by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — We are in week #8 in high school football – the final regular season game of the year. It is going to be intense.

Wellington (4-3) at Rose Hill (3-4)

The Crusaders are sitting with its best record since 2018 and should clinch a home field for the first round of the playoffs tonight at Rose Hill (see standings here). We broke down the various playoff scenarios here. Even if Wellington loses tonight, many things have to happen for it to lose the home-field advantage in the first round of the post-season.

On paper, Wellington has helped itself the past two weeks. Granted, it could have been better. They were a disputed last-second field goal away from beating McPherson, which would have made it 6-1 and the No. 2 seed in the Class 4A West. But a No. 5 seed is not a bad position to be in. The key now is for the Crusaders to stay away as long as possible from some of the 5A school types playing 4A football — like Andover Central and Ark City. As long as the Crusaders win tonight, they can do so since Andover Central is No. 7, and Ark City is No. 10 and would be on the other side of the bracket.

Wellington battles a Rose Hill team that is big up front and could be loading the box to stop running back sensation Malachi Rogers. The thing is Kenny Redford has been playing pretty well at quarterback for the Crusaders and could dump the ball off to any one of his receivers.

Wellington and Rose Hill have played some really good games over the past few years. Wellington earned that 13-12 victory over Rose Hill in that wild contest last year on the road. In that game, the Rockets drove deep with less than a minute to play, only to get stopped on fourth down.

Rose Hill has had a roller-coaster season in 2022. It lost its first three games, including a 34-10 loss to Clearwater. But it came back to defeat Mulvane, Abilene, and El Dorado. Last week it traveled to Buhler and fell 21-3.

Wellington has done well in the past two weeks, but it can’t afford to let up this week. The playoffs are awaiting.

Conway Springs (4-3) at Hutchinson Trinity (6-1) 

Conway Springs’ victory against the previously No. 1 Inman team is a bit of a head-scratcher. The Cardinals, who didn’t score a point in the first three games, are suddenly back to their swagger selves, likely district champions and ready to create havoc in the Class 1A playoffs.

Hutchinson Trinity will be a huge test, having only lost one game this year to Inman. For Conway Springs to lose the district championship, it would have to lose to Trinity by 20 points or more. Even if Trinity can’t get those points, a loss to the Celtics could be a significant momentum buster for a team that has won four straight.

Trinity’s only loss this season was a 21-3 loss to Inman. The Celtics have defeated Medicine Lodge and Sterling in the past two weeks.

Belle Plaine (1-6) at Whitewater-Remington (1-6)

Belle Plaine is headed to the playoffs despite only having one win. And with a win over Whitewater-Remington the Dragons would have the No. 3 seed for District 6.

Not sure if that makes a lot of difference because the first-round post-season trip will be either to Wabaunsee or Smith Center, two Class 1A powers.

Argonia-Attica (4-3) at Oxford (3-4) 

This one has all kinds of playoff implications – as the winner goes to the playoff bracket, the loser plays a consolation game.

A&A has had a wheels-coming-off-the-wagon season. It rolled to a 3-0 record and looked rather invincible doing it. Then it fell to Central Burden, Wichita Independent, and South Sumner for three of the next four losses. It has a 53-6 victory over Udall sandwiched between that four-game stretch.

Oxford can boost its program with a home victory here. The Wildcats defeated Udall last week 66-20 to set up the showdown with A&A.

But there is history. Oxford will need to overcome four years of getting mercy-ruled against the Titans. Last year was the worst as A&A defeated Oxford 60-8.

Central Burden (5-2) at South Sumner (at South Haven) (7-0) 

South Sumner, quite simply, is cruising. It is currently No. 4 in the 8-man Div. 1 poll and is 7-0. This will be South Haven’s homecoming.

Central-Burden is having a good season. Its losses have come against West Elk 28-6 and Wichita Independent 66-48.

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