(CHSAANow.com)
For the last several years, the 8-man football championship game has felt more like a game show than anything else. The point of the contest? Seeing if anyone can stop Sedgwick County’s run of dominance in the championship game.
Come on down, Sanford. You’re the next contestant.
Since the 2015 season, the Cougars (8-0) have been nothing short of dominant and have rattled off five straight state championship in a row. In fact, in this entire six-year run, they’ve lost just two total games. Perkins County (Neb.) got them in 2016 and Merino got a 27-24 win during the 2018 regular season.
Other than that, Sedgwick County has rattled off win after win and that includes zero playoff losses in its last six tournament runs.
This year has shown to be no different.
Sedgwick County coach Chris Michel is trying to lead his team to a sixth straight state championship. (Ryan Casey/CHSAANow.com)
The Cougars won their first three games by a combined score of 156-26. They finished the regular season strongly and then proceeded to win their first two playoff games by a 91-18 margin. And if history is any indicator, they have the experience needed in a state championship game to continue their historic run.
If the Cougars win this week, they’ll become just the second team in state history to claim six straight titles. Limon won six in a row from 1963-68. Valor Christian won five in a row from 2009-13.
If the 2020 postseason has done anything for Sanford, it has made the team battle-tested. The program was outscored its regular season opponents 244-46 before having to battle in the first two rounds of the 8-man tournament.
Sanford (7-0) beat Mancos 36-28 before edging Merino 16-14. Should Thursday’s state championship game remain close, Sanford is a team that has twice battled in close contests only to come away with the win, showing a high level of on-field maturity needed in that atmosphere.
The only catch is that the is the first football championship game that Sanford has ever played in. While their on-field composure has been clutch so far in the playoffs, the nerves that come with playing in a championship game is an entirely different beast and one the Cougars have been dealt with for six straight years now.
The 8-man championship game will the second state football title game to be played on Thursday and will follow Fleming vs. Stratton/Liberty in the 6-man game. Kick is scheduled for 6 p.m.