Manhattan High is back on top. If you’d asked some people back in August, they’d have told you the Indians were in a "rebuild year." Graduation hit them hard. They lost a three-year starter at quarterback and their best offensive linemen. But by late November, the scoreboard at Emporia told a different story.
The kansas high school football scores from the 2025 state championships didn't just crown winners; they settled some of the loudest debates in the state. Manhattan's 27-0 shutout over Olathe Northwest in the 6A final was a masterclass in defensive discipline. It wasn't flashy. It was just dominant.
Kansas football has this weird way of humbling you. You think you know which programs are untouchable, then 5A shakes out with Salina Central putting up 51 points in a title game.
The Chaos of Championship Saturday
When the smoke cleared on November 29, 2025, the trophy cases across Kansas looked a lot different than people expected. Let’s talk about that 5A showdown. Salina Central vs. Basehor-Linwood.
Basehor-Linwood came in undefeated. They were 12-0 and looked like a freight train. But Salina Central, sitting at 11-1, basically exploded. The final score was 51-34. It was high-scoring, chaotic, and exactly why we watch this sport. Salina Central hadn't just won; they’d dismantled an undefeated team on the biggest stage.
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4A and 3A: Powerhouses and Blowouts
Over in Class 4A, Wichita-Kapaun Mt. Carmel continued their absolute tear. They faced Bishop Miege in the final. Now, Miege is a name that usually strikes fear into anyone in 4A. Not this time. Kapaun won 56-21. It was a statement. Honestly, it felt like Kapaun was playing a different game than everyone else in that bracket for most of the month.
The 3A bracket gave us a heavyweight fight. Andale. Hayden.
Andale is... well, Andale. They are the gold standard.
But Hayden was 12-0. They looked ready.
Then the game happened. Andale 38, Hayden 6.
It’s almost boring how good Andale is. Almost.
Looking Back: The Sub-State Scores That Changed Everything
You can't talk about the finals without looking at the Friday nights that got us there. The sub-state round is where dreams usually go to die in the Kansas wind.
On November 21, 2025, we saw some of the tightest kansas high school football scores of the entire year. Take the 5A matchup between Salina Central and Great Bend. Great Bend was 11-0. They were the favorites. Salina Central eked out a 30-28 win. That two-point margin was the difference between a season ending and a championship run.
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- 6A Sub-State: Manhattan took down Derby 38-7. It wasn't even close, which shocked anyone who follows the Derby program.
- 5A Sub-State: Basehor-Linwood beat Lenexa-St. James Academy 28-20.
- 2A Sub-State: Nemaha Central stayed alive with a 22-19 nail-biter against Osage City.
Why 2025 Was Different for Kansas Football
Every year has a "vibe." This year felt like the year of the defense, despite some of those high scores in 5A. In the 6A title game, Olathe Northwest couldn't get a single point on the board. Zero. Against a Manhattan team that many thought would be "down" this year.
It's about the coaching. Manhattan’s ability to retool their offensive line mid-season is something you’d expect from a college program. They didn't have the same star power as 2024, but they had a system that didn't break.
Then you have the small-school dominance.
Cunningham in 6-man? 51-8 over Weskan in the final.
Hanover in 8-man Division II? 28-20 over Victoria.
These aren't just scores. They're legacies for towns where the Friday night lights are the only thing that matters.
Kansas High School Football Scores: The 2025 Finals Wrap-Up
If you missed the final weekend, here is how the hardware was handed out across the state.
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- Class 6A: Manhattan 27, Olathe Northwest 0
- Class 5A: Salina Central 51, Basehor-Linwood 34
- Class 4A: Kapaun Mt. Carmel 56, Bishop Miege 21
- Class 3A: Andale 38, Hayden 6
- Class 2A: Nemaha Central 35, Southeast of Saline 6
- Class 1A: Sterling 21, Rossville 14
The 1A game was a heartbreaker for Rossville. They’ve been such a staple in the late rounds of the playoffs for a decade. Seeing Sterling pull off a 21-14 win was a huge shift in the power dynamic for that classification.
Actionable Insights for the 2026 Season
If you’re a fan or a parent looking ahead, the 2025 scores tell us a few things about what to expect next year. First, don't count out the "rebuilding" teams. Manhattan proved that culture beats returning starters every time.
Second, the gap in 4A is widening. Kapaun Mt. Carmel is in a league of their own right now. If you're looking for the best football in the state, that's the program to watch.
Finally, keep an eye on the 8-man and 6-man circuits. The parity there is actually higher than in the big schools. Teams like Hanover and Cunningham are building dynasties that are statistically harder to maintain than the ones in 6A because one or two injuries can end a season when your roster only has 15 kids.
Check the KSHSAA website frequently during the off-season for realignment news. Kansas is notorious for shifting classes, and a single school moving from 4A to 5A can completely change the playoff bracket for everyone else.
If you want to understand the true strength of a team, stop looking at the record and start looking at the point differential. Manhattan’s early-season losses were close; their late-season wins were blowouts. That’s the trajectory of a champion.