By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
EDITOR'S NOTE: Over the coming weeks TopSports.news will recognize Shawnee County's all-time best teams in 21 sports as part of our Best of the Best project. The project continues with football and readers will have the opportunity to vote for teams in that sport through July 26, with the top teams in all categories announced in late July and August. To cast a vote for the Best of the Best, click on https://take.quiz-maker.com/poll4869619x1e314Fa6-151 while email votes/nominations will be also accepted at
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Shawnee County high schools first started fielding football teams in the early 1900s, with seven county schools posting undefeated seasons in the early days of Kansas prep football.
But the modern era of the sport began in 1969 with the advent of playoff football in Kansas and Shawnee County schools have continued that enviable record of success, posting 19 state tiles in four classes.
Silver Lake went a perfect 13-0 en route to the 1989 Class 3A state championship, its first of three undefeated state titles and eight overall under CJ Hamilton. [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]
With over 110 years of teams to pick from, narrowing down TopSports.news Best of the Best teams to a top 10 is a daunting task, but the list of contenders has to start with the 10 county teams that have posted wire-to-wire undefeated campaigns in the playoff era.
Tom Stringer's 13-0 Class 4A state championship team, led by former Missouri Tiger Dan Davis and Wichita State baseball standout John Tetuan, was one of the most dominant teams in Shawnee County history.
Tom Stringer's 1998 team went 13-0 on the way to the Class 4A state title, posting 13 straight double-digit victories. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
The Wildcats posted 13 straight double-digit victories, with Hayden's closest game of the season a 25-15 win over Concordia in the opening round of the playoffs while 12 of the Wildcats' wins were by at least 21 points, including a 52-27 win over Holton in the state championship game.
Stringer's Wildcats also went a perfect 14-0 en route to the 4A crown, with future Kansas State All-Big 12 lineman Nick Stringer and standout back Kyle Ingenthron playing big roles for Hayden.
Like the '98 team, Hayden's '04 team did not have any single-digit outcomes, with the Wildcats' closest games a pair of 13-point decisions before Hayden finished off its season with a 31-13 win over Rose Hill in the state final.
CJ Hamilton retired in 2022 as Kansas' all-time winingest football coach, including eight Class 3A state titles and perfect seasons in 1989, '91 and '06.
Silver Lake's '06 team had just one single-digit decision (20-14 over Burlington) and the Eagles rolled to a 49-21 win over Garden Plain in the 3A championship game.
Like Silver Lake, Ron Bowen's Washbun Rural teams captured three state championship games in the '80s, with the Junior Blues winning 5A championships in '85, '86 and '89 and also playing in a 6A final in '92..
The Junior Blues posted a perfect 12-0 record in '89, capped by a 10-8 win over Salina Central in the title game.
Derick Hammes' Rossville team won the Class 2A state title in 2021, its second straight state title and fifth title since 2014. [Submitted photo to KSHSAA.org]
Derick Hammes' Rossville teams have set the county standard in recent seasons, winning five championships (three 3A, two 2A) over an eight-year span, including four perfect seasons.
Rossville won three straight 3A titles from '14 to '16, including 14-0 records in '14 and '15, and won back-to-back 2A championhips in '20 and '21, going undefeated both seasons.
Vote for your favorite team at https://take.quiz-maker.com/poll4869619x1e314Fa6-151 while readers also have the option of writing in a candidate.
Vote as many times as you wish. Final selections will be based on reader vote as well as input from TSN contributors and current and past local sports media professionals.
Votes in football will be accepted through July 26 before TSN publishes our Best of the Best lists in late July and August.
NEXT UP: Girls golf (ballot will be published on TopSports.news on Thursday).
