Kpreps.com has released its high school football preseason rankings with several Reno County-area programs and nearby schools earning recognition ahead of the 2025 season.
Buhler, which reached the Class 4A semifinals last fall, begins the year ranked No. 4. The Crusaders return standout running back Ben Clouse, who missed the end of last season due to injury, and a veteran offensive line that helped power last year’s nine-win campaign. Bishop Miege is ranked No. 1 in 4A, followed by Kapaun Mt. Carmel and defending champion Andover Central, with Wamego just behind Buhler at No. 5.
In Eight-Man Division I, Little River opens at No. 5 after finishing 8-3 a year ago. The Redskins return junior playmaker Jaren Garrison, who rushed for 889 yards and 12 touchdowns, and four of their top five tacklers. Wichita County tops the 8M-I poll, with South Central, Central Plains and Ell-Saline also ranked.
Several other local teams are expected to be contenders even if they didn’t crack the preseason top five. McPherson, which returns a strong nucleus under coach Jace Pavlovich, opens the year just outside the Class 5A poll and faces third-ranked Great Bend in its opener. Inman, a state semifinalist in 2023, received votes in Class 1A. Hutchinson, Sterling and Pretty Prairie were also among area programs recognized in preseason discussions.
Elsewhere, Derby holds the top ranking in Class 6A, while two-time defending champion St. Thomas Aquinas is No. 1 in 5A. Andale, winners of five of the last six state titles, tops Class 3A, with Southeast of Saline, Conway Springs, Axtell and Weskan ranked No. 1 in Classes 2A, 1A, Eight-Man II and Six-Man, respectively.
Kansas Preseason Football Rankings (Kpreps.com)
Class 6A
- Derby
- Gardner-Edgerton
- Manhattan
- Wichita Northwest
- Blue Valley Northwest
Class 5A
- St. Thomas Aquinas
- Mill Valley
- Great Bend
- Hays
- St. James Academy
Class 4A
- Bishop Miege
- Kapaun Mt. Carmel
- Andover Central
- Buhler
- Wamego
Class 3A
- Andale
- Topeka Hayden
- Cheney
- Wellsville
- Wichita Collegiate
Class 2A
- Southeast of Saline
- Nemaha Central
- Osage City
- Beloit
- Garden Plain
Class 1A
- Conway Springs
- Jackson Heights
- Centralia
- Rossville
- Plainville
Eight-Man I
- Leoti-Wichita County
- South Central
- Central Plains
- Ell-Saline
- Little River
Eight-Man II
- Axtell
- Victoria
- Hanover
- Frankfort
- Burlingame
Six-Man
- Weskan
- Cunningham
- Golden Plains
- South Barber
- Tescott