Pick List: 50 Games to Watch For in Week 1

The Pick List: 50 Games to Pay Attention to in Week 1

Yeah, you read that right.

50 Games.

100 Teams.

We are a little excited about the start of the Kansas High School football season. So much so that we couldn’t settle on previewing only handful of games this week. So, instead we decided to briefly highlight why we found these 50, Week 1 games intriguing.

Don’t worry, next week we’ll return to our typical format for the Pick List where we preview a few of the top matchups, make our prediction, and in addition pick the winners for a list of other notable games. At the beginning of each week, we’ll post a poll that will allow you to vote on the games that we preview with The Pick List each week.

Here are the 50 games we chose highlight to kick off the 2026 season, grouped by the reason they were chosen.

Showdowns between Ranked Teams

1. 5A No. 2 St. James Academy at 4A No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas – The Thunder and Saints meet in a huge ranked test that will go a long way in deciding supremacy in the Eastern Kansas League. Aquinas finished 8-2 in 2025 with both losses to Rockhurst and Mill Valley by a single point. St. James Academy slipped by Mill Valley a week later and reached the 5A semifinals before falling to eventual 5A runner-up Basehor-Linwood. The Thunder bring back quarterback John Hornback who produced 2,700 yards of total offense and combined for 27 touchdowns last season. He returns a talented group of receivers including Luke Niesen, Cory Kirchner, and Matt Wurtenberger. Aquinas graduated all-state back Cal Arndt and several other key pieces. The offense returns quarterback Carson Patrick, Colton McGlinn, Xavier Bachamp, and Arthur Witherspoon. The defense could be the Saints’ strength with Zion Thornton up front, Terrance Bryant at linebacker, and Gunner Greeson in the secondary. Last season the two teams were tied at halftime and after three quarters before Aquinas added three late touchdowns to pull away.
    
2. 3A No. 2 Topeka Hayden at 4A No. 3 Eudora – The Wildcats and Cardinals will meet for a third straight season. Hayden has won the last two meetings (28-6 last season & 35-7 in 2024), but both teams enter this season with high hopes. Hayden has reached the 3A state title game three consecutive seasons only to finish as the runner-up each year. The Wildcats return Mason Becker and Logan Power on offense, but will have to rely on several new faces to gain experience. Eudora returns a loaded backfield that includes backs Grayson Moody (1,500 yards rushing; 20 TD), Keelyn Duncan (850 yards rush, 12 TD), and quarterback Houstyn Carnegie. The Cardinals also have playmakers at receiver in Preston White and Dez Hoobler. The line is anchored up front by Austin Jordan and Carter Lewis. Defensively, Eudora will rely on linebacker Newt Schreiner who registered a team-high 105 tackles last season.
    
3. 2A No. 4 Garden Plain at 3A No. 4 Cheney – Perhaps the premier game in the Central Plains League this season kicks off in Week 1 with Garden Plain visiting nearby Cheney. The Owls have been a consistent contender under Todd Rice. Garden Plain finished 9-2 last fall reaching the state quarterfinals before falling to Hoisington. The Owls return a dozen players with starting experience, including back Braylen Dold who rushed for 650 yards and five scores last season. Garden Plain’s other loss last season came to Cheney, 28-7. The Cardinals graduated standout Reece Tolar (now at Missouri Southern), but return several key players that helped the team reach the 3A state quarterfinals. Lineman Ayden Koehn leads an experienced front. Koehn has committed to North Texas at the next level. Colton Young returns in the backfield after rushing for 700 yards a season ago. Sedgwick-transfer Holden Ferralez will likely land the quarterback duties after throwing for 1,600 yards a season ago.
    
4. 6M #3 Tescott at 6M No. 2 South Barber – We look to the smallest classification to find one of the biggest games in the state! Both Tescott and South Barber reached the state semifinals a season ago and both return plenty of talent to get back to that level. Tescott has been a consistent 6-Man contender under Daymon Walker having reached the state semifinals the last three seasons. The Trojans return five starters, but must replace one of 2025’s best players in Charlie Phelps. Returning for the Trojans is Joey Stirn who rushed for 1,000 yards and passed for 500 more yards. Ayden Thompson controls things up front and Miles Challans returns after making 87 stops last fall. South Barber returns an electric player in quarterback Austin Swonger. Swonger passed for 2,120 yards and 45 touchdowns last season and added more than 800 rushing yards and 11 more scores. He returns big-time production at the skill positions including Garen Cantrell who had 50 catches for 930 yards and 20 touchdowns. Steele Smith is also back after 19 touchdown catches last fall, and Cody Shklar added 10 scores.

Ranked Teams Get an Early Test

5. Rockhurst (Mo.) (0-1) at 6A No. 1 Manhattan – Defending 6A champion Manhattan opens the season with a challenge against Missouri-power Rockhurst. The Hawklets enter this contest having dropped their season opener, 23-17, to St. Pius X last week. Rockhurst defeated St. Pius by 30 points in 2025. Manhattan lost several key players off of last year’s title team, including J.J. Dunnigan. But the Indians return part-time quarterback McLain Aslin along with E.J. Massenburg and Joe Mortensen in the backfield. Max Evans-Pryor will lead the defense along with Mortensen and Adonis Dunnigan.
    
6. 5A No. 5 Hays at Junction City – This will be the fifth straight season that Hays and Junction City have met in football with the Indians having won each meeting. The two teams met in the season opener in 2022 and 2023 with Hays winning by 12 and by six points in overtime. Hays then won 27-17 in 2024 before a 34-28 victory last season. Hays features Oregon-commit Gus Corsair across the line along with Tanner Geist. Archer Amrein and Braxton Basgall will look to replace Holden Lind in the backfield. Plainville transfer Joey Dintino may factor in at quarterback. Junction City returns only three starters on defense but they are three impact players. Khaliel Walker returns after earning the Centennial League Defensive MVP in 2025. Trevon Bailey joins Walker up front as a returning all-conference player, while Marcus Boganowski returns at linebacker. The Blue Jay offense must replace Conrad Gomez at quarterback along with standout receiver Lovell Autry.
    
7. 6A No. 2 Mill Valley at Shawnee Mission Northwest – Mill Valley begins its first season as a Class 6A school with a test against a young Shawnee Mission Northwest team. The Cougars graduated one of the state’s most explosive players in Trai Woodruff. Northwest will have to gain experience across the line but do return several skill players with experience. Mill Valley returns Max Piva in the backfield after he rushed for 1,800 yards and 20 scores last season. Holden Applebee will take over at quarterback for standout athlete Blake Jay. The Jaguar defense, always a strength, return Ryder Farley at linebacker, Kendyn Charbonneau in the secondary, and Larry Jones up front.  
    
8. Washburn Rural at 5A No. 1 Kapaun Mt. Carmel – Kapaun moves up from Class 4A to 5A after rolling to the 4A state title last season with a 56-21 win over Bishop Miege. The Crusaders return several key pieces from that team including quarterback Cole Rapp and running back Ken Huff. Huff rushed for more than 1,600 yards and 21 touchdowns last season and has Max Worrell and Jack Runyan returning up front. Pete Keller returns at linebacker to lead the Kapaun defense. Washburn Rural finished 6-4 last season reaching the second round of the 6A playoffs. Jadyn Baum returns after rushing for more than 1,200 yards a season ago. Quarterback John Hoytal has graduated, but the new quarterback will have two returning starters up front along with both returning tight ends. Steven Cantrell and Sam Scott return along the defensive front along with Amir Jones at linebacker. They will face a major challenge in Week 1 in having to slow down Huff and the Kapaun rushing attack.
    
9. 4A No. 2 Bishop Miege at Blue Valley West – An early EKL measuring stick for both teams. Miege returns virtually everyone on offense from last year’s state runner-up team. Landon Cole will direct the Stag offense and hopes to stay healthy after missing most of the regular season in 2025. He returned to throw for 1,400 yards and 20 touchdowns and lead the team to five wins. The offensive line also returns along with Vinny George, John Watskey, and Nick Nabazas are all back to carry the ball. Blue Valley West hopes for a better start this season. The Jaguars opened 0-3 in 2025 against a brutal schedule. Jett Nagy and Trent Schneider return as playmakers on the outside, while quarterback Michael Baum is back behind three starters up front.
    
10. Leavenworth at 5A No. 4 Basehor-Linwood – These two United Kansas Conference rivals met twice last season with Basehor-Linwood handing Leavenworth its only two losses of the season. The Bobcats went on to the 5A state title game where they fell 51-34 to Salina Central. Basehor defeated Leavenworth 42-21 in the season opener, then 31-7 in the 5A quarterfinals. The Bobcats must replace standout quarterback Carson Dixon, wideout Nash Morrison, and tight end Roman Miller. The build of the offense may fall on Gavin Mitchell who rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 17 scores last year. Peter Rodriguez also joins Mitchell in the backfield after 500 yards in 2025. It was a historic 9-2 season for Leavenworth in 2025. Now the Pioneers have to replace most of key pieces that led that team. Jamarion Jefferson returns in the backfield after sharing time last fall. Kegan McBee returns on the offensive line. The defense will be inexperienced and must meet the challenge presented by the Bobcats in this key opener.
     
11. Scott City at 4A No. 4 Great Bend – An intriguing game between 3A contender Scott City and 4A newcomer Great Bend. Great Bend finished 11-1 last season, falling 30-28 to Salina Central in the 5A state semifinals. The Panthers graduated a lot of talent from that team including Get Busy Livin’ Player of the Year Award winner Ian Premer. Coach Erin Beck’s team still feature one of the state’s top players in Cooper Ohnmacht as well as leading tackler Kale Kern. Finding a quarterback to replace multi-year starter Daxton Minton will be a challenge, but Colby-transfer Maxson Smiley may be a possibility. Scott City has its quarterback in place as Drew Metzger returns after passing for 1,150 yards and nine touchdowns in 2025. The Beavers return 13 total starters from last year’s team, including two all-conference linemen in Reid Felker and Easton Eisenhour.
     
12. 2A No. 3 Osage City at Olpe – Osage City is coming off of a 10-win season and a trip to the state semifinals. Reed Silver returns to play quarterback after taking over for the injured Kasen Parsons mid-way through last season. Silver passed for nearly 1,000 yards and 14 touchdowns in 2025. He’ll have the benefit of returning four starters across the offensive line including standout Camo Jackson. Olpe battled injuries in 2025 under long-time coach Chris Schmidt. The Eagles finished 7-3 last season and return senior leaders Abbott Bailey, Brecken McGuire, and Isaac Knuth. The Eagles will open their newly renovated stadium by hosting the third-ranked Indians.
     
13. 2A No. 1 Sabetha at Holton – Big East rivals Sabetha and Holton will meet up in what should be a physical season-opener. Sabetha enters the 2026 season as the top team in Class 2A. The Bluejays return their entire offensive line, quarterback Micah Lang, and a pair of backs in Curtis Fitzgerald and Lincoln Menold that combined for 600 rushing yards a season ago. Holton returns a solid nucleus up front, but must replace most of the offensive production from a year ago. The Wildcats return several experienced players on defense.
     
14. 1A No. 4 Centralia at Rock Creek – The Centralia Panthers will take an experienced team up a couple of classifications to take on Rock Creek. The Mustangs moved up to Class 4A this fall and are coming off of an 11-1 season in which they reached the state semifinals. Rock Creek graduated several standout players across the offensive and defensive lines, but quarterback Tayte Smith returns after passing for 1,875 yards and 25 touchdowns. He also has receivers Luke Skinner and Jacob Perkins back. Centralia returns one of 1A’s best players in Quentin Alderfer. Alderfer is coming off a 2025 season in which he rushed for 1,370 yards and passed for nearly 500 more yards. Degan Ronnebaum will join him in the Panther backfield and they’ll run behind an experienced line. The Panthers expect to be contender in Class 1A and this will provide a good early-season test.  
     
15. Reno County Homeschool at 8M-II No. 2 Axtell – One of these teams posted an undefeated season last year – and it was Reno County. Axtell had its eight-man state record 58-game winning streak end last year with a pair of losses to rival Hanover. Reno County, a non-KSHSAA team, delivered a 9-0 record, though has a significantly harder schedule this year. The squads feature two of the state’s best quarterbacks. Axtell junior Wyatt Detweiler passed for 1,539 yards with 22 scores against two interceptions. Reno County quarterback Bo Smith has thrown for 5,441 career yards with 85 touchdowns versus 18 interceptions. This is the first meeting ever between the schools.
     
16. Thunder Ridge at 8M-II No. 5 Sylvan-Lucas Unified – Thunder Ridge is expected to be much improved this year, while Sylvan-Lucas has its highest preseason ranking is more than 15 years. Sylvan-Lucas was a Division I semifinalist in ’25. S-L running back Zayne Maupin scored 33 touchdowns last season. Both coaches lead their alma maters. Ben Labertew is in his 15th year as the Mustangs’ coach, while Joel Struckhoff has served as head coach since 2018. Thunder Ridge (4-5 last year) counters with junior Tate Foreman with 31 TDs accounted for in ’25. S-L is 5-1 in this Northern Plains League rivalry dating back to 2016. The Mustangs won 56-20 last fall.
     
17. Moundridge at 2A No. 1 Sterling – Sterling is coming off of a remarkable 2025 season which saw the Black Bears win their first state football championship since 1982. All-State back Zane Farney has graduated, but Sterling brings back several key players as well as others that gained experience last season. Their first test will come against Heart of America League rival Moundridge. The Wildcats return three starters up front from last year’s 8-3 team. Sterling defeated Moundridge 27-15 in Week 2 of the 2025 season.
     
18. Central Plains at 8M-II No. 4 Victoria – This Central Prairie League showdown features two teams expected to contend in their respective eight-man divisions. Victoria graduated a deep and talented class that led the Knights to a state runner-up finish a season ago. Weston Scherrer is back after a second all-state caliber season in 2025. Scherrer rushed for early 1,300 yards and 24 touchdowns last season. Central Plains returns Brodie Crites at quarterback after his 1,400-yard passing season in 2025. The Oilers return two All-CPL linemen in Peyton Kempke and Cameron Zink as well as all-league skill players in Teagan Schepmann, Broc Klima and Keeton Robison.
     
19. Meade at 8M-I No. 1 South Central – South Central went 13-0 and won its first-ever state title last year, while Meade posted a 7-3 mark. Last year, South Central defeated Meade, 48-6. South Central senior Easton Huck is the headliner after 1,213 passing yards, 1,428 rushing yards and 48 touchdowns accounted for. Senior Coda Lindsay also rushed 115 carries for 1,001 yards and 15 TDs.
     
20. Dighton at 8M-I No. 3 Oberlin-Decatur Co. – Both teams bring back virtually everyone. Oberlin has its highest preseason ranking in at least 20 years, while Dighton is known for significant postseason success under coach Ken Simon. A three-win team in ’25, Dighton is headlined by junior quarterback Rangler Price, who threw for 866 yards with 13 scores against nine interceptions.
     
21. Hill City at 8M-I No. 2 WaKeeney-Trego – The Mid-Continent League rivals resume in a key matchup that will shape Eight-Man, Division I. Last year, Trego had a breakout season with a 10-1 record and beat Hill City, 30-20, in Week 1. However, Hill City won the rematch 58-36 in the state quarterfinals. Trego lost three all-state players (its top-three tacklers), though has exceptional players back with sophomore quarterback Vladon Crawford, junior Westyn Windholz, sophomore Jared Aschenbrenner and running back Jack Conness. All four players led Trego in at least one stat in ’25. Hill City went 10-2 and took major graduation losses.
     
22. 8M-II No. 3 Little River at Ell-Saline – A great matchup from the last four years continues with Little River moving down to Division II. Ell-Saline won 24-14, 38-36 and 22-20 in the last three contests. Little River finished 9-2 and has top players Logan Schubert (1,363 all-purpose yards) and Jaren Garrison (1,204 total yards).

Rivalry Games

23. Arkansas City at Winfield – Rivals Ark City and Winfield will square off again in the Cowley Cup to open the season. The Bulldogs managed just a 2-7 season a year ago, while Winfield went 1-8. Ark City defeated Winfield 7-6 in the season opener. The last three meetings have been decided by a touchdown or less. Both teams will be breaking in a new quarterback as graduation claimed Jordy Pierce from Ark City and Kellen Gibson from Winfield. Each new signal-caller will have talented wideouts in Ark City’s Trevin Miller and Winfield’s Eli Tagg.
     
24. Salina South at 5A No. 3 Salina Central – The Mayor’s Cup will be decided in the season-opener for a fifth consecutive year. Salina Central is coming off an amazing 12-1 season and a 5A state championship last year. Central has holes to fill with the likes of Cooper Reves, Kaden Snyder and Jesus Delgado, but several key pieces return. Quarterback Griffin Hall passed for 1,800 yards and 29 touchdowns last season and rushed for nearly 1,000 more yards. He has three returning starters up front. Salina South finished just 3-8 last fall, but reached the state quarterfinals before being bounced by their crosstown rival. South quarterback Izrael Telles is back after passing for nearly 2,300 yards and 24 touchdowns as a sophomore a season ago. His receivers are talented with Jay Curtis and Sacred Heart transfer Noah Hines. In the backfield Armane Redmond returns after rushing for 1,000 yards last season. South is looking for its first win in the series since 2020.
     
25. 6A No. 5 Wichita Northwest at Bishop Carroll – The season-opening rivalry game seems to shape both team’s seasons. Northwest has won the last three meetings – all by at least 21 points. The Grizzlies are again loaded with talent, but must replace graduated quarterback Jaylen Mason and running back Augie Fast. Zy’Air Burton will likely take over the backfield and run behind a strong OL that features Maddox McGinnis and Brock Martin. Dallas Gray and Cordale Johnson will be well sought-after players at the next level from the Grizzly defense. Bishop Carroll finished 6-4 in former Golden Eagle Chris Jaax’s first season as coach. The Eagles return a deep backfield with Harrison King, Cooper Herrman, Jonah Mull, and Brittyn St. Vrain behind three returning starters across the offensive line.
     
26. Beloit at Southeast of Saline – The ‘Trojan War’ kicks off the season and will likely decide the league title. Southeast of Saline has been among the Class 2A elite programs over the past few years having reached the state title game in two consecutive seasons and winning the 2024 state championship. But SE Saline was hit hard by graduation and returns only two starters from last season. One of those is quarterback Tiernan Ptacek how passed for nearly 1,200 yards last fall. Chance Ptacek, Tiernan’s dad, will take over for long-time coach Mitch Gebhardt to lead the Trojans. Beloit enters 2026 with an experienced team and always seems to feature strength up front. The Trojan line this season features Kross Kemmerer and Griffin Johnson. That duo will try and protect quarterback Truitt King who passed for 1,800 yards last year as a freshman.
     
27. Atwood-Rawlins Co. at St. Francis – Both teams were 5-4 last fall. The Yoke Bowl resumes with the Northwest Kansas rivalry. Saint Francis took major graduation losses, though junior Zylas Martinez returns after 306 rushing yards and three scores. Atwood has won five straight in the series, including 28-24 last season. Atwood junior Dominique Paz has 170 rushes for 1,365 yards and 20 scores.

Early Games Likely to Decide League / Conference Races

28. Blue Valley Northwest at Blue Valley – Two EKL teams that open just outside the Kpreps top 5 rankings in each of their respective classes. Blue Valley returns one of the more experienced rosters in the state. Quarterback Dan Sogard is back after throwing for just shy of 2,000 yards last season. He has both Jacob and Jordan Lockett back at receiver along with Ben Herold. The tiger defense returns several starters including DBs Tyree Kelley and Joey Lonergan. Similarly, quarterback Aiden Ihm returns for Northwest after throwing for nearly 1,300 yards last year, but could be pushed by Braxton Wagner. Either quarterback will have D-1 recruit Baron Marshall and Central Missouri-commit Trea Hayes as options at receiver. Clint Rider’s Huskies will also return three starters up front and seven starters on defense.
     
29. Topeka Seaman at De Soto – One of a couple of key United Kansas Conference games to open the season. The Seaman Vikings return an experienced offense including quarterback Cale Ketter who passed for more than 2,000 yards last season. Receivers Coy Barta and John Brown return after combining for more than 1,200 yards last season. Quentin Moravec is back after rushing for nearly 900 yards and will run behind three returning starters up front. De Soto has less experience returning from a 7-win season in 2025. Quarterback Ben Parks returns to direct the flexbone offense and has Will Morton returning in the backfield. Seaman last defeated De Soto in the second round of the 2023 5A playoffs, 31-28.
     
30. Marmaton Valley at Oswego – One of more entertaining matchups in recent years resumes in a key Three Rivers League matchup. Marmaton Valley has won three straight in the series, though the teams have split the last eight meetings. Three of the last seven games are one-score contests. Oswego is likely favored behind an experienced group for veteran coach Matt Fowler. Notably, junior Demitri Williamson had 142 carries for 1,580 yards and 30 scores. Marmaton Valley had major graduation losses. Last year, Oswego finished second in Division I with 54.4 points per game, and the Wildcats led Division II with 55.4 points a contest.
     
31. Hoxie at Ellis – A highly intriguing Mid-Continent League contest against two teams that look to take a step up in 2026. Ellis hired Dan Rogers, a longtime Victoria assistant, as head coach. Among other improvements, the Railers should be much better defensively this fall. Both squads were 2-7 last year. Hoxie, under longtime coach Lance Baar, took major losses after a 13-0 state title in 2024. Ellis returns many of its top players, especially junior Trenton Schartz who passed for 1,097 yards and rushed for 446. Hoxie counters with junior Noah Nickelson, who rushed for 525 yards and seven touchdowns.
     
32. Lebo at Madison – Traditional-power Madison is another of the programs changing classifications which has shifted the balance power to Eight-Man, Division II. The Bulldogs are coming off of an 8-2 season and bring back quarterback Brayden Grimmett and two offensive linemen up front. Grimmett passed for nearly 1,200 yards and added nearly 800 yards rushing last fall. Madison opens with league-rival Lebo. The Wolves bring back their own talented quarterback in Brock Hadley. Hadley passed for nearly 1,300 yards and 19 touchdowns last season. Lebo also returns its entire offensive line and the top five tacklers on defense.

Teams Moving to a New Classification

33. Andover Central at Maize – Andover Central makes the move up to Class 5A and immediately gets tested against Maize. The Jaguars return Jaxson Green who rushed for more than 1,600 yards and 17 touchdowns last season. He’ll have some strength up front with Tommy Inkelaar holding several D-1 offers. Maize will look to reload after winning the AVCTL-I last season as part of a 10-1 season. Replacing quarterback Brayden Myovela will be key, but the offense returns Demarye Smith in the backfield, Pearce George at wideout, and Nolan Hadley up front.
     
34. Nemaha Central at Riley County – Defending 2A champion Nemaha Central bumps up to Class 3A this fall and begins the post Carter Hajek era. Hajek helped the Thunder to four consecutive 2A state title game, winning three championships. Along with Hajek, Nemaha Central graduated a deep and talented class from a season ago and now must replace several starters. Kyler Ganstrom and Brendan Holthaus return up front and will lead the way for several new skill players. Sullivan Haverkamp is back after posting 100 tackles last year, while Ganstrom had 18 tackles for loss on the defensive line. They’ll be tested by an experienced Riley County squad that returns quarterback Kadrick Woodard and receivers Brendon Woodard and Evan Widman. The Falcons also return four starters across the offensive line and are expected to improve upon their three-win 2025 campaign.
     
35. Lyndon at Troy – Not only did Troy drop from the 11-man ranks to 8-man this fall, the Trojans dropped all the way down to 8M-II. Troy returns standout quarterback Kaston Jasper who passed for nearly 2,300 yards and 27 touchdowns last season. Joining Jasper is Colt Jensen at receiver. Jensen hauled in 68 catches for 750 yards and 11 touchdowns. Tucker Jarrett and Bryer Ferris also return in the backfield. Lyndon is coming off of an 8-1 season last fall that ended with a second-round playoff loss to Little River. The Tigers graduated a lot of talent from that team and will need several less-experienced players to step up this season.
     
36. Spearville at Cunningham – Cunningham has been the state’s best six-man program in the last decade, including the state championship last year. The Wildcats move up a class to Eight-Man, Division II. Spearville struggled to a one-win season in ’25. Cunningham senior Stephen Kerschen had 132 carries for 1,465 yards and 25 scores last season.
     
37. Waverly at Southeast-Cherokee – Southeast enters new territory in moving to the eight-man level for the first time. The Lancers bring back several experienced players in quarterback Solomon Scott, running back Gannon Hobbs, receivers Tyler Warner and Carter Buzard, and junior all-conference lineman Braxton Renn. The Lancer defense will have to try and contain Waverly quarterback Dustin Foster. Foster rushed for 1,200 yards last season and led the team on defense with 90 tackles. He is just one piece of an experienced Bulldog team that looks to improve from last year’s three-win season.

Potential to be Close Games

38. Andover at Hutchinson – Andover won six straight games and won the AVCTL-II championship last fall. The Trojans were seemingly on a roll before being upset by Salina South, 24-20, in the first round of the 5A playoffs. The Trojans will have to replace most of their defense, but running back Pete Vega and quarterback Will Quinn return to run behind Oklahoma-commit Tyson Ross up front. Hutchinson will begin the Luke Berblinger coach era. Coach Berblinger takes over a Salthawk team that finished 7-3 before a second-round loss to Hays last season.
     
39. Buhler at Maize South – Buhler and Maize South will meet for just the fourth time and the first time since the 2017 season. Buhler has won the three prior meetings. The Crusaders return an experienced roster including Asher Zachary at quarterback. Buhler will have to replace workhorse back Ben Clouse, but an experienced fullback, tight end, and four offensive linemen will help that challenge. Maize South will return a high-flying offense with Reign Illian at quarterback. Illian passed for more than 2,500 yards and 25 touchdowns last season. He returns nearly 1,200 receiving yards with Stratten Ebers and Carson Cantu returning.
     
40. Hesston at Halstead – Halstead returns an experienced roster hoping to improve from a season ago. The Dragons will feature quarterback Damien Whillock who passed for nearly 1,200 yards last fall. Halstead returns several experienced players across the offensive line and even more experience on defense led by Reece Carmichael. Hesston returns standout quarterback Jerick Humphreys who passed for nearly 1,500 yards and accounted for 21 total touchdowns. The Swathers return several experienced players on defense led by Joshua Duerksen and Kasen Landes who each posted 100 tackles last season.
     
41. Neodesha at Galena – Neodesha and Galena will square off in a matchup of two teams that are expected to take a step forward this season. Neodesha will feature quarterback Tayte Leck who started several games as a freshman last fall and passed for 1,100 yards and 11 touchdowns. He’ll be joined in the backfield by talented players in Camryn White and J’Vonte White. Galena graduated some size up front in the likes of Brayden Buckaloo, but return a several experienced starters across the line that will try to provide time for quarterback Suade Dixon.
     
42. Douglass at Conway Springs -- Douglass has steadily improved from 1-8, to 2-7 to 3-6 last fall. The Bulldogs defeated Conway Springs in a then-stunning upset, 44-3. It marked Douglass’ first win versus Conway Springs since 1996. Douglass is looking for its first winning season since 2018. Conway Springs won back-to-back 1A titles in ’23 and ’24 and then dropped back to 3-6. Longtime coach Matt Biehler moved into administration. Douglass has enjoyed nice recent success at the junior high level and is considered a program on the rise. This is a big game for the Central Plains League.
     
43. Wichita Life Prep Academy at Hutchinson Central Christian – Central Christian is coming off of a 10-1 season and state quarterfinal appearance in 2025. The Cougars bring back Luke Eigsti at quarterback after he passed for nearly 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns. He brings back Cael Kooiman and Cal Barnett at receiver with three returners up front. Central Christian could get an early test from Life Prep Academy, a non-KSHSAA school. The Fire opened up last week with a 61-16 pasting of Sunrise Christian Academy.

New or Renewed Teams Join 6-Man

44. Elyria Christian at 6M No. 4 Peabody-Burns – This will be the inaugural game for Elyria Christian as the Eagles kickoff their first football season with a trip to Peabody-Burns. The Warriors are ranked fourth to start the season and feature one of the classifications’ top quarterback-receiver combos in Aiden Hurst and Jameson Miles.  
     
45. Chase at Bucklin – The Bucklin Red Aces return to the sidelines this fall after a season of combining with Ashland. Bucklin will open with a Chase team that has struggled, but has a new coach in Carl Nolan and some renewed optimism. The Kats will feature Malik Carson who is one of the top athletes in the 6-man classification.
     
46. Ashland at Pawnee Heights – Ashland played an abridged season in a co-op with Bucklin last fall. The entire community of Pawnee Heights is recovering from a horrible tragedy with the recent death of a player, Rylan Reece.
     
47. Brewster at Moscow – Another program returning to the sidelines for some time is the Brewster Bulldogs. After several seasons with Triplains-Brewster, the two schools decided to end their co-op and field their own teams this cycle. The Bulldogs will take on a Moscow team that returns Braylon Johnson who rushed for nearly 900 yards last fall.
     
48. Winona-Triplains at Western Plains – After several seasons competing as Triplains-Brewster, the Winona-Triplains Vikings will return to the sidelines this season. Brewster and Triplains decided to end their co-op and field their own teams this cycle. The Vikings will begin with a road trip to Western Plains to take on a young Bobcat squad.
     
49. Golden Plains at Palco – One of the states’ best nicknames returns to the sidelines this season in the Palco Roosters. Palco and Logan decided to end their co-op and field their own teams this cycle. The Roosters will open with a home game against Golden Plains. Both teams are expected to field young teams looking to gain experience.
     
50. Northern Valley at Logan – Logan moves down to 6-Man from the eight-man level after ending its co-op with Palco. The Trojans return Taden and Easton Gottschalk in the backfield in addition to three other starters up front. Northern Valley brings back several talented players from last year’s five-win season. Taiton Thalheim and Luke Hansen are both likely to get plenty of carries for the Huskies this fall.

Kpreps Rankings - Week 4 (Sept 21st)

Kpreps Scoreboard - Week 3 (Sept. 18th)

Kpreps Live Video Broadcast Schedule - Sept. 18th

Listen: Kansas Kickoff Radio Show - Week 3 (Sept. 18th)

The Pick List - Week 3

Player Picks to Click - Week 3

Around the Classes - Week 2 recap

Kpreps Rankings - Week 3 (Sept 14th)

Kpreps Scoreboard - Week 2 (Sept. 11th)

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