St. Thomas Aquinas wins 4A state title; Mill Valley takes 5th straight 5A crown
Tanner Hand carries the ball against St. Thomas Aquinas on Nov. 17, 2023, in the Class 4A substate playoffs. STA won, 42-14, and then went on to defeat Wamego in the state championship.
St. Thomas Aquinas cruised to a Class 4A state championship Saturday at Hummer Sports Complex on a snow-filled field in Topeka.
The Saints won, 35-7, against Andover Central (9-4) as the squad capped off a 10-3 season.
STA derailed Tonganoxie’s hopes of playing in the Chieftains’ first-ever state title game with a 42-14 victory the week before in Tonganoxie. THS finished the season 9-3.
The Saints’ victory marked the 10th straight season a private school won the 4A state title.
Bishop Miege won consecutive titles from 2014-19 and then St. James Academy won in 2020 and 2021 before Miege won again in 2022. Miege, St. James and St. Thomas Aquinas all are Catholic schools in Johnson County.
Gardner-Edgerton (12-1) won this year’s 6A title against Derby (11-2), while Mill Valley (11-2) won another 5A title and outlasted Wichita’s Kapaun Mount Carmel (11-2). MVHS won their fifth straight title Saturday.
Cheney finished a perfect 13-0 after winning the 3A title against Topeka Hayden (12-1). Nemaha Central also won a battle of unbeatens in 2A, as the Thunder (13-0) defeated Hoisington (12-1). NCHS won its second straight title.
In 1A, Conway Springs (11-2) defeated Jefferson County North (11-2).
Lyndon won a battle of unbeaten in 8-Player Division I as the Tigers (13-0) got past defending champion Leoti-Wichita County (12-1).
Axtell won its third straight 8-Player D-II title and finished 13-0 after beating Goldwater-South Central (9-4).
And in 6-Player, Bird City-Cheylin finished 13-0 after defeating defending champion Cunningham (11-2).