The 2024 WIBW Pigskin & Hoops High School Sports Preview

Welcome to the 38th annual edition of the WIBW Pigskin & Hoops preview!

Let’s start with the obvious: this is going to look different this year. We have decided to experiment with an online-only publication for 2024-25. This decision was not made lightly and we understand if this change is difficult to get used to, but we also believe that there are positives to publishing online, including the potential for broader reach via social media, the ability to publish the most up-to-date information, and the ability to be more current with the basketball previews when they release in November. The possibility exists to return to a print edition in future years, but we hope you will enjoy reading the same great previews of your favorite local schools – and we hope you will share the links generously for your school, as well! We consider it a privilege to serve this area’s high school sports community and are honored to present these season previews to you.

The 2023-24 athletic campaign was another remarkable one for the schools in our coverage area. On the gridiron, the Lyndon Tigers brought home their first ever state football championship with one of the great 8-man teams ever seen in history. Hayden and Jefferson County North made stirring runs to the state championship game, and Cair Paravel reached the state semifinal in just their second year competing as a KSHSAA school. In basketball, Silver Lake’s girls embodied perfection in capturing the 3A championship with an unblemished record, and the Seaman Lady Vikes finished their story with a 5A title, the first for the school since 1991. Washburn Rural’s girls and Lyndon’s boys also put together incredible seasons, both finishing as state runners-up.

The rest of the 2023-24 state champions were as follows, first in football:

Class 6A: Gardner-Edgerton
Class 5A: Mill Valley (fourth straight)
Class 4A: St. Thomas Aquinas
Class 3A: Cheney
Class 2A: Nemaha Central (repeat)
Class 1A: Conway Springs
8-Man D1: Lyndon
8-Man D2: Axtell (third straight)
6-Man: Cheylin

And in boys and girls basketball:

Class 6A: Shawnee Mission Northwest and Shawnee Mission South
Class 5A: Kapaun Mt. Carmel & Seaman
Class 4A: McPherson & Miege (fifth straight)
Class 3A: Wellsville & Silver Lake
Class 2A: Moundridge (repeat) & The Independent School
Class 1A D1: South Gray & Frankfort
Class 1A D2: Cunningham & Hanover (repeat)

We are thrilled for the start of the new high school sports season and hope these previews will help stoke your own excitement for what should be another hotly competitive season on the gridiron and on the hardwood. We will present the football previews ahead of the start of football season and wait to publish the basketball previews until November, when we have finalized schedules and up-to-date team information. We hope you’ll follow the season with us on air, online, and on our social media channels using the hashtag #580Preps – don’t forget to tag us with the scores of games you’re attending throughout the season! Thank you so much for reading the 38th annual Pigskin & Hoops preview.

Dan Lucero
Sports Director, Alpha Media Topeka

Burlingame Bearcats
Cair Paravel Lions
Hayden Wildcats
Highland Park Scots
Holton Wildcats
Jackson Heights Cobras
Jefferson County North Chargers
Jeff West Tigers
Lyndon Tigers
McLouth Bulldogs
Mission Valley Vikings
Osage City Indians
Oskaloosa Bears
Perry-Lecompton Kaws
Riley County Falcons
Rock Creek Mustangs
Rossville Bulldawgs
Royal Valley Panthers
St. Marys Bears
Santa Fe Trail Chargers
Seaman Vikings
Shawnee Heights Thunderbirds
Silver Lake Eagles
Topeka High Trojans
Topeka West Chargers
Valley Falls Dragons
Wabaunsee Chargers
Washburn Rural Junior Blues

The 2024 WIBW Pigskin & Hoops High School Sports Preview

TABLE OF CONTENTS:

BASKETBALL

FOOTBALL

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