By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
When high school football practice for the 2025 season kicks off across Kansas on August 18, linemen will go back to laboring in relative obscurity.
But Tuesday's eighth annual Battle of the Bigs lineman challenge at Shawnee Heights was all about the men in the trenches.
Approximately 70 linemen representing six city and area high schools took part in the Battle of the Bigs, competing in nine non-contact drills/activities while vying for individual and team prizes.
"I love it,'' Shawnee Heights coach Jason Swift said of the annual event. "The most unappreciated players on a football team are the linemen and we do this solely to celebrate the linemen for everything they do.
"They play a sport that they don't get noticed in unless something bad happens, so tonight we want to make it where we get to watch them do great things. It's good for them for unity and coming together as a team and having fun.''
Washburn Rural senior Ayden Crosswhite won the individual championship with 224 points, while Blue Valley seniors Chase Blandi (212 points) and Samuel Kiles (207) finished second and third and Shawnee Heights seniors Royce Daniels and Blake Coffman tied for fourth place (206 points).
Blue Valley won the team title with 1,015 points while Washburn Rural was second (991) and Shawnee Heights third (987).
Top 10 individuals
1. Ayden Crosswhite, sr., Washburn Rural, 224 points
2. Chase Blandi, sr., Blue Valley, 212 points
3. Samuel Kiles, sr., Blue Valley, 207 points
4. (tie) Royce Daniels, sr., Shawnee Heights, 206 points
4. (tie) Blake Coffman, sr., Shawnee Heights, 206 points
6. Austin Jordan, jr., Eudora, 204 points
7. Marx Marx, sr., Eudora, 203 points
8. Chase Metz, jr., Blue Valley, 202 points
9. Steven Cantrell, jr., Washburn Rural, 201 points
10. Ethan Winter, sr., Eudora, 200 points
Team standings (top three)
1. Blue Valley, 1,015 points
2. Washburn Rural, 991 points
3. Shawnee Heights, 987 points.
