Welcome to Top Sports News

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Editor's note: TopSports.news will post preview stories for all 10 Shawnee County high school football programs over the coming days, leading into the opening games of the 2025 season on Sept. 4 and 5.

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After starting the 2024 football season with three nailbiting losses, perennial state power Rossville reeled off eight straight wins to reach the Class 1A semifinals before seeing its season end in a 22-9 loss to Centralia.

And although veteran coach Derick Hammes was proud of the 8-4 Bulldawgs' impressive turnaround last fall, he also knows that anything less than playing for a state title is a disappointment for a program that has won five state championships since 2014.

Derick Hammes has led Rossville football to a 114-28 record and five state championships. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

"It was disappointing because here, with our expectations, we fell short,'' Hammes said. "But I think the returners that we have got a taste of that and I think they want to make right on the opportunity that they missed.

"That's how it is here and our expectations are always high.''

Rossville, which is 114-28 under Hammes, would appear to have the pieces in place to make another deep playoff run, with the Bulldawgs returning TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick Conner Bush (senior running back/defensive back) and All-Shawnee County Second 22 honorees Jack Donovan (senior wide receiver/defensive back) and Andre Johnson (senior running back/linebacker) to build around.

Other players expected to make a major contribution this fall include seniors Caleb Lehman (offensive/defensive line), Canann Mitchell (quarterback/defensive back) and Cameron Miller (wide receiver/defensive back) and juniors Charlie Chance (offensive/defensive line), Cael Horgan (linebacker) and Easton Webb (offensive/defensive line).

Senior Canann Mitchell is slated to take over as Rossville's quarterback this fall. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

Mitchell is expected to take over as the Bulldawgs' starting quarterback this fall after backing up All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick Tayson Horak last season.

"Mitchell established himself pretty early in the summer and I would say with Canann, he was neck and neck with Tayson last year and it was a hard decision and it very well could have been him,'' Hammes said. "Tayson went on to have the year like he had and that probably means Canann's a pretty good ballplayer because it was neck and neck through camp.''

A focus in preseason will be to rebuild an offensive line that was hit hard by graduation.

"I would call our offensive line a work in progress,'' Hammes said. "We graduated all five of our offensive linemen that started last year in that sub-state game. A couple of the guys, however, that we're trying to plug in got game experience and starting experience, so it's not like we're going from scratch.

"That part for us is something that we're continuing to work on and it's got to get better and when those kids develop then I think that this team will start to progress.''

The storied Rossville-Silver Lake "War on 24'' will kick off the season for the Bulldawgs and Eagles for the second straight year, with Rossville hosting Silver Lake on Sept. 5.

"I like it,'' Hammes said. "We're going to get an opening day and then we're going to get a big game on top of it with that rivalry.

"I really thinks it helps kids focus during the summer and the summer program for everybody's so important. So, if you have a little extra motivation to get you through those summer months, I think it's a good thing.''

ROSSVILLE

2025 football schedule

September -- 5 Silver Lake, 12 at St. Marys, 19 Nemaha Central, 26 at Maranatha Christian Academy.

October -- 3 Mission Valley, 10 at Cair Paravel Latin (Washburn), 17 at Olpe, 24 Wabaunsee.

Next up: Seaman.

 

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

Editor's note: TopSports.news will post preview stories for all 10 Shawnee County high school football programs over the coming days, leading into the opening games of the 2025 season on Sept. 4 and 5.

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The Highland Park football program that suffered through an eight-year, 65-game losing streak just a few years back doesn't exist anymore.

Jermaine Monroe's Highland Park football team will be aiming for its fourth straight winning season this fall after snapping an eight-year losing streak in 2022. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]

After Jermaine Monroe's Scots finally tasted victory in 2022 on the way to a breakout 6-3 campaign, Highland Park has followed that up with 7-3 and 6-3 campaigns the past two seasons and is setting its sights on continuing its impressive turnaround this fall.

"I think we're a program now and I think people in the city look forward to us competing and being successful,'' Monroe said. "I think we are in a situation where guys step on the field expecting to win and they're stepping on the field expecting to compete.

"And one thing, especially with this group, I've never seen these guys quit and that's one thing that I can respect.''

Highland Park begins the 2025 season with a wealth of experience, including eight players who received All-Meadowlark Conference recognition a year ago.

Senior wide receiver/defensive back Tremaine Savage (5-foot-11, 170 pounds) earned first-team All-Meadowlark Conference honors for the second straight season in 2024 while junior offensive/defensive lineman Tayseaun Rouser (6-3, 250) and senior offensive/defensive lineman Andres Ochoa-Perez (5-10, 260) were also first-team all-conference picks.

Junior running back G'Honi Montgomery (5-10, 180) was a second-team All-Meadowlark pick a year ago while senior quarterback Dontrail Fox (6-3, 175), junior wide receiver/defensive back JoJo Kingcannon (5-10, 180), senior running back/defensive back Genesis Cooper (5-9, 185) and senior defensive end Philiciono Rice (6-1, 190) all received all-conference honorable mention.

Read more …

By RICK PETERSON

TopSports.news

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Washburn University volleyball was picked to finish third in the 2025 MIAA Volleyball Preseason Coaches Poll released by the conference on Friday morning.

Washburn volleyball was picked third in the MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll, released Friday by the conference office. [Photo courtesy of Washburn Athletics]

Coming off a 21-8 season that included an 11-5 MIAA regular-season record, the Ichabods received 98 total points in the preseason poll.

Washburn finished fourth in the 2024 regular season and fell in the MIAA Tournament quarterfinals before ultimately advancing to the NCAA Central Region Semifinals.

Nebraska-Kearney leads the pack among the coaches with 119 total points and nine of 12 first-place votes.

Central Oklahoma was picked second, receiving the final three first-place votes and earning 111 total points.

Rounding out the top five behind Washburn are Missouri Western with 96 points and Central Missouri with 73.

Washburn will begin the season on September 5 at the Oredigger Volleyball Classic in Golden, Colo.

The first MIAA match will come on Sept. 26 against Northwest Missouri State inside of Whiting Fieldhouse at 6 p.m.

2025 MIAA VOLLEYBALL PRESEASON RANKINGS
1. Nebraska Kearney [9] - 119 points
2. Central Oklahoma [3] - 111 points
3. Washburn - 98 points
4. Missouri Western - 96 points
5. Central Missouri - 73 points
T6. Emporia State - 69 points
T6. Northwest Missouri - 69 points
8. Fort Hays State - 45 points
9. Pittsburg State - 43 points
10. Arkansas-Fort Smith - 35 points
11. Missouri Southern - 23 points
12. Newman - 12 points
[#] - Number of First Place Votes