The high school football season in Kansas kicks off in a little over a week with a full slate of 113 games scheduled for Sept. 1-3. After going 12-1 and winning the Class 6A state title a year ago,
Blue Valley Northwest (Overland Park) headlines our look at this year's contenders in the preseason MaxPreps Top 25.
Last fall,
Derby appeared to be on its way to a fourth straight state championship. However, Mikey Pauley and Blue Valley Northwest had other ideas, racing to a 28-0 lead in the title game and eventually winning 41-21.
In that contest, Pauley completed 15 of 21 pass attempts for 186 yards and a touchdown while running for 157 yards and four more scores. He's gone but head coach Clint Rider's club does return 1,500-yard rusher
Grant Stubblefield and sits in the top spot going into the season. The running back scored 26 touchdowns in 2021.
Notre Dame commitment
Dylan Edwards will be the focal point in Derby's quest to regain the title. The 5-foot-9, 165-pound running back scorched opposing defenses for 2,603 yards and 38 touchdowns on 208 carries. He also caught eight balls for 101 yards and a score and returned two punts and a kickoff for touchdowns last fall.
, a 5-11, 205-pound linebacker, led the Panther defense with 127 tackles, 13 tackles for losses, eight interceptions, six sacks and two forced fumbles. Derby has won six state football titles over the last nine seasons.
Defending Class 3 state champion
Andale heads into the season with the No. 3 ranking and is in the midst of a 38-game winning streak after claiming the last three Class 3A state titles.
Mill Valley (Shawnee), winners of three straight Class 5A state football championships, debuts in the rankings at No. 6 while
St. James Academy (Lenexa) ranks No. 7 after capturing the last two Class 4A state titles. Taking the No. 20 spot is
Rossville, who has won two straight Class 2A state titles.
Read on for a complete look at Kansas' preseason MaxPreps Top 25 for 2022.
Preseason MaxPreps Top 25
2.
Derby, 11-1
3.
Andale, 13-0
4.
Maize, 10-3
5.
Kapaun Mt. Carmel (Wichita), 10-2
6.
Mill Valley (Shawnee), 12-1
7.
St. James Academy (Lenexa), 9-4
8.
Southeast of Saline (Gypsum), 11-1
9.
Aquinas (Overland Park), 7-5
10.
Lawrence Free State (Lawrence), 8-3
11.
Andover, 7-3
12.
Collegiate (Wichita), 8-2
13.
Shawnee Mission Northwest (Shawnee Mission), 7-4
14.
Blue Valley (Stilwell), 8-2
15.
Hays, 8-3
16.
Northwest (Wichita), 8-3
17.
Manhattan, 9-2
18.
Blue Valley West (Stilwell), 7-5
19.
Pratt, 6-3
20.
Rossville, 13-0
21.
Bishop Miege (Shawnee Mission), 5-7
22.
Olathe North (Olathe), 8-3
23.
Andover Central (Andover), 11-2
24.
Blue Valley North (Overland Park), 3-6
25.
St. Mary's Academy (St. Marys), 5-4
