After a deadly crash at a Kansas sports complex prompted the suspension of the state's inaugural high school girls flag football game, the KSHSAA announced Monday, Oct. 19, that the game between St. James Academy and St. Thomas Aquinas will be rescheduled to Wednesday, Oct. 21, at 7:15 p.m.
The third-place game will resume in the third quarter at 6:30 p.m. Shawnee Mission South led Shawnee Mission West 24-6 at halftime when the game was halted.
"Our thoughts remain with those impacted by last Saturday's tragic incident at Stryker Sports Complex," KSHSAA said in an announcement on X.
The remaining games of the 2026 KSHSAA Girls Flag Football State Championships are set for Wednesday, Oct. 21, following Saturday's suspension of competition. Our thoughts
remain with those impacted by last Saturday's tragic incident at Stryker Sports Complex. Updated… pic.twitter.com/oSiCWR3Ohn
— KSHSAA (@KSHSAA) October 20, 2026
On Saturday, Oct. 17, a 6-year-old boy and a 35-year-old man were killed after a vehicle drove through a youth soccer game at Stryker Sports Complex. Eleven other people were injured and transported to area hospitals, according to police.
The KHSAA flag football state championship was postponed while the third-place game, which was being played on an adjacent field, was stopped at halftime.
The two games will now be played at Shawnee Mission South High School instead of Stryker Sports Complex.
The driver, a 34-year old female, was taken into custody, but was later released and has not been charged with a crime, pending a toxicology report and a mechanical examination of the vehicle.
According to police, two of the woman’s children were with her in the truck and another was playing soccer on a different field at the complex.
Earlier on Saturday, No. 3 St. Thomas Aquinas took down top-ranked Shawnee Mission West 47-20 in the semifinals, while No. 5 St. James Academy advanced with a 20-7 win over No. 2 Shawnee Mission South.
According to KCTV5, St. Thomas Aquinas and St. James Academy gathered to pray together after the incident. St. James Academy then held a student-led rosary on Sunday night to pray for those affected by the fatal crash.
The two teams now look to claim the first-ever Kansas flag football state championship title after the sport was officially sanctioned earlier this year.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Kansas’ first flag football champion set to be be crowned after tragic postponement
