Newton’s Jonathan Hill – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Dustin Remme State Farm
By Matt Browning The Newton football team struggled to a two-win season in 2024, so Jonathan Hill and his fellow Railers made it a priority to become better teammates to each other. “I am hoping to have a stronger bond with the team as we have had group hangouts and went on camping trips to […]
Eisenhower’s Brayden Pappas – Running Back Poll Winner – Presented by WSU Tech
By Matt Browning It’s difficult to imagine Eisenhower running back Brayden Pappas being much better than he was last season when he rushed for 1,215 yards with seven touchdowns. But there was something he noticed in his running style that perhaps prevented him from even more yards. “One area I want to Improve on is […]
Circle’s Franklin Ekue – Specialist Poll Winner – Presented by Salina Tech
For the longest time in Circle High School’s senior leader Franklin Ekue’s life he was a dedicated soccer player. That all changed in seventh grade when he gave football a chance. The last few years, Ekue has been at Wichita Northwest and has been playing all over the field whether that is his most consistent […]
Clearwater’s Garrison Wells – Running Back Poll Winner – Presented by WSU Tech
By Matt Browning With many younger players joining the roster, Clearwater running back Garrison Wells is looking forward to seeing how they blend with the returning varsity players. “I can’t wait to see how the younger players joining the varsity team this year will contribute,” Wells said. “Their involvement is a great chance for them to […]
Wichita Trinity’s Zac Zimmerman – Quarterback Poll Winner – Presented by Visit Wichita
By Matt Browning Wichita Trinity’s Zac Zimmerman’s stat line from last season was impressive. The senior quarterback threw for 24 touchdowns and rushed for three more, as well totaling over 2,800 yards through the air and ground. So what does Zimmerman have planned for his junior season? “The biggest thing I want to improve on […]
Hesston Football – Team of the Month – Presented by Visit Wichita
Photo by: Pam Weaver Photography By Matt Browning Hesston coach Tyson Bauerle does not define his team’s success based on wins and losses or how far they advance in the playoffs. It’s all about potential. “A successful season would mean the team reached as close to our overall potential as possible,” Bauerle said. “We have a […]
Newton’s Kolbie Espada – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Acapulco Restaurant and Cantina
By Matt Browning Newton quarterback Kolbie Espada took over as the starter in Week 3 and completed over 50 percent of his passes, while throwing six touchdowns with 603 yards. Who knows what his final stat line would have been if he hadn’t hurt himself in Week 7, but those four games gave Espada the […]
Cheney’s Nolan Durr – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by DCS Services
Photo by: YellowHouse Photography By Matt Browning The Cheney football program graduated plenty of seniors off last year’s roster that provided leadership and direction. Defensive lineman Nolan Durr, who is one of the few returning starters, is now ready to be that guy for the Cardinals in 2025. “We’ve got guys who’ve been working hard […]
Hesston’s Ethan Coutre – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Advanced Physical Therapy
By Matt Browning The expectations are high for the Hesston Swather football team for the 2025 season and returning all-state defensive lineman Ethan Coutre can’t wait for it to start. “I’m most excited for our team to be able to display the work we’ve put in over the summer and show what we can do […]
Wichita Collegiate’s Ali Al-Sukin – Athlete Spotlight – Presented by Alexandria Johnson Shelter Insurance
By Matt Browning Last season as a junior, Wichita Collegiate offensive lineman Ali Al-Sukin took a significant step forward in his career by earning first team all-league honors. Al-Sukin has big plans for his 2025 campaign that he hopes leads to even bigger accolades. “My individual goals would be to be all state first team […]