Wichita to KC, here are 10 can’t-miss Week 1 high school football games in Kansas
Many sports fans across Kansas sighed with relief this week.
Kansas high school sports, football included, were not delayed because of the COVID-19 pandemic as the Kansas State High School Activities Association (KSHSAA) executive board voted against a proposal to cancel the first week of sports and start football in Week 2.
With Week 1 still alive, here is a look at the games across Kansas that even neutral fans should be excited about.
1. Wichita Northwest at Bishop Carroll
In Kansas’ biggest city, there isn’t a bigger game when football season hits.
Carroll and Northwest are City League rivals. They respect each other but they both know a league title is likely at stake. Northwest has beaten the Eagles four times in the past two years, including twice in the postseason. Carroll is looking to reclaim the City League crown and make a statement to the rest of Class 5A.
Combined 2019 record: 20-4
2. Smith Center at Norton
Although many don’t know where Norton or Smith Center are, there is a case to be made that this will be the best game in Kansas in Week 1.
Norton finished runner-up in Class 2A last year to Nemaha Central, and Smith Center suffered the same fate in the Class 1A title game against Centralia. Together, Norton and Smith Center have the best combined record of teams playing in any game on this list. They’re also district rivals, so a Week 1 clash will go a long way in determining a champion in their realm.
Combined 2019 record: 21-5
3. Blue Valley North at Bishop Miege
One team is on top; the other is trying to get back.
Since quarterback Graham Mertz, who started his career at Miege, graduated from Blue Valley North, the Mustangs have been trying to replicate the success they enjoyed with him in the pocket. Meanwhile, Miege won the Class 4A title for the sixth straight year in 2019. BV North hasn’t beaten Miege in seven straight tries, dating to 2008, but it was a one-score game last year.
Combined 2019 record: 16-8
4. Gardner-Edgerton at Mill Valley
Gardner Edgerton lost a ton of talent from 2019, and Mill Valley brings a ton back from a state-championship team, but this one is alluring.
Gardner Edgerton went 7-1 last season and had arguably the best year in school history. The Blazers were bounced in the Class 6A regional round but still finished with fewer losses than Mill Valley. If the Jaguars aren’t perfectly careful, Gardner Edgerton brings back enough strength to challenge the defending 5A champion.
Combined 2019 record: 18-5
5. Great Bend at Maize South
It will be Maize South’s biggest road trip since the Mavericks played Washington in KCK in 2017.
Great Bend has been one of the most consistent programs in Kansas over the past few years. Although the Panthers went 4-4 in the regular season last year, they played four teams that lost two or fewer games in the regular season. Maize South has a lot of talent coming back, so a road win could be a tone-setter.
Combined 2019 record: 15-6
6. Lawrence at Olathe East
Devin Neal is one of the most exciting players in Kansas. Verbally pledged to the Jayhawks for both football and baseball, he gets his first shot of 2020 against another great team right out of the gate.
Olathe East went 6-2 in the regular season last year and won a playoff game before falling in the regional round to state semifinalist Blue Valley. Lawrence and Olathe East both play in the Sunflower League, but these teams haven’t met since 2015, when Lawrence topped the Hawks 47-8 on the road to end the season.
Combined 2019 record: 15-5
7. Hays at Wichita East
Hays might have the most players holding Division I offers of any Kansas high school program, and Wichita East believes it can compete for a City League title in 2020.
With so much hype around both teams, their Week 1 meeting should be revealing. East is the only team on this list that didn’t win a playoff game last year, and Hays finished the regular season 3-5. So both have a lot of work to do this season.
Combined 2019 record: 9-10
8. St. James Academy at St. Thomas Aquinas
On paper, there isn’t much to suggest that this game should rank No. 8, but a rivalry like this one adds its own dimension. In fact, in Week 6 last year, this was a 7-point game.
Kansas City’s version of the Holy War is set for Week 1 this fall. Last year, St. James (4-4) pulled the upset in its postseason opener only to get canned 34-7 by Aquinas in the regional round. The Saints reached the state semifinals in Class 5A before losing to eventual champion Mill Valley.
Combined 2019 record: 15-6
9. Derby at Newcastle (Okla.)
Crossing state lines might pose some issues in today’s COVID-19 world, but if this game takes place as scheduled it will mark the first time a Wichita-area team has played out of state in recent years.
Derby is coming off back-to-back undefeated seasons and a pair of Class 6A state championships. Newcastle went 4-6 last season, but the out-of-state competition may pose an unfamiliar challenge for the seemingly impenetrable Panthers.
Combined 2019 record: 17-6
10. Junction City at Topeka
The Centennial League will look a bit different this fall. But perhaps its fiercest rivalry remains.
Last year, Junction City handed Topeka its only loss of the regular season, 48-41, in Week 4. Topeka got even at the end of last season with a 35-14 win to send Junction City out of the postseason in the sectional round.
Combined 2019 record: 18-5
This story was originally published July 31, 2020 at 3:25 PM.