Submitted by Kaitlyn Claycamp

WHS Journalism Student

This year, the Wetmore football team has made it to the state playoffs for the first time in over four decades. Excitement is building throughout the school and community, as this will be the first playoff game that Wetmore High School has attended, despite qualifying during the 1978 season. The current record this season is 6-2.

This year, the Cardinals dropped down to six-man football. While the travel is longer, Wetmore’s game play has exceeded even the highest of expectations.

“I would not want to have this success with anybody else,” said senior quarterback Kyler Wommack. “This year’s team has become like a family through success and failure.”

Tight end Jacob Carls, who is also a senior, said, “This season has been really fun, I have enjoyed having a winning season and making new memories.”

Carls was awarded WIBW Scholar Athlete of the Week for the week of Oct. 24.

“It’s been a successful season so far, the guys have really come together as a team,” said Head Coach Miles Hanzlicek. “Our seniors became leaders and are performing great. We can’t wait to play in this postseason.”

Hanzlicek has been the head coach for two years now. Wetmore principal Rick Schnacker is the assistant coach.

The cheerleaders have also expressed their excitement as the boys move into the playoffs.

The senior team members include Wommack, Carls, Dierk Hanzlicek, Wyatt Canon, Alex Rowland and Skylar Murrow. These six boys have worked hard this season and have been excellent leaders to the team.

Other members of the team include juniors Weston Schultejans, Kayden Kiefer and Denis Speck. Speck is Wetmore’s foreign exchange student from Germany and has quickly picked up the sport in America. Sophomore Kaden Claycamp and freshman Landon Heller fill out the remainder of the team’s roster. The entire team has quickly adapted to six-man football and the different rules throughout the season.

Wetmore qualified for a bye the first round and is set to face off in their first postseason match-up at home against the 6-3 Burrton Chargers at 6 p.m. Friday, Nov. 4.