SEAN BOSTON
Hutch Post
HALSTEAD, Kan. — The Halstead High School football team is looking to lean on its veterans entering the 2024 season, and hopeful of a playoff run in class 2A.
"We're very excited about this year," third-year head coach Derek Racette said. "We have a lot of really good leaders that came back this year. We have a really big senior class with a lot of those guys that have started since their sophomore year when myself and the coaching staff got to Halstead."
The Dragons finished the 2023 season with a 3-6 record. Racette feels like the program is headed back in the right direction of where it used to be.
"The leadership we've had here at Halstead has been really good and the program has continued to grow in a positive way," Racette said. "I feel like we keep taking that next step in the right direction and we're trending up."
Halstead will return a bulk of its offense from last season, including 1,500-plus yard passer Braxton Creed at quarterback.
"We've got a lot of guys back on offense," Racette said. "Braxton Creed at quarterback, plus Joey Millspaugh and Keegan Kraus at fullback. We lost some weapons, but guys like Breeson Bigley, Keaston Shields and Kohen Corona will be big for us. We've got a lot coming back on the offensive line, especially guys like Connor Herman."
As far as the defense goes, Racette is looking forward to having Gage Meyer on the field after missing the past two seasons with a knee injury.
"Getting Gage out there will be big for us," Racette said. "I'm looking forward to how he will be able to help us on both sides of the ball. We'll have most everybody back in the secondary and will have a lot of guys that played significant minutes for us last year. I'm just excited to see people fly around and get to the football."
The Dragons will have a challenging schedule, especially right out of the gates, opening with home games against Hesston on Sept. 6 and then Pratt on Sept. 13.
"The schedule is there and whoever is on the schedule we show up on Friday night if its home or away and put our best foot forward and get after it," Racette said. "It doesn't matter who is on our schedule, we just have to continue to work and get better. We'll be ready to go no matter who it is against."
HALSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL
Sept. 6 HESSTON
Sept. 13 PRATT
Sept. 20 @ Nickerson
Sept. 27 @ Hillsboro
Oct. 4 @ Minneapolis
Oct. 11 ELLSWORTH
Oct. 18 @ SE of Saline
Oct. 25 LYONS