Newton
Last Season: 0-9
Newton is coming off a winless season, but Taylor Counts said the program’s 2026 focus is on taking another step forward and finally creating momentum and excitement around Railer football. The message is simple: start faster, win games and show clear progress in Counts’ third season.
The returning roster gives Newton more experience than a typical 0-9 team, especially with veterans like Kane Wise, Clyde Thomas, Christian Henderson, Cason Horton, Kingston Henry, Jaxson Hiebert and Landyn Rains back. Henderson is the most proven two-way difference-maker after posting 403 receiving yards, three touchdowns, 34 tackles, three sacks and 10 tackles for loss, while Horton had 41 tackles and Hiebert added 36.
Kingston Henry, Thomas and Rains also bring back production on offense, and the Railers should be more competitive if that experience translates early. With Valley Center, Arkansas City, Andover Central, Goddard, Salina Central, Eisenhower, Andover and Maize on the schedule, Newton will find out quickly whether the rebuild is gaining traction.
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