Wellington’s offensive line should be at full strength this weekend after missing two players last week.

By Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Wellington and Rose Hill have played some of the most interesting football games over the years. Two years ago, when the Crusaders hosted the Rockets, the two teams combined for 104 points with Wellington eking out a 54-50 victory. That was the game in which quarterback Dusty Bannister threw for 472 yards and shattered the Wellington single-game passing record. Both teams combined for a total of 912 yards of total offense.

Last season, Wellington dominated Rose Hill 54-13. That’s a combined 108 points in two years vs. the Rockets. And with Wellington scoring 49 and 46 points in the past two weeks, there is some real potential for another scoreboard number turner this Friday.

The Rockets are 3-3, but that record may not accurately reflect their talent. In the past two weeks, it lost a close 37-35 game to McPherson before throttling Circle 42-12. Their other losses came to Andale 53-13 and to Collegiate 21-10.

Nobody will remember a team being runner-up in the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Division. IV. However, this presents an opportunity for Wellington to secure the outright second-place non-Andale title.

More importantly, at this stage, it is about playoff positioning (see district standings below). Currently, Wellington is ranked No. 3 in Class 4A-West, meaning it has a chance to host at least two playoff games, including a first-round opponent currently 1-5. A loss to Rose Hill, and Wellington falls into a quagmire of opponents like Wamego, Buhler, McPherson and Abilene. It means a tougher first-round opponent and a possible trip in the second round if it survives.

Wellington is going to have to stop the run, especially Keedrin Jones, a 5-10, 180-pound senior, who ran all over Circle with 313 yards and five touchdowns.

The Crusaders should have everyone back from injury, including Cole Zeka, Ethan Brungardt, and Cayson Ramirez. None of those three played in the Winfield game last week.

“It will be nice to get those potential all-state players back,” said Jeremiah Meeks, Wellington head football coach. “That is going to be huge.”

Wellington continues to rise up the rankings. The Crusaders are ranked No. 4 in the latest Class 4A KPreps.com poll and listed in “others” in the KSHSAA Covered poll.

The Crusaders are currently on a four-game winning streak. A win here, and it’s likely Wellington will be 7-1 going into the playoffs. That’s what they call momentum.

A loss? All bets are off.

Rose Hill (3-3) at Wellington (5-1), Friday at 7 p.m. 

Broadcast: KLEY-FM 104.1, KWME-AM 1120, Crusader radio.net. The game will be live streamed on Hudl. Tweets: Sumner Newscow will be having live tweets. Click here. We will have the wrap-up thereafter.

Weather: 80 degrees at game time.

Season so far:

Wellington
Wellington 32 Collegiate 13
Andale 77 Wellington 20
Wellington 18 Clearwater 14.
Wellington 25 Labette County 14
Wellington 49 Augusta 48
Wellington 46 Winfield 28.

Rose Hill
Rose Hill 23 Clearwater 0
Collegiate 21 Rose Hill 10
Andale 53 Rose Hill 13
Rose Hill 78 El Dorado 0
McPherson 37 Rose Hill 35
Rose Hill 42 Circle 12

Wellington-Rose Hill history: 

Wellington leads series (21-6)
1981 – Wellington 33 Rose Hill 6
1982 – Wellington 37 Rose Hill 7
1987 – Wellington 35 Rose Hill 12
1988 – Wellington 26 Rose Hill 16
1994 – Wellington 48 Rose Hill 16
1995 – Wellington 33 Rose Hill 6
1996 – Wellington 40 Rose Hill 0
1997 – Wellington 30 Rose Hill 0
2000 – Wellington 56 Rose Hill 0
2001 – Wellington 38 Rose Hill 13
2004 – Wellington 28 Rose Hill 20
2005 – Rose Hill 35 Wellington 20
2006 – Rose Hill 21 Wellington 6 bi-district.
2008 – Wellington 14 Rose Hill 13
2009 – Rose Hill 21 Wellington 15
2014 – Wellington 33 Rose Hill 21
2015 – Wellington 44 Rose Hill 20
2016 – Rose Hill 7 Wellington 6
2017 – Wellington 27 Rose Hill 13
2018 – Wellington 38 Rose Hill 7
2018 – Wellington 38 Rose Hill 13 (play-in).
2019 – Rose Hill 35 Wellington 0
2020 – Rose Hill 28 Wellington 20
2021 – Wellington 13 Rose Hill 12
2022 – Wellington 29 Rose Hill 7
2023 – Wellington 54 Rose Hill 50
2024 – Wellington 54 Rose Hill 13

Wellington Statistics:

District standings:

Click to enlarge

State playoff bracket as of now (graphic thanks to Charles Chaney):

Roster: