KPG FB Rankings presented by Salina Ortho

Class 6A

1. Derby (1-0)
2. Free State (1-0)
3. Lawrence (1-0)
4. Manhattan (1-0)
5. Gardner Edgerton (1-0)

Others: Blue Valley Northwest (1-0), Blue Valley West (0-1), Junction City (1-0), Olathe West (1-0), Shawnee Mission Northwest (1-0), Wichita East (1-0), Wichita Northwest (1-0)

No changes in our top five after Week 1, but certainly DERBY’s performance gives us confidence in our preseason selection of the Panthers as the top-ranked team in the classification. Brandon Clark’s team jumped to a 33-7 lead at the half en route to a 40-7 win over what is still likely a solid 5A squad in Hays. Drew Kemp made a seamless transition from starting QB at Maize last fall to Derby’s starting QB going 11/16 with 105 yards passing and four touchdowns. He added 81 yards rushing and a touchdown on 12 carries. Arieus Finley also ran wild behind a loaded Derby offensive line with 82 yards and a score on 15 carries. Da’Saahn Brame caught four passes for 45 yards and a score and continues to show why he is one of the very best players in Kansas. The defense held Hays High’s offense to 150 total yards and a single first quarter touchdown for the Indians’ only score of the game. Senior Hagen Hamblin led the defense with 10 tackles while Rose Hill transfer Milan Colvin recorded seven tackles with two for losses. Standout senior safety Easton Splane recorded an interception.

FREE STATE survived an improved Shawnee Mission East team 12-3. While the offense couldn’t get much going the defense made big plays in key moments. Senior linebacker Crow Bengoa led the way with 11 tackles, a TFL and an interception. Senior linebacker Parker Moore added seven tackles with two for losses and a pair of pass breakups. The offense will have to pick up their level of play if they are to knock off Manhattan this week in a rematch of last year’s second-round playoff game which the Indians won 21-7.

LAWRENCE was dominant in their Week 1 win over Shawnee Mission South getting contributions from all over the roster. Senior QB Banks Bowen showed off why he’s a Tulsa commit throwing for 333 yards and five touchdowns while also rushing for 68 yards and a score on 12 carries. Senior Jaylen Parks caught four of Bowen’s passes for 113 yards and a score while junior Jaxon Becker also caught four passes for 95 yards. Junior Tahj Edwards added 59 yards rushing on 10 carries. Junior linebacker Joshua Galbreath – who picked up a Michigan offer over the weekend – led the defense in the shutout effort with 15 tackles, including an incredible six for losses with three of the Chesty Lions’ seven total sacks. The Lions are sure to get a much tougher test this week in the always tough Junction City Blue Jays.

MANHATTAN was impressive in their long road trip to Garden City, scoring all 57 of their points in the first two quarters of the game and getting a lot of young players reps in the second half of the 57-21 win. Carter Aslin showed why he’s one of the top QBs in Kansas throwing for 150 yards and two scores on five-of-eight passing while adding 131 yards and four touchdowns on just five carries. Junior Kha’mario Davis rushed for 69 yards and two touchdowns on seven carries while classmate and P4 defensive back prospect JJ Dunnigan added 44 yards on two carries. Senior Jaydin Hudley caught two passes for 47 yards and a touchdown while Rylan Vikander needed just one reception to go 69 yards for a score. Four different players recorded a team-leading five tackles on the night while Brandon Stroud and Evan Middleton both recorded a sack. Senior linebacker Colby Altevogt had a nice all-around game with four tackles, a QB hurry and a caused fumble. It’s very possible we’re talking about the Indians knocking Free State from the second spot in these rankings next week after the two face off Thursday night.

As anticipated, GARDNER EDGERTON’s road to defending their 2023 state title is likely to see some potholes after graduation losses took huge chunks of last year’s team in the Class of 2024. Most people probably woke up Saturday morning and thought the Blazers started on schedule with a 49-27 win over Shawnee Mission North, but upon closer investigation this game was much closer than the final score would indicate. The Bison scored first against the Blazers on Friday night and GEHS did not get their first score until the 3:04 mark of the first quarter to tie the game at seven. The Bison pulled ahead at the 8:19 mark of the second quarter to make it 14-7 and the Blazers answered with 2:08 in the second quarter to tie things up at 14 apiece. GE took their first lead of the game at the 6:30 mark in the third quarter but the Bison answered just over a minute later to tie things up at 21. The Blazers took control after that though, scoring the next 28 points to pull away from North before allowing the Bison a final touchdown with just over one minute in the game. The GEHS schedule gets much tougher from here on out with a traditionally good Choctaw (Okla.) team coming to town on Thursday before games at Shawnee Mission Northwest and at Lawrence in the final two weeks of September. As long as the Blazers have a healthy Bravin Powell they’ve got a chance, but a third straight appearance in the state championship game could be in jeopardy.

Here’s a look at a few others we think are just out of the top five…BLUE VALLEY NORTHWEST survived Blue Valley North 34-13 in Week 1. The long-struggling Mustang program welcomed in coach Gene Weir to turn things around for a school once dominant under Andy Sims and the legendary former Olathe North coach led his new squad to a 13-0 lead over the Huskies before Northwest stormed back to score the final 34 points in the game starting with a 43-yard touchdown pass from Ford Bevins to Ayden McGibboney in the second quarter while standout senior receiver Trevor Garlington caught three passes for 49 yards and a score and the defense pitched a shutout in the final two-and-a-half quarters. Junior running back LJ Bowens looked great in the lead rushing role piling up 131 yards and two scores on 20 carries…SHAWNEE MISSION NORTHWEST looked the part of a more aggressive run-first football team in a 28-14 win over Olathe North with senior running back John Whitener rushing for 250 yards and four touchdowns on 41 carries behind a massive O-line. Senior linebacker Adam Hageman led the defense with nine tackles including one for loss. Olathe North senior QB Jamo Sarver still threw for 173 yards and two touchdowns, but the Cougar D held the Eagle run game to 43 yards on 15 carries. The Cougars have huge games with Blue Valley Northwest and Gardner Edgerton the next two weeks…OLATHE WEST sophomore QB Cameron Kruse looked the part of an elite QB prospect in the Owls blowout win over SM West, throwing for 307 yards and four touchdowns on 16 of 23 passing with 130 yards and two of those touchdowns going to senior Tevyn Gasaway on just four receptions...BLUE VALLEY WEST battled 5A Aquinas, last year’s 4A champion, to a 25-21 loss. Senior QB Tate Nagy completed 18 of 24 passes for 205 yards and a score and rushed for 50 yards and two more scores on seven carries, but the Saints dinged Nagy with a pair of interceptions. Senior receiver Quinn Myers caught 10 of Nagy’s passes for 99 yards and the score. Seniors Jake Gaskill and Jack North led the defense with 10 tackles each and senior Jared Cook recorded five tackles with 2.5 for losses, a fumble recovery, and two caused fumbles. The previously mentioned Olathe West Owls are likely to make for another tough test for the Jaguars this week…WICHITA NORTHWEST got a 34-13 victory over rival Bishop Carroll thanks to 201 yards rushing on 31 carries by junior Augie Fast while junior QB Jaylen Mason was efficient completing nine of 17 passes for 117 yards with two touchdowns and no INTs. Senior Quavon Harris led the defense with 11 stops while junior Jamari Bland tallied two interceptions. This week they’ll try to avenge a pair of losses of a season ago in what’s becoming an important ICT rivalry with Wichita East… WICHITA EAST got an impressive blowout victory over Wichita Heights behind former Northwest running back Aaron Bohannon and former Hutch QB Robert Hunter. Sophomore defensive end Malakai Jones also scored a TD on a punt block…JUNCTION CITY erupted for 55 points against Campus, but the next three weeks will tell us plenty about the Blue Jays with home matchups against Lawrence and arch-rival Manhattan sandwiched around a road game at Wichita Northwest…WASHBURN RURAL got a 42-21 win over Shawnee Heights but a brutal three-game stretch at Blue Valley, at Platte County (Mo.) and playing host to Blue Valley Northwest will test the Junior Blues…OLATHE SOUTH battled 5A superpower Mill Valley to a 42-35 loss and this week makes a long road trip to play emerging 5A team Great Bend.

Class 5A

1. Mill Valley (1-0)
2. Blue Valley (1-0)
3. St. Thomas Aquinas (1-0)
4. St. James Academy (1-0)
5. Great Bend (1-0)

Others: De Soto (1-0), Eisenhower (1-0), Hays (0-1), Hutchinson (0-1), Maize South (1-0), Pittsburg (1-0), Salina Central (1-0), Topeka Seaman (1-0)

The Jaguars likely looked at their season-opening film feeling they didn’t play their best game, but 5A’s best team got the best games from their best players and survived an upset scare from a motivated Olathe South program in Week 1. MILL VALLEY retains the top spot in 5A thanks to the play of senior Penn State defensive line commit Jayden Woods and breakout junior running back Reggie Reece. Woods recorded three sacks – including back-to-back sacks to seal the game – and an interception with 11 total tackles while Reece paced the offense with an incredible 269 yards and four touchdowns on 32 carries. Games with Missouri Class 6 power Lee’s Summit North and Free State the next two weeks are tough tests, but the Jags suffered a pair of regular season losses a season ago and still delivered yet another 5A title so regular season results are not a huge concern.

BLUE VALLEY entered the year with a clearly stated goal to win the 5A championship and the Tigers looked the part of the leading contender to knock off Mill Valley in Week 1 with a dominant shutout win over a Blue Valley Southwest squad that was arguably the second best team in 5A a season ago, but was hit hard by graduation. The Tigers, a team loaded with seniors, got standout performances from them across the board in Week 1. Senior QB Chris Aiello threw for 210 yards on 12 of 23 passing for two TDs and Charlie Stachowiak rushed for 122 yards and two scores on 22 carries. A loaded Tiger D got nine tackles, including five for loss, from senior defensive lineman Lincoln Stueve.

AQUINAS survived a close game over a good Blue Valley West team in a 25-21 slugfest. The Saints got 212 yards rushing from junior running back Calin Arndt. Senior defensive end Joey Goodenow recorded a big sack on Jag senior QB Tate Nagy on West’s final possession which helped seal the game. Now the Saints face a St. James squad that made a huge splash in their return to 5A with a big win over Bishop Miege followed by a huge match-up at Blue Valley.

ST. JAMES made their return to 5A for the first time since 2019 known with a win over 4A’s top-ranked Bishop Miege, 44-28. Spring Hill transfer QB Tyson Beashore completed 15 of 27 passes for 262 yards and four touchdowns. Senior running back John Tujague rushed for 95 yards on 22 carries with a score while senior receivers Parker Chase and Sam Niesen combined for 11 receptions for 274 yards and five scores. Aidan Dreiling and Andrew Maurer each posted two sacks for the Thunder defense.

GREAT BEND launched the season with a quality win over McPherson, 28-6. The Panthers have some of the best young players in the state, but there are key pieces for GBHS in all classes. Senior quarterback Daxton Minton scored through the air as both a passer and a receiver while sophomore Cooper Ohnmacht returned the opening kickoff for a score. Junior Ian Premer looked the part of one of the top players in Kansas in the Class of 2026 impacting all phases of the game. Running back Jace Schartz ripped off a 79-yard touchdown run. This week the Panthers welcome in an Olathe South team that gave perennial 5A power Mill Valley a scare last week in a 42-35 loss. The Falcons got 216 yards rushing on 24 carries from standout senior running back Max Armstrong who also caught seven passes for 56 yards with four total touchdowns.

Here’s a look at a few others just out of the top five…SALINA CENTRAL dominated crosstown rival Salina South Friday night, which was not a surprise given the tremendous struggles for the Cougars in the last few seasons, but the Cougars made a game of it for a half with the Mustangs leading just 21-13 after two quarters. After the sluggish start to open the season, the Mustangs looked impressive in outscoring South 34-0 in the second half. A talented offensive line showed off their mix of size and athleticism and returning senior quarterback Jack Gordon completed 16 of 25 passes for 225 yards and four touchdowns. Kansas Pregame coverboy James MacKinney earned defensive Player of the Week honors from Mustang coaches. The schedule appears manageable over the next couple of weeks at Ark City and at Campus, but a game against Eisenhower to close out September is the marquee matchup on the Mustang schedule in the first month of the 2024 season…Speaking of EISENHOWER, last year’s 5A semifinalist, which posted the best season in school history picked up a 28-17 win over Valley Center in a game played Thursday night. Standout QB Derek Morgan was spectacular in completing 16 of 22 passes for 298 yards with three touchdowns. Carter Pabst looked like a beast running after the catch and the defense was solid in holding the Hornets to just 188 yards of total offense and picking off three passes…The PITTSBURG Purple Dragons dominated Emporia in sending them to their 11th straight loss. The Dragons were efficient on offense with Conner Proffitt completing three of five passes for 77 yards and two scores while adding 95 yards rushing on seven carries with another score. Nate Mitchell and Stone Peery added 77 and 94 yards rushing respectively. Peery also led the defense with seven tackles including three for losses. It’s unclear just how stout Pittsburg’s schedule is yet. This week’s game with Shawnee Mission South should be a bit tougher, but it may be in Weeks 6 and 7 with games against Smithville (Mo.) and Chanute before we’re given a real assessment of the Dragons ability to make a run in the postseason…MAIZE SOUTH senior quarterback Tate McNew looked the part of one of the state’s top signal-callers going 17 for 21 for 332 yards and six touchdowns with two of those scores to senior Landon Gatto who caught six passes for 151 yards. Junior Alex Singhateh also caught two TD passes with four receptions for 87 yards. Sophomore Karson Davis led the defense with 12 tackles. The South schedule appears manageable though a three-game stretch to close the season against Maize, Derby and Hutchinson are key. GODDARD picked up an impressive 7-3 slugfest win over Maize...TOPEKA SEAMAN got a good test from Piper and pulled away for a 35-18 win. Senior QB Max Huston completed 12 of 22 passes for 109 yards and two scores but was also dinged for two INTs, though he also rushed for 78 yards on 11 carries and junior Kaden McKinney added 91 yards rushing on 20 carries with two scores. Conner Scholes, Bryer Finley and Noah Kobuszewski all caught at least two passes…BASEHOR-LINWOOD dominated Leavenworth…HAYS, HUTCHINSON, BLUE VALLEY SOUTHWEST and BISHOP CARROLL all suffered lopsided losses to some of the state’s top teams in Week 1. Time will tell if they can challenge in 5A come playoff time.

Class 4A

1. Andover Central (1-0)
2. Bishop Miege (0-1)
3. Kapaun Mt. Carmel (1-0)
4. Buhler (1-0)
5. Wamego (1-0)

Others: Chanute (1-0), Fort Scott (1-0), Wellington (0-1), Louisburg (1-0), Ottawa (1-0), Tonganoxie (0-1)

Bishop Miege dropped a 44-28 contest to now 5A St. James Academy and falls to the second spot thanks to a dominant performance by Andover Central over 5A Hutchinson. A healthy ANDOVER CENTRAL team appears built to challenge for a 4A title this fall. Jace Jefferson (16-22, 214 yds., 3 TDs), Jace Adler (8 rec., 171 yds., 3 TDs) and Maddox Arichibald (21 car., 95 yds., 2 TDs) absolutely went off against Hutch behind one of 4A’s best offensive lines. Brody Degarmo carried on the family tradition of standout defensive play with nine total tackles including one for loss. Dawson Rodd and Don Hager each tallied a pair of tackles for losses. The schedule likely takes a dip down this week against Newton and appears to stair-step up each week with the first three games of October providing the season’s toughest tests in a trio of home games against Goddard, Salina Central and Eisenhower.

A BISHOP MIEGE loss to St. James is not a shock. The Thunder are annually going to field some of the best talent in the KC Metro and the Stags bid farewell to some incredibly talented players on the offensive line and in the defensive interior. Miege senior QB Marco Rodriguez still threw for 209 yards and four touchdowns while completing 28 of 48 passes and throwing a single interception. Standout receiver Taryn Jackson caught 13 passes for 73 yards and a score. St. James jumped out to an 34-7 halftime lead behind the play of Spring Hill transfer QB Tyson Beashore and the Thunder defense held on as the Stags outscored SJA 21-10 in the second half. After a game with a Blue Valley Southwest squad that appears to be down a bit this season the Stags face a tough stretch at Blue Valley West, versus Rockhurst and versus Aquinas.

KAPAUN survived a battle with Andover, clawing back from a 14-0 first quarter deficit to engineer a 28-21 victory in the Crusaders’ first action of the season. Andover engineered a long scoring drive behind on their first possession that included a big run down to the one by Noah Noyes. Kapaun them fumbled the ball away on their first possession and Andover scored on a long run by Luke Farley who took an option pitch around the left end. The Crusaders then settled down on defense and held the Trojans off the board in the second quarter and finally engineered a scoring drive that culminated with a Dylan Burr to Jackson Daniel touchdown pass at the :35 second mark in the second quarter to enter the half trailing 14-7. Daniel added 90-yard kickoff return for touchdown in the second half that was key in the Crusader win. A sloppy game that witnessed too many penalty yards and turnovers for the Crusaders was likely a product of an offense that was virtually rebuilt. After a tune-up game this week against Wichita North the Crusaders face back-to-back tests against Wichita East and Wichita Northwest.

BUHLER didn’t look like world beaters in a 28-7 victory over Mulvane but coach Steve Warner’s team did its thing in running the ball effectively and playing sound defense. Running back Ben Clouse picked up 113 yards and a touchdown on 23 carries while Will Hanen and Cash Carson spearheaded the defense. Next up, a game at a new look Augusta team that challenged Chanute followed by a massive road test at Great Bend.

WAMEGO moves into the fifth spot in our poll thanks to a dominant 41-8 win over Concordia and a narrow loss by Wellington to perennial power Wichita Collegiate. The schedule gets much tougher from here on out with games against Rock Creek, a rising Marysville team, Topeka Hayden and at Buhler the next four weeks.

Here’s a look at few others just outside of the top five…While WELLINGTON fell 22-19 to Collegiate the Crusaders actually dominated the Spartans in the total yardage department, though fumbles and penalties were ultimately the difference in the ball game. QB Dusty Bannister and receiver Carter Burnett posted fantastic games through the air for Wellington and the defense was clutch outside of a first half big play and the opening drive of the second half. The Crusaders will have to clean up those key mistakes if they plan to contend with Andale this week…LOUISBURG survived TONGANOXIE in an overtime thriller, 21-20…CHANUTE posted a 35-25 victory over the new look Augusta Orioles thanks to good nights from QB Kris Harding II and running back Quinton Harding, and a long kickoff return for touchdown from Jalen Duncan. Chanute now faces a Coffeyville team that was stunned by Circle 40-7 in one of the more shocking results of the weekend…OTTAWA got an important victory over Atchison to signal continued improvement under Walt Alexander…FORT SCOTT downed Paola 42-27 behind a Tiger team loaded with seniors and faces a Parsons squad that suffered a surprising lopsided loss to Labette County.

Class 3A

1. Andale (1-0)
2. Cheney (1-0)
3. Wichita Collegiate (1-0)
4. Topeka Hayden (1-0)
5. Rock Creek (1-0)

Others: Clay Center (1-0), Frontenac (1-0), Hesston (1-0), Holton (0-1), Prairie View (1-0), Pratt (1-0), Scott City (1-0)

Andale and Cheney looked the part of the two best programs in the classification after Week 1 and it could be setting the stage for an epic matchup come playoff time as the two teams avoid each other this regular season.

ANDALE retains the top spot in our poll following the 68-7 drubbing of El Dorado. The Indians jumped out to a 56-0 lead at the half and added a final touchdown in the third quarter. The offense rolled up 425 rushing yards and seven rushing touchdowns and added 63 yards and a pair of scores through the air while completing three of four passes. Six different players scored touchdowns for the Indians and the defense was dominant in holding El Dorado to negative 16 yards, though the Wildcats did find some success through the air throwing for just under 200 yards. The Indians are likely to get a much tougher test this week at Wellington, a team with high expectations entering the season that narrowly lost to Wichita Collegiate 22-19 last week. The Crusaders significantly outgained Collegiate in the loss, but penalties and turnovers at key moments likely cost Wellington the game.

CHENEY jumped to a 25-0 lead over Holcomb at the half en route to a 38-7 victory even though a retooled Cardinal defense allowed 255 yards passing to Holcomb senior quarterback Keegan Johnson, but the Cheney defense was clutch in the red zone and held the Longhorn offense to just one touchdown passing and seven total rushing yards. Quarterback Josh Burdick picked up where he left off for the Cardinals in 2023 passing for just over 300 yards on 11 of 17 passing with three scores. A nearly new receiving corps got off to a great start behind an experienced offensive line and looks poised to continue a win streak that now stands at 14 straight.

WICHITA COLLEGIATE used big plays and Wellington miscues to score a fantastic Week 1 victory, 22-19. The Harrison Simon to AJ Batiste connection hooked up for a pair of touchdowns through the air while Simon adding a rushing score and Ward Weimar connected on a 23-yard field goal in the second quarter that was ultimately the difference in the game. If the Spartans can survive games with Rose Hill and El Dorado the next two weeks a Sept. 27th matchup at Andale presents an intriguing matchup.

HAYDEN picked up a quality win to open the season, nearly pitching a shutout against Eudora, 35-7. The Cardinals found the end zone just once on an Errol Siemon 14-yard run in the third quarter. Hayden's senior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier picked apart the Cardinal secondary to the tune of 277 yards while completing 16 of 21 passes. Senior receiver Jensen Schrickel led the aerial assault with six catches for 87 yards and junior running back Kade Mitchell rushed for 81 yards and a pair of scores.

ROCK CREEK posted a blowout victory over Bishop Ward, but the Mustangs face a much bigger test this week in 4A Wamego. Senior Rock Creek quarterback Mack Lee looked impressive in the season-opener and senior defensive back Landon Snyder returned an interception for a touchdown.

Here's a look at a few other teams just outside our top five...CLAY CENTER looked impressive in their win over Abilene in a matchup of two teams hit hard by graduation. The Tigers got a big game from first year senior wide receiver Jace Weller as the school's 400 meter record holder caught three passes for 108 yards and two scores while also tallying and interception on defense. Senior quarterback Cole Pladson passes for 202 yards and two scores on 12 of 22 passing but also threw two interceptions. Junior running back Isaac Girton rushed for 144 yards and a score on 12 carries while Pladson picked up 50 yards and and two scores on eight carries. Girton led the defense with 14 tackles while sophomore linebacker Drew Hoffman enjoyed a breakout performance with 10 stops. The Tiger defense wreaked havoc on the Abilene passing game with Pladson, Hoffman, Owen Craig and Ethan Tiers all posting a sack and Weston Henry adding two interceptions to go along with Weller and Dalton McCann's one apiece. The Tigers play one of the toughest teams in 2A this week in Southeast of Saline...FRONTENAC opened the first season of Leon Miller's second stint as head coach of the Raiders with a 27-0 win over Galena. This week Miller's team gets a tough test at rival St. Mary's Colgan, a week one winner over Girard, 21-14...PRATT pulled off one of the biggest wins of the weekend with a 24-3 win over perennial 2A power Hoisington...HOLTON dropped a 7-6 rock fight to Sabetha and rushed for 219 yards on 55 carries, but could only find the end zone once in the third quarter with a failed conversion attempt the ultimate difference in the contest. The Wildcats face a solid Riley County squad this week...SCOTT CITY took the opening kickoff for a long touchdown and rolled to a 35-0 win over Cimarron. The Beavers featured a balanced offensive attack with Camden Vulgamore, Cayden Couchman and Kelton Cook rushing for 58, 49 and 41 yards respectively while Vulgamore completed eight of 17 passes for 91 yards. Jackson Rumford led the way with four catches for 36 yards. The Beavers led 28-0 at the half. The Scott City defense intercepted Cimarron QB Trace Kopper three times.

Class 2A

1. Norton (1-0)
2. Southeast of Saline (1-0)
3. Sabetha (1-0)
4. Nemaha Central (0-1)
5. St. Marys (1-0)

Others: Beloit (1-0), Council Grove (1-0), Humboldt (1-0), Garden Plain (1-0), Osage City (1-0), Riley County (1-0), Silver Lake (1-0)

In Week 1 this classification saw two of the most notable upsets when Marysville edged Nemaha Central 16-8 and Pratt nearly shutout Hoisington 24-3. Hoisington still very well could be a factor in this class, but the health of Jason Robinson is important to the team's success going forward.

Ranking this class was probably the toughest of the nine.

NORTON's experience and all-around talent edges them into the top spot this week after a dominant 55-8 win over Oakley. The Bluejays were efficient and effective tallying 20 first downs in 51 total plays with only four penalties for 30 yards. Senior QB Eli Jones was seven of 10 passing for 86 yards and a touchdown with 12 carries for 44 yards and three more scores. Senior Brennen Pfannenstiel added 10 carries for 88 yards and two touchdowns. Tyce Melvin and Jatin Weigel combined for seven receptions and 86 yards while Melvin recorded the only receiving score. Bluejay defenders spent much of their time in the Plainsmen backfield recording 10 total tackles for losses with Colton Stover, Trevan Enfield and Jones recording two each. Jones also picked off a pair of passes. Standout senior lineman Corbin Puga missed the game with injury and it's unclear when he'll be able to return to the field. Norton faces a tougher test this week in TMP, who is also 1-0 after a 7-6 win at Russell, but are still favorites.

SOUTHEAST OF SALINE was dominant in their Week 1 win over Minneapolis and junior running back Grady Gebhardt looked like the next big thing in 2A after rushing for almost 270 yards in the win. The Trojans will get a good test from Clay Center this week which is could provide a good gauge for where SES stands in the statewide picture.

SABETHA got their first win for new head coach Kaleb Moller in a 7-6 punching match with Holton. Cole Menold scored the Bluejays only touchdown in the contest. Are they the third best team in the classification? It's really hard to say, but the Bluejays always seem to be there when it comes the second or third week of November and any time you can beat Holton you've made a statement.

NEMAHA CENTRAL suffered a surprising loss to Marysville, but turnovers really hampered the Thunder offense. QB Carter Hajek did rush for 125 yards and passed for 121 on 11 of 17 passing but also threw two interceptions. Abram Keim led the defense with 17 tackles while Caleb Strathman recorded an interception and Sam Nordhus recovered a fumble and made 10 stops. The Thunder have no time to lick their wounds with a trip to Silver Lake this week. The Eagles won another epic 'War on 24' rivalry match-up with Rossville, 33-26 in overtime.

ST. MARYS got a 30-6 win over Perry-Lecompton behind the play of senior QB Brady Hurla, junior running back Korleone Holz and a defense that delivered 12 tackles for losses, including three apiece from Holz and senior Howie Rezac. The Bears face the previously mentioned Rossville team that's 0-1 after the loss to Silver Lake, but is sure to deliver another epic contest between these Highway 24 rivals.

Here's a look at a few other teams just outside the top five...SILVER LAKE got the big rivalry game win in overtime against Rossville and hosts Nemaha Central as part of a brutal schedule that includes St. Marys in Week 4 and Riley County, Osage City and Council Grove in the final three weeks of the season. The Eagles got a number of long bomb passes from new quarterback Dyson Schooler who looked impressive taking over from graduated signal-caller Tanner Martin...BELOIT junior running back Joel Rexroat enjoyed a breakout rushing performance in the Trojans' dominant win over Lyons, going off for 208 yards on 21 carries with four scores. Eli Johnson and Brodie Boudreaux each recorded a pair of tackles for loss. Brad Gober's team has a rivalry matchup with Concordia this week before going on the road with a key matchup at Southeast of Saline...HUMBOLDT pulled off a quality win over Caney Valley 28-12 with a schedule that is likely to see the Cubs as significant favorites in most remaining contests with this week's matchup with Cherryvale and a Week 5 matchup at Prairie View likely the two toughest remaining games...OSAGE CITY posted one of the most impressive wins of the weekend with a 41-0 shutout of Olpe...COUNCIL GROVE and RILEY COUNTY also started out with wins showing off the frequently mentioned strength of Class 2A District 3...GARDEN PLAIN was dominant in a 49-14 win over Wichita Trinity and now faces a tough two-game stretch at home against rival Conway Springs and at defending 3A champion Cheney.

Class 1A

1. Conway Springs (1-0)
2. Rossville (0-1)
3. Medicine Lodge (1-0)
4. Jackson Heights (1-0)
5. Sedgwick (1-0)

Others: Centralia (1-0), Moundridge (1-0), St. Mary's Colgan (1-0), TMP (1-0), Troy (1-0), Valley Heights (0-1)

No movement in this class in spite of Rossville's overtime loss to rival Silver Lake in the 'War on 24'. This is where people start getting frustrated with us because Rossville could be 0-3 to start the season but they are still, in our estimation, one of the best two or three teams in the classification and as long as key players stay healthy will be a tough out come playoff time. This classification generated some interesting results last week including Maur Hill knocking off 2023 finalist Jeff County North after a winless 2023, Sedgwick dismantling a Sterling team with high preseason expectations, 1A power Olpe falling 41-0 to a good 2A Osage City team, Smith Center falling 10-8 on the road at Chapman and South Sumner dominating Pleasanton in their first season of 11-Man.

A win over Nickerson is not a feather in the cap in and of itself – Nickerson's struggles are well-documented – but a 42-0 shutout after graduating a historically good player in Brayden Kunz should leave CONWAY SPRINGS confident heading into this week's rivalry matchup with Garden Plain. Isaac Winter seamlessly transitioned to the workhorse role in the offensive backfield rushing for 175 yards and four touchdowns on 20 carries behind a typically big and nasty Cardinal offensive line. The defense allowed just 85 total yards and four first downs with Cade Howell leading the charge with seven tackles and Caleb Newell recording two of the team's five total sacks.

ROSSVILLE suffered a heartbreaking overtime loss to Silver Lake in one of the state's fiercest rivalries, but the overall team performance was solid outside of the secondary allowing several big passing plays to the always potent Eagle passing game. Tayson Horak looked like the next in a line of great Rossville QBs with the last night Horak racking up offense with both his arm and legs. Horak completed 10 of 20 passes for 89 yards and piled up 161 rushing yards on 18 carries with two touchdowns. Junior Conner Bush added 55 yards on 14 carries and classmate Jack Donovan caught four passes for 32 yards. Bush and classmate Andre Johnson led the defense with eight tackles apiece while senior Will Koch recorded 2.5 sacks. The Dawgs face another tough rivalry contest this week against St. Marys and a road trip follows at Nemaha Central before the schedule gets much more manageable.

MEDICINE LODGE was arguably the second best team in 1A last season and after Week 1 the Indians look the part of a 1A contender again this fall. Quarterback Ke'Veon Ruiz, running back Brax Farr and receiver Durham Nittler ran wild against Belle Plaine in the 48-0 shutout while Sawyer Stone recorded eight tackles to lead the defense with four for losses. Nittler added six tackles with two for losses and an INT. The schedule gets tougher from here for the Indians with a matchup against 2A Chaparral followed by games with at a good Moundridge team, at home against Conway Springs and at Sterling.

JACKSON HEIGHTS downed Riverside 35-7 and showed some versatility in the running game with four different players carrying the ball at least 10 times including juniors Drake Mellies and Austin Zeller who combined for 27 carries and 184 yards with four total TDs. Senior Titus Eisenbarth led the defense with eight tackles including two for losses. Zeller recorded a sack and Mellies an interception on defense as well. The Cobras are likely to be favored in every game the rest of the season, but the question is whether it will leave them prepared come playoff time.

SEDGWICK was dominant over a Sterling team entering the season with high expectations behind an experienced squad featuring one of the top running backs in Kansas in junior Zane Farney. The Cardinals got 182 yards passing and five TDs from senior QB Corey Crumrine along with 84 yards and another score on the ground. Maverick Stauth led the defense with 10 tackles including two for losses. Sedgwick faces Hutch-Trinity this week.

Here's a look at a few other teams just outside the top five...CENTRALIA got 108 yards rushing from Jacob Flentie in 20-14 win over VALLEY HEIGHTS, a contest featuring two 1A contenders. Jayden DeWalt rushed for over 100 yards for Cody Trimble's Mustangs in the loss...ST. MARY'S COLGAN didn't look like a team hit hard by graduation in a win over 3A CNC rival Girard, 21-14...TROY ran through Republic County returning the opening kickoff for a score and getting outstanding play from quarterback Gannon Bowe...MOUNDRIDGE made the transition to 11-Man play in fine fashion in a blowout of Bennington, but Sterling and Farney present a much bigger challenge this week...TMP survived Russell 7-6 but a game with 2A #1 Norton this week is a much bigger challenge...OLPE, PLAINVILLE, SMITH CENTER and STERLING all suffered losses while INMAN and MARION got wins, but all these teams require a bigger body of work to review.

8-Man I

1. Hoxie (1-0)
2. Wichita County (0-1)
3. Little River (1-0)
4. West Elk (1-0)
5. South Central (1-0)

Others: Central Plains (1-0), Clifton-Clyde (0-1), Ell-Saline (1-0), Ellis (1-0), Hill City (1-0), Lincoln (0-1), Lyndon (1-0), Rawlins County (0-1), Sublette (1-0), Sylvan-Lucas (1-0)

Running a little low on time here so going to offer the analysis in this classification a little more succinctly...HOXIE's Week 1 win over Osborne is a quality victory. Steve Tiernan consistently puts some of the best teams on the field and surviving that good DII squad in a close win, 20-14, signals the Indians are who we thought they were. Duncan Bell went 11 of 27 passing for 129 yards for three touchdowns, but was also dinged for two INTs. Hoxie coach Lance Baar said leading into the season he hoped to run the ball more effectively, but wasn't able to get much going in that regard against Osborne producing just 33 yards on 13 carries. Easton Nickelson was a beast on defense recording 22 total tackles. Matt Britz recorded 12 tackles and an interception with two tackles for losses...Not penalizing WICHITA COUNTY for a 10-point loss to a Haxtun (Colo.) team that has won at least 11 games in each of the past three seasons. The Indians should be favored in every game the rest of the regular season including this week at Elkhart which also lost to a Colorado team in Week 1...LITTLE RIVER and WEST ELK had two of the most impressive Week 1 victories in any classification in dispatching traditional winners Chase County and Attica/Argonia respectively...SOUTH CENTRAL may not be getting the credit they deserve after playing in the 8-Man II title game last fall, but after last year's start we're waiting to see what the Timberwolves are putting on the field each week in spite of last week's 54-8 win over Meade...SYLVAN-LUCAS posted one of the most impressive wins of the weekend in a 50-0 shutout of Thunder Ridge...HILL CITY posted a good 50-20 win over a highly regarded Trego squad that returned plenty of experience...CENTRAL PLAINS dominated Macksville and LYNDON shut out Pretty Prairie but matchups with Victoria and Frankfort respectively this week should provide a much better gauge of where these two teams stand...ELLIS survived their first 8-Man game in a shootout with a highly regarded Lincoln squad. Their reward? Games against Hill City and Hoxie the next two weeks. If the Railers win even one of those or compete in both it could signal their arrival as an 8-Man I contender...CLIFTON-CLYDE, LINCOLN, ELL-SALINE and RAWLINS COUNTY all suffered competitive losses to good teams and will look for improvement this week.

8-Man II

1. Axtell (1-0)
2. Frankfort (1-0)
3. Victoria (1-0)
4. Burlingame (1-0)
5. Hanover (1-0)

Others: Osborne (0-1), Bucklin (1-0), Dighton (1-0), Lebo (1-0), Logan/Palco (1-0), Marmaton Valley (1-0), Minneola (1-0), Rural Vista (1-0), Waverly (1-0)

The question in 8-Man II remains, can anyone challenge AXTELL in their quest for a fourth consecutive state championship, and after one week the answer is probably not. The Eagles slipped by Linn 76-6 and senior Brandon Schmelzle threw for three TDs and returned a punt for a score. AHS also got big games from Eli Broxterman and Landon Schmitz and forced three fumbles on defense...It's possible the biggest threat to Axtell's streak comes in the form of TVL rival FRANKFORT and junior quarterback Wes Anderson who went off for for 381 yards and seven passing touchdowns in a big 70-34 win over consistent 8-Man I winner Clifton-Clyde. The Wildcats could get a test from Lyndon this week, though last year's 8-Man I champion is a nearly a completely different team this fall...VICTORIA was dominant in their season-opening win over Ness City, but games against Central Plains this week and at Osborne next week are likely the two toughest contests on the regular season schedule...BURLINGAME looks like they might have the team to make a deep run in their first season in Division II. Quarterback JD Tyson was outstanding in a Week 1 blowout of Northern Heights and he'll look to his numerous weapons to continue the Bearcats winning ways...HANOVER got one of the biggest wins of the weekend with a 34-16 victory over DI Ell-Saline. The Wildcats entered the season with significant returning experience and a victory over Clifton-Clyde this week could signal a return to dominance for one of the state's top football programs...As mentioned before, OSBORNE has no shame in losing to top-ranked Hoxie, but schedule doesn't get much easier with games against Ell-Saline and Victoria the next two weeks...DIGHTON posted one of the most impressive wins of the weekend 38-24 win over Rawlins County...RURAL VISTA got off to a good start with a 46-0 win over Solomon and will look to prove they are a legitimate contender with a massive test at Little River this week...WAVERLY's game with Burlingame this week will provide a gauge for their ceiling.

6-Man

1. Cunningham (1-0)
2. Weskan (1-0)
3. Ingalls (1-0)

Others: Cheylin (1-0), Golden Plains (1-0), Otis-Bison (1-0), Peabody-Burns (1-0), Tescott (0-1)

CUNNINGHAM was dominant over a highly-regarded South Barber team making it's first foray into the 6-Man arena and given their experience and 6-Man tradition look like a heavy-favorite to play their way to a title this fall.