By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Since the Kansas State High School Activities Association launched state football playoffs in 1969, Shawnee County teams have won 19 state championships in four classes while 10 county teams have recorded perfect seasons.
But while any of those 10 undefeated squads could make a case for the No. 1 spot on TopSports.news Best of the Best list, Tom Stringer's dominating 1998 team earned the nod at the top.
Hayden's 1998 football team went 13-0 to win the Class 4A state title without having a game closer than 10 points and winning 12 games by at least 21 points. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Ron Bowen's Washburn Rural team went a perfect 12-0 to win the 1989 Class 5A state championship, the Junior Blues' third state title in the '80s. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Silver Lake's 1989 football team went 13-0 to win the Class 3A state title, capped by a 20-17 overtime win over Hesston. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Stringer's Wildcats went a perfect 13-0 en route to their first of three Class 4A state championships, capped by a 52-27 romp past Holton in the state final.
Hayden's '98 team did not have a game closer than 10 points all season (25-15 against Concordia) and the Wildcats won 12 of their 13 starts by 21 or more points.
All-State running back Dan Davis, who went on to play at Missouri, and All-State quarterback John Tetuan, who went on to become a standout pitcher at Wichita State and played in the Minor Leagues, were top players for Hayden while several other Wildcats went on to play college football.
Earning the No. 2 position on the Best of the Best is Hall of Fame coach Ron Bowen's Washburn Rural team, which won its third Class 5A state title in the 1980s while posting a perfect 12-0 record.
Washburn Rural won six single-digit games on the season, capped by a 10-8 win over Salina Central in the state championship game.
Silver Lake, which garnered eight state championships under C.J. Hamilton, the winningest prep football coach in state history, posted a perfect 13-0 record on the 1989 season, including a 20-17 overtime win over previously-unbeaten Hesston in the state final.
The Eagles had just two single-digit games on the season.
Derick Hammes' 2015 football team went 14-0 to win the Class 3A state title, one of the Bulldawgs five state titles. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Rossville's '15 team was tapped for the No. 4 spot on the Best of the Best Top 10, with Derick Hammes' Bulldawgs going 14-0 to win their second straight Class 3A state championship whiile having just one single-digit decision on the season, a 20-19 win over Wichita Collegiate in the state final.
Tom Stringer's 2004 Hayden team went 14-0 on the way to the Class 4A state title, posting 14 straight double-digit victories. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Rounding out the top five is Stringer's second undefeated team at Hayden, with the 2004 Wildcats going a perfect 14-0 without having a single-digit game. Hayden capped its perfect season with a 31-13 win over Rose Hill in the state final.
Hammes, who has coached Rossville to five state championships, was an assistant coach on Hayden's '04 title team.
Hamilton's Silver Lake program and Hammes' Bulldawgs hold down the six through ninth positions on the Top 10, while Bill Arnold's '08 Hayden championship team and Silver Lake's '13 title team share the 10th spot to round out the Top 10.
Silver Lake's '06 team went 14-0 with a 28-point win in the 3A championship game while No. 7 Rossville went 13-0 to win its second straight tiitle in '21.
No. 8 Silver Lake went 13-0 to win the 3A crown in '91 while Rossville went 14-0 in '14 to win 3A.
Bill Arnold's 2008 Hayden's team went 13-1 to win the Class 4A state title, with the Wildcats' lone loss coming against 6A champion Junction City. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Hayden's '08 team went 13-1 to win the 4A championship, including a 21-point win in the state final, with the Wildcats' only loss coming against 6A state champion Junction City, while quarterback Dailin Kruger led the 2013 Silver Lake team to a 13-1 record and the 3A title, including an 82-38 win over Beloit in the championship game.
Silver Lake's '89 team earned the No. 1 spot in Reader's Choice balloting by more than 150 votes, followed by Rossville's '15 team, Rural's '89 squad, Rossville's '21 squad and Hayden's '98 team to round out the top five.
Here's a look at the Top 10 and Reader's Choice Awards:
TSN TOP 10 BEST OF THE BEST FOOTBALL TEAMS
1. Hayden (1998) -- Tom Stringer's Wildcats went a perfect 13-0 en route to their first of three Class 4A state championships, capped by a 52-27 romp past Holton in the state final. Hayden did not have a game closer than 10 points all season and the Wildcats won 12 of their 13 starts by 21 or more points. All-State running back Dan Davis, who went on to play at Missouri, and All-State quarterback John Tetuan, who went on to become a standout pitcher at Wichita State, were top players for Hayden.
2. Washburn Rural (1989) -- Ron Bowen's Junior Blues went a perfect 12-0 to win their third Class 5A state championship in the 1980s. Washburn Rural survived six single-digit tests on the season, including a 10-8 victory over Salina Central in the state title game. Top players for the Junior Blues included Marc Chrisco, Greg Harvey, Aaron Anderson and Luke Yarnell.
3. Silver Lake (1989) -- CJ Hamilton's Eagles posted a perfect 13-0 record on the season, including a 20-17 overtime win over previously-unbeaten Hesston in the state final. The Eagles had just two single-digit games on the season.
4. Rossville (2015) -- Derick Hammes' Bulldawgs went 14-0 to win their second straight Class 3A state championship whiile having just one single-digit decision on the season, a 20-19 win over Wichita Collegiate in the state final. Top players included Dawson Hammes and Tucker Horak, who became the first Kansas player to rush and pass for 2,000 yards.
5. Hayden (2004) -- Tom Stringer coached Hayden to its second undefeated Class 4A state championship, with the 14-0 Wildcats capping their perfect season with a 31-13 win over Rose Hill in the state final. Top players for the Wildcats included Nick Stringer, who went on to earn All-Big 12 honors at Kansas State, running back-linebacker Kyle Ingenthron and quarterback Chris Dieker.
6. Silver Lake (2006) -- C.J. Hamilton's Eagles went 14-0 on the season en route to the Class 3A state championship, capped by a 49-21 win over Garden Plain in the state final. The Eagles had just one single-digit outcome on the year. Current Silver Lake head coach Logan Pegram was a standout for the '06 Eagles team.
7. Rossville (2021) -- Derick Hammes' Rossville team went 13-0 to win its fifth state title, taking its second straight Class 2A crown with a 35-12 win over Beloit in the state final. Top players for Rossville included Torrey Horak, Brody Lietz and Corey Catron.
8. Silver Lake (1991) -- C.J. Hamilton's Eagles posted a 13-0 record with just three single-digit games on the season. Silver Lake capped their season with a 15-6 decision over Smoky Valley in the Class 3A championship game. Tom Matukewicz, Garrett Michael and Matt Harrington were top players for the Eagles.
9. Rossville (2014) -- Derick Hammes led the Bulldawgs to a 14-0 record and the school's first state football championship. The Tucker Horak-led Bulldawgs had just two single-digit games on the season, including a 21-14 win over Scott City in the title game.
10. (tie) Hayden (2008) -- Bill Arnold's Wildcats went 13-1 to win the Class 4A state championship, with Hayden's lone loss coming against 6A state champion Junction City. The Wildcats, led by All-State quarterback TJ McGreevy, capped their season with a 42-21 romp past Perry-Lecompton in the state final.
10. (tie) Silver Lake (2013) -- All-State quarterback Dailin Kruger led the 2013 Silver Lake team to a 13-1 record and the Class 3A title, including an 82-38 win over Beloit in the championship game. The Eagles posted 35, 34, 34, 14 and 44-point wins in the playoffs.
READER'S CHOICE FOOTBALL AWARDS
1. Silver Lake (1989) -- No. 3 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
2. Rossville (2015) -- No. 4 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
3. Washburn Rural (1989) -- No. 2 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
4. Rossville (2021) -- No. 7 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
5. Hayden (1998) -- No. 1 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
6. Silver Lake (1991) -- No. 8 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
7. Hayden (2008) -- No. 10 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
8. Rossville (2014) -- No. 9 on Best of the Best Top 10 (see capsule above).
9. Rossville (2020) -- .Rossville went 13-0 to win the Class 2A state title, the Bulldawgs' fourth state title and the first of two straight 2A crowns.
10. Rossville (2016) -- .The Bulldawgs went 13-1 to win their third straight Class 3A state title, taking a 48-42 OT win over Hesston.
Next up: Girls golf Best of the Best Top 10 teams and Reader's Choice awards.
