The regular season comes to a close Friday night, and Emporia High will have plenty on the line when the Spartans welcome Topeka High to Welch Stadium for Senior Night.
Emporia enters the regular-season finale at 3-4 after a dominant performance against Coffeyville last week. The Spartans rolled to a 40-16 victory, building a 40-point lead by halftime, and will look to carry that momentum into the postseason, which begins next week.
Topeka, meanwhile, comes in searching for answers. The Trojans’ lone win came against Highland Park in Week One, and they have dropped six straight, including a 60-13 loss to Manhattan last Thursday.
Despite the contrasting records, Friday’s matchup presents an opportunity for the Black and Red to accomplish several goals. The Trojans have won every meeting in the series dating back to 2009, while the Spartans will also look to snap a home playoff drought that stretches back to 2019 and defeat an active Centennial League opponent for the first time since that season.
Head coach Daniel Goodman isn’t downplaying the importance of the regular-season finale as his team looks to finish strong before the playoffs.
Goodman added that containing Topeka’s Courtney Sanders will be a major focus for the Spartans’ defense as they prepare for the Trojans.
With Senior Night adding another layer of significance, emotions figure to be high at Welch Stadium. Wide receiver and cornerback Talon Kirk expects the evening to be an emotional one as he and his fellow seniors prepare to take the field at home for their final regular-season appearance.
Two-way standout Ben Collins echoed those sentiments, highlighting the significance of the night for the seniors and the team.
The RV Doc Pregame Show begins at 6:45 p.m. Friday on AM 1400 and 96.9 FM KVOE, with kickoff to follow at Welch Stadium for Emporia versus Topeka.
