2024 Pigskin & Hoops Preview: Wabaunsee Chargers Football

TEAM: Wabaunsee Chargers

CLASSIFICATION: 1A

LEAGUE: Flint Hills

COLORS: Red, White & Blue

SOCIAL MEDIA: @Wabaunsee329 on Twitter

HEAD COACH: James Johnston (1st season, 0-0)

2023 RECORD: 5-4 (lost in 1A first round)

2023 IN REVIEW

One season removed from a 9-2 record and a sectional round appearance, Wabaunsee football took an up-and-down path to 5-4 last year, winning its first two games, dropping the following two, winning another two straight and then losing two of their last three to end the season. They did see some tough luck in close games, however, with two of their three regular-season losses coming by two points apiece. On the flip side, Wabaunsee’s average margin of victory last season was 37.6 points per game. In their final year under coach Jess Rutledge, the Chargers ran for 212 yards per contest and finished with over 300 total yards per game.

KEY DEPARTURES

Many of the Chargers’ top contributors on both sides of the ball graduated following last season, including quarterback Wyatt Wuertz. He passed for 760 yards and ran for another 856 last year. In fact, Wabaunsee’s top four rushers all graduated, with Zach Frank, Alex Beggs and Miguel Hernandez all finishing their high school careers. Defensively, the top three Wabaunsee tacklers are all returning; however, Tate Deever was the top senior stopper last season and he graduated this past spring.

TOP RETURNERS

The trenches should be the biggest strength for Wabaunsee this year, led by one of the most talented returning groups in the region. That includes Jude Meseke and Brody Droegemeier, both of whom were all-state honorable mentions last season who will set the tone on both the offensive and defensive lines. Also returning on the offensive line is Parker Holthaus, while Caden Frank slots in at wide receiver again in 2024. Defensively, Caden Frank also returns alongside Carson Reeves to hold down the secondary, and Cole French will step back into his starting role at linebacker for another year.

2024 SCHEDULE

9/6 vs Council Grove

9/13 @ West Franklin

9/20 vs Osage City

9/27 @ Olpe

10/4 @ Cair Paravel

10/11 vs Maranatha

10/18 @ Mission Valley

10/25 vs Rossville

Flint Hills League, District game

2024 OUTLOOK

The 2024 Wabaunsee season will be filled with newness. James Johnston is taking over the helm of the program as head coach following stops at South Barber and Lyons. He and his Chargers will be facing an entirely new schedule this season, too, facing none of the same teams that they faced last season. Plenty of new contributors will take the field against this brand-new schedule, but even with all the changes this is a program that has established a higher set of standards and expectations over the past couple of seasons. In 2022, Wabaunsee posted its best record ever at 9-2, one year after recording its first winning record in 24 years in 2021. Winning seasons and playoff victories are part of the identity of the Chargers at this point, things that the 32-year veteran Johnston is used to, too. There will always be wrinkles that need to be ironed out with new coaches, new schemes and new starters, but behind stellar offensive and defensive fronts, this Chargers group can challenge anybody in league and district play this year.

FROM THE COACH’S HEADSET

“This is my first year at Wabaunsee. The kids have had a great attitude this summer. Summer weights and practice have gone well. I am looking forward to the upcoming season.” – James Johnston

–Brendan Dzwierzynski

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