By Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Today high school football season starts. Here’s a look at the season ahead and tonight’s games.

The 2025 Conway Springs football team.

Conway Springs (0-0) at Nickerson (0-0)

The preseason K-Preps poll came out this week, and guess who is No. 1 in Class 1A? Yes, Conway Springs tops the list as the favorite to win a third straight state championship. Here’s the poll in Class 1A:

1. Conway Springs
2. Jackson Heights
3. Centralia
4. Rossville
5. Plainville.

Conway Springs will be traveling to Nickerson tonight in what should be a winnable game for the defending champion. Last season, Conway Springs defeated Nickerson 42-0, kicking off its 13-0 season.

To repeat, Conway Springs will need the young players to step up after losing 11 players from the 2024 team. The Cardinal single wing offense will rely on a veteran offensive line anchored by third-year returning starter Ashton Stull and second-year starters Cohen Newell, Bryson Lange, and Caleb Newell.

The defense will need to be physical up front, with defensive linemen Konner Bidwell, Ca. Newell and Adon Rodrigues are back for another year.

Logan Osner, a 6-2, 170-pound running back, will return as the primary running back, rushing for 1,238 yards and 12 touchdowns. Conway Springs has 40 players on this year’s team, including five returning offensive starters and four returning defensive starters.

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South Sumner’s Caleb Boone during a scrimmage at Chaparral.

Pleasanton (0-0) at South Sumner (0-0) at South Haven. 

South Sumner will be embarking on its second season in 11-man football. Last year, the Outlaws were 3-6. One of those wins came against Pleasanton 49-7 in 2024.

The Outlaws are returning eight starting offensive players and eight defensive players. One of those players is quarterback dual-threat Mak Blosser, a junior. In 2024, he threw for 1,310 yards passing, including 15 touchdowns and 391 yards rushing and six scores on the ground.

Maddox Pond, a junior, returns as a wide receiver with 210 yards receiving and three touchdowns.

“We’re excited to get the 2025 season started and see what another year of experience brings to this team,” said Sean Blosser, who is in his fourth year as the South Sumner Coach. “We’ve got a strong core coming back up front on the offensive line, and that’s always a good place to start.”

Other starters include Caleb Boone, Jr., WR; Coal VanZant, Sr., OL; Dalton Kelly, Jr., OL; Tony Trillo, Jr., DL; Colt Schmidt, Jr., OL; Tanner Clark, So., TE.

Blosser states:

“We know we’re in a tough district, and every week is going to be a battle. But that’s the kind of football we want to play—competing at a high level and getting better every time we take the field. This group has a chance to do something special, and we’re looking forward to the journey.”

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Sedan (0-0) at Oxford (0-0) 

Oxford returns after a successful 2024 campaign, when it went 7-3 and reached the second round of the playoffs.

In 2024, the Wildcats defeated Sedan 46-0 in the season opener.

This year, Oxford had five returning starters and eight returning linemen.

Chase Douglas is slated as the starting quarterback to run the double wing offense with Xzavier McClamy and Logan Gaither as running backs.

Expect Oxford to run a ball-control offense.

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West Elk (0-0) at Argonia-Attica (at Argonia) 

The A&A Titans return after a 7-3 season with some holes to fill. There are two returning starters: quarterback Carson Vineyard (5-9, 165, sr.) and running back Maddex Hemberger (5-10, 150, jr.). Their first game will be a tough one, against West Elk, which defeated the Titans 46-0 in 2024.

“We will look for Vineyard to carry the load on both sides of the football,” said Luke Greenwood, who is embarking on his 13th year as head coach. “We should have good team speed, but lack team size.”

A&A will have to replace the majority of the offensive and defensive lines. Greenwood states:

“We will rely heavily on some of our younger players stepping up as we return very few upper classmen. We hope to compete each week and get better as the year progresses to hopefully earn a playoff spot.”

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Belle Plaine (0-0) at Medicine Lodge (0-0) 

The Dragons are looking to break a 12-game losing streak when they travel to Medicine Lodge. This marks Michael Fox’s second season.

Belle Plaine returns Talan Hefley (281 rushing yards, one touchdown, 310 yards, 49 tackles, two sacks and one interception). Other returning starters include Sawyer Ehrhart and Mattix Bruner.