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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Topeka High football coach Jason Filbeck knows there's still work to be done to get the Trojans where he wants them to be.
Jason Filbeck begins his third season at Topeka High after leading the Trojans to a 3-6 mark last fall. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But as Filbeck starts his third season at the school, he knows High is making steady progress.
"You've got things that you just aren't where you want to be, but that's probably every coach,'' said Filbeck, whose Trojans went 3-6 a year ago after a 4-5 campaign in 2024. "I know coaches that win a state title and they're still stressing about how it's not where they want it to be, but there's a familiarity with the kids on the team, the coaches on the team.
"You're a little more established and not having to start from the beginning on the culture things and things like that. We're seeing growth in our kids.''
One of Filbeck's major concerns is trying to boost the Trojans' numbers moving forward.
"The ones that are here and were here all summer, it was great to see them make strides as individuals and get better,'' Filbeck said. "Our depth is an issue if we don't get more kids out of the hallways.
"Eleven on eleven we're going to be pretty tough. I think we've got the kids in the right places and we've got a scheme that's going to help us, but if you look at the last two years we're 4-0 and then lose five straight and 3-1 and lose five straight and that's indicative to me of a lack of numbers and when injuries happen it snowballs.''
Knowing that the Trojans' frontliners are going to need to play a lot of snaps, Filbeck and his coaching staff are doing everything they can in preseason to get them ready for what is always a tough Centennial League slate.
"We're trying to get tough and focus on toughness and discipline this year so that doesn't become a problem because we don't want to lose late games because we're lacking numbers,'' Filbeck said.
Courtney Sanders, a senior wide receiver, was a second-team All-Centennial League selection for the second straight season and received All-Shawnee County honorable mention last fall for the Trojans.
A junior running back, Ricardo Dowd was a second-team All-Centennial League selection last season as a sophomore while also receiving All-Shawnee County honorable mention.
Trey Lutz, a senior defensive lineman, received All-Shawnee County honorable mention for the second straight season and also received All-Centennial League honorable mention last season.
Other top returners for Topeka High include seniors Isaac Roman-Chavez, Art Jones and Devin Ponte and juniors Jones Erby and Marion Collins.
Senior Asher Filbeck, the coach's son, and sophomore Kadyn Lucas have been battling it out in preseason for the starting quarterback spot after the graduation of Zane Smith.
"The two kids that are battling it out, they're great kids who do everything you ask,'' Jason Filbeck said. "It's a fun competition and those two have handled it more maturely than a lot of kids ever would.
"It's been really good to see what true healthy competitiveness should look like.''
Topeka High will open its 2026 season on Thursday at Hummer Sports Park, with the Trojans and USD 501 rival Highland Park renewing their long-running series after an absence of several years.
"You want to start off on a good note no matter who you're playing but the fact that it's a home-town team there's a little bit more buzz probably,'' Filbeck said. "The kids are pumped up.''
TOPEKA HIGH
2026 football schedule
(Home games at Hummer Sports Park)
September -- 3 Highland Park, 10 Dodge City, 18 at Wichita Southeast, 25 Washburn Rural.
October -- 2 at Eudora, 9 at Junction City, 15 Manhattan, 23 at Emporia (Welch Stadium).
Next up: Topeka West.
