Three area teams will take the field Friday night in the KSHSAA high school football playoffs, bidding to move into the state semifinals in a week.
In 6A, Manhattan High will meet Wichita Northwest for the second time in four weeks. The Indians claimed a 56-28 win over 4th ranked Wichita Northwest on October 21. The game started with the Grizzlies looking like they may challenge the Indians, but, after trailing 14-7 in the 1st quarter, the Indians ran off 35 unanswered points to take away any doubt. That win finished off an unbeaten regular season run for the Tribe, who have beaten two other Wichita high schools to advance to the quarterfinals. The Indians have bested Wichita North and East in the past two weeks. WNW has beaten Wichita Southeast and Junction City to get to this point of the playoffs.
In 4A, Wamego gets a rematch with Andover Central, the team that eliminated them from the playoffs last season. The Jaguars scored 35 points in the 1st quarter and never looked back in a 48-0 win over the Red Raiders in the 2021 semifinals, but come into tonight’s game having dropped three this year. Wamego has remained unbeaten by taking wins over Ulysses and Rose Hill in the first two rounds.
In 3A, Rock Creek faces the three time defending state champs, trying to deal Andale its first loss since the quarterfinal round of 2018. The Indians have won 48 straight games since that two point loss to Pratt, including racking up 108 points against Nickerson earlier this season. Rock Creek advanced from the regionals with a 21-11 win over Hesston last Friday night, rallying from an 11-0 hole behind 250 yards rushing from Jaydon Winans.
All three games kickoff at 7:00. The Manhattan-Wichita Northwest game can be heard on Newsradio KMAN, starting with 6:30 pre-game. The Rock Creek-Andale contest will be the Carpet One of Manhattan Game of the Week on B104.7. Pre-game starts at 6:30.
