SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
HAVEN, Kan. — The Haven High School football team won three games in 2021, four games in 2022 and five games in 2023. The Wildcats look to continue that trend of winning heading into the 2024 season.
"I think the leadership we have out of these seniors is really good," co-head coach Drew Thalmann said. "That's what we had with the crew that went 8-3 in 2020, we had a really good group of seniors. This group we have this year really reminds me of those guys and that's where we've got to start. If you've got good leaders then you can go deep into the playoffs. I think we've got a good group of seniors this year that can lead us there."
Haven is one of the few schools in the state of Kansas with co-head coaches. Thalmann and Thomas Cooprider each have the co-head coach title next to their names.
"I coach the offense and Thomas coaches the defense," Thalmann said. "All of the other stuff we kind of just work together on."
Thalmann is hopeful the team speed will help the Wildcats on offense this year.
"We're going to be pretty fast offensively," Thalmann said. "We had a 4x1 that went to state in the spring, all four are skill position guys we have. We're going to have a lot of team speed. Any one of our skill position guys could take it to the house on any given play."
Thalmann emphasized the team speed will contribute a lot to the defensive success, as well.
Haven opens the season on Sept. 6 at Hillsboro.
"Hillsboro is always a tough first game," Thalmann said. "They're always really athletic and have had our number the last several years. I think we lost to them by three last year."
The Wildcats then host Nickerson in Week 2.
"Nickerson is a county rivalry game," Thalmann said. "It's been fun to play that game again. With us being in class 2A and them in class 3A we didn't have that game, but we've been able to schedule that within the league again."
Thalmann said Garden Plain and Kingman will be games to circle for this years schedule.
"Garden Plain and Kingman at the end of the year will tell us a lot about where we're at," Thalmann said. "Those two are really good teams that we'll see where we're at against."
HAVEN WILDCATS SCHEDULE
Sept. 6 @ Hillsboro
Sept. 13 NICKERSON
Sept. 20 SMOKY VALLEY
Sept. 27 @ Douglass
Oct. 4 GARDEN PLAIN
Oct. 11 @ Belle Plaine
Oct. 18 @ Chaparral
Oct. 25 KINGMAN