Kansas Pregame, Volume 12
Dalton Kuhn OT/DE, 6-2, 230, Sr. Smith Center
Tristan Lee
Page 49
OG/DE, 5-10, 240, Sr. Burlingame
Photo by Everett Royer, ksportsimages.com
Kuhn, a 6-2, 230 pound senior All-League, All-Area and All-State lineman, has a way with words to pump anyone up for a fall Friday night. “I love the intensity involved with the sport of football,” Kuhn said. “Lining up against your opponent and waiting for the snap of the ball is a feeling like no other. The anticipation to dominate your opponent just builds up and then you have the opportunity to let it out, line up and do it all again.” Redmen head coach Darren Sasse echoes that sentiment about Kuhn’s personality. “Dalton is one of those kids who plays angry,” Sasse said. “He enjoys the game and has fun, but he has goals and knows what he has to do to achieve them.” Those goals include taking Smith Center back to the promise land. “My own personal goals are broadened to the team side,” Kuhn said. “A state championship ring is always the goal in mind.” Playing college football is a dream of Kuhn’s and the senior landed an offer from Fort Hays State this offseason. His summer has yielded college level weight room numbers with a 340 pound bench, 320 pound clean and a 500 pound squat, and with his speed a 4.84 second forty yard dash - he may transition to linebacker at the next level.
Logan Lingg
OG/NG, 6-2, 235, Sr. Dighton
Photo by Everett Royer, ksportsimages.com
Lingg, a 6-2, 235 pound senior, wants to obtain a degree in Fire Science and become a firefighter after his football playing days are done. Similar to the exhilaration generated by responding to a raging fire or emergency rescue, Lingg enjoys the twists and turns a football game can take. “There’s just something about playing on Friday nights and going as hard as you can and not knowing how the game may end up,” Lingg said. Lingg manned both the offensive and defensive lines for the State Runner-Up Hornets last season. Dighton navigated through perhaps the toughest district in 8-Man football and defeated perennial power Sharon Springs in Sub-State for the second time last season before losing to Hanover in the title game. The Hornet’s success also extends to basketball where Dighton qualified for state Lingg’s sophomore season and where he earned All-League Honorable Mention his junior season. Lingg’s goals for the football season include “to get stronger and better everyday, and to make a playoff run again this year.” Currently Lingg is not being recruited at the next level but plans to open some eyes by season’s end. “My personal goal (is to) receive some postseason honors again that might help me make it to the next level of competition.”
Photo by Everett Royer, ksportsimages.com
Burlingame head coach Jeff Slater says Lee is an “animal” on Friday nights. “He is a very special talent who started as a freshman,” Slater said. In 2013, a season before Lee’s freshman year the Bearcats posted a 3-6 record. In Lee’s freshman season the Bearcats swapped their record to 6-3, but missed the playoffs. The past two seasons the Bearcats have posted 11-1 records losing in the Sub-State Championship game both years. Now, Lee and his teammates want more. Offensively when the Bearcats need yards in a critical situation they run behind Lee. And when the Bearcats are on defense the opponent runs away from Lee. “He has a motor on both sides of the ball,” Slater added. In the weight room Lee benches 265 pounds, squats 455 pounds and cleans 275 pounds and the 5-10, 240 pound senior was named All-State d-end by the Wichita Eagle, Topeka Capital-Journal and Kpreps.com and was a unanimous All-Lyon County League offensive lineman and defensive end in 2016. Several key returners join Lee with the goal to propel Burlingame to a title game berth.
Trevor Little OT/DT, 6-3, 240, Sr. Galena
Photo by Everett Royer, ksportsimages.com
Little, a 6-3, 240 pound senior, sounds like he has the makings of a future coach. Little stressed the importance of the name on the front of the jersey in an offseason interview. “I enjoy the competitive nature that the game brings and just getting to go out with my friends and represent my town.” When talking about the season Little wasn’t focused on any particular game on the schedule but taking a business like approach. “My team goal for this year is to have a ‘one game at a time’ approach, and to be playing our best ball by district so we can try and make a deep run in the playoffs.” Last season the Bulldogs advanced to the second round of the 3A playoffs losing to Wellsville 27-22. Little garnered Kpreps.com All-State offensive line honors and was named to the All-CNC first team on offense and defense. Little’s most memorable football moment was last season’s comeback victory over Coffeyville when the Bulldogs overcame two double-digit deficits to win 38-33. Little also plays basketball and baseball, earning All-State second team honors as a pitcher last spring.