Kpreps 2026 playoff coverage
Class 8-Man, Division I
VIEW: 8M-I Bracket
8M-I EAST
Highlighted Game:
D2-#3 Central Burden (3-5) at D1-#2 Yates Center (5-3) – Yates Center
Last year, Yates Center defeated Central Burden, 62-16, in a Week 9 bracket game. Before then, the teams didn’t match up for 12 years. Central junior quarterback Treighton Hafenstein has rushed 115 times for 795 yards and 12 scores. He has passed for 499 yards with nine scores against three interceptions. Central Burden has 5.4 yards per rush. Central Burden has a 64-58 win against Cedar Vale-Dexter and a 34-30 home loss to Oxford last week. Yates Center has its first winning season since 2021. Since then, the Wildcats posted zero wins, zero wins, one win and two wins before the big improvement this year. Junior Marcus Cummings has 130 carries for 1,055 yards and 15 scores. Junior Gavin Busteed has 114 carries for 981 yards and 21 TDs. Yates Center has eight yards per carry.
Other first-round games:
D2-#4 Cedar Vale-Dexter (3-5) at D1-#1 Oswego (8-0) – Oswego
D3-#3 Cair Paravel (6-2) at D4-#2 Washington County (5-3) – Cair Paravel
D1-#4 Southeast-Cherokee (4-4) at D2-#1 Oxford (6-2) – Oxford
D4-#3 Canton-Galva (3-5) at D3-#2 Lyndon (4-3) – Lyndon
D4-#4 Solomon (4-4) at D3-#1 Chase County (5-3) – Chase County
D1-#3 Erie (4-4) at D2-#2 South Sumner Co. (7-1) – South Sumner Co.
D3-#4 Pleasanton (2-6) at D4-#1 Clifton-Clyde (7-1) – Clifton-Clyde
8M-I WEST
Highlighted Games:
D5-#3 WaKeeney-Trego (5-3) at D6-#2 Hill City (5-3) – Trego
The Mid-Continent League rivals are located 30 miles apart and meet up again. Last year, Trego won in Week 1 and then lost to Hill City in the state quarterfinals. This fall, Hill City defeated Trego, 38-32, in the season opener. However, Trego ended up winning the MCL eight-man title in a close race. Trego has struggled some on defense this year and allowed 38, 30, 34, 76, and 22 points against their five toughest opponents this year. Trego sophomore quarterback Vladon Crawford completed 77 of 136 passes for 1,087 yards with 18 scores against two interceptions. He has rushed for 650 yards and nine scores, while senior Jack Conness has 557 rushing yards and 12 scores. Hill City has delivered 252 rushing yards and 7.5 yards per rush. Senior Slade Rohr has 142 carries for 1,392 yards and 24 scores. Trego will need to contain the Hill City run game to pivot the Week 1 result.
Other first-round games:
D6-#4 Atwood-Rawlins Co. (2-5) at D5-#1 Lincoln (8-0) – Lincoln
D7-#3 Central Plains (6-2) at D8-#2 Stanton County (3-5) – Central Plains
D5-#4 Bennington (3-5) at D6-#1 Hoxie (6-2) – Hoxie
D8-#3 Elkhart (5-3) at D7-#2 Kiowa County (5-2) – Kiowa County
D8-#4 South Gray (1-7) at D7-#1 South Central (6-1) – South Central
D7-#4 Spearville (2-6) at D8-#1 Leoti-Wichita Co. (8-0) – Leoti-Wichita Co.
D6-#3 Oberlin-Decatur Co. (4-43) at D5-#2 Ell-Saline (4-4) – Ell-Saline
Class 8-Man, Division II
VIEW: 8M-II Bracket
8M-II EAST
Highlighted Games:
D1-#4 Sedan (4-4) at D2-#1 Cunningham (8-0) – Cunningham
Cunningham has yet to allow points to a KSHSAA team this year. The defending six-man state champions, Cunningham has seven straight shutouts and beat Sunrise Christian Academy, 56-19, at home. Cunnigham has defeated multiple teams with losing records, though is the lone team to defeat Hutchinson Central Christian. Sedan, under longtime coach Mick Holt, has averaged 33.5 points per game. Senior Lincoln Dowell has led the ground game. Cunningham has five running backs with more than 200 yards. Junior Tyler Osner has 694 passing yards, along with 13 scores against five interceptions. This is one of Cunningham’s top opponents this year, but the Wildcats’ defense could be the difference.
Other first-round games:
D2-#4 Norwich (4-4) at D1-#1 Marmaton Valley (6-2) – Marmaton Valley
D3-#3 Wakefield (5-3) at D4-#2 Hanover (7-1) – Hanover
D4-#3 Troy (6-2) at D3-#2 Waverly (5-3) – Troy
D4-#4 Linn (2-5) at D3-#1 Lebo (8-0) – Lebo
D1-#3 Madison (6-2) at D2-#2 Hutchinson Central Christian (7-1) – Madison
D3-#4 Hartford (3-5) at D4-#1 Axtell (8-0) – Axtell
D2-#3 Argonia-Attica (4-4) at D1-#2 Flinthills (6-2) – Flinthills
8M-II WEST
Highlighted Games:
D6-#3 Victoria (4-4) at D5-#2 Kinsley (5-3) – Victoria
The two Central Prairie League teams face for the second time this year. In Week 2, Victoria beat Kinsley, 44-20, at home. VHS features senior Weston Scherrer, a two-time all-state fullback. The Knight have dealt with several injuries, though senior Nick Sander is a talented athlete at quarterback. Kinsley dual threat junior quarterback Josh Stuckey has passed for 598 yards with eight scores against two interceptions. He has rushed for 238 yards and 5.9 yards per carry. Victoria has never had a losing season since moving to eight-man football in the early 2000s. Stucky is a talented player, and Kinsley should draw closer than Week 2.
Other first-round games:
D6-#4 Ellis (2-6) at D5-#1 Hodgeman County (8-0) – Hodgeman County
D7-#3 Beloit St. John’s-Tipton (4-4) at D8-#2 Wallace County (6-1) – Wallace County
D5-#4 Minneola (4-4) at D6-#1 Sylvan-Lucas Unified (8-0) – Sylvan-Lucas
D8-#3 Dighton (5-3) at D7-#2 Thunder Ridge (6-2) – Dighton
D8-#4 Ness City (4-4) at D7-#1 Osborne (6-2) – Osborne
D5-#3 Meade (4-4) at D6-#2 Little River (7-1) – Little River
D7-#4 Lakeside-Downs (2-6) at D8-#1 Quinter (8-0) – Quinter
Class 6-Man
VIEW: 6-Man Bracket
6M EAST
Highlighted Games:
D1-#5 Elyria Christian (3-5) at D2-#4 Palco (3-5) – Elyria Christian
Palco has its own football team for the first time since 2012. The Roosters ended their longtime co-op with Logan. Elyria Christian has its first-ever football season this year. A win would mean a historical moment for either side. Palco has lost all five of its games by at least 36 points, though beaten Chase, Pawnee Heights and Western Plains by at least 38. Elyria has been more competitive in both wins and losses and has two big defeats to 7-1 Peabody-Burns. Elyria Christian also lost to Chetopa, 38-32 in overtime, defeated Moscow, 54-46, and lost, 47-33, at Centre last week. Elyria Christian has scored 276 points, while Palco has tallied 204. The Eagles’ offense could be the difference.
Other first-round games:
D1-#7 Altoona-Midway (1-7) at D2-#2 Otis-Bison (7-1) – Otis-Bison
D2-#6 Chase (1-7) at D1-#3 Marais des Cygnes Valley (5-3) – MdCV
D2-#5 Pawnee Heights (2-6) at D1-#4 Chetopa (4-3) – Chetopa
D2-#7 Western Plains (1-7) at D1-#2 Centre-Lost Springs (5-3) – Centre
D1-#6 Southern Coffey Co. (1-7) at D2-#3 Logan (5-3) -- Logan
Teams with a first-round BYE:
D1-#1 Peabody-Burns (7-1)
D2-#1 Tescott (8-0)
6M WEST
Highlighted Games:
D4-#5 Northern Valley (3-5) at D3-#4 Satanta (4-4) – Northern Valley
Both teams have similar resumes with a couple of blowout wins and several big losses to ranked teams. For Satanta, sophomore Kace Wenta has passed for 621 yards with 11 scores against five interceptions. Senior Augustin Salas has 64 carries for 629 yards and eight TDs. Junior Izaak Garcia has 89 carries for 733 yards and 13 scores. Northern Valley defeated Chase, 48-0, last week. Lucas Hansen rushed 14 times for 177 yards with two scores. He posted 11 tackles, a forced fumble and a safety. Bryson Wilder has led the offense well. This should be a close game, and Northern Valley could have a little more depth.
Other first-round game:
D3-#5 Bucklin (3-4) at D4-#4 Golden Plains (5-3) – Bucklin
D4-#6 Winona-Triplains (1-6) at D3-#3 Ashland (4-3) – Ashland
D3-#6 Deerfield (3-5) at D4-#3 Cheylin (6-2) – Cheylin
Forfeits:
D4-#7 Brewster (0-8) at D3-#2 South Barber (6-2) – South Barber wins 1-0 via forfeit
D3-#7 Moscow (1-7) at D4-#2 Wheatland-Grinnell (7-1) – WGHS wins 1-0 via forfeit
Teams with a first-round BYE:
D3-#1 Ingalls (8-0)
D4-#1 Weskan (8-0)
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