06/30/2026
Wow 30 years ago!
30 Years Ago: This coming fall marks 30 years since Rolla captured the 1996 Kansas Class 8-Man Division II state football championship, defeating St. John’s of Beloit 48-26 at Salina Central High School Stadium to complete a perfect 13-0 season.
The Pirates, led by head coach Gary Bane and assistant Rick Luetjen, survived one of the closest games of their championship run with a 28-26 victory over Triplains in the sub-state round. Rolla also defeated Haviland (52-6), Hanston (60-14) and St. John’s (Beloit) (48-26) during its postseason run to the state title.
The 1996 championship team included Terrace Adams, B.J. Anderson, Texas Apelu, Troy Cooper, Austin DeGarmo, Juan DonJuan, Marciano Espinoza, Armando Garcia, Sergio Guerrero, Ryan Hagler, Zach Hartman, David King, Chad Plummer, Jason Plummer, Robert Salazar, Josh Schwindt, Dennis Sheldon, Junior Vasquez and Kenneth Williams.
Today, Rolla remains one of the smallest high schools in Kansas, with a 9-12 enrollment of just 30 students during the 2025-26 school year. They currently compete in 6-man football.
