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Prep parade: Wildcats reloading for another Class 3A title shot
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 2026 season on Sept. 3 and 4.
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Perennial state football power Hayden, which has advanced to three straight state championship games, has a lot of spots to fill this fall, with Bill Arnold's Wildcats returning just one starter on offense and three on defense.
Bill Arnold's Hayden Wildcats will be aiming for a fourth straight trip to the Class 3A state championship game this fall. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But history tells you that by the end of the 2026 season Hayden is likely to be back in its accustomed position as a state contender.
"You sit there and you look, 'Yeah, we don't have very many starters returning on either side of the ball, but we have guys that have played varsity ball,' '' said Arnold, who has a 233-70 career coaching record. "We had two, three classes back to back to back that those seniors were really good players and these guys had to go against them every day in practice.''
Arnold is also hopeful that a productive winter and summer will pay off for the Wildcats.
"I thought we had a really good winter,'' Arnold said. "I thought the guys really made some great gains in the weight room January, February, March and in the summer we're able to do enough stuff, particularly with as many spots as we have to fill, that we were able to shuffle some people around so we're on the right track as soon as we got started (Monday).
"I'm old enough that now when you start in August is about where you used to be the third game into the season.''
The Wildcats won a pair of undefeated Class 4A titles under the late Tom Stringer in 1998 and 2004 and have continued to be a perennial state power in Arnold's 19 years seasons at the Hayden helm, including a 4A crown in 2008 and a 12-1 record a year ago, with Hayden's lone loss coming in a 38-6 loss to Andale in the state final.
Hayden senior Mason Becker (4) is a returning All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick for the Wildcats. [File photo/TSN]
Headlining the list of Wildcat returners are senior running back/defensive back/kicker Mason Becker (6-foot, 165), a TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 pick last season, senior running back/defensive back Logan Power (6-1, 175), senior offensive tackle/defensive tackle Mar Barnett (5-9, 220), senior halfback/inside linebacker Jace Wolff (6-0, 1900), senior offensive guard Andrew Droge (5-11, 200) and junior fullback/inside linebacker Evan Huntley (6-1, 195).
Prep parade: New class, new coach for Cair Paravel football in 2026
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 2026 season on Sept. 3 and 4.
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The 2026 high school football season will be a new beginning for Cair Paravel Latin football in two major ways.
The Lions will be moving back to the Eight-Man ranks this fall after two seasons in 11-man and will be doing so under new head coach Randall Bond, a former CPLS assistant who takes over for Doug Bonura.
Junior Chase Hastert (left) returns as Cair Paravel Latin's starting quarterback for the second straight season. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
After posting a 9-3 record and advancing to the Eight-Man Division I state semifinals in 2023, Cair Paravel Latin is coming off back-to-back two-win 11-man campaigns, including a 2-6 mark a year ago.
"The 2026 CPLS Lions enter a new era after graduating five offensive starters, including All-State, all-county and all-league standout running back and return specialist Tobias Bonura,'' said Bond, who served as a Cair Paravel assistant for seven seasons after posting a 112-35 record at the middle school level in Holton.
"The Lions also face significant turnover on both sides of the ball, but the program remains well-positioned thanks to the strong foundation established by retired head coach Douglas Bonura.''
Bond, who will be making his debut as a head high school coach, will build this year's team around six key returners and a group of promising newcomers.
Top senior returners for the Lions include running back/linebacker Cole Haubauld, offensive lineman/defensive lineman Jackson Kaberline, linebacker/defensive end Cole Stafford and tight end/defensive end Sammy Lichte.
Cair Paravel also returns junior quarterback/linebacker/defensive back Chase Hastert and sophomore running back/wide receiver/defensive back Matteo Gossard.
Top newcomers include sophomore offensive lineman/defensive lineman Levi Collins, sophomore tight end/defensive end/linebacker Landon Kaberline, freshman running back/defensive back Jonas Everhart and freshman tight end/defensive end Evan Marichal.
Senior Cole Haubauld (left) will play running back for Cair Paravel this fall after earning all-league recognition at offensive guard as a junior. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
Hastert returns for his second season as Cair Paravel's starting quarterback this fall while Haubauld will play running back this season after earning all-league honors at offensive guard a year ago.
"The goal is to create a balanced, physical offense capable of attacking defenses in multiple ways,'' Bond said.
"The Lions are committed to be a disciplined, tough and relentlessly competitive football team. With a talented group of returning players and a new direction, the 2026 Lions are eager to embrace the challenge of writing the next chapter in the program's history.''
For the third straight season the Lions will play their home games at Washburn University's Yager Stadium, beginning with a Sept. 11 home contest against Stanton County.
The Lions will also have home games against Rural Vista on Sept. 25, against Pleasanton on Oct. 2 and Chase County on Oct. 16.
CAIR PARAVEL LATIN
2026 football schedule
(Home games at Yager Stadium)
September -- 4 at Erie, 11 Stanton County, 18 at Troy, 25 Rural Vista.
October -- 2 Pleasanton, 9 at Lyndon, 16 Chase County, 23 at Northern Heights.
Next up: Hayden.
Ichabod soccer garners No. 1 spot in MIAA preseason poll
By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
The Washburn University women's soccer team was picked first in the 2026 MIAA Preseason Coaches Poll released Wednesday.
Washburn soccer has been picked No. 1 in the MIAA preseason coaches poll after advancing the NCAA Division II semifinals a year ago. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
The Ichabods received seven first-place votes and 138 points.
Washburn is coming off a 14-4-6 season and a run to NCAA Division II semifinals in 2025.
The Ichabods return a key nucleus of players from last year's team, including first-team All-MIAA picks Lindsey Maul, a senior defender, and Leah Henke, a sophomore forward. Henke was named the MIAA freshman of the year last fall.
Also returning are All-MIAA second-team pick Rilyn Snyder, a senior defender, third-team conference selections Grace Peterson (senior midfielder), Mackinly Rohn (senior midfielder) and Sam Searcey (junior forward) and honorable mention honorees Kate Hinck (sophomore forward) and Lili Everley (sophomore goalkeeper).
The Ichabods host their regular-season opener at home vs. pre-season No. 21 Maryville on Thursday, Aug. 27, at 6 p.m. at Yager Stadium.
2026 MIAA WOMEN'S SOCCER
PRESEASON COACHES POLL
1. Washburn (7) – 138 points
2. Pittsburg State (6) – 136 points
3. Central Missouri – 119 points
4. Missouri Western – 108 points
5. Central Oklahoma – 96 points
6. Northwest Missouri – 92 points
7. Emporia State – 85 points
8. Northeastern State – 66 points
9. Nebraska Kearney – 45 points
10. Fort Hays State – 43 points
11. Rogers State – 41 points
12. Missouri Southern – 25 points
13. Newman – 22 points
(#) - First Place Votes
