Varsity Football

Ranking league strength from the 2018 Kansas high school football season

1. Eastern Kansas

St. Thomas Aquinas’ Jayden Russell celebrates winning the 5A state title over Wichita Northwest on Saturday in Pittsburg.
St. Thomas Aquinas’ Jayden Russell celebrates winning the 5A state title over Wichita Northwest on Saturday in Pittsburg. Travis Heying The Wichita Eagle

State Champions: St. Thomas Aquinas, Bishop Miege

Sub-State Champions: Blue Valley North

Regional Champions: Mill Valley

First Round Winners: St. James Academy

Top 8 Seeds: St. Thomas Aquinas, Bishop Miege, Blue Valley North, Mill Valley, Blue Valley

Teams: 9

Power Score: 24.4

2. Mid-Continent

State Champions: Phillipsburg, Smith Center

Regional Champions: Plainville

Playoff Qualifiers: Phillipsburg, Smith Center, Plainville, Norton

Teams: 7

Power Score: 22.875

3. Mid-East

Sub-State Champions: Riley County

Regional Champions: Silver Lake, Rossville

Playoff Qualifiers: Riley County, Silver Lake, Rossville

Teams: 5

Power Score: 22

4. AVCTL I

Derby High players celebrate their 6a Championship win  over Blue Valley North Saturday in Emporia 24-16 (November 24, 2018)
Derby High players celebrate their 6a Championship win over Blue Valley North Saturday in Emporia 24-16 (November 24, 2018) Bo Rader The Wichita Eagle

State Champions: Derby

Sectional Champions: Maize

First Round Winners: Salina Central, Campus

Top 8 Seeds: Derby, Maize, Salina Central, Campus

Teams: 7

Power Score: 20

5. Central Prairie (8-Man)

State Champions: Central Plains

Regional Champions: Otis-Bison

First Round Winners: Victoria

Playoff Qualifiers: Ness City, Macksville

Teams: 7

Power Score: 18.571

6. Sunflower

Olathe North quarterback Arland Bruce IV worked to burst up field against the Shawnee Mission East defense in Friday’s game at Shawnee Mission North.
Olathe North quarterback Arland Bruce IV worked to burst up field against the Shawnee Mission East defense in Friday’s game at Shawnee Mission North. SUSAN PFANNMULLER Special to the Star

Sectional Champions: Olathe North

Regional Champions: Lawrence Free State, Gardner-Edgerton, Shawnee Mission East, Olathe West

First Round Winners: Shawnee Mission South, Olathe South, Shawnee Mission Northwest,

Top 8 Seeds: Olathe North, Lawrence Free State, Gardner-Edgerton, Shawnee Mission East, Shawnee Mission South, Olathe South, Shawnee Mission Northwest, Olathe East

Teams: 13

Power Score: 17.692

7. Central Kansas

Sub-State Champions: Pratt

Sectional Champions: Hoisington

Regional Champions: Smoky Valley

First Round Winners: Hesston, Hillsboro

Playoff Qualifiers: Pratt, Hoisington, Smoky Valley, Hesston, Hillsboro, Halstead

Teams: 10

Power Score: 17

8. Centennial

Sectional Champions: Manhattan

Regional Champions: Topeka

First Round Winners: Washburn Rural, Topeka-Hayden, Topeka Seaman, Emporia

Top 8 Seeds: Manhattan, Topeka, Washburn Rural, Topeka-Hayden, Topeka Seaman, Emporia

Teams: 9

Power Score: 16.667

9. United Kansas

Sectional Champions: Basehor-Linwood

Regional Champions: De Soto

First Round Winners: Shawnee Heights

Top 8 Seeds: Basehor-Linwood, De Soto, Shawnee Heights, Lansing

Teams: 6

Power Score: 16.667

10. Northwest Kansas

Sectional Champions: Dighton, St. Francis

Regional Champions: Hoxie

Playoff Qualifiers: Dighton, St. Francis, Hoxie, Greely County, Wallace County

Teams: 8

Power Score: 16.25

11. Lyon County

12. CNC

13. AVCTL II

14. Wheat State

15. Twin Valley (8-Man)

16. Big 7

17. City League

18. North Central Kansas

19. Twin Valley

20. Central Plains

21. Southern Plains Iroquois

22. Great West

23. AVCTL IV

24. Frontier

25. Northern Plains

26. Hi-Plains

27. Heart of the Plains

28. Heart of America

29. Tree Rivers (8-Man)

30. AVCTL III

31. Western Athletic

32. Mid-Continent (8-Man)

33. Heart of America (8-Man)

34. South Central Border

35. Tri-Valley

36. North Central

37. Southeast Kansas

38. Northeast Kansas

39. Western Kansas Liberty

40. Pioneer

41. Three Rivers

42. Flinthills

43. KC-Atchison

44. Central Prairie

Key

State Championship: 50 points

Sub-State Championship: 40 points

Sectional Championship: 30 points

Regional Championship: 20 points

First Round Victory: 10 points

Top 8 Seed (Class 6/5/4A): 10 points

Playoff Qualification (Class 3/2/1A, 8-Man Division I/II): 10 points

Point totals for every team are totaled and averaged with the number of teams in the league. In case of a tie, the league with the most teams earns the higher rank because of a showing of more depth across the league.

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