by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — What a difference a win makes.

After five weeks of trying circumstances, Wellington suddenly has renewed hope and vigor after a 21-0 victory at Labette County.

“Oh, geez,” sighed Wellington head football coach Zane Aguilar, in a gasp of relief after someone asked him how it felt to get his first win at Crusader Club the other day.

Trouble is, Wellington may be playing one of its best opponents this year when Winfield comes to town.

Linn Hibbs is back. His Winfield team is 5-1 and has some swagger. The Vikings are on a four-game winning streak, having won by 17 points or more in each contest.

The Viking defense looks a lot like the Wellington defenses of the early 2000s. In other words, opponents have a hard time scoring. In four games, the Vikings have given up just two touchdowns. If defense wins championships, the Vikings are doing quite well.

Winfield opened the season by beating arch rival Arkansas City 20-18. It then lost to McPherson 47-0 in its only loss of the season. But nobody is beating McPherson.

Since then the Vikings have cruised to wins over Circle, Labette County, Augusta and El Dorado. If you are comparing scores, the one game that sticks out is Winfield’s 25-7 win over Augusta, a team that beat Wellington.

But Aguilar is confident that Wellington can bring it against Winfield. Last week it found its defense and its running game especially with junior back Trace Rusk who ran for 123 yards.

“Linn was my coach, and we are great friends,” Aguilar said. “But when that whistle blows, we are going to strap it on and get after it. I want to beat him. And I know he wants to beat me.”

Wellington-Winfield game at a glance:

Winfield (5-1) at Wellington (1-5), senior night, Friday at 7 p.m

Follow the game: Internet: Sumner Newscow,  https://ict-radio.com/listen-live-1. Twitter: Follow us at Cueballnewscow. Radio: ICT Radio. Click here:  https://ict-radio.com/listen-live-1. Photos and recaps: wellington.cc and Sumner Newscow.

Game night weather: 60 degrees with 10-20 percent chance of rain.

Series history: Wellington leads this series by a lot. But since 2010, Winfield is 4-3. This is the final game in the series for this decade and the two teams are not scheduled for the next two years. So this is a chance for Wellington to close out the decade going .500.

Wellington leads series 38-16-5

1920 — Wellington 30 Winfield 7

1921 — Wellington 0 Winfield 46

1922 — Wellington 0 Winfield 31

1923 — Wellington 0 Winfield 70

1924 — Wellington 20 Winfield 7

1928 — Wellington 64 Winfield 0

1929 — Wellington 12 Winfield 0

1930 — Wellington 3 Winfield 0

1931 — Wellington 0 Winfield 7

1932 — Wellington 6 Winfield 6

1941 — Wellington 18 Winfield 6

1942 — Wellington 0 Winfield 7

1943 — Wellington 58 Winfield 12

1944 — Wellington 34 Winfield 6

1945 — Wellington 34 Winfield 7

1946 — Wellington 44 Winfield 2

1947 — Wellington 7 Winfield 6

1948 — Wellington 7 Winfield 0

1949 — Wellington 7 Winfield 7

1950 — Wellington 65 Winfield 0

1951 — Wellington 31 Winfield 6

1952 — Wellington 39 Winfield 13

1953 — Wellington 26 Winfield 14

1954 — Wellington 32 Winfield 0

1955 — Wellington 34 Winfield 13

1956 — Wellington 37 Winfield 0

1957 — Wellington 13 Winfield 12

1958 — Wellington 13 Winfield 6

1959 — Wellington 13 Winfield 6

1960 — Wellington 25 Winfield 13.

1961 — Wellington 7 Winfield 7

1962 — Wellington 0 Winfield 0

1963 — Wellington 27 Winfield 0

1964 — Wellington 6 Winfield 7

1965 — Wellington 7 Winfield 0

1966 — Wellington 13 Winfield 14

1967 — Wellington 20 Winfield 14

1968 — Wellington 27 Winfield 0

1969 — Wellington 16 Winfield 9

1970 — Wellington 36 Winfield 15

1971 — Wellington 14 Winfield 0

1972 — Wellington 19 Winfield 7

1973 — Wellington 6 Winfield 15

1974 — Wellington 14 Winfield 8

1975 — Wellington 7 Winfield 14

1976 — Wellington 0 Winfield 27

1977 — Wellington 37 Winfield 7

1979 — Wellington 10 Winfield 3

1980 — Wellington 0 Winfield 29

2010 — Wellington 35 Winfield 19

2011 — Wellington 28 Winfield 47

2012 — Wellington 7 Winfield 21

2013 — Wellington 18 Winfield 41

2016 — Wellington 20 Winfield 21 (OT)

2017 — Wellington 14 Winfield 7

2018 — Wellington 22 Winfield 7.

Game’s significance: It is getting crunch time. Wellington needs to win to position itself in the most advantageous way possible.

Injury situation: Looks pretty good as of Monday.

•••••

Competing schedules:

WHS FOOTBALL (all games at Friday, 7 p.m.)

Sept. 6	Collegiate 28 Wellington 7
Sept. 13	Andale 35 Wellington 7
Sept. 20	Clearwater 31 Wellington 7
Sept. 27	Augusta 21 Wellington 14.
Oct. 4	Rose Hill 35 Wellington 0
Oct. 11	Wellington 21 Winfield 0.
Oct. 19	Winfield	home	Senior Night
Oct. 26	Mulvane	away
Nov. 2	Bi-District playoffs, TBA

Winfield:

Winfield 20 Arkansas City 18

McPherson 47 Winfield 0

Winfield 59 Circle 0

Winfield 28 Labette County 7

Winfield 25 Augusta 7

Winfield 17 El Dorado 0.

Playoffs: The Class 4A-West standings can be found here. Click on 4A. 

Basically, with a win Wellington could jump significantly up in the standings, as much as eight positions as crazy as that sounds. McPherson is No. 1 with a 6-0 record, Buhler, Andover Central, and Winfield are at 5-1. Ulysses is sitting in the fifth seed at 3-3. Then there six teams at 2-4 and four teams at 1-5.

Crusaders are sitting at No. 14 which would give it a date with Andover Central there. But if they win one or two games, they could very well host the first round game. 

Roster:

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