Ad Astra Radio is previewing area football teams, based on county. Today, we preview western Sedgwick County.
Previous previews:
Aug. 25: Pawnee County.
Aug. 26: Kingman County
Andale Indians
Coach: Dylan Schmidt, ninth season (97-4, 100-10 overall)
Classification: 3A
District: 6
2024: 13-0
Postseason: Beat Concordia 51-7; beat Clay Center 74-0; beat Cheney 52-14; beat Holcomb 55-14; beat Topeka Hayden 36-19
Best postseason finish: State champions, 2006, 2007, 2014, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2024.
Top returning players: Sam Harp, sr., QB/DB; Jack Horsch, sr., RB/LB; Emery Craft, sr., OL/DL; Hunter Grimes, sr., TE/LB; Lane Parthemer, sr., RB/DB; Jrayton Dansel, RB/DL; Seth Fernandez, jr., PK.
Key game: Sept. 12 vs. Wellington. Andale tends to play in one or two barnburners every season, and this was one such instance last season. Both teams were hit by graduation, but both should be good again.
Outlook: On one hand, Andale graduated the entire offensive line, the hallmark and bread and butter for Andale year after year. On the other hand, do you really think coach Dylan Schmidt was just going to let future offensive lines go by the wayside? Nobody should expect Andale’s line to have a tremendous drop off, but it’ll be interesting to see how the new line performs in some big September games vs. Wellington and Wichita Collegiate. The backfield has plenty of weapons, including three-year starting QB Sam Harp, who ran for more than 1,000 yards and passed for more than 800. Jack Horsch was a blazer out of the backfield, and look for Lane Parthemer and Jrayton Dansel to take on bigger roles. Hunter Grimes should be one of the state’s best defensive players. Yes, Andale has some question marks, but how often have those not been answered affirmatively? Bet against a team that has won 97 of its last 101 games at your own peril.
Cheney Cardinals
Coach: Shelby Wehrmann, ninth season (69-20)
Classification: 3A
District 7
2024: 9-2
Postseason: beat Wichita Trinity 63-14; beat Wichita Collegiate 14-6; lost to Andale 52-14
Best postseason finish: State champions, 2023.
Top returning players: Wyatt Starnsm sr., OL; Deitric McDaniel, sr., WR/DB; Nolan Durr, sr., TE/DL; Maximus Miller, sr., RB/LB; Reece Tolar, sr., LB; Ayden Koehn, jr., OL/DE
Key game: Oct. 17 vs. Wichita Collegiate. Cheney always seems to get one of the top district games in the state. This one wasn’t very good last year, as Colleigate won going away 31-7, but Cheney got its revenge in the playoffs. Cheney will get another great gauge headed to the postseason with what should be the district championship game.
Outlook: The job Shelby Wehrman has done in Cheney cannot be discounted. If it wasn’t for Andale, Cheney might have two or three titles by now instead of one. Cheney should still win plenty of games this season, but like other fellow 3A powers, there are questions. All-galaxy QB Josh Burdick has graduated, but the offensive line has some great pieces back, and Maximus Miller is a good running back. There won’t be a lot of time to figure things out, as Cheney starts with a trip to 3A semifinalist Holcomb, and also plays strong 2A teams in Garden Plain and Hoisington. Cheney now has something it hasn’t had much of in its history – a winning tradition. Wins, especially in November, are now the expectation. This season should be no different than most under Wehrman.
Garden Plain Owls
Coach: Todd Rice, fourth season (113-73 overall)
Classification: 2A
District: 5
2024: 8-3
Postseason: Beat Douglass 48-0; beat Phillipsburg 28-0; lost to Beloit 19-0
Best postseason finish: State champions, 2007
Top returning players: Emrick Hays, sr., RB/LB; Pete McGregor, sr., RB/DB; Cooper Baker, sr., WR/LB; Sebastian Beying, sr., RB/DB; Eli Eck, sr., QB/DB; Kyle Koester, sr., OL/DL; Gabe Stuhlsatz, sr., OL/DL; Tucker Tomson, sr. OL/DL; Jack Helten, jr., RB/LB; Todd Hillman, jr., OL/DL; Hunter Kampling, jr., WR/LB; Matthew Mans, jr., RB/DB; Carter Tasset, jr., OL/DL; Carter Baker, so., WR/DL; Braylen Dold, so. RB/DB; Jared Flax, so., WR/DL; Easton Pauly, so., OL/DL; Brock Randolph, so., OL/DL; Wyatt Stuhlsatz, so., RB/LB
Key game: Sept. 12 at Conway Springs. Credit to Garden Plain. These non-district games are brutal, and the Owls’ trip to take on the reigning 1A champion will be a great early test.
Outlook: Garden Plain has made rapid strides under Rice, and last year the Owls reached the state quarterfinals. With 20 lettermen back, Garden Plain has high expectations again. The flexbone system is established, and the seniors have utilized it throughout their high school careers. Garden Plain did graduate a good senior class, and there is a lot of youth that is expected to play significant downs, but the Owls have a top running back in Emrick Hays and a top linebacker in Pete McGregor. As already mentioned, the non-district schedule is brutal, but that should give Garden Plain a leg up come district play. The Owls will be as tested as anyone in the district.
