ELLEY SANDERS, Rossville
A senior, Sanders posted an eighth-place finish in Class 3A-1A regional competition last season, earning the top individual qualifying berth for the state tournament. Sanders tied for 36th at state with a 36-hole total of 193 (95-98).
CALE HORAK, Rossville
Horak, a junior, received All-Shawnee County honorable mention last season as Rossville posted an 11-2 record and finished second in Class 1A. Horak caught 15 passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore while also registering 21 tackles (16 solo).
CAEL HORGAN, Rossville
A senior, Horgan earned All-Shawnee County honorable mention last season as Rossville posted an 11-2 record and finished second in Class 1A. Horgan caught seven passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns as a sophomore while also registering 37 tackles (21 solo) with three interceptions.
CHARLIE CHANCE, Rossville
A senior offensive/defensive lineman, Chance was named the Shawnee County defensive newcomer of the year last season for the Bulldawgs, who posted an 11-2 record and finished second in Class 1A. Chance was in on 54 tackles with 14 tackles for loss and three sacks, earning second-team all-county and All-Big East honors.
The Rossville Varsity Volleyball Team finished second t the WSellsille Inv. folling to Wellsville 25-27, 25-19, 18-25The Lady Dawgs had wins over Baldin, Burlington, Prairie View and Humboldt.
| 1 |  Rossville | 0-0 | 56.25 |
| 2 |  St. Mary's-Colgan | 0-0 | 54.78 |
| 3 |  Sterling | 0-0 | 54.10 |
| 4 |  Jackson Heights | 0-0 | 52.80 |
| 5 |  Smith Center | 0-0 | 48.88 |
| 6 |  Olpe | 0-0 | 48.36 |
| 7 |  St. Marys | 0-0 | 47.80 |
| 8 |  Inman | 0-0 | 47.61 |
| 9 |  Trinity | 0-0 | 46.04 |
| 10 |  Centralia | 0-0 | 45.87 |
The Rossville football community will never completely forget last season's heartbreaking 35-34 loss to Sterling in the Class 1A championship game, with the Bulldawgs coming within two points and 52 seconds of a sixth state title under veteran coach Derick Hammes since 2014.
Derick Hammes has led Rossville football to a 125-30 record, seven state title games and five state championships. [Photo by Rick Peterson/TSN]
But now Hammes, who is 125-30 at the school, is counting on his Bulldawgs to use last season's disappointment as motivation this fall as they take aim on another title shot.
"We always try to go back and look at our past experiences and use that as motivation going forward,'' Hammes said. "So with this team, the kids that had a big part in our season last year, they definitely want to get back, they want another chance.
"But there's a lot of hard work that goes into that and there's a lot of folks throughout the state that want the same thing that we do. That's what makes athletics great is you don't get to just press re-wind or fast forward, you've got to go through the process all over again.''
Rossville graduated an outstanding senior class, including TopSports.news All-Shawnee County Top 22 picks Canann Mitchell, Conner Bush and Andre Johnson and Second 22 selections Jack Donovan and Cameron Miller, from last season's 11-2 team.
But the cupboard is far from bare, with the Bulldawgs returning 2025 Shawnee County defensive newcomer of the year Charlie Chance, a senior offensive lineman/defensive end, and senior all-county honorable mention honorees Cael Horgan (running back/linebacker) and Easton Webb (offensive/defensive line) and junior honorable mention picks Cale Horak (wide receiver/defensive back) and Landen Lewis (quarterback/linebacker).
Other top returners include senior wide receiver/defensive back Kelton Lacock and junior offensive lineman Cooper Meyer and junior offensive/defensive lineman Jordan Martinek.
Top newcomers include running back/linebacker Remi Droegemeier, wide receiver/defensive back Ryder Foster, wide receiver/defensive back Austin Dohrman, quarterback/defensive back Cole Graves, wide receiver/defensive back Dalen Dick, running back/linebacker Lakin Gentry, wide receiver/linebacker Michael Cooney, offensive lineman/defensive end Evan Thompson, offensive lineman/defensive end Eleazar Hersh, offensive/defensive lineman Imiah January and offensive/defensive lineman AJ Chance.
ROSSVILLE (KSNT) – The standard remains the same for Rossville football entering a new season: compete for championships.
The Bulldawgs came about as close as possible to adding another trophy to the program’s collection in 2025. Rossville reached the Class 1A state championship game before falling to Sterling, 35-34.
Rossville finished the season 11-2, making its sixth state championship appearance under head coach Derick Hammes.
Now, that one-point loss is serving as motivation for the players returning in 2026.
Junior quarterback Landen Lewis and senior running back/linebacker Cael Horgan are among the Bulldawgs looking to use last year’s finish as fuel for another run. The goal isn’t simply to get back to the title game; it’s to finish the job differently this time around.
“It’s on our mind. That’s our ultimate goal to win state,” Lewis told 27 Sports. “We have a good shot if we limit our mistakes this year.”
“It’s in the back of our minds, and we’re using it as motivation,” Horgan said. “We’re using it to get back to the title game, but this time change the result.
While the ending will stick with the returning Bulldawgs, Hammes wants the identity of this year’s team to be about more than what happened last November.
“I want fans to see we play the game in the right way and that’s with their assignments, the way they play physically and hard,” Hammes said. “Having that identity is important to us, and a good hard-nosed football team is how I want to be described.”
Rossville opens its 2026 campaign on Sept. 4 against Perry-Lecompton.
ROSSVILLE Football Schedule for 2026
Last Year 11-2
Coach: Derick Hammes
S 04 Perry-Lecompton
S 11 at Silver Lake
S 18 Riley County
S 25 Reno County Homeschool
O 02 at Royal Valley
O 09 Wabaunsee
O 16 at Mission Valley
O 23 at St. Marys
MADELYN WONNELL
Wonnell, a senior, placed 14th in Class 2A regional competition to earn a second straight individual berth for the 2A state meet and placed 67th at state. Wonnell was a first-team All-Shawnee County selection in wrestling last season, earning her second 3A-1A state medal with a third-place finish.
1. Ellinwood
2. Valley Heights
3. Rossville
4. Jeff Co.West
5. Oakley
ADY HENRY and KENNA PERINE add quality experience
Henry, a senior libero, helped Rossville reach the Class 2A state tournament last season while earning second-team TopSportsNews All-Shawnee County and third-team All-Big East League recognition.
Perine, a sophomore setter, was one of just two freshmen on the TopSportsNews All-Shawnee County first team last fall after helping lead Rossville to a Class 2A state tournament appearance. Perine finished the 2025 season with 982 assists, 288 digs and 64 kills for the Bulldawgs. Perine was a second-team All-Big East League selection.
2025 State champion: Ellinwood
2025 State runner-up: Valley Heights
2025 Review: A year after finishing fourth at the state tournament, it was nothing but perfection for Ellinwood. The Eagles reeled off a 47-0 season that ended with a 25-16 and 25-21 victory over Valley Heights in the state championship. Ellinwood lost only three sets all year as it put together the best season in school history. The Eagles were led by hitters Kyndal Moore and Regan Widener, who were both first team all-state selection, while Widener was the Class 2A Player of the Year. Alyvia Batchman and Mette Maxwell joined Moore and Widener on the all-state tournament team. The Eagles rocketed through pool play with wins over Humboldt, Hillsboro and Rossville, before knocking off Jefferson County North in the semifinals. Ellinwood has also won nine straight league titles and has won 66 straight league matches. For the second year in a row, Valley Heights finished as the state runner-up. It went 2-1 in pool play with wins over Conway Springs and Jefferson County North and lost to Oakley. Heights bounced back to defeat Hillsboro in two sets in the semifinals. Hillsboro defeated Jefferson County North for third place.
2026 Contenders: Although it lost a pair of first team all-state players from a season ago, Ellinwood brings back several key pieces as the Eagles try for their second consecutive state title. Gone are all-state hitters Regan Widener, the 2A Player of the Year, along with Kyndal Moore, but the Eagles are hoping to fly high once again. Senior Alyvia Batchman, another all-state first teamer returns as a 6-rotation player as both a setter and a hitter, She recorded 457 assists, 206 digs and 177 kills last season and has a career 1,277 assists. Bennett Jacobs, a 4-year starter for the Eagles, returns as their defensive anchor as she nears 1,000 digs for her career and was honorable mention all-state last year. Junior Mette Maxwell set Ellinwood’s single season aces record with 91. She joins Batchman as the team’s other setter and tallied 605 assists and 243 digs to go along with 243 kills as an attacked. She earned second team all-state honors. After finishing as the state runner-up the last two seasons, Valley Heights will try to make that next step this season. During that span, setter Paige Miller has run the Mustangs’ offense and they have thrived during that time. She had 947 assists last season and has 1,807 for her career. She earned second team all-state honors and will have a new cast of hitters this season as the Mustangs lost their top three weapons at the net. Hillsboro, which won state titles in 2022 and 2023, return all-state first teamer Amyah Werth as she has been the team’s starting libero the last three years. This season she will make the move to outside hitter as she tries to replace graduated Kingzley Ratzlaff, who was also a first team all-state player. Annalie Bell and Taylor Schrick will try and lead Jefferson County North back to state after the Chargers’ fourth place finish. Schrick was a second team all-state selection as a junior with 410 kills and 403 digs, while Bell has started since her freshman year as the team’s setter and is closing in on 1,500 career assists as they helped the Chargers go undefeated in league play. Rossville has hopes of a state run this season thanks in part to the return of Nora Burdiek and Kenna Perine. Burdiek has been a force at the net for the Bulldawgs as she was a first team all-state selection last season after posting a career high 596 kills and 403 digs last season. As for Perine, she had a big freshman season as the team’s starting setter with 982 assists to go along with 288 digs. Also coming back for Rossville is starting libero Ady Henry, who ended last season with 542 digs. Syracuse returns a pair of outside hitters in Sophie Gould and Hailey Hampton, who are both first team all-Hi Plains League players, as it hopes to take the next step. Moundridge will be led by a 3-time All-Heart of America League selection in Hattie Hecox, who was also an honorable mention all-state player last season with 322 kills and 347 digs. Despite losing several starters from last season’s state team, Humboldt returns all-league setter Lakyn Meadows as she is closing in on 1,000 career assists. Lairen Pauly helped Conway Springs ended a 20-year state tournament drought and is back after first team all-league performance with team highs in kills (280), aces (62) and blocks (30). Horton will return a trio of players in hopes of making a trip to the state tournament as it brings back first team all-league players Kirsten Smith, Bobbi Becker and Ellah Stirton. Stirton has been the team’s libero the last two seasons as had a team-high 321 digs, while she feed of Smith and Becker as the team’s top outside hitters. Smith led the Chargers with 204 kills last season and had 213 digs, while Becker had 186 kills to go along with 212 digs and 43 aces. TMP-Marian returns setter and attacker Bria Windholz as she earned first team all-league honors with 272 kills, 316 assists, 336 digs and 64 aces, along with teammate Brynn Rebel, who was also a first team all-league selection and is a four-year starting libero. Oakley recorded its second straight state berth last season and brings back all-state player Alexa Weiser in hopes of a third straight trip. The setter/outside hitter, recorded 386 kills, 312 assists, 252 digs and 65 aces last season to lead Oakley.
A force at the net since her freshman year in 2023, Burdiek showed no lingering effects last fall of a knee injury that cut short her sophomore basketball season. In fact, Burdiek came back better than ever. Rossville’s primary weapon, Burdiek recorded a career-high 596 kills a year ago – more than 400 more than any other Bulldawg. She had a career-best .251 hitting percentage with a 36.0 kill percentage in leading Rossville to the Class 2A state tournament. Burdiek also recorded a career-high 403 digs. With 1,395 career kills and 952 career digs, she’s closing in on milestones for both stat categories. Burdiek earned first-team All-Class 2A honors for the second straight year and All-Big East League honors for the third year, moving up from the second to first team last fall.
The RHS girls begin their 2026 volleyall seaon on Aug. 29 at 9:00 AM
The Lady Dawg Golfers have started off the season with a 3rd place finish Aug 27 at the Jefff Co West Open at the Forbes Field Course. Individual placers include Nora Mitchell and Reese Olejnik in a Tie at 14th. Maya Donovan finished in 8th and Elley Sanders tied for 5th.
