Football

Kansas City Schlagle’s Manowa Ngenzirabona is the reigning Kansas City-Atchison League defensive MVP and has received interest from multiple NCAA Division II schools. Ngenzirabona’s journey includes stops in Congo, Tanzania, Wisconsin, Iowa and Kansas.

In this new weekly feature Kansas Pregame writers will take a look at a few notable performances from across the state.

I love football, and the first Friday of high school football season in Kansas is a special one. Every team starts the year the same, 0-0, and the entire season lies ahead with every player dreaming of league championships and deep playoff runs.

Canton-Galva defensive coordinator Tyler O’Connor played and learned from two of the state’s all-time great coaches during his high school career at Wallace County-Sharon Springs. In football, O’Connor was an all-state player for coach Kevin Ayers, who came to Wallace County from Jetmore in ’06.

SPEARVILLE – From 2013-18, Claflin-Central Plains is 63-7 with 8-Man, Division I undefeated state championship seasons in ’14 and last fall. The Oilers have consistently maintained strong roster numbers in that stretch with coach Chris Steiner.

The new Kansas Pregame Football Preview is hot off the press and currently being distributed throughout Kansas with distribution expected to last into early next week. Can't wait for a hard copy?

SALINA – Kansas high school football's Class of 2020 has featured a high number of well-known, Power 5 linemen commits including Lawrence Free State’s Turner Corcoran, Derby’s Alex Conn, Lakin’s Hadley Panzer and Emporia’s Hayden Pauls. However, Colby senior Aaron Kurth has burst onto the scene.

Last summer, Blue Valley North senior Stephon Camp was driving through his old Kansas City neighborhood when the sober reality of his surroundings sunk in. The poverty, the violence, the destruction was apparent. It led Camp to a realization, and that realization led to action.

High school and college coaches are in near unanimous agreement that athletes should not specialize in just one sport. High school athletes are encouraged to run track in the offseason to improve speed, while playing baseball or softball can improve reflexes.

Twice  a part of the annual "Weighting Game" feature in Kansas Pregame Football Magazine, Clifton-Clyde senior Drake Steinbrock is known for his feats of strength.