Kpreps 2026 playoff coverage
Class 8-Man, Division I
VIEW: 8M-I Bracket
8M-I EAST
Highlighted Game:
D1-#2 Yates Center (6-3) at D4-#1 Clifton-Clyde (8-1) – Clifton-Clyde
Yates Center makes the long trip to Clifton-Clyde to take on the fifth-ranked Eagles. Clifton-Clyde has won seven consecutive games since a 56-0 loss to Axtell in Week 2. The Eagles average 50 points per game behind standout quarterback Kyzler Damman. Damman has shined in some of Clifton-Clyde’s closest games, including a 270-yard rushing performance in a 40-28 win over Washington County. Yates Center has proven to be an explosive team this fall. The Wildcats’ three losses have come to opponents (Marmaton Valley, Lebo, Oswego) that are a combined 25-2. The junior duo of Mason Cummings and Gavin Busteed have each surpassed 1,000 yards rushing with a combined 41 touchdowns. Cummings has 1,195 yards rushing with 16 touchdowns, while Busteed has rushed for 1,087 yards and 25 touchdowns. Busteed has also passed for 740 yards and 17 scores. The Yates Center defense is led by one of the state’s leading tacklers in senior Jeremiah Jones. Jones has registered 157 tackles, including 26 for loss, three sacks, and five forced fumbles.
Other first-round games:
D4-#2 Washington County (6-3) at D1-#1 Oswego (9-0) – Oswego
D1-#4 Southeast-Cherokee (5-4) at D4-#3 Canton-Galva (4-5) – Canton-Galva
D2-#2 South Sumner Co. (8-1) at D3-#1 Chase County (6-3) – South Sumner
8M-I WEST
Highlighted Games:
D5-#3 WaKeeney-Trego (6-3) at D7-#1 South Central (7-1) – South Central
In Week 8, WaKeeney-Trego traveled to No. 1 Lincoln and played competitively in a 76-50 loss. This time, Trego makes the trip south and faces No. 2 South Central, the defending state champion. The Golden Eagles have not been able to match the defense from their 10-1 squad last year, though the offense can put up big numbers. Trego has scored 48.9 points per game, including a 62-54 road win versus Hill City last week. South Central has delivered an excellent defense with just 12 points allowed a contest. Physicality could be the difference Friday. Trego sophomore quarterback Vladon Crawford has passed for 1,284 yards and rushed for 807 with 33 TDs accounted for. Trego is plus-7 in turnover margin and will likely need to be opportunistic. Overall, the Golden Eagles have 30 tackles for loss. South Central is plus-11 in turnover margin and has 56 tackles for loss, 16 from senior Jack Willems. South Central’s three of its top-four tacklers and six of the top-eight are seniors.
Other first-round games:
D7-#3 Central Plains (7-2) at D5-#1 Lincoln (9-0) – Lincoln
D7-#2 Kiowa County (6-2) at D6-#1 Hoxie (7-2) – Hoxie
D5-#2 Ell-Saline (5-4) at D8-#1 Leoti-Wichita Co. (9-0) – Leoti-Wichita Co.
Class 8-Man, Division II
VIEW: 8M-II Bracket
8M-II EAST
Highlighted Games:
D4-#2 Hanover (8-1) at D1-#1 Marmaton Valley (7-2) – Hanover
Defending champion Hanover will go on the road to Moran to take on the Marmaton Valley Wildcats. Marmaton Valley features an explosive offense that averages more than 54 points per game. Junior quarterback Kaden McVey has passed for 1,547 yards and 24 touchdowns, while standout senior Cooper Scharff has amassed more than 1,960 yards of total offense and 34 combined touchdowns. Scharff has rushed for 1,292 yards and 24 scores and has 670 receiving yards with ten scores. Hanover counters with multiple weapons including a defense that has only allowed 72 points all season with four shutouts. Kadrick Cohorst has thrown for 1,027 yards and 17 touchdowns and added 458 rushing yards and ten scores. Cooper Bruna leads Hanover with 840 yards rushing with 21 scores. Hunter Kickhaefer joins Bruna and Brody Sedlacek as key targets in the Hanover passing game.
Other first-round games:
D4-#3 Troy (7-2) at D2-#1 Cunningham (9-0) – Troy
D2-#2 Hutchinson Central Christian (8-1) at D3-#1 Lebo (9-0) – Lebo
D2-#3 Argonia-Attica (5-4) at D4-#1 Axtell (9-0) – Axtell
8M-II WEST
Highlighted Games:
D6-#2 Little River (8-1) at D7-#1 Osborne (7-2) – Little River
Two all-time great eight-man coaches match up with high-flying offenses. Kevin Ayers’ Little River squad has allowed just 76 points all season, though took a 54-38 loss to Sylvan-Lucas in district play. Little River has tallied 56.4 points per game. Steve Tiernan’s Osborne squad is paced by its dynamic sophomores. Osborne lost by six points to Hoxie in Week 2 and fell 64-32 versus Sylvan-Lucas in Week 3. While Osborne has allowed 25.6 points per contest, the Bulldogs have scored 53.3 points per game, including 100 at Beloit St. John’s-Tipton. Osborne is likely a top-five team and significant state contender next year but could move into that position with a win Friday. OHS sophomore quarterback Tate Tiernan has thrown for 1,302 yards and rushed for 935 with 38 touchdowns accounted for. All of Osborne’s offensive production comes from non-seniors. Sophomore Donavon Holloway and junior Koltyn Graf have combined for 22 rushing touchdowns. Little River has significant balance, though senior Jaren Garrison has thrown for 481 yards, rushed for 460 and accounted for 29 scores. Remarkably, Little River has not thrown an interception this year and has just six turnovers.
Other first-round games:
D8-#2 Wallace County (7-1) at D5-#1 Hodgeman County (9-0) – Hodgeman County
D7-#2 Thunder Ridge (7-2) at D6-#1 Sylvan-Lucas Unified (9-0) – Sylvan-Lucas
D6-#3 Victoria (5-4) at D8-#1 Quinter (9-0) – Quinter
Class 6-Man
VIEW: 6-Man Bracket
6M EAST
Highlighted Games:
D1-#3 Marais des Cygnes Valley (6-3) at D2-#2 Otis-Bison (8-1) – Otis-Bison
Marais des Cygnes Valley will take on Otis-Bison in the second round of the 6-Man playoffs for the third consecutive season. Otis-Bison has eliminated the Trojans in each of the last two seasons; 65-33 in 2024 and 54-0 last season. Those two meetings were in Melvern, but this week’s game is at Otis-Bison. The Cougars feature junior Aiden Ochs-Lohrey who has rushed for 1,721 yards and 39 touchdowns this season. MdCV will counter with Dalton Lingenfelter who has rushed for 1,508 yards and 25 touchdowns, while quarterback Landon Reed has passed for 1,565 yards and 24 scores. Lingenfelter is the team’s leading receiver with 700 yards and ten scores.
Other first-round games:
D2-#4 Palco (4-5) at D1-#1 Peabody-Burns (7-1) – Peabody-Burns
D2-#5 Pawnee Heights (3-6) at D2-#1 Tescott (8-0) – Tescott
D2-#3 Logan (6-3) at D1-#2 Centre-Lost Springs (6-3) – Logan
6M WEST
Highlighted Games:
D4-#3 Cheylin (7-2) at D3-#2 South Barber (7-2) – South Barber
South Barber has played just seven on-field games because of two forfeits and has lost only to top-five teams Tescott and Ingalls. Cheylin has enjoyed a nice improvement and has lost only to top-five squads Wheatland-Grinnell and No. 1-ranked Weskan. The Cougars have a plus-three win improvement from 2025. South Barber has its excellent 1-2 combination with senior quarterback Austin Swonger and senior receiver Grant Cantrell, which is probably the difference between the teams. Swonger has passed for 1,412 yards with 29 scores and rushed for 513 yards and six TDs. Cantrell has 37 catches for 717 yards and 15 TDs.
Other first-round game:
D3-#5 Bucklin (4-4) at D3-#1 Ingalls (8-0) – Ingalls
D3-#3 Ashland (5-3) at D4-#2 Wheatland-Grinnell (8-1) – Wheatland-Grinnell
D3-#4 Satanta (5-4) at D4-#1 Weskan (8-0) – Weskan
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