By Gary Van Cleave
Salina Post Contributor
Now that The Streak is in the Salina South rear view mirror, the Cougars can focus on more important things.
“Expectations,” first-year football coach Christien Ozores said, “are to keep getting better and win a playoff game.”
“Man, it feels great,” sophomore running back Armane Redmond said. “A lot of weight has finally been lifted off of our shoulders. It shows how much our hard work has paid off.”
The Cougars hadn’t won a football game in 1,127 days - a span from September 17, 2021 to October 18, 2024. Thirty consecutive defeats on the gridiron haunted these Cougars.
“When the clock hit 0:00’s, it was a sigh of relief for all us coaches and I was just excited for the kids,” Ozores said of Friday’s 41-23 victory over Haysville-Campus. “It was one of (those) moments where you just look around and soak it in. Something that I know those kids will cherish forever.”
“It feels great to accomplish something that the guys and coaches have fought so hard for,” said senior quarterback Landon Putman, who completed an efficient 15-of-20 passes for 144 yards and two touchdowns.
Putman has thrown for 949 yards on the season. He’s thrown eight touchdowns and just five interceptions in 173 pass attempts as his QB rating went from 67 to 74.1.
“Landon has been everything we have asked him to do and more,” Ozores said. “He has stepped up with his legs running the ball the past 3-4 games and been feeling more and more comfortable with our system and all the progressions.”
Ozores has especially loved what he’s seeing from his eight seniors.
Aiden Anderes, DE, RB, TE, is an overall great player and teammate, leads by example and plays everywhere for the Cougars, Ozores said. Ozores noted contributions from defensive lineman Zach Johnson, who loves football, offensive lineman Erik Franco, a player the Cougars lean heavily on up front, lineman Sean Iselin, who plays hard and is a high IQ player, tight end Brady Oliver, who does all the little things right, defensive end Jesus Mariscal, a physical player who has stepped up this year for South and DB Kaiden Wachs, who works hard and does everything he is asked.
“The senior leadership has gotten better,” Ozores said. “We only have eight, but they do the right things and work hard. They aren’t so much vocal leaders which is okay but they practice, prepare and work hard and know their roles of trying to help turn around the program.”
Redmond scored two touchdowns and galloped for a season-high 123 yards rushing. He’s the Cougars’ leading ground gainer with 230 yards on 55 totes and four TDs.
“Just thinking back to every morning we have worked out as a team and getting better together means a lot to us,” Redmond said. “People do notice when things go the way they should. So our plan is to keep grinding and getting better so the people can hear more about us.”
Junior Jaxon Meyers is Putman’s top receiver with 514 yards and six touchdowns, but unfortunately he broke his arm early in third quarter and is out for the year.
“It feels good to get this off our back,” Meyers said of the streak. “Thinking about it for a while and it means a lot to help contribute to the win even when I got injured just knowing that they’re doing it for me. Hope this helps stack another one this week.”
The 1-6 Cougars conclude the regular season Friday at Maize.
“This victory means a lot not only to the program but the whole high school and the South community,” Ozores said. “These kids have worked extremely hard to start turning the program around and to take steps in the right direction. I truly believe when you have a successful football program it carries into all athletics in the whole school. It sets the tone in the weight room and the competitive atmosphere you need to have to be successful. Now our kids need to learn quickly how to handle success and when people say good things about you how to stay hungry and want more. We still need to finish things strong and I’m excited about what we can show these last weeks of the season.”
“Ending the streak is something that has been on everybody’s mind this season and a big goal of ours,” junior Landon Huffman said. “But it wasn’t our only goal. We aren’t done, plain and simple.”