We’ve analyzed the records, completed all the calculations, and researched all of the district tie-breakers. The result is this complete narrative of the district playoff scenarios for every district in the state – all classifications. Here's a breakdown of Class 6A and 5A.
You can find district scenarios for other classifications by clicking here: Class 4A, 3A & 2-1A, Class 8M-I & 8M-II
Please feel free to contact us if you know something is incorrect – contact@kpreps.com.
Class 6A:
District 1 -- The battle for the city of Lawrence will take place this week with No. 2 Lawrence Free State hosting Lawrence High. Free State can claim the district title with a win but may be without standout quarterback/safety Joe Dineen who left last week’s game against Leavenworth with an injury. A Free State win coupled with a Leavenworth win would mean the Pioneers would qualify as the district runners-up. Lawrence can also clinch the district championship with a win and a Leavenworth loss to KC Wyandotte. Should the Chesty Lions win by at least six points, they will clinch at least a playoff spot. Wyandotte has been eliminated because they cannot finish with the highest district points should a three-way tie occur between the Bulldogs, Lawrence, and Leavenworth for the runner-up spot.
Leavenworth @ KC Wyandotte; Lawrence @ Lawrence Free State
District 2 -- Shawnee Mission East is the district champion by virtue of their wins over Shawnee Mission Northwest and defending 6A champion Shawnee Mission West. The Lancers close out their regular season with winless Shawnee Mission North. The winner of the SM West and SM Northwest game will advance as the runners-up.
SM East @ SM North; SM Northwest @ SM West
District 3 -- Blue Valley Northwest is one of the hottest teams in the state having won five consecutive games after back-to-back losses to Gardner-Edgerton and Bishop Miege early in the season. The Huskies have already claimed the District 3 championship by beating the Sunflower League’s Shawnee Mission South and Olathe East. Blue Valley Northwest will take on winless Blue Valley North this week. The winner of the SM South and Olathe East game will advance to the playoffs as the district runner-up. Olathe East is trying to reach the playoffs for a twelfth consecutive season.
Blue Valley North @ Blue Valley Northwest; Olathe South @ Olathe North
District 4 -- Gardner-Edgerton is the district champion after blasting Olathe South and rallying late to top Olathe North. The Trialblazers face Olathe Northwest this week. Olathe South and Olathe North will decide the second playoff spot with the winner moving on to the postseason.
Olathe South @ Olathe North; Gardner-Edgerton @ Olathe NW
District 5 -- Traditionally a competitive district that comes down to the last week, things are no different with these four schools this season. Manhattan will clinch the district championship with a win over rival Junction City. Should the Blue Jays beat their rivals by 14 or more points, Junction City will be the district champion. Topeka High can clinch a playoff berth with a win and a Junction City loss. Washburn Rural must beat Topeka High and hope for a Junction City loss to enact the points tiebreaker.
Junction City @ Manhattan; Topeka High @ Washburn Rural
District 6 -- Derby and Wichita Heights have won their first two district games and have each qualified for the playoffs. The winner of their match-up this week will advance as the district champion with the loser qualifying as the runner-up. This will mark the fifth consecutive season the Panthers and Falcons will square off with both playoff spots on the line.
Wichita Heights @ Derby; Wichita Southeast @ Wichita East
District 7 -- Wichita Northwest has clinched a playoff spot as even a 21-point loss to Wichita South this week coupled with a win by Wichita North over Haysville Campus would leave the Grizzlies in the top three in the district points tie-breaker. For the second consecutive season, Campus, Wichita North, and Wichita South are a combined 2-22, but one of them will advance to the playoffs.
Wichita South @ Wichita NW; Haysville Campus @ Wichita North
District 8 -- Maize can clinch the district championship with a win over Hutchinson, while the Salthawks need to beat the Eagles by at least five points to be assured of a playoff spot. Dodge City and Garden City will square off in the annual Hatchet Game with both teams still carrying playoff aspirations. Dodge City would need to beat the Buffaloes by at least 13 points and hope that Maize can blowout Hutchinson to have a shot with the district points system in the event of the three-way tie.
Maize @ Hutchinson; Dodge City @ Garden City
Class 5A:
District 1 –Topeka Seaman and Shawnee Heights will once again represent the Centennial League in the playoffs as both the Vikings and T-Birds have already qualified for the postseason. Both teams entered district play on four-game losing streaks before winning their last two. Shawnee Heights has now qualified for the playoffs nine consecutive seasons.
Shawnee Heights @ Topeka Seaman; Highland Park @ Topeka West
District 2 – Mill Valley has clinched a playoff spot for the sixth consecutive season. The Jaguars can win the district title by beating Lansing, but even a 21-point loss coupled with a win by KC Schlagle would keep Mill Valley in the top two in the points tiebreaker. KC Washington is eliminated as even a 21-point win over Schlagle and a Lansing loss would leave the Wildcats on the short end of the points tiebreaker.
Mill Valley @ Lansing; KC Washington @ KC Schlagle
District 3 – Bishop Miege and St. Thomas Aquinas will once again square off to decide both playoff spots. The Stags and Saints did so a year ago with Aquinas winning 27-24, but Miege made the incredible playoff run and beat the Saints 9-7 in the substate semifinal game.
Bishop Miege @ St. Thomas Aquinas; KC Harmon @ KC Turner
District 4 – Blue Valley West will travel to take on No. 3 Blue Valley with a district championship on the line. Both teams have already qualified for the playoffs and should be considered two of the favorites on the eastern side of the 5A bracket.
Blue Valley West @ Blue Valley; Blue Valley SW @ Pittsburg
District 5 – Andover scored 21 consecutive points to overtake Emporia and remain unbeaten on the season. In doing so the Trojans qualified for the state playoffs for the second consecutive season. They will travel to Newton this week to decide the District 5 championship. The Railers have qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2009.
Andover @ Newton; Emporia @ Valley Center
District 6 – Kapaun Mt. Carmel has a leg up on the district with a 2-0 start but must win at Andover Central to ensure a district championship. Ark City is already eliminated as even a 21-point victory over Wichita West and an Andover Central loss would leave the Bulldogs on the short-end of the points tiebreaker. Wichita West can clinch its first playoff appearance since 2002 with a win over Ark City.
Kapaun @ Andover Central; Arkansas City @ Wichita West
District 7 – Salina South has already clinched the District 7 championship by virtue of wins over Salina Central and Hays. The Mustangs and Indians will square off in Hays with the winner advancing as the district runner-up.
Great Bend @ Salina South; Salina Central @ Hays
District 8 – Liberal quarterback Britton Abbott hit Trenton Hammond on a 13-yard touchdown pass with one second remaining on the clock to give the Redskins a 36-31 win over Goddard-Eisenhower and clinch a playoff spot for the first time since 2009. Now Liberal will host No. 1 Bishop Carroll to decide the District 8 championship.
Bishop Carroll @ Liberal; Goddard-Eisenhower @ Goddard
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