Conway Springs to battle Jefferson County North for a Class 1A State Championship… game has been moved up an hour
By Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Conway Springs will be battling Jefferson County North for the Class 1A State Championship… tentatively. It depends on this snowy winter storm blowing through Kansas tomorrow. The Class 1A State Championship game has been moved up an hour in Hays from 1 p.m. to noon. Plan accordingly.
While the extent of the storm is unknown at this time, the game itself is a certainty. Somehow, this game will get played. And Conway Springs has the chance of winning its eighth state title in its 10th appearance at a state championship game.
Conway Springs has won a state title in 1998, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2011. It was state runner-up in 1969 and 2010.
The Cardinals will be playing a team that has never been in a state championship game. Jefferson North is located northeast of Topeka and west of Leavenworth. The Chargers qualified after knocking off No. 1 ranked St. Mary’s Colgan 20-13 last week in the state semifinals.
In that game, SMC led 13-0, but Jefferson North pulled within five with a touchdown and two-point conversion at halftime. Then, in the third quarter, quarterback Grady Noll hit Calvin Manville for an 11 fourth-down touchdown pass, culminating a long, time-consuming drive.
Jefferson County North has posted five winning seasons under Jeff Schneider and hasn’t posted a double-digit win season since 2017. It defeated Centralia 16-0 and Olpe 52-0 to get to the state semifinals.
As for Conway Springs, Matt Biehler’s troops are hungry after beating Medicine Lodge 34-19 last week in the state semifinals in front of a raucous home crowd. The Cardinals are currently on a 10-game winning streak that stretched back to game two when it lost to Kingman 40-19.
Conway Springs has an experienced group that is led by Brayden Kunz, a 6-1, 190 pound senior running back, who has rushed for 2,506 yards. The last time Conway Spring hoisted a state championship trophy it was against Silver Lake after winning 49-7.
It should be a fun game at Fort Hays State University. We will keep you updated on Twitter.
