The 2023 Kansas high school football season reached its conclusion last weekend as state champions were crowned in all nine classifications. Three schools were able to repeat as champions in 2023 (Mill Valley, Nemaha Central, Axtell) with Mill Valley winning its fifth straight state football title. Axtell claimed its third consecutive title in Eight-Man, Division II, while Nemaha Central went back-to-back in Class 2A.
Four teams highlighted as preseason No. 1’s in the Kpreps.com rankings brought home state titles this fall: Gardner-Edgerton (6A), Mill Valley (5A), Nemaha Central (2A), and Axtell (8M-II). Three other classifications were won by teams ranked second in our preseason poll: St. Thomas Aquinas in 4A, Cheney in 3A, and Lyndon in Eight-Man, Division I. Finally, Conway Springs (1A) and Cheylin (6-Man) were both ranked No. 4 in our pre-season poll.
Let’s take a look at the final rankings for the 2023 season.
Visit our Rankings page to see the final Kpreps poll for 2023!
Class 6A
Gardner-Edgerton held off Derby, 22-19, to capture the schools' first-ever state football championship. The Trailblazers fell behind 13-0 to Derby before scoring 22 consecutive points. Bravin Powell rushed for a pair of touchdowns and lofted a 65-yard touchdown strike through the snow to Colton Hawkinson. Derby finishes second in the Class 6A poll followed by Washburn Rural, Manhattan, and Blue Valley.
Class 5A
Mill Valley used a big second half to pull away from Kapaun Mt. Carmel, 62-37, to win the Class 5A state championship for a fifth consecutive season. The Jaguars captured the program’s seventh state football championship in the past nine seasons. Mill Valley scored with :03 seconds remaining in the second quarter to take a 34-30 halftime lead, then outscored Kapaun 21-0 in the third quarter to pull away. Jaden Scobee, playing for the injured Tristan Baker, rushed 26 times for 300 yards and four touchdowns on the day. Blue Valley Southwest finishes second in the Class 5A poll followed by Kapaun Mt. Carmel, Goddard-Eisenhower, and Maize South.
Class 4A
St. Thomas Aquinas won the schools’ second state football championship by defeating Andover Central, 35-7, in the 4A state championship game. The Saints rushed for 367 yards in the game led by Gianni Rizzi’s 171 yards and two scores. Will Callahan also added two rushing touchdowns. Bishop Miege finishes second in the Class 4A poll followed by Andover Central, Tonganoxie, and Wamego.
Kpreps – Class 4A Rankings
Class 3A
Cheney won the first state football championship in school history with a 34-7 decision over Topeka Hayden in the Class 3A state championship game. Josh Burdick threw for 227 yards and four touchdowns – two each to Colter McDaniel and Drew Tolar. Tolar also delivered a game-changing play with an 88-yard kickoff return for a touchdown after Hayden had tied the game at 7-7. Andale finishes second in the final Class 3A poll followed by Clay Center, Topeka Hayden, and Wichita Collegiate.
Class 2A
Nemaha Central completed a second-consecutive undefeated season and captured back-to-back Class 2A state football titles with a 28-14 victory over Hoisington on Saturday in Salina. Carter Hajek rushed 49 times for 265 yards and four touchdowns on the day. Hoisington finishes second in the Class 2A poll followed by Southeast of Saline, Sabetha, and Norton.
Class 1A
Conway Springs won the school's eight state football championship by running past Jefferson County North. Senior Brayden Kunz rushed 34 times for 313 yards and three touchdowns on the day. The Cardinals racked up 454 total yards – all on the ground. Jefferson County North finished ranked No. 2 in the poll followed by St. Mary’s Colgan, Medicine Lodge, and Marion.
Eight-Man, Division I
Lyndon captured the school’s first state football title with a 34-6 victory over Leoti-Wichita County in the 8M-I state championship game in snowy conditions at Newton’s Fischer Field. Tanner Heckel carried 29 times for 251 yards and four touchdowns in helping the Tigers to victory. The win snapped defending champion Wichita County’s 25 game win streak. Leoti-Wichita County finished ranked No. 2 in the poll followed by Cair Paravel, Ell-Saline, and Hoxie.
Eight-Man, Division II
Axtell cruised to its third consecutive Eight-Man, Division II state championship with a 50-0 halftime win over South Central. The Eagles scored in all three phases with a defensive and a special teams touchdown, and standout Brandon Schmelzle’s fourth touchdown with :07 seconds left in the second quarter effectively ended the game at halftime by the 45-point mercy rule. Axtell held South Central to 22 yards of total offense on 25 plays. Axtell has now won 39 consecutive games – the longest such streak in the state. South Central finished ranked No. 2 in the poll followed by Frankfort, Victoria, and Canton-Galva.
Class 6-Man
Cheylin completed an unbeaten season with a 57-8 win over defending-champion Cunningham to claim the schools’ first-ever KSHSAA-sanctioned football state championship. Logan McCarty tossed a long touchdown pass to Pablo Bermudez and then rushed for a pair of touchdowns as the Cougars scored the game’s first 24 points. Cheylin also won the 6-Man Association’s Wild West Bowl championship back in 2020. Ashland finished ranked No. 2 in the poll followed by Cunningham, Northern Valley, and Tescott.
Visit the Rankings page each week to view a complete list of the top five teams in each classification and how they performed last week.
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