Olathe Northwest, Basehor-Linwood, Miege advance to Kansas football title games
.png "Michael McKeever, at center of photo, races to the end zone on a 37-yard touchdown reception during Olathe Northwest’s 42-28 win over Gardner Edgerton in the Kansas Class 6A state high school football semifinals on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025.")
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Olathe Northwest and Manhattan won Class 6A semifinals and advance to Welch Stadium.
- Basehor-Linwood and Salina Central captured Class 5A finals berths after narrow wins.
- Bishop Miege and Kapaun Mt. Carmel routed opponents to reach the Class 4A title game.
The action was fast and fierce Friday in a host of Kansas high school football clashes with major postseason implications in and around the Kansas City metro.
Here’s a look at some highlights from substate semifinal games that sent winners on to next week’s state championship finals:
Olathe Northwest 42, Gardner Edgerton 28
Olathe Northwest will be booking its Thanksgiving-week plans for Emporia.
The Ravens advanced to their first state championship game with a 42-28 road win over defending Class 6A state champion Gardner Edgerton.
“We’re making history as a team. Over 20 years as a school and we did something no one else has done,” senior Ravens running back Bryce Randall said. “This was the same team that knocked us out two years ago, and we weren’t going to let that happen again.”
Olathe Northwest (9-3) built a 28-21 halftime lead behind two touchdown runs from senior Bryce Randall, then held the Blazers to just one second-half score.
Olathe Northwest will face Manhattan, making its third straight title-game appearance after beating Derby 38-7 Friday, in next Saturday’s title game (1 p.m. Nov. 29 at ESU’s Welch Stadium).
After a scoreless third quarter, Northwest took a two-score lead when quarterback Brody Comfort hit fullback Michael McKeever in the left flat at the 30. McKeever tiptoed down the sideline for 10 yards, then broke loose.
That 37-yard TD reception made it 35-21 with 10:28 left. The Trailblazers (9-3) fought back, though, as quarterback Caron McCall faked a handoff to Syre Padilla, rolled right and flung a pass back to Padilla down the left sideline.
Padilla finished the 48-yard TD play in the end zone, his third trip of the evening across the goal line. But on the next Ravens drive, quarterback Brody Comfort scored from 4 yards out and that was that.
“We knew it was going to be a high-scoring game and we needed our defense to make a couple of stops,” Randall said. “They did more than that — they made three or four.”
Basehor-Linwood 28, St. James Academy 21
Instead of watching football on TV this Thanksgiving weekend, Basehor-Linwood will be playing for the program’s first state championship on the gridiron.
The Bobcats (12-0) will continue their perfect season against Salina Central in the 5A state-title game next Saturday, Nov. 29 (2 p.m. kickoff at Emporia State’s Welch Stadium).
St. James (10-2) built a 14-0 by halftime lead, but Basehor-Linwood finally got some offense — and big defensive plays — going in the third quarter.
The Bobcats’ comeback started when Lex Stanion intercepted a St. James pass at the Thunder 40-yard line. That drive ended with a turnover on downs inside the Thunder 5, but Basehor-Linwood again picked off St. James.
Jacob Sharp did the honors this time, turning that interception into a pick-six that made it 14-7 with 1:23 remaining in the penultimate period.
Sophomore Gavin Mitchell’s 2-yard rushing TD knotted the score at 14 with 10:52 to play before Basehor-Linwood went ahead with a 90-yard scoring drive. Carson Dixon’s 13-yard TD pass went to Nash Morrison.
But St. James wasn’t dead yet, as quarterback John Hornback connected with Cory Kirchner for a Thunder TD. The PAT was blocked, however, preserving the Bobcats’ lead at 21-20 with 2 minutes to play.
St. James tried an onside kick but didn’t recover the ball. Mitchell’s subsequent 51-yard rushing touchdown was the final score of the evening.
Class 4A Bishop Miege wins, too (plus scores from other Friday games)
Bishop Miege routed Labette County 37-7 and Kapaun Mt. Carmel walloped Wamego 56-7 in the Class 4A semifinal games on Friday night.
The Stags and Kapaun Mt. Carmel will vie for the 4A crown next Saturday at Welch Stadium. Kickoff in Emporia is set for 7 p.m.
In other substate games Friday night:
- 3A: Topeka Hayden 44, Santa Fe Trail 0 and Andale 41, Rock Creek 6.
- 2A: Nemaha Central 22, Osage City 19 and Southeast of Saline 22, Hoisington 12
- 1A: Rossville 21, Jackson Heights 18 and Sterling 14, Smith Center 6
- 8-man, Div. I: Lincoln 48, Lucas Unified 22 and South Central 40, Hill City 32
- 8-man, Div. II: Hanover 34, Axtell 24 and Victoria 48, Hodgeman County 0
- 6-man: Cunningham 44, Tescott 0 and Weskan 26, South Barber 21.
Check out 810varsity.com for updated brackets and pairings and more high school coverage.
This story was originally published November 21, 2025 at 11:38 PM.