Preseason Kansas Team Rankings Released
The top two stay the same going into 2026. They've earned their spot. Mill Valley comes in with a strong returning group. The rest of the top 10 is filled with other state participants and frequenters of the 2025 top 10.
| # | Team | Logo | Last Season | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lawrence Free State Firebirds |  | 28-2 | The defending 6A champion Firebirds return five of their top 9 players including seniors Ben Graves (ranked 4th in KS) and Zane Shaw (16th). Free State will enter 2026 on a 16 game win streak.
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| 2 | St. Thomas Aquinas Saints |  | 27-4 | Aquinas comes into the year on a 13 game win streak as back to back reigning 5A champion. The Saints lost some dawgs, but seniors Lincoln Boyle (6th) and Will Ray (24th) return with 4 others from their top 9.
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| 3 | Mill Valley Jaguars |  | 22-6 | Mill Valley returns 7 of their top 9 including five in the top 50: seniors Beau Peterson (1st), Brandon Neis (36th), Drew Yockey (48th) and juniors Easton Engelhart (15th) and Carson Cooke (39th).
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| 4 | Olathe East Hawks |  | 22-6 | Six of the Hawks top nine return for 2026, including seniors Carson May (17th), Milo Burton (32nd) and Caden Wallace (45th). East spent much of 2025 in the top 10 before falling in the regional finals to BV.
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| 5 | Olathe West Owls |  | 25-3 | Olathe West returns five of their top 9 including senior Max Hamilton (12th). The Owls only lost 3 games last year, but the third was a 0-1 heart breaker to SM West in the state quarters.
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| 6 | Blue Valley Southwest Timberwolves |  | 23-7 | Senior Luke Hanahan (5th) and five other from the Wolves top 9 return after a 3rd place finish in the 2025 5A State tournament.
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| 7 | Bishop Carroll Golden Eagles |  | 21-7 | BC lost in the regional finals last year but bring back 6 of their top 9 including junior Wyatt Fulfer (11th) and seniors Judd Blasi (37th) and Drew Niedens (42nd).
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| 8 | Manhattan Indians |  | 21-8 | The Indians made it to the quarterfinals in 6A state with a 3-2 win over Maize before falling to the eventual champion Free State. They return 6 of their top 9 from their 4th place 2025 finishing team.
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| 9 | Maize Eagles |  | 20-9 | The Eagles fell to Manhattan in state by a run last year. Senior Gavin Short (27th) joins 5 other players from Maize's top 9 for their 2026 run.
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| 10 | Great Bend Panthers |  | 25-6 | Five of the 5A State Runner-up Panthers return from their top 9 in 2025. Seniors Ian Premer (66th) and Daxton Minton (97th) lead the way. |