Conway Springs players with Mulvane cousins: Grant Mooneyham, Andrew Friess and Aaron May.

The Blaine cousins: Chase and Dalton Blaine.

by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — They say we are all related somehow if you just keep digging through history.

But come this Friday when Conway Springs plays at Mulvane this Friday for the first time in like forever, it may feel like an all-in-the-family affair.

Ok. It’s not like Conway Springs vs. Garden Plain where it is a civil war amongst family members on an annual basis. But there is a surprising amount of family linkage between those who play for Conway Springs and those who play for Mulvane.

There are four sets of cousins involving three families for Friday’s game:

Cousin Chase Blaine is playing his Mulvane cousin Dalton Blaine.

Cousins Grant Mooneyham and Aaron May are playing cousin Hank May.

Cousin Andrew Friess is playing Mulvane cousin Bayley Coon.

Kind of neat little twist for two football teams that are virtually strangers.

Mulvane is a member of Class 4A. Conway Springs is in Class 3A. Not only do the two teams not see one another but they don’t even have common opponents.

But due a scheduling quirk, both schools needed a game on this particular weekend. Thus, the contest came to fruition.

As for the everlasting impact of this game, there is none. It is the final non-district game of the year. Next week, the teams play in district competition which will determine who gets in and who does not get into the playoffs. This non-league game is basically for pride.

The Cardinals are 5-0 having scored more than 45 points in four of its five games. Mulvane is 3-2, but the two losses have come to powerhouses Andale and Maize South.

Conway Springs head coach Matt Biehler said the four men with Mulvane relatives are big parts of the Cardinal football program.

“Chase Blaine is one of our starting cornerbacks,” Biehler said. “He has six solo tackles and four assists, three pass breakups and one interception.”

Mooneyham is the starting center and plays defensive tackle on defense. May is a safety and has had 24 tackles for the season – 14 solo and one fumble recovery.

Friess is a linebacker with 14 tackles on the season.

As far as one on one contact, the Blaine cousins will most certainly be battling it out against the other. Chase Blaine, a junior, will probably have to cover his wide receiver cousin Dalton, who is a senior for Mulvane. That should make for an interesting matchup. Wonder what the two will say to one another?

As for the others, both Mooneyham and May expect to come in contact with Hank somewhere during the game. Friess doubts he will meet up with Coon, since he’s a kicker.

So what will it feel like playing against your cousins?

“Oh, boy. We have got to win,” said Mooneyham, shaking his head. “Man, it will make for a long Fourth of July holiday, when we get together with Hank. Hate to hear him talk smack all day.”

The kickoff for the football game is 7 p.m. in Mulvane.

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