The 5-minute preview for every Kansas high school football state championship game
The Kansas high school football state championship games are Saturday and here are quick previews of the title matchups.
You can watch every championship game on a stream provided by the KSHSAA with monthly subscription packages starting at $10.99.
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Class 6A state championship
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: College Boulevard Activity Center in Olathe
Who: Blue Valley North (7-2) vs. Derby (8-2)
Championship history: BV North is playing for its third Class 6A title in the last four years — all against Derby. The Mustangs beat Derby 49-42 to win the 6A title in 2017, then lost to Derby 24-16 in 2018. Derby is looking for its third straight Class 6A title and sixth championship in the last eight seasons. This is the sixth straight year Derby has played for the 6A title, the seventh time in the last eight years, and the program’s 12th title-game appearance. Derby has won titles in 1994, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019.
Blue Valley North players to watch
| Dasan McCullough | DB | Jr. | 6-5 | 220 | 66 tkl, 4 INT; Ohio State commit |
| Henry Martin | QB | Jr. | 6-0 | 185 | 2,522 pass yds, 29 TDs, 2 INTs |
| Mekhi Miller | RB-WR | Jr. | 6-1 | 190 | 83 rec, 924 rec yds, 14 TDs; 340 rush yds, 4 TDs |
| Nikko Taylor | DL | Sr. | 6-5 | 220 | 41 tkl, 3 sacks |
| Cole Stratton | WR | Jr. | 6-0 | 170 | 53 rec, 499 rec yds, 3 TDs |
Derby players to watch
| Dylan Edwards | RB | So. | 5-8 | 155 | 1,663 rush yds, 25 TDs |
| Lem Wash | QB | Sr. | 6-0 | 205 | 1,074 pass yds, 14 TDs, 6 INT; 1,182 rush yds, 17 TDs |
| Jack Hileman | LB | Sr. | 5-9 | 190 | 91 tkls, 9 TFL, 3 sacks, 2 INTs |
| Coleson Syring | LB | Sr. | 6-1 | 230 | 89 tkls, 14 TFL |
| Reid Liston | WR | Sr. | 6-0 | 175 | 32 rec, 453 rec yds, 6 TDs |
Class 5A state championship
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Carnie Smith Stadium in Pittsburg
Who: Mill Valley (9-2) vs. Wichita Northwest (10-0)
Championship history: Mill Valley is playing for its fourth Class 5A championship in the last six seasons. The Jaguars have won the title in all three of their previous appearances: 35-14 over Bishop Carroll in 2015, 35-34 over Goddard in 2016 and 40-31 over Wichita Northwest in 2019. This is the third straight title-game appearance for Wichita Northwest, which lost 49-28 to St. Thomas Aquinas in 2018 and to Mill Valley last season. This is only the fourth time the Grizzlies have played in the title game with their previous appearance coming in 1996 before the recent run.
Mill Valley players to watch
| Ethan Kremer | OL-DL | Sr. | 6-1 | 275 | 49 tkl, 14.5 TFL, 7 sacks |
| Cooper Marsh | QB | Sr. | 6-1 | 172 | 1,342 pass yds, 13 TDs, 4 INT; 429 rush yds, 10 TDs |
| Kolten Jegen | LB | Sr. | 6-0 | 215 | 94 tkl, 11.5 TFL |
| Quin Wittenauer | RB | Sr. | 5-11 | 167 | 1,173 rush yds, 14 TDs |
| Jacob Hartman | WR | Sr. | 6-0 | 167 | 37 rec, 726 rec yds, 9 TDs |
Wichita Northwest players to watch
| Julius Bolden | RB | Sr. | 5-11 | 195 | 1,358 rush yds, 23 TDs |
| Zac Daher | DL | Sr. | 6-4 | 245 | 37 tkl, 12.5 TFL, 4 sacks |
| Wetu Kolomo | DB | Sr. | 6-0 | 175 | 21 tkl, 1 INT |
| Todric McGee | DB | Sr. | 6-1 | 195 | 53 tkl, 8 TFL, 3 INT |
| Geremiah Moore | QB-RB | Jr. | 5-8 | 160 | 855 rush yds, 11 TDs |
Class 4A state championship
When: 1 p.m. Friday
Where: Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson
Who: St. James Academy (7-4) vs. Arkansas City (6-6)
Championship history: St. James Academy has never reached a state championship game before. Arkansas City has won one state championship in program history in 1979 and played in a title game in two others season (1978, 1986).
St. James Academy players to watch
| Dakota Burritt | QB | Sr. | 6-1 | 170 | 2,613 pass yds, 26 TDs, 6 INT; 319 rush yds |
| LaJames White | RB-DB | Sr. | 5-8 | 184 | 1,249 rush yds, 21 TDs; 38 rec, 585 rec yds, 6 TDs |
| Tyler Claiborne | WR | Jr. | 6-3 | 190 | 72 rec, 1,078 rec yds, 11 TDs |
| Josh Kirby | WR-K | Sr. | 6-3 | 180 | 20 rec, 332 rec yds, 4 TDs |
| Jack Gossman | DB | Sr. | 5-9 | 175 | 100 tkl, 4 INT, 8 PBU |
Arkansas City players to watch
| Gabe Welch | QB | So. | 6-0 | 180 | 2,416 pass yds, 10 TDs, 11 INTs; 8 rush TDs |
| Cadon Clark | WR | So. | 5-10 | 165 | 63 rec, 571 rec yds, 1 TD |
| Lucas Barns | WR | Jr. | 6-0 | 170 | 28 rec, 504 rec yds, 3 TDs |
| Haden O’Toole | WR | Sr. | 6-1 | 170 | 20 rec, 458 rec yds, 5 TDs |
| Wyatt Bahm | RB | So. | 5-10 | 150 | 423 rush yds, 11 TDs |
Class 3A state championship
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Gowans Stadium in Hutchinson
Who: Perry-Lecompton (11-1) vs. Andale (11-0)
Championship history: Perry-Lecompton has never won a state championship in program history, but this will be the third trip to the title game after previous trips in 2008 and 2019. Andale will be looking for back-to-back state championships after defeating Perry-Lecompton 35-7 in last season’s 3A title game. The Indians are 4-1 all-time in state title games with state championships coming in 2006, 2007, 2014 and 2019.
Perry-Lecompton players to watch
| Thad Metcalfe | QB-DB | Sr. | 5-9 | 170 | 1,251 pass yds, 11 TDs, 5 INT; 1,213 rush yds, 24 TDs; 3 INT on D |
| Hayden Robb | OL-LB | Sr. | 5-10 | 230 | 125 tkls, 10 TFL |
| Sean Urban | OL-LDL | Sr. | 6-2 | 280 | 45 tkls, 10 TFL |
| Parker Stone | WR-DB | Sr. | 6-2 | 170 | 28 rec, 544 rec yds, 5 TDs |
| Reichen Rush | RB | Jr. | 5-10 | 160 | 933 rush yds, 11 TDs |
Andale players to watch
| Eli Rowland | RB | Sr. | 1,426 rush yds, 23 TDs; 382 rec yds, 7 TDs | ||
| Noah Meyer | QB-DB | Sr. | 325 pass yds, 10 TDs; 1,032 rush yds, 18 TDs | ||
| Cayden Winter | OL-DL | Sr. | 240 | 51 tkls, 2 sacks, 4 TFL | |
| Caden Parthemer | TE-LB | Sr. | 10 rec, 212 rec yds, 3 TDs; 59 tkls, 2 INT | ||
| Gabe Ungles | RB-DB | Sr. | 460 rush yds, 8 TDs |
Class 2A state championship
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: District Stadium in Salina
Who: Rossville (12-0) vs. Hoisington (12-0)
Championship history: After winning three straight Class 3A championships from 2014-16, Rossville is back in the state title game for the fifth time in program history (the other appearance was a 1992 title-game loss) after a four-year absence. This is Hoisington’s first championship appearance in school history.
Rossville players to watch
| Torrey Horak | QB | Jr. | 5-10 | 170 | 1,352 pass yds with 24 TDs, 2 INTs; 1,460 rush yds, 27 TDs |
| Woodrow Rezac | RB | Sr. | 6-1 | 176 | 873 rush yds, 12 TDs; 300 rec yards, 5 TDs |
| Bo Reeves | WR-DB | Sr. | 6-5 | 210 | 23 rec, 456 rec yds, 10 TDs; 3 INTs on D |
| Kaiden Brown | LB | Sr. | 5-7 | 180 | 61 tkl, 5 TFL |
| Mshewe Hale | DL | Jr. | 5-10 | 215 | 41 tkl, 4 sacks, 8 TFL |
Hoisington players to watch
| Holt Hanzlick | RB-LB | Sr. | 5-11 | 200 | 1,044 rush yds, 14 TDs; 72 tkls, 11 TFL |
| Joshua Ball | R-LB | Sr. | 5-9 | 180 | 632 rush yds, 10 TDs; 42 tkls, 3 TFL |
| Mason Haxton | QB | Sr. | 6-0 | 165 | 778 pass yds, 10 TD, 1 INT; 370 rush yds |
| Chase Robinson | TE-DE | Sr. | 6-0 | 165 | 10 rec, 236 rec yds, 5 TDs; 47 tkls, 3 INT |
| Cole Steinert | RB-LB | Sr. | 5-10 | 175 | 413 rush yds, 7 TDs; 65 tkls, 5 TFL |
Class 1A state championship
When: 1 p.m. Saturday
Where: Lewis Field in Hays
Who: Olpe (12-0) vs. Oakley (10-2)
Championship history: Olpe is looking for its second state championship in school history in its fifth trip to a title game. Olpe previously played for state titles in 1976, 2008, 2014 and 2018. Olpe’s only title came in 2014. This is Oakley’s first state championship game in school history.
Olpe players to watch
| Damon Redeker | QB-DB | Jr. | 5-11 | 160 | 1,029 pass yds, 22 TDs, 5 INTs; 643 rush yds, 10 TDs; 4 INT on D |
| Ted Skalsky | OL-LB | Jr. | 6-0 | 195 | 99 tkl, 15 TFL |
| Jordan Barnard | TE-DE | Sr. | 6-1 | 200 | 22 rec, 339 rec yds, 9 TDs; 31 tkl, 5.5 TFL, 2 INT |
| Kynden Robert | RB-DB | Sr. | 5-7 | 160 | 436 rush yds, 11 TDs |
| Garret Cole | OL-DL | So. | 5-10 | 190 | 36 tkl, 16.5 TFL |
Oakley players to watch
| Ethan Abell | RB-DB | Sr. | 5-10 | 180 | 1,979 rush yds, 26 TDs |
| Eric Cain Jr. | QB-DB | Sr. | 5-11 | 155 | 646 pass yds, 2 TDs; 6 INTs on D |
| Hunter Scheck | RB-LB | Sr. | 5-9 | 220 | 395 rush yds, 6 TDs; 51 tkl, 3 TFL |
| Will Schmidt | WR-DB | So. | 6-0 | 175 | 13 rec, 215 rec yds, 1 TD |
| Jonathan Temaat | OL-LB | Jr. | 5-11 | 200 | 69 tkl, 3 TFL |
8-man Division 1 state championship
When: 3:30 p.m. Saturday
Where: Fischer Field in Newton
Who: Little River (10-2) vs. Wichita County (12-0)
Championship history: Little River is playing in its 10th state championship game in school history, although it is its first title-game appearance since 2001. Little River has previously won state titles in 1970, 1971, 1981, 1996 and 1999. After falling one win short last season, Wichita County will play for its first state championship in program history.
Little River players to watch
| Jayden Garrison | QB-DB | Sr. | 6-0 | 170 | 657 pass yds, 12 TDs; 1,477 rush yds, 33 TDs; 12 rec, 225 rec yds, 7 TDs |
| Graham Stephens | RB-LB | Sr. | 5-9 | 195 | 759 rush yds, 18 TDs; 121 tkls, 20 TFL |
| Braxton Lafferty | TE-LB | So. | 5-11 | 170 | 26 rec, 512 rec yds, 9 TDs; 73 tkl |
| Grant Stephens | TE-DL | So. | 5-10 | 170 | 66 tkl, 8 TFL, 2.5 sacks |
| Keaton Richardson | WR-DB | Sr. | 5-7 | 150 | 8 rec, 106 rec yds |
Wichita County players to watch
| Kayde Rietzke | QB | Sr. | 5-9 | 165 | 1,655 pass yds, 33 TDs, 5 INTs; 1,270 rush yds, 23 TDs |
| Manny Chavez | TE-DL | Sr. | 6-1 | 220 | 34 rec, 490 rec yds, 7 TDs; 43 tkls, 18 TFL, 12 sacks |
| Sheldon Whalen | TE-DB | Sr. | 6-0 | 155 | 45 rec, 801 rec yds, 21 TDs |
| Jesse Gardner | RB-LB | Sr. | 5-7 | 170 | 941 rush yds, 14 TDs; 50 tkls |
| Tristen Porter | RB-LB | Jr. | 5-6 | 130 | 297 rush yds, 5 TDs; 39 tkls, 9 TFL, 6 sacks |
8-man Division 2 state championship
When: 11 a.m. Saturday
Where: Fischer Field in Newton
Who: Hanover (10-0) vs. St. Francis (11-0)
Championship history: Hanover will play in its fifth 8-man state championship game in the last seven seasons, although this will be the first since 2017 when Hanover appeared in four straight title games. This will be Hanover’s ninth total trip to the title game after winning championships in 1979, 2008, 2009, 2016 and 2017. St. Francis will be playing in its third state championship game — all in the last five years. St. Francis lost both of its previous title-game appearances in 2016 and 2018.
Hanover players to watch
| Jacob Jueneman | QB | Sr. | 6-4 | 165 | 1,111 pass yds, 19 TDs, 2 INT; 665 rush yds, 17 TDs |
| Colin Jueneman | RB-LB | Sr. | 6-2 | 175 | 636 rush yds, 14 TDs; 28 rec, 422 rec yds, 6 TDs |
| Jacob Klipp | OL-LB | Sr. | 6-2 | 195 | 114 tkl, 10 TFL |
| Tyler Bonser | RB-LB | Sr. | 5-9 | 145 | 419 rush yds, 14 TDs |
| Emmitt Jueneman | WR-DB | Jr. | 6-1 | 190 | 15 rec, 307 rec yds, 7 TDs |
St. Francis players to watch
| Shadryon Blanka | RB-LB | Sr. | 6-2 | 205 | 2,050 rush yds, 40 total TDs; 82 tkl |
| Ben Busse | WR-DB | So. | 6-0 | 150 | 9 pass TDs; 7 INTs on D |
| Jesse Baxter | OL-DL | Sr. | 6-3 | 215 | 17 TFL, 13 sacks |
| Kobe Tice | TE-LB | Sr. | 6-2 | 175 | 5 rec TDs |
| Adam Krien | RB-DL | Sr. | 6-0 | 200 |
This story was originally published November 27, 2020 at 6:43 AM.
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