2021 football playoff matchups released

The Manhattan Mercury, Kan.
·2 min read

Oct. 25—KSHSAA released high school football playoff assignments over the weekend as seven of the Mercury's eight area teams will be continuing their season into the postseason.

All teams will play their opening round games at 7 p.m. on Friday except for Frankfort who will play at 6 p.m. Friday. .

Manhattan High (7-1) sits as the No. 2 seed in the west region of the Class 6A bracket and will host Wichita North (1-7). The Indians will be in line to host up until the state semifinals where they could run into undefeated, No. 1 Derby (8-0).

Wamego (7-1) is the No. 2 seed in the west region of the 4A playoff bracket and will host Great Bend (0-8). The Red Raiders were one, one-point overtime loss away from a perfect season and could face one-loss Andover Central (7-1) and Buhler (7-1) on their way to the state championship game.

Rock Creek (5-3) and Riley County (8-0) will both be competing in the 3A bracket.

The undefeated Falcons finished first in their district and will host Russell (4-4) in the first round while Rock Creek finished second in their district and will host Bishop Ward (4-4).

Galena (7-1), Frontenac (6-2) and Hayden (7-1) stand in between the Mustangs and the state semifinals while undefeated, defending state champs Andale (8-0), undefeated Cheney (8-0) and Wichita Collegiate (7-1) will be in the way of the Falcons returning to the state championship game for the first time since 2018.

In the 1A playoffs, Wabaunsee (5-3) will host Northern Heights (0-7) after a second-place district finish while Valley Heights (3-4) will travel to Pleasanton (2-5).

Both teams will most likely have to get through district-champion Centralia (6-2) to get to the state semifinals. Wabaunsee beat the Panthers 45-40 last week and the Mustangs fell 41-16 earlier in the year.

Lastly, Frankfort (6-2) has quite a task in front of them in its opening round matchup as they host Lakeside-Downs (6-2).

A win there will pit the Wildcats against an undefeated Thunder Ridge team that beat them 60-12 on Oct. 15.