🏈 Sterling, Inman set for No. 1 vs. No. 2 showdown in latest Kpreps rankings

Sterling remains the top-ranked team in Class 1A, while Hesston has moved into the Class 3A top five in the latest Kpreps.com Kansas high school football rankings.

The rankings released following Week 2 also include several other Hutchinson-area teams among those considered, including Buhler, Haven and Hutchinson Central Christian.

Sterling improved to 2-0 with a 55-0 victory over Hutchinson Trinity and remains No. 1 in Class 1A. The Black Bears have won 15 consecutive games dating back to last season.

Senior Deryn Maxwell rushed for 172 yards and three touchdowns against Trinity, while Nolan Wellman added 54 yards and two scores. Quarterback Zac Wohler passed for 128 yards and two touchdowns to Jacob Lewis.

Sterling will host No. 2 Inman in one of the state’s marquee matchups Friday. Inman also enters at 2-0 after consecutive shutouts, including a 41-0 victory over Marion last week.

Hesston joined the Class 3A rankings at No. 5 after a 23-16 victory over previously ranked Hoisington.

Gavin Larson played a key role on both sides of the ball for the Swathers. Larson caught two touchdown passes, intercepted two passes, forced a fumble and sealed the victory with an interception in the end zone.

Hesston travels to Pratt this week.

Buhler is among the teams considered in Class 4A after improving to 2-0. Haven, also 2-0, is receiving consideration in Class 2A, while Hutchinson Central Christian is among the teams considered in Eight-Man Division II.

Hutchinson fell to 0-2 after a 55-13 loss to No. 2 Derby. The Panthers scored 49 points in the first half and remain behind only Mill Valley in Class 6A.

Derby running back Da'Von Morrison rushed for 191 yards and three touchdowns, while quarterback Blade Clark accounted for four touchdowns.

Mill Valley remained No. 1 in 6A after defeating then-No. 2 Manhattan 21-7. Manhattan fell to No. 3 despite an 0-2 start against two of the region’s top teams.

Maize is No. 4 following a 48-6 victory over Salina South, while Lawrence Free State rounds out the top five.

Great Bend remains No. 4 in Class 4A after defeating McPherson 21-3. The Panthers improved to 2-0, while McPherson fell to 1-1 and remains among the teams considered.

Andale continues to hold the No. 1 spot in Class 3A after extending its winning streak to 28 games with a 73-7 victory over El Dorado. Cheney moved up to No. 2 after shutting out Conway Springs 37-0.

In Eight-Man Division I, Lincoln moved into the No. 1 position after a 78-0 victory over Pike Valley. South Central slipped to No. 2 after losing 30-28 to Reno County Homeschool.

Hanover remains No. 1 in Eight-Man Division II, while Weskan continues to lead the Six-Man rankings.

Kpreps.com rankings

Class 6A

1. No. 1 Mill Valley (2-0)
2. No. 2 Derby (2-0)
3. No. 3 Manhattan (0-2)
4. No. 4 Maize (2-0)
5. No. 5 Lawrence Free State (2-0)

Others considered: Blue Valley Northwest (1-1), Dodge City (2-0), Garden City (2-0), Gardner-Edgerton (1-1), Lawrence (1-1), Olathe North (1-1), Olathe Northwest (1-1), Olathe West (1-1), Shawnee Mission East (1-1), Shawnee Mission North (2-0), Wichita East (2-0), Wichita Northwest (0-2).

Class 5A

1. No. 1 Kapaun Mt. Carmel (2-0)
2. No. 2 St. James Academy (2-0)
3. No. 3 Basehor-Linwood (2-0)
4. No. 4 Hays (2-0)
5. No. 5 Blue Valley (2-0)

Others considered: Andover (2-0), Bishop Carroll (2-0), Blue Valley North (1-1), De Soto (2-0), Goddard (1-1), KC Piper (2-0), Salina Central (1-1), Salina South (1-1), Spring Hill (2-0).

Class 4A

1. No. 1 Bishop Miege (2-0)
2. No. 2 St. Thomas Aquinas (0-2)
3. No. 3 Eudora (2-0)
4. No. 4 Great Bend (2-0)
5. No. 5 Wamego (2-0)

Others considered: Arkansas City (2-0), Buhler (2-0), Louisburg (2-0), McPherson (1-1), Mulvane (1-1), Ottawa (2-0), Tonganoxie (1-1), Wellington (2-0).

Class 3A

1. No. 1 Andale (2-0)
2. No. 2 Cheney (2-0)
3. No. 3 Holcomb (1-1)
4. No. 4 Jefferson West (2-0)
5. No. 5 Hesston (2-0)

Others considered: Baldwin (1-1), Chapman (2-0), Frontenac (2-0), Girard (2-0), Hoisington (1-1), Nemaha Central (1-1), Pratt (1-1), Santa Fe Trail (2-0), Topeka Hayden (0-2), Wellsville (2-0), Wichita Collegiate (2-0).

Class 2A

1. No. 1 Sabetha (2-0)
2. No. 2 Silver Lake (2-0)
3. No. 3 Council Grove (2-0)
4. No. 4 Garden Plain (1-1)
5. No. 5 Southeast of Saline (2-0)

Others considered: Beloit (1-1), Caney Valley (2-0), Chaparral (2-0), Douglass (2-0), Haven (2-0), Neodesha (2-0), Osage City (1-1), Phillipsburg (1-1), Riley County (1-1), Riverside (2-0), Riverton (2-0).

Class 1A

1. No. 1 Sterling (2-0)
2. No. 2 Inman (2-0)
3. No. 3 Rossville (1-1)
4. No. 4 Smith Center (2-0)
5. No. 5 Thomas More Prep-Marian (2-0)

Others considered: Centralia (0-2), Hillsboro (1-1), Maur Hill-Mount Academy (2-0), McLouth (2-0), Moundridge (1-1), Olpe (1-1), Sacred Heart (2-0).

Eight-Man Division I

1. No. 1 Lincoln (2-0)
2. No. 2 South Central (1-1)
3. No. 3 Leoti-Wichita County (2-0)
4. No. 4 Central Plains (2-0)
5. No. 5 Oswego (2-0)

Others considered: Atwood-Rawlins County (1-1), Chase County (2-0), Hill City (1-1), Hoxie (2-0), Oberlin-Decatur County (1-1), Oxford (1-1), South Sumner County (2-0), Southeast-Cherokee (2-0), WaKeeney-Trego (1-1).

Eight-Man Division II

1. No. 1 Hanover (2-0)
2. No. 2 Axtell (2-0)
3. No. 3 Little River (2-0)
4. No. 4 Sylvan-Lucas Unified (2-0)
5. No. 5 Hodgeman County (2-0)

Others considered: Argonia-Attica (1-1), Cunningham (2-0), Dighton (2-0), Flinthills (1-1), Frankfort (2-0), Hutchinson Central Christian (2-0), Lebo (2-0), Linn (1-0), Osborne (1-1), Quinter (2-0), Sedan (1-1), Sharon Springs-Wallace County (1-0), Troy (2-0), Victoria (1-1).

Six-Man

1. No. 1 Weskan (2-0)
2. No. 2 Tescott (2-0)
3. No. 3 Ingalls (2-0)
4. No. 4 South Barber (1-1)
5. No. 5 Otis-Bison (2-0)

Others considered: Ashland (2-0), Bucklin (2-0), Chetopa (2-0), Cheylin (2-0), Golden Plains (1-0), Logan (2-0), Marais des Cygnes Valley (2-0), Peabody-Burns (1-1), Wheatland-Grinnell (2-0).