Class 6A Capsules
Campus
Last Season: 3-6
Campus comes off a 3-6 season and returns a modest amount of experience on both sides of the ball. The Colts’ questionnaire notes they bring back four offensive starters and five defensive starters, so a good senior class will have to carry a lot of the weight.
Quarterback Kaeden Lamp, running back Keton Tarango, receiver Jadyn Ditch and tight end Julian Cruz headline the offense, giving Campus returning production at every skill spot. Up front, Austin Harmon, Ben Dalton, Jonah Amos and Josh Long are listed in the offensive starting mix as the Colts try to stabilize the line.
Defensively, returning starters include Dalton, Amos, Cruz, Harmon and defensive back Jacob Pennington. Campus describes its offense as spread and its defense as a 3-4, so how quickly those returning pieces mesh with new starters will determine whether the Colts can move closer to .500 or better.
Derby
Last Season: 8-4
Derby heads into 2026 looking like a typical Panthers contender again after an 8-4 season that ended in the 6A state semifinals under longtime head coach Brandon Clark. Over Clark’s 20 years as a head coach, Derby has reached the state semifinals 15 times, played in nine title games and won six state championships, so expectations remain high.
The Panthers return seven offensive starters and three defensive starters, with most of their skill talent back. Senior quarterback Blade Clark is an all-state, all-league honorable mention returner, and he’ll again work with first-team 6A running back Arieus Finley, all-state offensive lineman Weston Jackson and experienced lineman Kaelin Scarth.
Derby also brings back all-state receivers Davon Morrison and Michael Castillo plus rising junior tight end Chyler Walker and returning starter Talon Cunningham, giving Clark a deep, veteran skill group. Defensively, the Panthers return key linebackers Brody Hopper and Taylen Washington, safety Braylon Reed, leading tackler Mason Moalitele and kicker/punter Trip Holsinger, who has started since his freshman year.
Clark said the keys to 2026 are playing assignment-sound football in all three phases and delivering consistent performances week to week. With a brand-new defensive line but experienced linebackers and secondary pieces, Derby’s ability to reload up front will likely decide how far this roster can go.
Wichita East
Last Season: 6-4
Wichita East is coming off a 6-4 season and returns solid experience, particularly along the offensive front. The Aces bring back four offensive starters and six defensive starters, so they should have enough veterans to stay competitive in the City League.
Offensively, East’s questionnaire lists two returning linemen as anchors up front and notes that the team will operate from a spread attack designed to get athletes in space. On defense, six starters are back in a 3-4 structure that emphasizes speed and physicality at the point of attack.
The document does not give full individual stat lines, but it makes clear that East expects its returning core to provide leadership and stability. Given last year’s winning record and the balance of returning starters, the Aces look like a team capable of pushing back toward the upper half of the league again.
Wichita Heights
Last Season: 1-8
Wichita Heights is trying to bounce back from consecutive losing seasons, but Dominick Dingle’s 2026 outlook suggests the Falcons have enough defensive experience to become much more competitive. Heights lost nine offensive starters, yet it returns all-league and all-state brothers Chris and Chaylen Bodney, who led the team in major offensive categories last year.
The Falcons’ biggest offensive question is quarterback, with Armonie Lopez, Yohan Thang and DJ Hicks all taking first-team snaps during the summer. Chaylen Bodney is a proven big-play threat after posting 492 receiving yards, 267 rushing yards, 12 total touchdowns and 274 kickoff return yards, while Chris Bodney added 31 catches for 351 yards.
Defensively, Heights looks stronger, led by Jadian Smith and Zayden Allen after both topped 100 tackles in 2025, plus Tyson Phillips, who already holds several Division I offers. With a 4-2-5 base, experienced secondary help and a brutal schedule, staying healthy may be the biggest factor in whether the Falcons can turn those close losses into wins.
Wichita North
Last Season: 0-9
Wichita North enters 2026 under first-year head coach Lee Weber with a full rebuild mindset after an 0-9 season in which the RedHawks were outscored 546-20. Weber said the immediate goal is not just to win eventually, but first to close the gap competitively by winning plays, drives, quarters and halves.
North returns six offensive starters and nine defensive starters, so there is at least a base of experience to work with. Valentin Prado, Ricky Alvarado, Xavier Bennett, Mauricio Mauro, Jhett Haberly, Keylin Williams, Julian Vizcarra and twins Brendon and Brandon Welch are identified as the main returning impact players.
The RedHawks will run a spread offense and a 3-4 defense, with Weber emphasizing effort, discipline, tackling and ball security as the core of the rebuild. North may still be a year away from real traction, but the tone of the preview makes it clear the program expects to be tougher and more competitive right away.
Wichita Northwest
Last Season: 9-2
The overall preview makes clear that Northwest again expects to be competitive because of its line play and top-end young talent.
Steve Martin’s Grizzlies return five offensive starters and six defensive starters, with the offensive and defensive lines described as the anchors of the team. Brock Martin, Maddox McGinnis and Justin Roberts lead the offensive front, while Aiden Edwards and Caius Garolla give the defensive line a strong base.
The biggest storyline is replacing three-year starting quarterback Jaylen Mason, but Northwest has a major weapon in sophomore running back Zy’Air Burton, who already holds early offers from Penn State, Kansas, Kansas State and Arkansas State. Jaeynn Ligon is the main returning receiver, while Dallas Gray and Kyhron Taylor headline a defense that Martin believes can support the team while younger pieces develop.
Wichita South
Last Season: 3-6
Wichita South enters 2026 believing its defense can set the tone after returning eight starters from last year’s 3-6 team. Russ Wells said the Titans graduated several experienced offensive seniors, so the defense is expected to lead while the offense searches for a new identity.
South runs a shotgun spread on offense and a 3-4 on defense. The Titans return five offensive starters, with Jaden Logue, Ja’Marion Peters, De’Moni Harris, Ayden Rojas, Angel Rueda, Demareo Baldwin and Larry Sandifer among the key names expected to take on bigger roles.
Defensively, Harris already gives South proven production after recording 78 tackles, eight tackles for loss and three sacks, while Ronnie Davis returns after leading the team with two interceptions. Wells’ outlook suggests South trusts its athletic skill players, but the biggest question is whether the offense can replace the graduated production of R. Johnson and J. Rosko quickly enough.
Wichita Southeast
Last Season: 7-3
Wichita Southeast is coming off a 7-3 season and looks dangerous again because Corby Milleson says the defense remains the program’s identity while six starters return on both sides of the ball. The Golden Buffalo also add Derby transfers Mikail Phillips and Ja’Maree Jones, which should help cover some personnel losses.
Offensively, Southeast will stay in its flexbone system and build around senior quarterback Mack Obar and standout running back Kedrick Harrison, who rushed for 1,523 yards at 6.6 yards per carry with nine touchdowns in 2025. Obar, David Cooks, Tyzhiere Williams, Will Obar and Brandon Dixon give the offense an experienced skill group, but Milleson said replacing the entire offensive line is the biggest concern.
Defensively, Southeast plans to stay highly aggressive, even noting that it wants to blitz on every snap and send four-, five-, six- and seven-man pressures. Kenny Jackson, Kearion Harrison, Will Obar, Evan Brashear, Keon Moses, Keandre Phillips and transfer Mikail Phillips give the Buffaloes a strong core on that side, so if the young line matures fast enough, this still looks like a high-upside team.
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