By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
(All kickoffs at 7 p.m.)
Rossville senior Tayson Horak (12) earned All-Shawnee County Second 22 and All-Mid-East League first-team honors last fall. [File photo/TSN]
Former Silver Lake football star Logan Pegram is starting his third season as the Eagles' head coach, leading Lake to a 14-5 record over the past two years. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
ROSSVILLE at SILVER LAKE
The Bulldawgs and Eagles open the 2024 season with one of the state's most storied rivalries. Rossville is coming off a 5-4 record a year ago while Silver Lake went 8-2. Rossville is playing its first season in the Class 1A ranks while the Bulldawgs and Silver Lake are both entering their first year in the new Big East League. Rossville senior Tayson Horak earned All-Mid-East League first-team recognition on offense and was a TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Second 22 pick last season while seniors Kameron Badura and Brock Bush and junior Jack Donovan received all-county honorable mention. Silver Lake senior Braden Strausbaugh, an offensive tackle and defensive end, earned All-Shawnee County Second 22 recognition last fall while seniors Logan Cathcart and Trent Rollenhagen and junior Dayne Johnson received all-county honorable mention.
Seniors King Leonard (1) is a top returner for Washburn Rural, intercepting nine passes last fall for the 11-1 Junior Blues. [File photo/TSN]
Shawnee Heights junior receiver/defensive back Tyren Parker has received Division I offers from Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State. [File photo/TSN]
SHAWNEE HEIGHTS at WASHBURN RURAL
City rivals Washburn Rural and Shawnee Heights combined for 19 wins last season, with the 11-1 Junior Blues advancing to the Class 6A semifinals and the 8-3 T-Birds making it to the 5A quarterfinals. Rural senior safety King Leonard was among the state leaders with nine interceptions, including one pick six, and was also in on 75 tackles (47 solo) en route to earning All-Shawnee County Top 22 honors last fall. Senior cornerback Wilson Miller was named the Shawnee County defensive newcomer of the year and earned All-Centennial League defensive honors and All-Shawnee County Second 22 recognition last season. Shawnee Heights only returns defensive starters Parker Busenitz, a senior safety, and junior cornerback Tyren Parker from last year's team along with junior kicker Camden Granado. Parker has D-I offers from Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State.
Senior Jamon Wilson racked up 1,185 all-purpose yards and scored 63 points last fall for the 7-3 Scots. [File photo/TSN]
KC-WYANDOTTE at HIGHLAND PARK
At Hummer Sports Park
After snapping an eight-year losing streak early in 2022, Jermaine Monroe's Scots have posted back-to-back winning seasons, including a 7-3 mark last season when Highland Park won its first playoff game since 1991. Senior linebacker Ricky Crawford earned All-Meadowlark Conference first-team and Second 22 All-Shawnee County honors last season, leading Highland Park with 78 tackles, including 54 solo stops, seven tackles for loss, five sacks and 13 quarterback hurries. Junior defensive back TremaineSavage was a first-team All-Meadowlark Conference selection last season, recording 29 tackles, registering 15 pass breakups and forcing two fumbles, while senior wide receiver/defensive back Jamon Wilson racked up 1,185 all-purpose yards last season while scoring 63 total points and receiving All-Shawnee County honorable mention. Wyandotte is coming off a 1-8 season in 2023.
Hayden senior receiver/defensive back Jensen Schrickel is a two-time All-Shawnee County Top 22 selection. [File photo/TSN]
HAYDEN at EUDORA
Hayden went 12-1 and finished second in Class 3A last fall while Eudora is coming off a 5-5 season, losing to Atchison 50-27 in the second round of the 4A playoffs. Wildcat senior wide receiver/defensive back Jensen Schrickel is a two-time TSN All-Shawnee County Top 22 selection, catching 40 passes for 683 yards, carrying the ball 18 times for 268 yards and scoring 10 total touchdowns and three 2-point conversions. Junior running back Kade Mitchell was named the co-offensive newcomer of the year in Shawnee County last season after rushing for 764 yards on 79 carries, catching 13 passes for 209 yards and scored 14 touchdowns and 92 total points. Senior quarterback Jett Wahlmeier completed 61 of 113 passing attempts for 1,086 yards and 11 touchdowns last fall.
Seaman senior quarterback Max Huston was the United Kansas Conference and Shawnee County offensive player of the year last fall. [File photo/TSN]
SEAMAN at PIPER
Seaman returns a key nucleus from last year's team that got hot in the playoffs to advance to the Class 5A quarterfinals and finish the season with a 6-5 record. Senior quarterback Max Huston completed 230 of 379 passes for 3,257 yards and 39 touchdowns in 2023, with just two interceptions. Huston also carried the ball 134 times for 706 yards and eight TDs and was named the All-United Kansas Conference and Shawnee County offensive player of the year. Senior wide receiver Bryer Finley received All-Shawnee County Second 22 recognition and All-United Kansas Conference honorable mention last fall after finishing the season with 632 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. Senior nose tackle Kaden Jordan was a first-team All-United Kansas Conference pick last fall and earned All-Shawnee County Second 22 recognition after registering 42 tackles, including seven tackles for loss, two sacks and two forced fumbles. Piper posted a 4-6 record last fall.
Senior quarterback Jase Pavlik returns to lead Cair Paravel, which is making the transition to 11-man football this fall. [File photo/TSN]
CAIR PARAVEL LATIN at WEST FRANKLIN
Cair Paravel begins its first season in the 11-man football ranks after advancing to the Eight-Man Division I state semifinals last season. The Lions return just four lettermen from last season's 9-3 team, but will build around standout senior quarterback Jase Pavlik, who earned All-Shawnee County Second 22 recognition last season. Other top returners include senior Ben Roeder, a former state medalist in track and field, and junior Tobias Bonura. Cair Paravel will be facing a West Franklin team that is coming off a 3-6 record in 2023.
Jason Filbeck will make his debut as Topeka High's football coach on the road Friday night against Wichita West. [File photo/TSN]
TOPEKA HIGH at WICHITA WEST
Jason Filbeck is making his debut as Topeka High's head coach after a 10-year stint at Augusta. The Trojans will be looking to make progress this fall after back-to-back 1-8 campaigns. Senior receiver Jayden Norman received All-Centennial League first-team recognition and All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall after catching 31 passes for 479 yards (15.45 average) and scoring four touchdowns. Junior defensive back Malachi Murph was in on 61 tackles last season while picking off six passes and scoring a pair of defensive touchdowns en route to receiving All-Centennial League and All-Shawnee County honorable mention. Detrick Johnson, a senior linebacker, earned All-Centennial second-team defensive honors and All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall after registering 48 tackles with two sacks and three forced fumbles. Wichita West posted a 3-6 record in 2023.
Trey Parker begins his second full season as head coach at Topeka West Friday night on the road at De Soto. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
TOPEKA WEST at DE SOTO
Trey Parker begins his second full season as head coach at Topeka West after taking over on an interim basis in 2022. The Chargers will be looking to take a step forward this fall after back-to-back 1-8 seasons. Topeka West faces a tough task Friday night, with De Soto earning the No. 1 seed in Class 5A East last season before being upset by Seaman in the second round of the playoffs. West junior Logan Hunninghake was a full-time starter at offensive tackle last season, allowing only three sacks all season with two of those coming against 5A state champion Mill Vallley. Hunninghake earned All-Shawnee County honorable mention. Just a sophomore, Damon Webb Jr. will battle this fall to be the Chargers' feature running back as Topeka West tries to improve on its 1-8 record from the 2023 season. Webb also plays basketball for West, earning varsity playing time as a freshman. De Soto was 8-2 in 2023.
