By TYLER HENRY
Lead Sportswriter - Salina Post
In previous seasons, the Wabaunsee football team would have been thrilled with a 3-2 start in which they competed with two of the top teams in Class 1A, but this is a new era in Alma, and this year’s Chargers are hungry for more.
That’s not to say Wabaunsee’s start hasn’t been impressive, because it absolutely has.
The Chargers breezed through Troy and Northern Heights before dropping back-to-back two-point heartbreakers at the hands of #3 Jefferson County North (5-0), and #5 Smith Center (4-1).
Wabaunsee rebounded last week with a dominant 54-0 showing against Republic County, and now, has its sights set on the ultimate prize, their pursuit made all the more impressive by just how much they lost from last year’s squad.
“We had seven seniors we had to replace and you go through that every year but the guys that have stepped up for us have really impressed me,” Charger head coach Jess Rutledge said. “We’ve gone toe to toe with some really good teams and we’ve been frustrated with the results but we know it all comes down to just making a few more plays and we’re right back where we want to be.”
In years past, Wabaunsee would have taken the field against ranked opponents with a wish to pull off the unthinkable, but now, spurned on by their recent successes and hard work, winning has become something else entirely.
“We absolutely have the expectation that we’re going to step on the field and win every week regardless of our opponent,” Rutledge said. “We’re way past the point of hoping to win and these boys have done an amazing job of embracing that mindset.”
The Chargers will have an excellent opportunity to win out with Sacred Heart, Valley Heights, and Horton remaining on their schedule, as they look to secure a strong seed for this year’s postseason.
To do that, Wabaunsee will need to continue their excellent work on both sides of the ball, especially in the run game, where the Chargers boast the 10th-best rushing offense (226 yds/g), and 5th-best scoring offense (40.8 PPG) in Class 1A.
Much of that success has come thanks to four senior ball carriers, who have a combined 122 rushes for just shy of 1,000 yards.
While the run game has been excellent, the Chargers still have another gear to find to unlock the full potential of their offense.
“Offensively we still need to get our passing game going a little bit better,” Rutledge said. “Our run game has been very efficient this year but to have our offense operate at its highest level we have to be able to do both effectively.”
Wabaunsee will be back in action this Friday as the Chargers travel to Sacred Heart to square off with the 1-4 Knights.