In an exciting development for high school football, Millard South High School, a powerhouse in Nebraska, has announced plans to compete against two out-of-state teams during the 2026 season. The back-to-back Class A Nebraska state champions will take on teams from Missouri, specifically Lee”s Summit North and Cardinal Ritter College Prep, in the upcoming fall.
The Patriots” schedule kicks off with a matchup against their rival, Millard North, followed by a home game against Lee”s Summit North. In Week 3, they will head to Elkhorn South, and then travel to Cardinal Ritter College Prep in Week 4. Following these out-of-state contests, Millard South will conclude the regular season with five games against Nebraska teams, starting with a contest against Omaha North.
Millard South”s lineup features standout quarterback Trae Taylor, who transferred from Carmel Catholic in Illinois. He replaces Jett Thomalla, who had an impressive season, throwing for 3,484 yards and 61 touchdowns. Taylor, a Nebraska commit, had a remarkable performance last year, completing 205 of 251 passes for 3,571 yards and 38 touchdowns, along with 12 rushing touchdowns and 633 rushing yards.
In addition to Taylor, Tay Ellis will join the Patriots in 2026. Also committed to Nebraska, Ellis recorded 65 receptions for 808 yards and nine touchdowns at Crowley High School last season. Millard South had a strong record of 12-1 in the previous year, with their only loss coming from a forfeit due to a violation. They secured their latest state championship with a dominating 49-0 win over Papillion-La Vista South.
Looking at their opponents, Lee”s Summit North finished the 2025 season with a 6-4 record, being eliminated in the postseason by Lee”s Summit in a close game, 35-33. Cardinal Ritter College Prep had a successful season as well, concluding with a 9-4 record and reaching the Missouri high school football Class 5 semifinals before losing to Carthage.
