High School Football Previews: Wellington Crusaders

WELLINGTON, Kan. (KSNW) — Back to high school football as our season previews continue with the Wellington Crusaders.

Wellington is looking to capture its first state championship since 2002 when it went back to back in the 4A classification.

The team is entering year three with head coach Jeremiah Meeks, and they really seem to have a sense of expectations and direction to chase their goals for this season. They’re going to need to hit the ground running, with two of their toughest matchups of the season occurring in the first two weeks against Wichita College and Andale.

“Oh, I just. I don’t know. I take it one day at a time. Just come out here and show them how we, like, do things around here and get them going,” said Wellington senior wide receiver Carter Burnett.

“Really pushing us hard in the weight room. Like this summer, we went to like, five cent on seven camps. A padded camp just really put in the work in the summer,” said Wellington senior tight end Brody Weir.

“We just got to believe in ourselves. I mean, that’s hard people out here. I mean, we all believe like, oh, we should keep putting in the work practice and just staying along as a team and to do our thing out here,” said Wellington senior running back Nick Giefer.

As for Coach Meeks, he says the team seems to be locked in and focused, with the first game of the season only 11 days away. He says the senior class has done a great job bringing the younger guys along, and he can’t wait to see his team finally take the field next Friday.

“And then, you know, just figure out things we’ve done successful in the past and compound on those and put them in position to be successful. And then the kids know they’re in for a dogfight. I mean, that’s why they’ve been in the weight room. That’s why they’ve gotten bigger and see where we’re at. Keep getting better each week. I would tell them they all they hear it. You know, it keeps snowball rolling in the right direction a little bit better each week, a little bit better. And, you know, eliminate the mistakes we’ve made early in the year, the turnovers, cut those down and then, you know, we can get that cut down early and then just continue to roll throughout the year and get better and stay healthy and see where we’re at at the end of the year,” said Meek.

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