By Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — Enjoy your summer, boys and girls. August 17 is coming up quickly.

Jeremiah Meeks

The official first day of practice for the 2026-27 fall sports teams begins in a little more than two weeks. The Wellington High School football team will be no exception.

“Just in time for it to get really, really hot,” joked Jeremiah Meeks, Wellington head football coach.

Meeks will be embarking on his fifth season at the helm as head coach of the WHS Crusaders. Time flies. Wellington is coming off back-to-back-to-back state quarterfinal playoff performances.

This year’s team has been busy with 7-on-7 competition with Wichita City League teams, taking a trip for a 7-0n-7 tournament in Columbia, Missouri, and a camp in Goddard. And, of course, there has been plenty of conditioning.

“I think we will be as big as we’ve been since I’ve been here,” Meeks said. “They have all worked hard over the summer getting in shape for this season.”

Meeks is counting on 60 players to start practice on Aug. 17.

Wellington has holes to fill, including the offensive line and finding a new running back, after losing Jalik Armstrong, who rushed for 1,542 yards in 2025. Defensively, it will need to replace its two top tacklers, Hank Shinliver and Colton Bannister, who combined for 121 tackles last season.

But the Crusaders have a solid nucleus coming back, and should be especially strong on defense.

Wellington has a new schedule with three new teams to play. The Crusaders will be battling Mulvane and Buhler as part of the Ark Valley Chisholm Trail League Div. 3 rotation. Wellington is also traveling to Fort Scott. Labette County is no longer on the schedule.

Here’s the schedule for 2026.

Sept. 4 – at Clearwater.
Sept. 11 – Collegiate, home.
Sept. 18 – at Andale.
Sept. 25 – at El Dorado.
Oct. 2 – Mulvane, home.
Oct. 9 – Buhler, home.
Oct. 16 – at Fort Scott.
Oct. 23 – Rose Hill, home.

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