2026 high school football previews: Rose Hill Rockets

ROSE HILL, Kan. (KSNW) — In just one season, head coach Reece Petty completely turned around the Rose Hill Rockets.

The team went from 2-7 to 6-4 last year, and the success Petty brought to the table was built off of experience. The Rockets have a ton of it in 2026, returning plenty of talent in the trenches, including Luke Nottingham at guard and Remington Merlau at edge.

Caleb Williams will also provide depth on both the offensive and defensive sides of the line. Kai Kirchhoff-Jones will add plenty of strength to the ground game after being named first-team all-league last year.

Petty and his players are excited to see such an upperclassmen heavy squad this season.

“When I was a sophomore, we really just didn't have seniors, but this year we do. I think we can help the younger kids finish their high school careers strong," said senior running back Kai Kirchhoff-Jones.

Petty is also encouraged by what he has coming back on both sides of the ball.

“We've got a large group of seniors coming back, all five of our starting offensive linemen coming back, and all of those guys get on the defensive line. So that, along with a really strong group of seniors coming back this year, we're excited,” said Petty.

Senior defensive back Levi McLaughlin is another experienced returner for the Rockets.

“We've been starting since sophomore, so we return everyone. On offense, we're going to try to spread it out, pass and run a lot. So it's exciting. We've got a lot to bring,” said McLaughlin.

The Rockets have a tough task in Week 1, facing powerhouse Andale on Sept 4.

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