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Photo Credit: Adam Burns

The latest two high school football seasons have been about firsts for area programs within the Kansas Class 6A and 4A ranks. How, you ask?

Well, if you didn’t hear, that’s because the recent state champions in the top division and 4A accomplished program-first state championships for their schools – St. James Academy in 4A in 2020 (and a second in 2021) and Blue Valley Northwest in 6A in 2021.

Call them the new kids on the block, if you’d like.

Mill Valley continues to represent the area in 5A, with the Jaguars stopping Derby’s three-year state title run this season. St. Thomas Aquinas, which of course moves down to 4A next year, was in the mix once again, too, with another state semifinalist appearance.

But back to the Thunder and Huskies.

After St. James’ historic state championship run in 2020, which included putting a halt to Bishop Miege’s six consecutive titles – and pure dominance in the previous decade – the Thunder didn’t hit the breaks. Instead, the Thunder retooled its backfield behind a stout offensive line with varsity newcomers Jackson House and Tiave Watts.

After a challenging opening month, House found his groove with talented receivers Tyler Claiborne and John Niesen and the Thunder defense clamped down on their way to a second straight state title, topping a physical and talented Andover Central, 28-21.

The retooling of coach Tom Radke’s squad took some time as the Thunder opened the season winless after four weeks – the fourth and final loss coming to none other than Blue Valley Northwest in EKL action. They regrouped in a big way, of course, by winning nine straight to close the season, beating top-seeded and previously-undefeated Basehor-Linwood, Piper and Miege prior to the big one in Topeka.

“It’s huge,” coach Tom Radke said after the state championship victory. “When we started 0-4, people began writing us off again. We knew what we had. We beat a good team and a great program, but we showed what St. James football is all about.”

Northwest opened the campaign with large expectations after emerging onto the scene in recent seasons under coach Clint Rider. Senior quarterback and eventual Simone Award winner Mikey Pauley and an emerging star in running back Grant Stubblefield combine to force the most lethal backfield in the entire state, regardless of division.

The Huskies plowed through the challenging Eastern Kansas League schedule with only one blemish – a 35-16 loss to Aquinas – before out-scoring its five playoff opponents, 262-86. They scored 52 points per game in wins over Harmon, Olathe South, Olathe North, Blue Valley West and Derby.

For our kids and our community to experience this is an awesome thing,” Rider, the area’s coach of the year, told PrepsKC’s Chris Duderstandt after the 41-21 state title win over Derby in Emporia. “They’ve waited for (a state title). It’s not just our players. Our parents have poured their hearts and souls into building this team up. I’m just so happy for them to go out as champions.”

Northwest and St. James may be new to being on top of their divisions, but can the two programs remain on top? Only time will tell.