CONWAY SPRINGS CARDINALS

By Keegan McCullick, Staff Writer

After starting the 2022 season 0-3 against quality opponents, Matt Biehler’s Conway Springs program found a groove that equated to seven straight wins, including a major punctuation to the regular season.

During the final five game lead-up to the playoffs the Cardinal defense was particularly dominant, holding offenses to 14 points or less. The most convincing portion of that stretch culminated in combined final score totals of 77-21 in Weeks 7 and 8 games against a 6-0 Inman team followed by a 6-1 Hutch Trinity squad whose only loss at that time was against Inman.

Conway Springs’ success continued into the playoffs with a 35-31 regional win over Plainville in the second round after a Week 9 bye, and a 39-14 Sectional win over a Wabaunsee team that entered the contest on a nine-game win streak.

The Cardinals’ season finally came to a halt in a 23-6 semifinal loss to Inman that yielded virtually the same result as the 26-13 quarterfinal loss to the Teutons in 2021.

From the 2022 team that finished in the top four of 1A, a strong group of starters are back, including Sports in Kansas 1A Defensive Player of the Year Brayden Kunz, a senior linebacker who currently holds an FCS offer from Southeastern Missouri State, a DII offer from Emporia State, and interest from programs across the Midwest.

“Last season didn’t start as well as we had hoped, but we worked hard and finishe continued on page 44