Tonganoxie High is back on the field tonight with a rivalry game. Like most everything during the COVID-19 pandemic, it will look a bit different, as crowd size will be limited. But there will be football.

THS looks to build on the success of its best season in program history in 2019 when the Chieftains went 10-1 and won a shared Frontier League title and two playoff games. Tonganoxie has recorded undefeated regular seasons two of the last three seasons.

Records: First game for both teams.

Last season: THS went 10-1, losing to Bishop Miege in the third round of the Class 4A playoffs, 54-10. BLHS finished 5-4 after losing, 56-47, to Piper in the first round of the 4A playoffs.

Last meeting: Tonganoxie 49, Basehor-Linwood 28 in 2019.

Series record: Tonganoxie is 31-24 vs. Basehor/Basehor-Linwood since World War II. Basehor and Linwood consolidated in the 1980s.

Coaches: Basehor-Linwood’s Rod Stallbaumer, starts his seventh year at BLHS and 17th overall as a head coach. He is 46-20 at BLHS and 113-54 overall. Tonganoxie’s Al Troyer starts his ninth year at Tonganoxie and 13th year overall. He is 50-30 at THS and 52-64 overall.

Trends: Tonganoxie is 9-2 the last 11 seasons in its season opener. BLHS is 9-2 in season openers in the Bobcats’ last 11 seasons.

— Local high school football historian Jeff Hughes contributed to this story.