The high school football playoffs kick off Thursday, and two area teams will be featured in Area Game of the Week coverage as Lebo hosts Linn and Olpe welcomes Northeast in first-round matchups.
Olpe and Northeast meet Thursday at 6 p.m., with coverage beginning at 5:40 p.m. on Mix 104.9 FM. Lebo and Linn square off at 6:30 p.m. on Country 101.7 FM.
Olpe opens the postseason against Northeast in a rematch of a Week Seven meeting that the Eagles dominated, 54-0.
The Eagles captured the District 1 title, while the Vikings finished fourth in the district standings. Olpe will look to carry that momentum into the playoffs, but head coach Chris Schmidt knows facing the same opponent twice in a short span can present a different challenge.
Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. Thursday in Olpe. Area Game of the Week coverage begins at 5:40 p.m. on Mix 104.9 FM.
Lebo also begins its playoff run Thursday night, hosting Linn in a rematch of last year’s regional final.
The Bulldogs won that meeting, 46-0, but the Wolves enter this year’s matchup with an undefeated 8-0 record. Linn comes in at 2-5, and Lebo head coach Brian Hadley believes his team has improved since last season while also warning that the Bulldogs are better than their record might indicate.
The Wolves will look to keep their perfect season alive when they host Linn at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Coverage begins on Country 101.7 FM.
Also in Class 1A Division II, Madison travels to Central Christian on Thursday.
The Bulldogs enter the postseason at 6-2 after seeing their six-game winning streak come to an end last Friday against Flinthills. Central Christian is 7-1 and finished runner-up in District 2.
Madison head coach Nathan Teichgraeber says his team is preparing for a challenging opening-round matchup.
Elsewhere, Hartford travels to undefeated Axtell on Thursday. The Jaguars enters at 3-5, while the Eagles 8-0.
Chase County begins its postseason Thursday against Solomon.
The Bulldogs finished the regular season at 5-3, while Solomon enters at 4-4. Chase County head coach Derek Budke has been evaluating what the Gorillas bring to the matchup as his team prepares for the opening round.
Friday Games:
Waverly will take on Troy on Friday. The Bulldogs are 5-3, and the Trojans enter the matchup at 6-2.
Lyndon is also in action this week, facing Canton-Galva on Friday.
Council Grove, 7-1, travels to Norton Community, which enters at 4-4. The Braves will look to continue a strong regular season against a Bluejays team seeking to advance in the postseason.
Osage City, meanwhile, faces Riverton on Friday. The Indians enter the matchup at 6-2, while Riverton is 4-4.
With playoff spots on the line and the road to a state championship beginning, area teams will look to make the most of their opening-round opportunities.
Follow the area playoff action Thursday on Mix 104.9 FM and Country 101.7 FM, with coverage of Olpe-Northeast beginning at 5:40 p.m. and Lebo-Linn coverage on Country 101.7 FM.
