Paola has been one of the state’s top programs through the years. Paola promotes itself as the sixth-most winningest football program in Kansas high school football history.

Before the teams last met in 2018 at Paola, the PHS public address announcer mentioned the school’s all-time ranking in the Sunflower State, so fans might hear that tidbit again tonight.

Records: Tonganoxie: 2-0 overall and 1-0 in Frontier League play; Paola is 2-0 and 2-0.

Last week: THS won its home opener, 24-14, against Lousiburg. Paola was up big on Spring Hill, but the Broncos scored 26 unanswered points before the Panthers were able to escape the Spring Hill stadium with a 41-38 victory.

Last meeting: Paola 35, Tonganoxie 13 in second round of the Class 4A playoffs in 2018.

Coaches: Paola’s Mike Dumpert is in his 22nd year as PHS head coach after several years as an assistant for the Panthers. Dumpert is 180-69 all-time at Paola. Tonganoxie’s Al Troyer starts his ninth year at Tonganoxie and 13th year overall. He is 52-30 at THS and 54-64 overall.

Trends: Tonganoxie and Paola played consistently from 1968-82 when they both were members of the Frontier League the first time. Tonganoxie joined the league again in 2018 after the Kaw Valley League disbanded, but this is the first year the two teams will meet in the regular season as members of the same league this time around. Each team has had just one loss in Frontier League play during the past two seasons. They both went undefeated in 2019 in regular season play and shared a league title, but didn’t meet in the playoffs. Poala defeated Tonganoxie, 35-13, in the 2018 Class 4A playoffs at Poala.

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