The 2025 season will be remembered as one of the most emotional and inspiring in Kansas high school football, as the Nemaha Central Thunder capped an undefeated campaign with a 35–6 victory over Southeast of Saline to claim the state championship.

The season carried special significance as senior lineman Daniel Childress battled brain cancer, undergoing surgery and treatment while the entire community—and state—rallied behind him. Despite the challenges, the Thunder responded with a flawless season, securing the fourth state championship in school history and the third in the past four years.

In a touching moment, the team FaceTimed Daniel after winning the Sub-State championship, and he was on the sidelines the following week to cheer on his teammates in Hutchinson. Daniel and his fellow seniors finished their four-year varsity careers with an incredible 50–2 record and three state titles, making Nemaha Central’s 2025 season not just a championship run, but the top sports moment of the year.