Ad Astra Radio is previewing our area high school football teams based on county. Today, we will preview Reno County.
Previous previews:
Buhler Crusaders
Coach: Steve Warner, 18th season (155-51; 37 years overall, 275-112)
Classification: 4A
District: West
2023: 7-3
Postseason: Beat Ulysses 62-16; lost to McPherson 26-3
Best postseason finish. State champions, 2013
Top returning players: Tanner Brown, sr., OL; Bodey Redenbaugh, jr., OT/DT; Brendan Scripsick, sr., DE; Mitchel McDaniel, sr., RB; Jeremy Gentry, sr., WR/DB; Cash Carson, sr., WR/DT; Chase Gentry, sr., DT; Will Hanen, sr., LB; Nick Gazaway, sr., LB; Jacob Miller, jr., LB; Jarod Miller, jr., WR/DB; Brady Gotti, sr., DB; Cruz Hershberger, sr., DE; Ben Clouse, jr., RB; Quentin Pisano, sr., WR.
Key game: Oct. 4 vs. Wamego. First of all, major shoutout to these two schools for playing each other. These outside-the-box games have so much more appeal for fans than a standard non-division AVCTL game. Wamego athletics have been on a roll, Wamego reached the state championship game in 2022 and the semifinals last season. And with Wamego being in 4A West, this will be a golden chance for Buhler to establish itself as one of the favorites on this half of the state.
Outlook: Buhler needs a quarterback. That much is known. The Neill brothers – Bradley and Jeffrey – have been under center for the last five years. Warner says Jacob Miller or Scripsick will compete for that spot. The offensive line – long a Warner staple and strength – is also being retooled. At least the defense returns intact, and Buhler will have to rely on that unit early. Some low-scoring games may be in the cards. There aren’t many layups on the schedule, and Wamego, Great Bend and McPherson in particular will be challenging. If the offensive gets going by October and Buhler can win at least one of those tough games, they’ll be a contender in a balanced 4A West.
Central Christian Cougars
Coach: Matt Barnett, second season (6-4)
Classification: Eight-man Division 2
District: 5
2023: 6-4
Postseason: Beat St. Paul 48-24; lost to Axtell 52-6
Top returning players: Nate Reed, sr. QB/LB; Ry Kooiman, sr., RB/DB; Keaton Miller, sr., OL/DL; Caleb Glover, sr., OL/DL; Tucker Clark, sr., WR/DB; Jayden Linscheid, sr., TE/LB; Konnor Sullivan, jr., OL/DL; Piercen Huff, jr., WR/DB; Luke Eigst, so., WR/DB
Key game: Oct. 11 vs. Attica/Argonia. It’s imperative to win this district, because District 6 is stacked and you want to play the fourth-place team if at all possible. Plus, a second-round game would be at home for the winner, and the traveling team will come a long way away. This could be a big one.
Outlook: Central Christian is on the rise with seven starters back on both sides of the ball from a young squad that competed well week to week. There are athletes galore – four players combined for more than 1,600 yards from scrimmage – and Nate Reed is one of the more exciting quarterbacks around. This won’t be a big team, but Central Christian rarely has size. What the best Cougars teams have done is use their athletes for big plays on offense and be a pest on defense. The early schedule is rugged, so we’ll get a good idea of what Central Christian can do long before October.
Fairfield Falcons
Coach: Kyle Finder, second season (1-8)
Classification: Eight-man Division 2
District: 5
2023: 1-8
Postseason: Did not qualify
Best postseason finish: Quarterfinals, 1995
Top returning players: Connor Fowler, sr., QB/DB; Garrett Lanning, sr., OL/DL; Chase Combs, jr., OL/LB; Gavin Foster, so., OL/DL; Brodie Snodgrass, jr., RB/DB; Gage Brown, jr., RB/DB; Lane Schwab, jr., RB/DB; Lukas Schwab, jr., TE/LB; William McIver, so., RB/DB
Key game: Oct. 11 vs. Pretty Prairie. It would be a boon for Fairfield to make the playoffs, and this is a big opportunity for the Falcons to get a district win.
Outlook: Excitement is high for the Falcons, who return many players and have ample depth. They competed better last year than they have in some time, despite a winless regular season. Fowler rushed for more than 1,000 yards and also had 70 tackles. Fairfield has a chance to gather some early momentum, as the Falcons open with Hartford, whom they beat last season in the final game of the season. For a program that hasn’t won much, they have to take advantage of the winnable games. A playoff berth isn’t out of the question, but again, the Falcons need to learn how to win. Like losing, winning is contagious. Get one, another is sure to follow for Fairfield.
Hutchinson Salthawks
Coach: Mike Vernon, seventh season (31-27, 60-46 overall)
Classification: 5A
District: West
2023: 7-3
Postseason: Beat Wichita West 52-28; lost to Maize South 21-20
Best postseason finish: State champions, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011.
Top returning players: Terrell King, sr., ATH; Spencer Riggs, sr., DB; Jackson Anderson, jr., LB; Taishaun Govain, sr., WR; Carter Morgan, sr., LB; Taysen Runyon, sr., K; Kevin Wilson, sr., LB; Kade Smith, sr. RB; Skylar Ray, sr. DL; Kaleb Cape, sr., OL; Kylan Mendoza, jr., OL; Christian Khokhar, sr. DL; Jaiden May, sr., DL; Mitchell Rice, sr., WR.
Key game: Oct. 25 at Maize South. Hutchinson has about six toss-up games this season, and this is one of them. With just four 5A schools on the schedule, the Salthawks don’t have many chances to secure tiebreakers. This is one of them against a team that the Salthawks were neck and neck with last season.
Outlook: One of coach Mike Vernon’s concerns about 2023 was a sense of complacency and comfortability. It happened in some ways. As a result, the Salthawks took a sideways step from a strong 2022, and Vernon will take it one step further and say 2023 was a disappointment. The Salthawks were good enough to play in the state championship game, no doubt. These Salthawks could be too. With Kapaun Mount Carmel dropping to 4A, 5A West is even more balanced than last year. With 14 starters back and five more lettermen, the Salthawks have plenty of talent back, led by Terrell King, and Kade Smith could go down as one of the best fullbacks the Salthawks have had in a decade. There are plenty of players with speed that will cause problems. The defensive back seven will be as good as any in Kansas. Depth will be a concern for the Salthawks, and there is a major question mark at quarterback. Last year’s starter, Robert Hunter, transferred to Wichita East, although Levi Kepler is back after transferring to and from Inman. Perhaps the biggest question mark is, again, complacency. If the Salthawks stay healthy, develop the quarterback position and don’t get comfortable, they should be – as many teams in 5A West will be – good enough to play for a state championship.
Nickerson Panthers
Coach: Taylor Bauman, third season (2-16)
Classification: 3A
District: 6
2023: 1-8
Postseason: Did not qualify
Best postseason finish: Quarterfinals, 2001
Top returning players: Addrick Nelson, sr, WR/DB; Keastin Abernathy, sr., TE/DE; Landen Hays, sr., RB/DB; Kris Monroe, jr., QB; Austin Peterson, jr., WR/DB; Riley Brawner, jr., TE/LB; Rylan Morrell, so., RB/LB; Zein Rector, so., OL/DL; Jayden Belote, jr., OL/DL
Key game: Oct. 11 at Lyons. A non-district game in the middle of district play may not seem like a big deal, but the schedule before this is brutal. The schedule softens late. A great chance for Nickerson to get a win before two more manageable district games.
Outlook: Nickerson lost quite a bit to graduation and scored just 38 points last season. Bauman said he thinks they’ll need to simplify the offensive and defensive schemes. But some athletes are returning, including quarterback Kris Monroe and running back Landen Hays. The defense returns many players who started or played significant downs. There isn’t much size, which Bauman hopes to counter with speed and athleticism. The first five games are brutal. Nickerson opens with 1A power Conway Springs before traveling to Haven. Then, the Panthers host a rising Halstead program before playing powerful Hesston and Andale back-to-back. But the last three games are much more manageable. If they can get through those five games healthy and keep a positive outlook, there are some wins on the table.
Pretty Prairie Bulldogs
Coach: Blake Lee, third season (6-12)
Classification: Eight-man Division 2
District: 5
2023: 2-7
Postseason: Did not qualify
Best postseason finish: State champions, 1993
Top returning players: Christian Chandler, OL/DE/LB; Matthew Rogers, OL/DE; Carter Stucky: QB/RB/DE; Rylan Reyes, OL/DT; Weston Smyth, FB/LB
Key game: Oct. 4 vs. Norwich. The battle for the playoff spots should be tight in this district. The winner of this game will assuredly make the playoffs, and for Pretty Prairie, they follow this game with another crucial game with Fairfield.
Outlook: The Bulldogs ended last season with promise, scoring 162 points in wins against Solomon and Udall. But they did lose some top players, including talented quarterback and linebacker Gage Bowers. Pretty Prairie will break in a new quarterback, with Carter Stucky primed to take over. There’s good size on the roster, especially on the offensive line, and so Blake Lee has opted to try a triple-option attack. If Pretty Prairie stays healthy, it should make the playoffs for the first time since 2020, and a home playoff game may not be out of the question either.
Trinity Catholic Celtics
Coach: Jordan Bell, 11th season (58-39)
Classification: 1A
District: 7
2023: 4-6
Postseason: Beat Plainville 25-6; lost to Medicine Lodge 17-14
Best postseason finish: State champions, 1979
Top returning players: Adrian Baca, OL; Drew Dechant, QB/DB; Isaac Hammersmith, OL/DL; Kaid McElgunn, WR/DB; Jackson Dozier, DB; Lucas Griffith, LB; Aidan Suter-Tan, LB.
Key game: Oct. 18 at Medicine Lodge. The distinct should go to Conway Springs, but the rest of the district seems up for grabs. Medicine Lodge was a state semifinalist last season, and Trinity lost twice to the Indians by a combined five points. The winner of this game should be in the mix for district runner-up.
Outlook: Jordan Bell’s program has been as steady and reliable as any around, and Bell probably doesn’t get the credit he deserves for that. While it appears Trinity lost a lot from an underrated team, Bell says he’s excited for this year’s group. The Celtics will still be a little young with a small senior class, but Bell praises the upperclassmen’s leadership, pointing out strong weight room attendance and summer camp at Southwestern College. The schedule isn’t easy, with five of the Celtics’ eight opponents having won at least one playoff game, which the Celtics did as well. It’s a balanced schedule too. Not many layups, but other than Conway Springs, no opponent that Trinity can’t say they can’t beat. Like last year, expect a lot of close games for the Celtics.
