by Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — The Crusader football team has played some big games over the years. But one would be hard-pressed to find as many storylines as Friday’s game between Wellington and Winfield at Sellers Park.

First there is the Linn Hibbs angle. Hibbs, the former head coach of the Crusaders from 1996 to 2010, the winningest Crusader coach of all time — returns to Sellers Park for the first time as an opposing head coach at Winfield.

Then there is the story of the coach vs. the pupil. Zane Aquilar will be coaching against the coach he had in high school as a quarterback.

Then there is the fact that both teams are 0-6 looking for their first win – and the fear they might not get a victory this season if they don’t get it Friday.

Then there is the first week of district thing, where teams start playing for playoff berths.

Then there is the fact this is the Crusaders’ last home football game, and the last chance for the Wellington seniors to ring the victory bell.

Then it is senior night.

And then there is… well, does there need to be anything else?

This is a big, big, big game. And Crusader fans need to be there in force to help the Crusaders vie for their first victory.

While the district game in itself makes this a big game (see story below), there is so much more to this game.

“It is really going to be emotional,” Aguilar said. “It will be hard to coach against someone who means so much to me.”

During his tenure in Wellington, Hibbs was tremendously successful. He coached two state championship teams, and another state finalists. He coached three other state semifinalists, and coached Wellington through the longest playoff qualifying streak in Kansas High School football history.

But after the 2010 season, Hibbs and Wellington parted ways and it has been a journey for both him and the program he once helmed. After three years at Shawnee Mission Northwest and a year off, Hibbs was hired as the head Winfield football coach last winter. To say it has been a rebuilding effort, is an understatement.

For Aguilar, who was Hibbs assistant for four seasons, he became the head coach of the Crusaders in May. From that point forward, that made for a great storyline. The pupil vs. mentor angle has been widely discussed for the past six months especially for those with a 67152 address.

Interestingly enough, both coaches have struggled to pick up their first wins in their new capacity. For Winfield, the Vikings have lost to everyone by double digits except with rival Ark City, a 24-21 loss in week #4. The past two weeks haven’t been kind for the Viking having lost to Buhler 48-7 and Maize South 44-0.

But the Crusaders haven’t had any luck either. Their closest game was a heart-breaking 7-6 loss against Rose Hill in Week #3. In the past three weeks, Wellington has lost a combined 140-7. Last week, Wellington was outgunned 382 to 74 yards of offense without a passing yard. Wellington has yet to score against a varsity defense since Rose Hill. It hasn’t helped that Wellington has been racked by injuries to various starters including quarterback Cade Phelps last week.

Wellington and Winfield have similar statistics. The Vikings quarterback is Traiton Suttles who has thrown for 344 yards this season completing 33 on 102 attempts.

Viking running back Izzy Amezcua has 227 yards on 81 carries.

It is a game of mammoth possibilities for two programs eager for a new beginning. Friday night should be fun.

Wellington-Winfield game at a glance:

Winfield (0-6) at Wellington (0-6) Friday at 7 p.m.

Follow the game: Internet: Live twitter blogs on this site, Sumner Newscow. Twitter: Follow us at Cueballnewscow. Radio: Adrian Young and Jamie Cornejo, play-by-play, KLEY, 1130-AM and 100.3-FM. Television: Sumner Cable TV, Channel 5 (audio). Photos and recaps: wellington.cc and Sumner Newscow.

Game night weather: We should be fine. Forecasters are saying it will be in the 60s with 20 percent for rain.

Series history: Wellington last played Winfield in 2012. The Vikings have won the last three meetings. The two teams did not meet in 2013 and 2014.

Wellington leads series 36-14-5

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.

Game’s significance: It means everything on so many levels.

Injury situation: Starting quarterback Cade Phelps could be back. Coach Zane Aguilar said he was practicing on Monday.

•••••

Competing schedules:

WELLINGTON
Varsity Football (all games 7 p.m.)
Clearwater 43 Wellington 14
El Dorado 34 Wellington 18
Rose Hill 7 Wellington 6
Andale 47 Wellington 7
Collegiate 52 Wellington 0
Friday, Oct. 7	Scott City	home
Friday, Oct. 14	Winfield	home
Friday, Oct. 21	Mulvane	away
Friday, Oct. 28	Ulysses	away

Winfield (0-5)

Augusta 32 Winfield 0

Circle 28 Winfield 14

McPherson 46 Winfield 0

Ark City 24 Winfield 21

Buhler 48 Winfield 7

Maize South 44 Winfield 0.

Roster:

			2016 Wellington Crusader Football
1	Deyton Araujo	11	185		65	Michael Billington	11	190
2	Caleb Reichenberger	10	160		66	David Matlock	12	190
3	De’ Andre Washington	10	150		68	Logan Jones	11	215
4	Cade Phelps	11	185		70	Aaron Schoemann	11	190
5	Joe Ybarra	10	165		71	Braiden Buresh	11	240
6	Eric Kop	10	130		72	Conner Burnett	12	280
7	Dylan Goodman	12	160		77	Tyler Jimenez	10	270
8	Tyler Murray	10	140		78	Drake Alcorn	10	180
10	Matthew Mason	12	135		79	Caleb Fowler	10	190
11	Jack Walton	11	220		84	Chi Barton	10	150
15	Nic Reyes	10	140		85	Brayden Higgenbotham	10	160
16	Michael Ledbetter	10	165
18	Chase Pfalzgraf	10	150
21	Caleb Alcorn	11	170		Spirit Squad: Taylor, McGothlin, Regan Pourner,
22	Julian Jimenez	10	155		Chloe Easterly, Andi Dry, Kelsi Haydon,
24	Colton Glover	12	170		Makenna May, Cassidy Harriger, Lexi Saffell,
25	Chris Kop	12	220		Tatum Witham, Tori Winger, Kayla Billington
33	Trayson Probst	10	165
42	Dylan Ferguson	12	180		Sponsor: Katie Franke
50	Braden Struble	10	165
51	Lukas Soria	12	160
53	Bailey Etter	10	170
54	Gabe Smith	11	220
60	Jason Jeffrey	10	240
61	Cody Metz	10	230
62	Chance Wilson	12	180
63	Ian Groom	12	220
	Head Coach: Zane Aguilar
	Assisntant Coaches: Tony Ybarra, Ross Foley, John McComb,
	Rick Phelps, Tim Lira, Nick Wellington, Ryan Elder
	Manager: Austin Fink
	Superintendent: Dr. Mark Whitener
	Assistant Superintendent: Brad Morris
	Principal: Adam Hatifield
	Assistant Principal: John Buckendorff
	Athletic Director: Luke Smith

Follow us on Facebook.

Follow us on Twitter.