Kapaun Mt. Carmel
Last Season: 12-1, 4A state champion
Kapaun moves back up to 5A after winning the 4A state title and going 12-1 last season, so the Crusaders clearly enter 2026 as one of the strongest teams in this batch. Weston Schartz’s team also won the GWAL title and returns a large share of its offensive production from a group that averaged 50.8 points per game.
Ken Huff is the offensive centerpiece after rushing for 1,618 yards and 21 touchdowns, while Cole Rapp adds a proven dual-threat presence after throwing for 875 yards and 11 touchdowns and rushing for 444 yards and 12 more scores. Max Worrell, Ethan Burr, Axel Pondei and Jackson Gosch give Kapaun more experience and size in the option-based I-formation attack.
Defensively, the Crusaders lost major all-state talent, but Pete Keller, Aidan Flucas and Gage Nye return to lead a unit that still has depth from players who saw extensive action late last season. Kapaun’s own outlook says the Crusaders should again contend for both the City League and state championships, and the returning firepower makes that believable.
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