WILDCATS LOOK FOR RUN AT STATE TITLE

KANITZ, GRILL, BLOUGH LEAD MOUNDRIDGE FOOTBALL

By Staff

         MOUNDRIDGE – Despite losing multi-year starters at linebacker, quarterback, tight end and along the line, the Moundridge football program is optimistic in their continued walk within 11-man football with Kaizer Kanitz, Paul Grill, Cyrus Blough, Thomas Jenkins, and Brayden Elmore serving as the core of senior leadership.

         Tyler O’Connor begins his third season at the helm of the Wildcat football program with a 16-2 record and winning a pair of district championships to this point. After losing to Hutchinson Trinity in the state playoffs they finished the 2024 season at 7-1 overall. Assisting O’Connor on the sidelines will be Jared Kaufman, DaWayne Stos, and Dustan Kanitz as they run the 3-4 defense and an option offense.

         The Wildcats continue to work on the transition from eight-man to 11-man football of which coach O’Connor noted, “We will look to continue to develop as a team in our new classification. We do have a large group of seniors in which we will rely heavily on.”

         Due to graduation, Moundridge will need to replace Henry Hecox, a multi-year starter at quarterback and linebacker. Hecox accounted for 1,318 yards passing with 18 touchdowns while leading the team in tackles with 57. Other graduates include Bear Moddelmog, Lane Durst, Braden DenHartog, and Layton Weins.

         Among the group of seniors returning will be Kaizer Kanitz at wide receiver and free safety. Kanitz earned all-league type honors six times for his play on offense where he caught 47 passes good for 718 yards and 11 touchdowns while recording 19 tackles and three interceptions on defense. Kanitz also returned punts for a pair of scores as well.

         Paul Grill returns at running back and linebacker after running for 328 yards and five touchdowns while recording 52 tackles of which seven went for a loss of yardage playing defense.

         Other seniors with starting experience will be Brayden Elmore at defensive cornerback, Thomas Jenkins a six-foot-two, 215-pound offensive / defensive end, and Fynn Burge at wide receiver and defensive cornerback. Layton Schmidt will be welcomed back as the six-foot-four, 175 left offensive tackle and outside linebacker missed seven games a year ago due to injuries.

         Juniors Logan Greenwalt and Logan Wulf also return to the starting lineup as Greenwalt is a running back and safety and Wulf will play guard on both offense and defense.

         The Wildcats have a weapon not many teams in Class 1A will have – a kicker. As a sophomore in 2024, Cyrus Blough had enough kick on punts to go along with his 26-of-29 accuracy on extra points that he gained first-team all-league honors in several  publications while earning SIK (Sports in Kansas) honorable mention Class 1A all-state.

         Those with potential to fill spots left by graduation at quarterback and tight end will be senior Owen Colwell, a five-foot-ten, 170-pound quarterback/linebacker and senior Mav Logue, a solid six-foot-one, 210-pound tight end/linebacker. Two other seniors look to push for playing time or a starting spot include Elijah Roth (defensive back/wide receiver), and William Broemmer (offensive/defensive lineman).

         Juniors Josh Koehn (linebacker), Atley Lichti (offensive/defensive lineman), and Tione Wilson (running back/linebacker) along with talented sophomore Blayne Schriner at defensive back also earned recognition by the coaches as potential starters while gaining plenty of varsity game day playing time.

         Coach O’Connor finished his reflections on the 2025 Wildcat season by adding, “Our strength may be our large senior class with a lot of gameday playing experience. Many players will be playing new positions, and we will have multiple kids stepping up into roles that they were playing at the junior varsity level. New leaders will need to emerge in key roles, and some players will be asked to play new positions.

The Wildcats will open the 2025 season with a pair of home games, hosting Bennington on Friday, September 5 before Sterling comes to town on Friday, September 12.

2025 WILDCAT SCHEDULE (PRE-PLAYOFF):

Friday, September 5 = hosting Bennington

Friday, September 12 = hosting Sterling

Friday, September 19 = at Medicine Lodge

Friday, September 26 = at Herington

Friday, October 3 = at Remington

Friday, October 10 = hosting Marion

Friday, October 17 = at Sedgwick

Friday, October 24 = hosting Inman

(The Staff covering McPherson County Activities can be reached by email at macks.people.places@gmail.com)