Tonight's Games
Osawatomie at Ottawa
Pat Boeh begins his third season as Ottawa head coach and returns 18 letter winners, including nine offensive starters and eight defensive starters, from a 5-4 team. ... Senior linemen Adam Brooks (6-1, 215) and Ryan Carlson (6-5, 225) are three-year starters. ... Travis Brownrigg, who rushed for 1,040 yards as a junior, returns at running back. ... Osawatomie is coming off a 2-7 season. ... Ottawa blanked Osawatomie 21-0 in last year's opener for its only shutout.
Gardner-Edgerton at Wellsville
Wellsville returns two offensive starters and two defensive starters from a 4-5 squad. ... Meanwhile, Gardner-Edgerton returns six offensive starters and five defensive starters from a 6-4 team that reached the Class 4A state playoffs. ... All-league running back Jeff Strack is back for the Trailblazers. ... Gardner opened last season with a 27-12 victory over the Eagles.
KC Piper at Tonganoxie
Tonganoxie, 0-9 last season, will try to snap a 15-game losing skid. ... Key players for the Chieftains are seniors Chris Calovich, Neil Rieger, Aaron Minor and John Barnes. ... KC Piper new coach Monte Bechard inherits a 6-3 squad that returns seven offensive starters and seven defensive starters. ... Piper dumped Tonganoxie, 27-12, in last year's opener.
Santa Fe Trail at DeSoto
Perennial 4A power Santa Fe Trail is stacked with seniors, led by Lucas Fulton, Brad Bogren, Randall DaPrato, Randall Babbitt, Shaun Moore, Greg Wurdeman and Jim McFarland. ... The Chargers return six offensive starters and six defensive starters. ... DeSoto, under new coach George Radell, is coming off a 1-8 season. ... Josh Goodin, an all-Kaw Valley League performer, leads the Wildcats. ... SFT eked out a 20-17 victory over DeSoto last season.
Oskaloosa at Valley Falls
Oskaloosa returns eight offensive starters and seven defensive starters from a 4-5 team. ... Senior Cyle Kitchen is back at quarterback after throwing for 857 yards last season. ... Ben Wheeler is the top returning rusher with 306 yards. ... The Bears rocked Valley Falls, 61-14, last season.
Wathena at McLouth
Hit hard by graduation at the skill positions, McLouth will rely on its offensive line early this season after going 6-3 last year. ... McLouth's Matt Kesinger, an all-league performer last year, is one of the top punters in the area. ... McLouth walloped Wathena, 50-20, last year.
Louisburg at Eudora
Louisburg, the No. 2-ranked team in Class 4A, travels to Eudora for its opener. ... The Wildcats return six starters on offense and six on defense from a 10-2 team that reached the state semifinals. .... Eudora, coming off its best season in a decade at 6-3, likely will be without quarterback Brent Carnagie (knee injury) for the season. ... Louisburg knocked off Eudora 27-7 in last year's opener.
Saturday's Game
Perry-Lecompton at Leavenworth Immaculata
Perry-Lecompton returns 10 starters, including all-Kaw Valley League performer Joe Corcoran at quarterback. ... Immaculata, 7-2 last fall, is the defending KVL champion after going 6-0 in league. ... The Raiders tripped Perry, 18-6, in last year's opener.
- Note: All kickoffs 7 p.m.
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