The 1969 and 2008 Blue Jay state championship football teams will be honored Friday night at Junction City High School.

Activities begin at 5 p.m. in the Warren Settles Auditorium, and continue with a team picture, and recognition at the Blue Jay – Washburn Rural football game at Al Simpler Stadium. 

A member of the 1969 team, linebacker, Richard Wilhite of Junction City, said most of the kids he played with over the years were local. “There were a few military kids on the team, but we were all local kids. We had been playing since 8th grade together…all these years.” Wilhite noted the varsity was undefeated his junior season in 1968. And the 69 squad captured the Class Four-A state title in the first year of postseason playoffs in Kansas high school football with only one loss during the season to a team from Ponca City, Oklahoma. The Blue Jays defeated Bishop Carroll 20-8 in the state championship game.

The 2008 football team went 13-0 and won the Class 6A state title. They defeated Lawrence Free State in the state championship game.

Members of the 1969 team who have said they plan to attend include Billy Baughman, Les Chaves, Richard Wilhite, Alan Hart, Paul Poole, Steve Miles, coaches Ben Bennett and Jim Pendarvis, and Dee Simpler, the son of the late head coach Al Simpler. Dee Simpler would later become  a Blue Jay assistant coach.

Members of the 2008 team who have said they will attend the activities Friday night include Connor Gallentine, Josh Bassett, Justin Aumen, Jordon McCallister, Ty Zimmerman, Braden Gallentine, Brandon Martino, Justin Irvine, Brian Heldstab, and Andy Birchmeier. They should have an opportunity to visit with their head coach Randall Zimmerman since he continues to serve as the head football coach at Junction City High School.