After a 2020 season that saw a lot of shuffling due to COVID-19, I think we’re all hoping for something that resembles normal for 2021. Below, you will find my preseason/week one rankings for high school football in Kansas. One thing I always do is give the previous season’s state champion in each class a spot in the top five if they are still in the same division. The record you see here indicates last season’s finish. Thanks to Kansas Pregame magazine for the resource to help out with my preseason research. My OPINION is not that of my employer. Here’s to a great season in 2021.
Super 10
1. Derby (9-2)
2. Olathe North (9-2)
3. Blue Valley (6-2)
4. Wichita Northwest (10-1)
5. Mill Valley (10-2)
6. Blue Valley Northwest (5-2)
7. Blue Valley North (7-3)
8. St. Thomas Aquinas (6-4)
9. St. James (8-4)
10. Andale (12-0)
6A
1. Derby (9-2, 6A Champs)
2. Olathe North (9-2)
3. Blue Valley (6-2)
4. Blue Valley Northwest (5-2)
5. Blue Valley North (7-3)
Notes: #1 Derby returns nine starters on offense and four on defense from their 6A state championship team in 2020. #2 Olathe North returns nine starters on offense and eight on defense, led by RB Aquantez Love, who is the #11 rated prospect in Kansas according to 247Sports. #3 Blue Valley brings back eight offensive starters and five on defense. OL Nick Herzog is the #4 rated prospect in Kansas and committed to Northwestern, while Sterling Lockett, the #12 prospect in the state and son of Kevin and brother of Tyler, is set to follow in their footsteps, committing to Kansas State. #4 Blue Valley Northwest brings back ten starters on offense and eight on defense. #5 Blue Valley North has ten returning starters on offense and five on defense. WR Mekhi Miller is the #3 ranked Kansas recruit and is committed to Missouri.
Big game in Week 1: #3 Blue Valley is at #4 Blue Valley Northwest on Friday, 9/3.
5A
1. Wichita Northwest (10-1)
2. Mill Valley (10-2, 5A Champs)
3. Bishop Carroll (8-3)
4. St. Thomas Aquinas (6-4)
5. Hays (5-3)
Notes: #1 Wichita Northwest returns five starters on offense and two on defense. #2 Mill Valley has just two starters back on each side of the ball after winning the 5A title in 2020. #3 Bishop Carroll brings back seven offensive starters and six defensive. #4 St. Thomas Aquinas has six starters back on each side, highlighted by DL Jalen Marshall, the #6 prospect in the state of Kansas according to 247Sports. Marshall is committed to Missouri. #5 Hays has nine starters back on each side. They also feature two of the top five recruits in Kansas for the Class of 2022, including the top prospect in Jaren Kanak, who has committed to Clemson. LB Gavin Meyers is the #5 ranked prospect in the state and is uncommitted at this time.
Big game in Week 1: #3 Bishop Carroll is at #1 Wichita Northwest on Thursday, 9/2.
4A
1. St. James (8-4, 4A Champs)
2. Bishop Miege (5-5)
3. Buhler (6-4)
4. McPherson (10-2)
5. Arkansas City (6-7)
Notes: #1 St. James brings back four starters on offense and five on defense from their 4A title team in 2020. #2 Bishop Miege hopes to get back to the top of 4A after failing to win the title for the first time since 2013. The Stags bring back four starters on offense and five on defense. #3 Buhler returns seven starters on offense and eight on defense. #4 McPherson brings back just three offensive starters and six on defense. Despite a 6-7 record, #4 Arkansas City was the 4A State Runner-up in 2020. They bring back 11 players that started on offense and ten on defense.
Big games in Week 1: #2 Bishop Miege is at 6A #5 Blue Valley North on Thursday, 9/2 and #1 St. James hosts 6A #4 St. Thomas Aquinas on Friday, 9/3.
3A
1. Andale (12-0, 3A Champs)
2. Wichita Collegiate (10-2)
3. Holton (9-2)
4. Columbus (8-1)
5. Southeast of Saline (9-1)
Notes: #1 Andale brings back ten starters on each side of the ball from their 2020 team that won the 3A title. #2 Wichita Collegiate has seven starters back on offense and eight on defense. #3 Holton has four starters back on offense but returns nearly every starter on defense. #4 Columbus has five starters back on offense and six on defense. #5 Southeast of Saline returns nine starters on both sides.
Big game in Week 1: #3 Holton hosts 2A #2 Nemaha Central on Friday, 9/3.
2A
1. Rossville (13-0, 2A Champs)
2. Nemaha Central (8-3)
3. Silver Lake (6-2)
4. Hoisington (12-1)
5. Beloit (5-7)
Notes: #1 Rossville has five starters back on offense and six on defense from their 2A state title team from 2020. #2 Nemaha Central has six returning starters on offense and seven on defense. #3 Silver Lake brings back five starters on offense and seven on defense. #4 Hoisington has four starters back on offense and five on defense. #5 Beloit brings back a lot of experience with ten returning starters on offense and eleven players that started at one point on defense.
Big game in Week 1: #1 Rossville hosts 1A #4 Centralia on Friday, 9/3.
1A
1. Olpe (12-0, 1A Champs)
2. Smith Center (9-2)
3. Sedgwick (8-2)
4. Centralia (9-2)
5. Inman (9-3)
Notes: #1 Olpe has seven starters back on offense and six on defense after winning the state title in 1A in 2020. #2 Smith Center returns seven offensive and six defensive starters. #3 Sedgwick brings back 11 starters on offense and ten on defense. #4 Centralia has five starters back on each side of the ball. #5 Inman has nine returning starters on offense and six on defense.
Big game in Week 1: #2 Smith Center hosts 2A Norton on Friday, 9/3.
8-Man DI
1. Canton-Galva (10-1)
2. Clifton-Clyde (7-2)
3. Madison (11-1)
4. Little River (11-2, 8M-DI Champs)
5. Sedan (9-1)
Notes: #1 Canton-Galva has three starters back on offense and four on defense, led by WR/DB Tyson Struber, who is the #10 ranked prospect in Kansas for 2022 according to 247Sports. Struber is committed to Kansas State. #2 Clifton-Clyde has five players back with starting experience on each side. #3 Madison brings back four starters on offense, but just two on defense. #4 Little River will need to replace some key components from their state championship team in 2020, but they do return seven starters on offense and four on defense. #5 Sedan has six starters back on both sides of the ball.
Big game in Week 1: #3 Madison opens the season at home against Burlingame on Friday, 9/3.
8-Man DII
1. Hanover (11-0, 8M-DII Champs)
2. Victoria (11-1)
3. Frankfort (7-2)
4. South Central (7-3)
5. Sylvan-Lucas (7-3)
Notes: 8-Man DII was without a doubt the toughest class to narrow down to just five teams. #1 Hanover has four starters back on both sides after winning the state title in 2020. #2 Victoria brings back three starters on each side. #3 Frankfort returns six starters on both offense and defense. #4 South Central has seven starters back on both sides. #5 Sylvan-Lucas has six starters back on offense and seven on defense.
Big game in Week 1: #5 Sylvan-Lucas hosts St. John’s/Tipton on Friday, 9/3.
These are my picks for the 2021 Preseason. Last season, four of my preseason #1’s ended up winning the state title (6A: Derby; 5A: Mill Valley; 3A: Andale; 2A: Rossville). Thanks for reading, and as always, any feedback is welcomed.
dusty40 