Week 1 Cram Session: Tonganoxie (0-0) at Basehor-Linwood (0-0)
Tonganoxie vs. Basehor-Linwood
More longtime college rivalries likely will be going by the wayside considering the increasing chaotic shuffle with conference realignment. That’s not the case between longtime arch rivals Basehor-Linwood and Tonganoxie. Though the former Kaw Valley League foes now are in the Frontier League (THS) and United Kansas Conference (BLHS), the teams have continued to meet each other in football.
The teams will have something new to play for as their rivalry continues. Read on to learn more about that hardware.
Basehor-Linwood and Tonganoxie will meet in the season opener at 7 p.m. Friday at Beatty Field.
Records: First game for both teams.
Last season: THS went 4-5, losing to Piper in the Week 9 opening round of the Class 4A playoffs, 34-15. THS suffered major injuries in the season opener last year, but pushed through, finishing just below. 500. BLHS finished 6-3 after losing, 35-6, to eventual state champion St. James Academy in the Week 9 opening round.
Last meeting: Basehor-Linwood 47, Tonganoxie 42 in 2021.
Series record: Tonganoxie is 39-26 vs. Basehor/Basehor-Linwood.The rivalry dates back to 1906 when Basehor and Tonganoxie played each other. The teams didn’t play each other from 1917-65. THS won the first eight meetings and is 2-0 in playoff games. They’ve had one overtime game. BLHS won that contest, 28-27, in double overtime. BLHS has won the past two meetings. One of the largest blowouts in the series came in 2002 when THS won, 66-13. Basehor and Linwood consolidated in the 1980s.
Coaches: Basehor-Linwood’s Rod Stallbaumer, starts his 10th year at BLHS and 20th overall as a head coach. He is 68-28 at BLHS and 130-62 overall. Tonganoxie’s Preston Troyer is in his second year at Tonganoxie as head coach, but it’s his 12th overall at THS after serving a decade as an assistant under his father, Al Troyer. Preston is 4-5 as head coach. Tonganoxie went 63-37 during Preston’s time as an assistant.
Trends: Tonganoxie is 10-4 the last 14 seasons in its season opener. BLHS is 11-3 in season openers in the same timespan.
Two-minute drill: Speaking of this rivalry, the schools agreed to starting a traveling trophy in the offseason, so this year a little more will be on the line. The winner will get to keep the trophy for a year.
— Local high school sports historian Jeff Hughes contributed to this story.