starters on offense. The west will be loaded again this year, but the Timberwolves has the weapons to get back to a title game. … The pre-eminent powerhouse in the west for the bulk of Brant Douglas’ first seven years, Wichita County fell short of returning to the state championship game for the third straight year after losing 40-30 to eventual champion Hoxie in the quarterfinals. The only other loss the Indians suffered came to Haxtun (Colo.) in the season opener. Wichita County will have to replace four-year standout Khris Hermosillo, a three-time All-8M I selection and all three starting two-way linemen, but return plenty of quality at the skill spots. Senior quarterback Cashton Young was the leading rusher last year with just over 1,500 yards and 26 touchdowns and also threw for 465 yards. He also was one of three all-league performers on defense along with fellow linebacker Beau Porter and corner Dylan Luna. The Indians were state champions in 2022 and runner-up in 2023… Central Plains reached the state championship game for the first time since winning the 2018 state title, but just as easily could have been a playoff one-and-done. The Oilers survived an overtime playoff opener with Sylvan-Lucas and then proceeded to win three more one-score games to get to the finals where they fell 46-0 to undefeated Hoxie. First-year coach JD Johnson had a wealth of talent on his hands and a bulk of it is back this year. Senior lineman Landon Daniels was a first-team All-8M I pick. The Oilers will have to replace its top two running backs from last year after Joel Schreiber and Eli Hurley graduated after combining for over 1,800 yards and 38 touchdowns. But quarterback Brodie Crites is back after throwing for 1,321 yards and 18 touchdowns. Peyton Dody is the leading returning tackler, ranking only behind the departed Hurley, who was an All-8M I first teamer. … After beating Central Plains 58-12 in the regular-season finale, Ell-Saline had the look of a team ready to make a run at a state championship game, going into the playoffs with a 70-1 mark, the only loss coming to Hanover in the opener. But the Cardinals were upset 14-12 by Madison in the second round, ending the season quicker than anticipated. That should provide motivation for an experienced team this fall as the Cardinals return eight players who started on either offense or defense. Kas Kramer ran for over 1,000 yards and 20 touchdowns and Reese Krone made the move from end to quarterback and threw for 700 yards and 14 touchdowns. Both were defensive stalwarts as well. There are some holes on the offensive line with juniors expected to step into those spots. … Central Plains proved to be Little River’s kryptonite a year ago as two of the three losses the Redskins suffered came to the Oilers, including a 38-32 loss in the state quarterfinals. The only other defeat for the Redskins came to Ell-Saline by two points. Little River must replace All-8M I lineman Ruxton Birdsong but last season veteran coach Kevin Ayers tinkered with the starting lineup enough that 13 difrerent returning Redskins started at some point. Jaren Garrison led the team in rushing last year and will move to quarterback to replace departed starter Logan Renken. Lineman Chris Norez anchors the front after an all-league season last year. Little River is 58-13 under Ayers since his arrival seven years ago. … KB Criss returned as head coach at Cedar Vale/Dexter last year and led the Spartans to a 5-4. His son, Cooper, was the driving force for an offense that averaged nearly 40 points per game, throwing for 1,723 yards and 29 touchdowns and also rushing for 7 scores. The junior has started since his freshman season and has back his top targets in Maverick Schalk (743 yards, 10 TDs), Jaylen Harris (401 yards, 5 TDs) and Royce Potter (283 yards, 9 TDs). Three linemen also return looking to help the Spartans make a deep playoff run. … Starting the season 1-2 with losses to Little River and Axtell, Chase County won a 40-36 shootout in Week 4 that sparks a six-game winning streak that took the Bulldogs to the second round of the playoffs. They were oh-so-close to advancing to the quarterfinals and perhaps beyond, falling 58-52 to eventual runner-up Central Plains. The Bulldogs will look to extend their playoff streak to seven straight years and will lean hard on three-year starting quarterback Wyatt Griffin, an Emporia State commit who had more than 1,000 yards passing and rushing last year with 38 total TDs. Chase County will start the season without leading tackler Guthrie Danford who tore an ACL during basketball last winter. Austin Andersen will fill some of the backfield and defensive void and Hudson Doty is a two-year starter at center to anchor a young offensive line. … On the verge of reaching the state championship game after kicking a go-ahead field goal with just over a minute to play in the semifinals against Central Plains, Clifton-Clyde saw the Oilers snatch that finals spot away with a last-minute touchdown for a 28-25 victory, ending the Eagles season with a 9-3 mark. Clifton-Clyde had started 0-2 before reeling off nine straight wins. Five starters are back but the Eagles will sorely miss do-everything back Jack Skocny, who was a first-team All-8M I flex player after carrying the major load for the offense. That task will fall to senior Joseph Fahey, who was a backfield complement last year. Three starting linemen return led by seniors Locklund Feight and James Jarvis with sophomore Ryan LeClair coming on strong at the end of his freshman year. … The move to eight-man was a good one for Ellis, which posted its first winning season in almost a decade in going 5-4. The next goal is to win a playoff game for the first time in 16 years as the Railroaders fell in the opening round last year to Rawlins County. All-8M I receiver Caleb Noble has graduated, but the Schartz combo gives Ellis a good 1-2 punch on offense returning. Sophomore Trenton Schartz had nearly 2,000 yards of total offense and 37 touchdowns as a freshman starter at quarterback last year while senior older brother, Carson, ran for 559 yards and was the team’s leading tackler. Five other starters are back. … Hill City was 7-4 a year ago, making a run to the quarterfinals after alternating wins and losses in its first six games of the season. The Ringnecks graduated All-8M I pick Dayton Stephen, who led the team in rushing, receiving, tackles and interceptions last year. But six starters do return on offense led by quarterback Tate Balthazor, who threw for nearly 1,500 yards and 23 touchdowns. He’s one of four three-year starters along with linemen Koby Keiswetter, Aiden Hall and Mitchell Presley. … Undefeated state champions last year for the first time since 2017, Hoxie will have to reload in a big way in order to stay not only on top, but in the hunt again this year. Graduation claimed a whopping 10 seniors, including first-team All-8M I picks Duncan Bell, Easton Nickelson, Sam Watkins and Trent Fenner. The Indians return only two players who started last year, linebacker Mat Bretz and lineman Javon Kachel. There are only two seniors on this year’s roster so Hoxie will be young as well. … Kinsley answered some questions a year ago as to whether it could come back with another winning season after graduating a strong senior class from its 7-2 2023 team. The Coyotes answered it with a 6-3 mark. Four starters return for the Coyotes this season including quarterback Joshua Stuckey, who had nearly 1,500 total yards and 27 touchdowns. Leading tackler Brady Kraft also returns. … Lincoln started last season as a potential breakout team and went 6-3 and the group of seniors and juniors already will be the winningest classes in program history after also going 5-4 in 2023. The offense is Miller time with juniors Jeremiah and Xavier Miller forming one of the top pass-catch combos in eight-man. Xavier was first-team All-8M I last year after hauling in 20 TD grabs from Jeremiah, who accounted for more than 2,800 yards and 44 touchdowns. Four other starters are back on offense and six return on defense as well. Last year’s season ended on a somewhat disappointing note as Lincoln lost a 42-40 shootout to Little River in the playoff opener, denying the program its first-ever playoff victory. … State champion in 2023, Lyndon had some monstrous holes to fill across the board from its title team and did so relatively well. The Tigers still fashioned a 5-4 mark despite returning only a handful of starters. This year, they return seven starters led by leading rusher and tackler James Marcotte, who had more than 1,500 all-purpose yards and 29 touchdowns and 64 tackles. Four offensive linemen that started also return, all seniors. … Madison made some noise in the playoffs last year, upsetting Ell-Saline in the second round before falling to Clifton-Clyde in the quarterfinals, ending with a 7-4 mark. The Bulldogs will have to replace quarterback Colton Isch and standout lineman Packer Bolinger, but return a strong trio in leading rusher Cruz Leiser (1,105 yards, 11 TDs), leading tackler Drake Loveall (153 tackles) and two-way end Ocatvian Dean (123 tackles). … The team that ended Lyndon’s reign in Eight-Man I was Oswego, which pulled out a 50-40 win over the defending champions in the first round of the playoffs. The Indians finished with a 7-3 mark overall, losing to Clifton-Clyde in the second round. They will miss All-8M I pick Josh Hutchinson, who led the team in rushing and tackles, but five starters are back on offense with senior Owen Jackson and sophomore Demetri Williamson each back after rushing for more than 700 yards and double-digit touchdowns as a complement to Hutchinson. … For the past three years, Rawlins County could simply put the ball in Ryan Sramek’s hands and great things would happen as he ran for 5,028 yards and 78 touchdowns in his career, including back-to-back seasons of nearly 2,000 yards. He’s graduated leaving a monster hole in the backfield for the Buffaloes. The strength of the team will be up front where Daylan Fairchild returns after being an All-8M I selection. Leading tacklers Tucker Prideaux and Tru Dewey also return and will take on bigger roles in the offense. … South Gray went 6-4 in Austin Jantz’s first year leading the program and returns four starters each way. Three of those are on the line where seniors Asa Briscoe, Brody Schmidt and Landon Garcia anchor both fronts. The backfield will be young with sophomore Kasen Faurot taking over at quarterback and freshman Tyler Thiessen moving into a running back spot. … After posting its first winning season since 2011 in 2023, Sublette followed it up with a 7-3 campaign, giving the Larks their first back-to-back winning seasons since 2006-07. The program hasn’t had three straight winning seasons since the late 1980s, but are poised to match that this season with seven starters back on offense and all eight returning on defense. The Larks are senior heavy and led by Jonathan Froese, who ran for more than 1,000 yards last year and was the leading tackler. … Sylvan-Lucas started the season 5-0 before ending up with a 6-3 mark. The Mustangs lost a heartbreaker in the playoff opener, falling 40-38 in overtime to Central Plains, which wound up reaching the state championship game. Zayne Maupin returns as the leading rusher with 759 yards last year while Cai Labertew and Layne Buttenhoff are returning All-District performers. … A consistent winner throughout Tony Haag’s coaching tenure, West Elk begins a new chapter as Ian Denton replaces Haag as head coach. He inherits a team that returns just two starters from last year’s 9-1 team that fell to Little River in the second round of the playoffs. The biggest hole is replacing three-time All-8M I back Creyo Koop, who broke every school rushing and scoring record. Receiver/defensive back Garrett Usry and lineman Roman Moreno are the lone returning starters.
 
 

 
EIGHT-MAN DIVISION II
 
2024 State champion: Axtell
 
2024 State runner-up: Victoria
 
2024 Review: Axtell’s seniors didn’t need a state championship last year to cement their legacy as perhaps the best eight-man senior class in state history. All they’d done in their first three seasons was elevate Axtell into THE eight-man state powerhouse, posting three straight undefeated Division II championship seasons to set the state’s eight-man winning streak record. But there’s no way that group was going to be denied finishing their careers the way they started it: On top and perfect once again. After running roughshod through its first 12 games with only Frankfort able to touch them for more than two scores, Axtell figured to have its biggest test during its remarkable run in the state finals as Victoria came into the game having posted an almost-as-impressive season. The Knights were also undefeated and had had only one test all season, a 22-14 win over Osborne. But as it had done the previous three seasons, Axtell turned the state championship game into a showcase of just how great its senior standouts were. The Eagles smacked Victoria with 22 first-quarter points, held the Knights to just 181 yards and shut them out, rolling to a 50-0 mercy-rule victory and their fourth straight undefeated state championship. The seniors finished their career 52-0, outscoring their championship game opponents 220-46. 
 
2025 Contenders: Entering the season on a state-record 52-game winning streak, Axtell turns the page somewhat, having graduated a stellar six-player senior class that included the likes of All-State Top 11 pick Brandon Schmelzle and four-year starter Eli Broxterman. That group has been the foundation of the record-setting run and the question Axtell faces is can the success continue without them? The answer should be yes, as more than enough returns for the Eagles to keep their run going with five starters back on each side of the ball. Senior back Landon Schmitz had 20 combined rushing and receiving touchdowns last year on just 55 touches and is poised for a big season in more of a lead role this year. Junior Wyatt Detweiler, son of head coach Eric, will take over for Schmelzle at quarterback and is the younger brother of former All-State Top 11 pick Isaac Detweiler, who quarterbacked the first two title teams. The biggest holes are on the line where Logan Sandman and Lucas Talbot return with starting experience. Axtell has plenty of depth with 20 players out and once again has a six-man senior class. The names may not be as recognizable for the Eagles, but the success very well could be. … It was the perfect season until it wasn’t for Victoria, which rolled into last year’s Division II championship game averaging better than 60 points per game before getting blanked by Axtell 50-0 in the championship game. The 12-1 season was still nothing to be disappointed about even if the ending wasn’t what the Knights had envisioned. That should serve as motivation and Victoria has more than enough back to get to the top this season. Offensive lineman Kirk Huser is as good as there is in eight-man and perhaps the state as a four-year starter. Though starting quarterback Wyatt Griffin has graduation, Victoria returns its horses in the ground game in junior Weston Scherrer, who ran for 1,058 yards and 17 TDs, and senior Matt Pfeifer, who added 770 yards and 13 TDs. Ethan VonLintel led a balanced receiving corps and was second on the team in tackles behind departed linebacker Cade Braun. … Before Axtell’s record-setting run, it was Twin Valley League rival Hanover that was the standard by which all other eight-man programs were measured as the Wildcats won three straight titles from 2016-18 and set the previous winning streak record for eight-man. Following another title in 2020, Hanover slipped to three straight seasons of just over .500 football before going 8-2 last season. The Wildcats beat league rival Frankfort and suffered its only losses to Axtell and Burlingame, the latter in the second round of the playoffs. Hanover didn’t suffer the same graduation losses as their TVL counterparts with four starters back on offense and six on defense. Alec Jueneman is a two-year starter at tailback and was the leading rusher last year while Braylon Meyn and Kadrick Cohorst both return after splitting reps at quarterback – Meyn arguably the stronger passer and Cohorst arguably the better runner. Only one starting lineman returns, Eli Heiman, but Hanover has plenty of depth overall and can give multiple looks with its versatile cast of skill players. … If not for Axtell, there’s no telling what kind of run Frankfortmight be on. The Wildcats have lost to their Twin Valley League rivals in the state semifinals each of the past two seasons and have given the Eagles some of their toughest games during their run. Last year’s 9-3 season saw the program tie its record for most wins as an eight-man program, matching the 9-3 mark from 2023. Like Axtell, Frankfort graduated a standout senior class from a year ago, losing All-Division II picks Lane Loiseau, Carter Olson and Trent Hardin with Olson and Loiseau big-time playmakers for the offense. The Wildcats do have the luxury of returning senior quarterback Wes Anderson, a four-year starter who has thrown for 6,247 yards and 91 touchdowns in his career, including 2,696 yards and 36 touchdowns last year. He’s one of three returning starters though Henry Ketter will be moving back to a running back spot after starting on the line last year due to injuries in the unit. After losing 75% of its offensive production, Frankfort will have to develop newcomers in a hurry to stay with their TVL brethren. … Had Burlingame not dropped down to Division II last year, the Bearcats very well may have played for a state title in Division I, boasting one of its most talented teams in program history. Instead, they fell into the gauntlet that was the East bracket in Division II and after getting a signature win over perennial power Hanover in the second round of the playoffs, the Bearcats saw an undefeated season end with a 46-38 shootout loss to Frankfort in the quarterfinals. Burlingame lost a stellar senior class that included All-Division II first-teamers Dane Winters, JD Tyson and Parker Haid. Tyson and Winter broke all sorts of school records last year and leave major holes for this year’s team. But Burlingame does return some key pieces. Drake Skirvin had 10 touchdown catches last year and is a big target for new quarterback Danny Cain, who was a starter in the secondary last year. Senior Brock Moon is the leading returing tackler and was a first-team All-Lyon County League pick along with Skirvin. Veteran coach Jeff Slater will lean on nine seniors to fill the gaps, including both offensive and defensive fronts. … Argonia-Attica has been a consistent winner for the past several years with last year’s 7-3 mark the Titans’ sixth straight season of finishing with at least five wins. The Titans will be put to the test a bit this year with only two starters back, and having to replace every starter from the offensive and defensive lines. But returning running back Carson Vineyard was the Titans’ top producer a year ago each way and is flanked by junior Maddex Hemberger, who took over as starting quarterback last year as a sophomore. Several sophomores and freshmen will step into starting roles this year and if they come of age, Argonia-Attica can keep their successful ways going. … Dighton was 11-1 a year ago with the lone loss a 66-20 defeat to Victoria in the state semifinals. The Hornets will have a new identity as Daniel Cramer has graduated after being the program’s top playmaker for the past couple of seasons. The loss of linebacker George Vonleonrod also is a big hole to fill. … All three of the losses Hodgeman County suffered in its 8-3 season a year ago came to teams that were undefeated – state runner-up Victoria and semifinalist Dighton (twice). The Longhorns started the season 6-0 but saw injuries pile up and they fought their way past both Norwich and Bucklin in the playoffs before falling in the quarterfinals. Graduation claimed receiver-turned quarterback Hazen Rydquist, but Hodgeman County returns its two leading rushers in Ian Reece and Garrett Nuss, who combined for nearly 900 yards and 17 touchdowns. The top seven tacklers also return with sophomore Talon Shank leading the team last year as a freshman. … Hutchinson Central Christian enjoyed its best season since a 10-2 mark in 2019, going 9-2 last fall. Only one of those losses came to a KSHSAA school, a 70-28 loss to Victoria in the state quarterfinals and the Cougars were dominant during their nine-game winning streak after a loss to Sunrise Christian in the opener. There are plenty of holes to fill, including All-Division II running back Ry Kooiman, and the Cougars will be young with just two seniors on this year’s roster. Piercen Huff is one of those and was the leading receiver last year despite missing two games with an ankle injury. Fellow senior Konnor Sullivan also returns after leading the team in tackles last year with 94, including 16 for loss. … Lebo will have to rely heavily on underclassmen to stay as a challenger. The Wolves graduated six seniors off last year’s 7-3 team and only have four returning juniors and seniors combined this season. Brayden Hopkins and Ayden Ferguson were the top receivers last year and will help sophomore Brock Hadley, last year’s JV QB, move into the starting varsity spot this year. … Logan-Palco was 8-2 last year but lost six seniors, none bigger than Rhett Kats, who was an All-Division II first-teamer last year. Five starters do return with junior Taden Gottschalk moving from tailback to quarterback to replace Kats. … With seven starters back on offense, Marmaton Valley has the look of an experienced team ready to do some damage after going 8-2 last year. But the Wildcats suffered two big graduation losses with all-time leading passer Brayden Lawson and all-time leading receiver Jaedon Granere gone. Tyler Lord moves into the quarterback spot after being a complement to Granere at receiver. Cooper Scharff is a dual threat out of the backfield and also teams with Brevyn Campbell to give the Wildcats a strong linebacker duo. Marmaton is still looking for a breakthrough playoff victory, losing 46-0 to Frankfort in the second round last year. … Minneola went 7-2 last year and has pretty much everyone back for new head coach James Temaat. Senior quarterback Levi Lang stepped in last year to fill the void at quarterback left by older brother Eli and did a pretty good impression of his sibling, throwing for 1,450 yards and 26 touchdowns and rushing for 457 yards and 12 scores. Tyson Klotz is back as a solid complement in the backfield, but Lang lost his top target, Jesse Smith. … Osborne was the last non-Twin Valley League team to win the Division II state title, taking the crown in 2019 when it beat Axtell. The Bulldogs were 7-4 last year, winning seven straight after an 0-3 start to the season. Osborne lost its dynamic duo of Dalton Garman and Dawson Lantz, who accounted for the bulk of the team’s offense last year, leaving Kaiden Schultze the lone proven producer after he ran for 531 yards and 10 TDs last year. … Rural Vista is looking to build on last year’s breakthough 7-3 mark – the first winning season for the program under Brian Henry. Seniors Mason Marsh, Koden Sanford, Kole Riedy and Grant Eskeldson are four-year starters on offense with Marsh anchoring the lines and the other three the Heat’s top playmakers last year. The Heat lost nearly half of their 2,000-plus rushing yards with the graduation of Logan Tate and Gavin Carson, but there’s enough experience to absorb those losses and post another winning campaign. … St. John was just 4-5 last year, but it was a big step forward for a program that had gone winless three times since 2018. All but one starter return for the Tigers and Braxton Alpers is coming off a big year at quarterback.
 
 
 

SIX-MAN
 
2024 State champion: Weskan
 
2024 State runner-up: Cunningham
 
2024 Review: Things came full circle for Weskan a year ago. The first program in Kansas to make the move to six-man football in 2014, the Coyotes had enjoyed plenty of success, including victories in the Wild West Bowl – the six-man state championship before being sanctioned by the KSHSAA – in 2016 and 2018. But once the championship became KSHSA-sanctioned in 2022, Weskan wasn’t back in the fold, stepping away from being a KSHSAA member because it required homeschool athletes to fill its sport rosters, which wasn’t permissible for KSHSAA schools at that time. That rule changed and Weskan returned as a KSHSAA football member last fall. In the Coyotes’ absence, Cunningham had established itself as the most consistent winner in Six-Man, capturing the inaugural KSHSAA state title in 2022 and finishing runner-up in 2012 and 2023. Each took an undefeated record into last year’s state championship game, albeit via different routes. Through a quirk of canceled and forfeited games and a playoff bye in its schedule, Cunningham had a month-plus off (five-week stretch) after the last of the five regular-season games it actually played before cruising into the finals having allowed just 38 points all season. Weskan, meanwhile, played weekly except for the playoff opening bye and survived shootouts with Northern Valley and Golden Plains, the latter in the semifinals. Those kind of tests paid dividends in the title game as it was a shootout for the ages, worthy of the previous Wild West Bowl moniker. Weskan got out quickly to a 14-0 lead, and after Cunningham tied it, ripped off 21 straight points to go up 35-14 at halftime. Up 43-20 late in the third, Weskan saw Cunningham flip the game completely as the Wildcats dominated the next 10 minutes and scored four straight touchdowns to lead 48-43 with 3:15 left. But Weskan had one final answer and a 35-yard touchdown run by Karsyn Wright was the game-winner with 1:42 left as Weskan completed a 12-0 season with a 49-48 thriller of a championship in its return to the KSHSAA playoffs.
 
2025 Contenders: Following its triumphant return to the KSHSAA playoffs with last year’s state championship, Weskan is poised to become the first team to repeat as champion at the six-man level. The Coyotes lost a big-time player in Trey Allen, a first-team All-Six-Man selection at receiver after totaling 26 touchdowns. He certainly will be missed by quarterback Nick Cottrell, who threw for 1,750 yards and 30 touchdowns with just one interception. But Cottrell is still flanked by junior Karsyn Wright, who had a combined 1,700 yards rushing, receiving and passing with 39 total touchdowns. Weskan may lean on the ground game a little more early with experience returning up front as well. Weskan has won 20 straight games going back to a a seven-game win streak in its last non-KSHSAA season. The program has also won three state titles, two coming in the Wild West Bowl prior to six-man’s KSHSAA sanctioning. … No program has seen a change of fortunes with the move to six-man more than Cunningham, which had to co-op or barely field a team in its final years of eight-man before quickly becoming a six-man power. In five full seasons of six-man football, the Wildcats have posted a combined 48-6 record with one state title (2022) and three runner-up finishes, including each of the last two seasons (Cheylin in 2023; Weskan in 2024). Cunningham will have to replace its biggest senior class during the run, losing five players off last year’s 10-1 squad. But Lance McGuire has shown he can fill the holes he’s had and has a number of returners who played plenty in the Wildcat’s multitude of blowout victories, including Dylan Halderson, Skyler Thimesch and Stephen Kerschen with Kerschen and Thimesch combining for more than 800 yards and 14 touchdowns a year ago. Cunningham will also benefit from having a full schedule – moving up to play two eight-man games to fill holes in the schedule that last year saw them hve five straight weeks off leading into the playoffs via forfeits or canceled games. … A perennial winner in the eight-man ranks, South Barber made the move to six-man last year and continued its winning ways, posting an 8-2 mark. The Chieftains reeled off eight straight wins after a season-opening loss to Cunningham, the run ending with a quarterfinal loss to Golden Plains. Only one senior graduated, though Oakley Duvall was a key performer, and the Chieftains will still be relatively young this year with Brayden Duvall the lone senior expected to start. Junior Austin Swonger had a big year with more than 2,000 combined rushing and passing yards and was a first-team All-Six-Man selection, also leading the team in tackles. Six players return that started last year with Garen Cantrell and Cody Shklar giving Swonger some solid complements on both sides of the ball.. … Until the wild shootout of a championship game, Golden Plains was the team that gave eventual champion Weskan one of its biggest tests, falling 82-45 in an equally wild shootout state semifinal. The Bulldogs will have to replace standout quarterback Josh Rath, but return a dynamic duo in backs Dylan Wark (1,742 total yards, 26 total TDs) and Diego Perez (741 total yards, 12 total TDs). They also are the top two returning tacklers from a year ago. … Tescott was able to avenge one of its two regular-season losses in the playoffs last year, beating Peabody after dropping a 40-39 decision to the Warriors in the season opener. But the Trojans couldn’t get the other, falling to Cunningham in the semifinals to finish an 8-3 season. The loss of two-year starters Austin Miller and James Dickerman will leave big holes to fill, but leading rushers Joey Stirn and Jace Krone are back after combining for more than 1,000 yards and 25 touchdowns on the ground. Stirn also is the leading returning tackler and was a dangerous return man with seven touchdowns, earning him first-team All-Six-Man honors as a returner. Charlie Phelps anchors the defensive front and is a four-year starter who also was the leading receiver last year. … State champion in 2023, Cheylin suffered the effects of graduating an stellar senior class from that title squad and slipped to a 4-5 mark last year. The Cougars will have their third head coach in three years as Sam Reed takes over the program and looks to get them back among the contenders in the west. … Ingalls turns its program over to Logan Hernandez, who inherits a team that returns four starters from last year’s 8-2 squad. The Bulldogs only graduated two players, but they were big losses – All-Six-Man lineman Breck Averhoff and All-Six-Man running back Langston Northern. Quarterback Layton Simon returns after amassing more than 500 yards of offense and 11 touchdowns while Langston’s younger brother, Keegan, is the leading returning tackler and will move into a more prominent role on offense to fill his brother’s shoes. Ingalls’ seniors have not experienced a losing season yet in their careers. … Marais des Cygnes Valley made its six-man debut last year and it was a strong first-year showing for the Trojans as they posted a 6-3 mark. Taking the next step an beating the tougher teams on the schedule will be the challenge this year for first-year head coach Matt Railsback, a task made tougher after standout Landon Traver transferred to Ottawa in the offseason. While he was the Trojans’ top offensive player, his complements a year ago weren’t shabby and they return. Landon Reed threw for 1,510 yards and 16 touchdowns and end Dalton Lingenfelter grabbed 5 of those touchdowns. Two other starters return and Landon’s younger brother, Ricky, stayed with the program and could help fill that void. … The team that pushed eventual champion Weskan the hardest prior to the championship game? Northern Valley, which despite going just 4-6 last year, lost 47-40 to the Coyotes in Week 7. The Huskies had lost four of their first five games prior to that contest and followed it with two wins before falling in the playoffs to South Barber. Northern Valley returns one of the top players in six-man in Gavin Thalheim, who less the team in rushing, passing and tackles last year, totaling 22 touchdowns and more than 1,500 yards. He’s got his top target back in Owen Hammond (742 yards, 14 TDs). The senior duo is backed by a sophomore class that took some lumps as freshmen but gained valuable experience that should pay dividends this season. … Another newcomer to six-man last year, Otis-Bison also found quick success, going 6-4 for coach Mark Cowles – who was the coach at Weskan when it became the first six-man program in the state in 2014. The Cougars lost to eventual champion Cunningham in the quarterfinals. Though numbers are down a touch from a year ago, Otis-Bison has three starters back on offense and four on defense with seniors Gavin Alloway, Kelson Juno and Louis McVey two-way starters. Juno starts at center but led the team in receiving last year while sophomore Aiden Ochs-Lohrey led the team in tackles last year as a freshman. … Peabody will be as experienced as any team in six-man with its young starters from the past two seasons finally upperclassmen. The Warriors went 7-2 last year with the losses coming to Cunningham and Tescott. Junior Jameson Miles has been one of the top receivers in six-man the past two seasons while classmate Aiden Hurst cooled off slightly last year after having a monster freshman season in 2023. In all, eight Warriors return with starting experience and look to lead a deep playoff run this season.