By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Editor's note: TopSports.news has finished its tour of preseason football practices at all 10 Shawnee County high schools and will post preview stories over the coming days leading into the opening games of the 2025 season on Sept. 4 and 5.
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Coming off back-to-back 1-8 seasons, Topeka High football took a big step forward in Jason Filbeck's first year at the school last fall, posting a three-win improvement in a 4-5 campaign.
Jason Filbeck led Topeka High football to a three-win improvement last season in his first year at the school. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But five straight season-ending losses, including four defeats to Centennial League schools, proved to Filbeck that the Trojans still have work to do.
"The level of competition in our league is high, so a 4-0 start is cool and it's great and everything, but having to play the Washburn Rurals and Manhattans and Junction Citys in our league, we've got work to do,'' Filbeck said. "They're good teams and we're going to have to earn it if we want to play with them.''
Filbeck said that the Trojans' improvement has to come not only during the season but over the offseason as well.
"It's a big culture shift here and we're trying to get it to where it's an expectation that you're involved in the summer and in the stuff that is, quote, optional,'' he said. "We made strides in the right direction, but it's still not where we want it to be for sure.''
Topeka High returns a solid group of returners to build around this fall, returning four starters on offense and eight on defense.
That group includes quarterback Zane Smith, offensive linemen Jeremiah Lopez and Isaac Romero-Chavez and wide receiver Courtney Sanders on offense and defensive linemen Trey Lutz, Connor McKee and Adam Humphrey, linebackers Aidan Flannagan and Rock Williamson and defensive backs Malachi Murph, Jones Erby and Ant Jones on defense.
Murph was a first-team All-Centennial League and All-Shawnee County Second 22 pick last season while Smith, Williamson and Lutz received all-league and all-county honorable mention and Humphrey, Lopez, Sanders and Erby received all-league honorable mention in 2024.
Filbeck said the Trojans' offensive line will be a big key to High's progress this fall.
"Can we be violent and physical on the o-line?'' Filbeck said. "We have a lot of kids coming back on defense and I think our defense will be strong. It's can we win up front on the o-line because we lost quite a few starters on offense.
"I think Zane will be solid at quarterback, but we've got to protect him and we've got to be able to run the ball and we can't just rely on defense to win us a game, 3-0.''
Filbeck said the goal for the Trojans will be to show improvement each and every day.
"The one percent per day is a good motto,'' Filbeck said.
Topeka High will be the first Shawnee County team to open its 2025 season, hosting Wichita West on Thursday, Sept. 4, at Hummer Sports Park.
TOPEKA HIGH
2025 football schedule
(Home games at Hummer Sports Park)
September -- 4 Wichita West, 12 at Wichita Heights, 18 Wichita Southeast, 26 Emporia.
October -- 3 at Washburn Rural, 10 Junction City, 17 at Manhattan, 24 Pittsburg.
Next up: Topeka West.
