by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — The ultimate understatement is saying Andale has had a way of humbling Wellington the past few years.

Considering in the past three years alone, Andale has scored 60 points or more against the Crusaders. Last year, Wellington lost 63-21 and that came with a big second quarter for which the Crusaders were playing tit-for-tat against the Indians in front a huge vocal hometown crowd.

Wellington takes its voyage north again to play the Andale Indians this Friday night. The Indians are hovering at 2-2 having lost 21 seniors from the 2014 Class 4A Division II state championship team. That group won every game by an average of 33 points.

This is supposed to be a rebuilding year. It opened the season with a 16-0 loss to Buhler. Two weeks later, Andale lost an overtime thriller to Wichita Collegiate 46-45.

So does that mean Wellington is at par with Andale this year? Well, let’s not go that far. Let’s just say, the Indians aren’t as devastatingly good as in years past. But they are still very, very good.

The Indians run a multiple of running backs. Zach Meyer, a junior, is the leading back with 409 yards and one touchdown. He is averaging 7.4 yards per carry. Kristen Dagenais, another junior, has 257 yards on 41 carries. Taylor Richter comes in and gets 44 carries for 157 yards.

The thing that Andale does is it outlasts you. Andale has always had more depth than Wellington this past decade.

The Crusaders are also going into this game with their first significant injury of the season. And its a big one. Running back Remington Gilkey was diagnosed with a sprain MCL and will be out for a couple of weeks. Gilkey has had 388 yards on 37 carries and averages 10.4 yards per carry. The Dukes hope to get him back before district play when the games really matter.

Wellington still has a bevy of running backs with Connor Phelps leading the pack with 575 yards.

Wellington-Andale game at a glance:

Wellington (3-1) at Andale (2-2), Friday at 7 p.m.

How to get there: Pick your poison which seems an appropriate term when playing Andale. It’s basically a one hour trip no matter which direction you are going. The fastest route is to head north on the turnpike, get off the west exit, go to I-235, drive to K-96 and then onto Colwich road, before turning north. Once inside Andale just look for the lights. Andale may have a good football team but the town is still small.

Follow the game: Internet: Live twitter blogs on this site, Sumner Newscow. Twitter: Follow us at Cueballnewscow. Radio: Garrett Wilson, play-by-play, KLEY-AM 1130. FM: 100.3.

Game night weather: The weather calls for clear skies at game hovering at 60 degrees, lowering slightly into the lower 50s at game’s end. Bring a jacket.

Andale (7-11)

1981 – Wellington 34 Andale 6

1982 – Wellington 14 Andale 8

2000 – Wellington 21 Andale 0

2001 – Wellington 27 Andale 7

2002 – Wellington 21 Andale 22

2002 – Wellington 19 Andale 14 bi-district

2003 – Wellington 46 Andale 29

2006 – Wellington 0 Andale 48

2007 – Wellington 12 Andale 27

2008 – Wellington 7 Andale 31

2008 – Wellington 17 Andale 33 (2nd round, playoff).

2009 – Wellington 0 Andale 21

2009 – Wellington 17 Andale 33 (2nd round, playoff).

2010 – Wellington 0 Andale 27

2011- Wellington 35 Andale 28

2012 – Wellington 30 Andale 60

2013 – Wellington 0 Andale 65

2014 – Wellington 21 Andale 63

Game’s significance: Wellington is actually ahead of Andale in the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Div. IV standings. A Crusader win puts Wellington in line for a league title.

League standings:

Ark Valley-Chisholm Trail-Division IV

Injury situation: As mentioned before Gilkey is out with a sprain MCL and will be sidelined for two weeks.

Intangible fact: For the second consecutive week, a Wellington running back has made the record book. Connor Phelps scored five touchdowns last week against Clearwater which ties him for second place for most touchdowns rushing, passing, receiving.

Most touchdowns rushing, passing, receiving)

1. Chris Chapin, 6, Derby, 1968.

2. Mike Herrington, 5, Augusta, 1979.

2. Mark Sneed, 5, Norton, 1981.

2. Zane Aguilar, 5, Mulvane, 2003.

2. Taylan Ybarra, 5, Mulvane, 2010.

2. Remington Gilkey, 5, Circle, 2015.

2. Connor Phelps, 5, Clearwater, 2015.

•••••

Competing schedules:

Wellington:

Week #1 – Wellington 14 Augusta 25

Week #2 – Wellington 36 Goddard Eisenhower 26

Week #3 – Welllington 58 Circle 8.

Week #4 – Wellington 34 Clearwater 12.

10-2 Andale Away

10-9 Collegiate Home

10-16 Rose Hill Away

10-23 Mulvane Home

10-30 Ulysses Home

Andale:

Andale 0 Buhler 16

Andale 29 McPherson 8

Andale 45 Wichita Collegiate 46 (OT)

Andale 59 Circle 0.

Statistics (accumulated by Garrett Wilson, KLEY-AM radio):

• • Scoring 35.5 ppg
  • o 24 of 45 on 3^rd down (53%)
  • • Giving up 17.75 ppg
  • o 12 of 39 on 3^rd down (31%)
  • • Passing (14.78 ypg)
  • o #4 Cade Phelps
    • ♣ 5 of 15 for 59 yards and 1 Touchdown
    • • Rushing (349 ypg)
  • o #5 Connor Phelps
    • ♣ 104 carries for 575 yards (5.52 per carry)
      • • 11 Touchdowns and 143 yards/game
  • o #31 Remington Gilkey
    • ♣ 37 carries for 388 yards (10.4 per carry)
      • • 5 Touchdowns and 96 yards/game
  • o #25 Chris Kop
    • ♣ 39 carries for 231 yards
      • • 1 Touchdown and 5.9 yards per carry
  • o #21 Colton Glover
    • ♣ 16 carries for 82 yards (5.13 per carry)
  • o #33 Logan Jones
    • ♣ 15 carries for 76 yards (5.1 per carry)
  • o #7 Dylan Goodman
    • ♣ 2 carries for 15 yards and 1 TD
  • o #9 Derek Driskell
    • ♣ 4 carries for 27 yards
  • o Receiving
    • ♣ #5 Cade Phelps
      • • 2 catches for 12 yards and 1 Touchdown
    • ♣ #33 Logan Jones
      • • 2 catches for 5 yards
    • ♣ #31 Remington Gilkey
      • • 1 catch for 17 yards
  • o NOTES
    • ♣ Coach Ryan is 0-3 against Andale while at Wellington
      • • Average scores has been 62 to 17
      • • 0-5 overall (2 games at Trinity)
        • o Average score is 55 to 16
    • ♣ Wellington is now 11-5 under Ryan in the month of September
      • • 15-16 overall in his 4^th season
        • o 4-10 in the month of October.

Wellington’s roster:

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