Timberwolves Look to Run it Back in 2026

Every year only one football team in each classification across America gets to walk off the field elated, while all the rest enter the offseason thinking about what could have been.

Last year, the last team standing in the Kansas 8-man Division 1 ranks was South Central High School, and with six starters returning on offense and six returning on defense, expectations in Comanche County are extremely high for 2026.

Fifth-year head football coach Brett Westrup, who led the team to its first Sub-State appearance in 2023 and its first football title in school history last year, has taken the recent success in stride.

“It’s not about where we have been, it’s about where we are going,” the Timberwolves coach said. “We just want to continue to get better each week and hope to be playing our best football in late November.”

In order for South Central to have a chance to defend its gridiron crown, Westrup said his squad has to forget about playing in November and focus on the week’s opponent that is lining up across the field on any given Friday night. 

“We obviously want to put ourselves in a position to defend our State title, but we can’t be looking to November,” he said. “We have to take it one week at a time. 

“Process is more important than the product.”

One significant key to victory this season is the health of his players, according to the head coach. The Timberwolves lost two starters within two weeks last season. 

“Just like any small school out that has multiple guys playing both ways, staying healthy and building good depth at all positions will be very important,” Westrup said. “Nobody is going to play a perfect game, but we have to continue to compete when things don’t go our way.”

This year’s motto is “EAT” which stands for those things within the control of each and every player that steps onto the field each day –  effort, attitude and toughness.

If the Timberwolves can keep players on the field, the focus will turn to playing hard and eliminating mental mistakes in order to keep South Central moving toward the ultimate goal.

“Nobody cares what we did last year,” Westrup said. “We bring back a lot of guys with varsity snap experience back, but we have to continue to get better with each week. Our kids work hard and are very competitive.” 

Westrup has plenty of fire power returning this season, but he also has some really big shoes to fill in replacing Jack Herd, who took his talents to the collegiate level after graduating in May. Herd is now a Friends Falcon, and Westrup is hoping some of his younger athletes are ready to step up to fill some holes.

“We are looking to get some younger guys to step up into starting roles and give us more depth to be able to rotate players around,” he said.

Some players to watch for this season include juniors Westlyn Stapleton, Jett Petty, Judd Petty and Isaac Girk, as well as sophomores Wiley York, Ryder Woolfolk and Jeffery Cope.

Westrup has a pair of quarterbacks that will guide the Timberwolves offense this season. Easton Huck threw for more than 1,000 yards last season and accounted for 22 touchdowns through the air. Huck’s arm is not his only weapon however, as he rushed for 1,347 yards and scored 22 more times on the ground.

Yoder had 466 yards passign and 275 yards rushing last season and accounted for 10 TDs.

Coda Lindsay just missed the 1,000-yard mark last season. He is the top returning running back, with 988 yards. He scored 16 times.

Parker Price will headline the receiving corps this year. He is coming off a season where he hauled in seven touchdown passes and finished with 357 yards. Dakota Thronsbery, Jett Petty and York should also receive plenty of attention from the quarterbacks this year.

Paving the way for the potent Timberwolves offensive attack will be Jack Willems, Eli Girk, Isaac Girk and Call Martin.

Willems, Martin, Eli Girk and Judd Petty will also be counted on in the trenches to slow down the opponent’s offense each week. Willems had 67 tackles last as season (13 for a loss).

The strength of the Timberwolves defense this year could very well be the linebackers. Yoder is moving down from his safety position last year. He is the team’s leading returner in tackles with 90. He finished 2025 with two sacks, an interception and six tackles for loss.

Lindsay and Thornsbery accounted for more than 100 tackles between the two last year and 15 tackles for loss. Thornsbery also had five sacks, while Lindsay posted three.

Jett Petty will also figure into the linebacking rotation this season.

Huck, Price, York and Westyn Stapleton will anchor the defensive backfield.

York will also be counted on as the team’s punt and kick returner, while Huck will handle the punting duties should they be needed.

Westrup said he is not settled yet on a place kicker.

South Central has made huge strides under Westrup’s tutelage, going from 4-5 in 2022 with a first-round playoff loss to 23-1 over the last two seasons with a State runner-up finish in 2024 and a State title in 2025.

Westrup said in order to keep that winning culture going no one can become complacent.

“We might have finished as State champs but there is always room for improvement,” he said. “Everyone is out to get South Central now, so we have to take it one practice at a time and get better each day.

“Whether you’re on the first team or not, you have to continue to push your teammates to get better.”

One would think that after having played in the State title game the last two seasons, Westrup might say that is the biggest game of the year, but not for this gridiron coach. He said the first three weeks of the season are the biggest games on the slate.

“We want to start the season off where we left last year, but it is going to require us to be playing at a high level early,” he said.