Here’s a high school rivalry the Wichita area was ready to watch in every spring sport
The Wichita area features some amazing rivalries, and many of those hit their peaks in the spring.
With eight sports on the lineup, counting boys and girls track, some schools’ biggest goal is to beat their biggest foe. And with all Kansas high school sports canceled through the spring, none of those schools get that chance in 2020.
Here is a look at one rivalry we were excited to watch in every spring sport.
Baseball: Campus vs. Derby
They met three times last year, and though Campus — the eventual Class 6A champion — won all three meetings, those games were decided by a combined seven runs.
These long-time rivals helped decide the AVCTL I championship and met in the quarterfinal round of the state tournament with Campus moving on behind a 5-1 victory.
Honorable mention: Bishop Carroll vs. Maize, Wichita Northwest vs. Wichita West, Cheney vs. Trinity Academy, Andale/Garden Plain vs. Mulvane, Maize vs. Maize South
Golf: Andover Central vs. Kapaun Mt. Carmel
Andover Central was going for a four-peat in 2020, but Kapaun seemed to be the most likely candidate in the area to stand in the Jaguars’ way.
The teams lost eight combined players from last year’s state rosters, including a pair of All-Metro selections from Kapaun. But the programs’ historic dominance means reload, not rebuild.
Honorable mention: Andale vs. Trinity Academy, Eisenhower vs. Maize South, Cheney vs. Hesston
Soccer: Bishop Carroll vs. Kapaun Mt. Carmel
The Holy War rivals split victories last season, both in extremely entertaining games. Carroll believed its 2020 team was among its best ever, but Kapaun was brining back a strong team, too.
The Golden Eagles reached the Class 5A semifinals, and the Crusaders got to the quarterfinals.
Honorable mention: Maize vs. Maize South, Wichita East vs. Wichita North, Eisenhower vs. Valley Center, Derby vs. Maize, Buhler vs. McPherson
Softball: Andale vs. Augusta
Last year’s Class 4A finalists reached the championship game with two combined losses, both coming against each other.
Andale/Garden Plain almost undeniably had a more talented roster, but Augusta was the defending state champions after beating the Indians 5-2 in the final.
Honorable mention: Bishop Carroll vs. Maize, Bishop Carroll vs. Maize South, Maize vs. Maize South, Goddard vs. Eisenhower, Bishop Carroll vs. Wichita Northwest
Swim: Bishop Carroll vs. Wichita East
Bishop Carroll won its first girls swim state championship last year with a little more than a handful of swimmers at state, but the Golden Eagles didn’t with the City League.
Wichita East has had a grip on the GWAL for more than a decade. It would have been interesting to see whether Carroll’s tiny but mighty team could have upset the Aces.
Honorable mention: Bishop Carroll vs. Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Andover vs. Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Andover vs. Trinity Academy
Tennis: Maize South vs. Salina Central
Maize South brought back five of its six players from last year’s Class 5A state tournament, where it finished runner-up to Salina Central.
But the Mustangs their full team from the one that won its first state championship since 2014.
Honorable mention: Collegiate vs. Trinity Academy, Buhler vs. McPherson, Bishop Carroll vs. Kapaun Mt. Carmel
Track: Andale vs. Bishop Carroll
On the boys side, Bishop Carroll likely would have had the edge in 2020, but the teams seemed to trade results last season.
And on the girls side, Andale was ready to field perhaps its most talented roster in Class 4A with Carroll coming off a runner-up finish in Class 5A.
Honorable mention: Andover vs. Bishop Carroll, McPherson vs. Newton, Cheney vs. Garden Plain