The Wellman-Union Wildcats opened last season on a high note, defeating Spur 26-22 in a low-scoring, defensive six-man football battle. It marked the Wildcats’ first season-opening victory since 2019, when they defeated Cotton Center 39-12.
Wellman-Union has not posted a winning season since 2017, when the Wildcats finished 6-5. However, with head coach Brett Labadie entering his second season and a strong senior class returning, there is plenty of optimism surrounding the program heading into 2026.
Although the Wildcats finished 2-8 last season, the record did not tell the entire story. Seven of Wellman-Union’s 10 games went the full four quarters, something that can be significant in six-man football, where games can end early because of the 45-point mercy rule. The Wildcats also picked up a big victory over cross-county rival Meadow.
Those were signs of progress for a program looking to take another step forward.
In the latest UIL realignment, Wellman-Union, like Meadow, dropped to Class 1A Division II. At the same time, several regional powers moved into Division I, including defending state champion Jayton, state semifinalist Klondike, area-round playoff team Sands and former District 3-1A Division II champion Whitharral.
That does not mean the road through Region I will be easy. Motley County remains in Division II and has been one of the state’s most consistent six-man programs. The Matadors have had just one losing season in the past 20 years and have won a state championship, appeared in multiple state championship games, and made several other deep playoff runs.
Valley also dropped into Division II and has traditionally been a tough opponent. Teams from the Texas Panhandle, including Follett and Miami, should also be in the regional conversation.
Coach Labadie certainly did not back away from competition when putting together the Wildcats’ nondistrict schedule. Of Wellman-Union’s six nondistrict opponents, five will compete in Division I.
The Wildcats begin the season on the road against Amherst. The last time these two teams met was in 2023, when Amherst defeated Wellman-Union 56-0. Both programs look different now, and the Wildcats enter this matchup with more experience and momentum than they had three years ago.
Wellman-Union will then return home for its home opener against Silverton. The two programs have not met in 27 years. Their last meeting came with the Wildcats earning a 42-37 victory. Silverton has put together several solid seasons over the past decade and should give the Wildcats another early-season test.
Next, Wellman-Union heads north to Petersburg. The Wildcats and Buffaloes last faced one another in 2023, when Petersburg came away with a 51-6 victory. That was then, and this is now.
Petersburg has a talented junior class with several quick athletes, but this matchup could give Wellman-Union an opportunity to show just how far the program has come.
The Wildcats then return home for two straight games, beginning a three-game stretch that could tell everyone a lot about this team.
First up is Highland for Wellman-Union’s homecoming game. The last time Wellman and Highland met on the football field came 49 years ago in a playoff game, when Highland defeated Wellman High School 42-24. Union never faced Highland before the schools consolidated, making this the first meeting between Highland and the current Wellman-Union program. Highland has endured some difficult seasons recently, but the Hornets should still offer a competitive homecoming matchup.
The Wildcats’ next home game will likely be their toughest challenge to that point when the Klondike Cougars come to Wildcat Country. Klondike reached the state semifinals last season before falling to eventual state champion Jayton. The Cougars return plenty of talent, including experienced starters on both sides of the football. Wellman-Union will have its hands full, but the Wildcats should also view the matchup as an opportunity to measure themselves against one of the area’s strongest six-man programs.
The Wildcats then travel north on October 2 to face Springlake-Earth. The Wolverines and Wildcats have never met on the football field, largely because Wellman-Union, both before and after consolidation, has spent much of its football history playing six-man or eight-man football.
Springlake-Earth has a strong football tradition dating back decades. The Wolverines will be entering their seventh season of six-man football and have reached the playoffs in each of their first six seasons. They have also won four consecutive district championships. With three starters returning on both offense and defense, Springlake-Earth is expected to once again be a playoff contender. Like the Klondike matchup, this game should give Wellman-Union a major test before district play begins.
The following week, the Wildcats open district competition at home against Dawson. It has been nearly a decade since these two programs met. Wellman-Union defeated Dawson 71-6 on November 3, 2017. Dawson went several years without fielding a full football program, but the Dragons returned to play a complete 10-game schedule last season and finished 3-7.
There is also plenty of history between these programs. In 76 years of Wildcat football, Wellman-Union and its predecessors have faced Dawson 56 times. The Dragons will come to Wellman looking to begin writing a new chapter in that series.
Next, Wellman-Union travels to face Southland. The Wildcats defeated the Eagles 70-35 in their 2019 meeting. Southland has recorded one winning season over the past decade, finishing 9-3 in 2023. The Eagles are coming off a 1-8 season but return their entire roster, which should make them a much more experienced team in 2026.
Then comes one of the Wildcats’ oldest and closest rivalries.
Only about nine miles separate the football fields in Wellman and Loop, and the two programs have met 62 times, more than any other opponent in Wellman-Union football history. Despite that history, the two programs have gone 14 seasons without meeting.
Loop has won four of the previous five matchups, but Wellman-Union still holds a commanding 45-16-1 advantage in the all-time series. Rivalry games often bring out something extra from both teams, and the Longhorns will certainly be ready when the Wildcats arrive.
The regular season concludes with what could become one of the biggest games of the year when Wellman-Union travels to Meadow to face its cross-county rival.
The Wildcats will not have a bye week this season, meaning they will play 10 consecutive games before ending the regular season in Bronco Country. For the past eight seasons, Wellman-Union and Meadow have competed in the same district, with the Broncos holding a 5-3 advantage during that stretch.
Depending on how the district race develops, the regular-season finale could have major championship and playoff implications. Both programs enter the season hungry for a district title, and if both teams remain healthy and academically eligible, the matchup could come down to which team makes the final play — or even which team has the football last.
Labadie believes his Wildcats are ready to build on what they started a year ago.
“As we head into the upcoming season, we’re looking to build on the foundation that was established last year,” Labadie said. “While the wins might not have shown up on the scoreboard, there were plenty of other victories. We saw a level of fight and competitiveness that hadn’t been seen in years prior and also a desire to win and be successful.”
Wellman-Union returns five starters on both sides of the football, giving the Wildcats an experienced group that already understands Labadie’s system and expectations.
“Returning five starters on both sides of the ball gives us a solid core of players who understand our expectations and culture,” Labadie said. “Their leadership and experience will be invaluable as we continue to grow as a team.”
Perhaps just as important as the returning experience is the change Labadie has seen inside the program.
“The attitude within our program has changed,” he said. “Our players have embraced the work required to be successful, and their commitment throughout the offseason has been great.”
The Wildcats are not hiding from their expectations.
“Our goal is to win a district championship and earn a playoff spot, something that hasn’t been accomplished here in a long time,” Labadie said. “We know it won’t be easy, but I believe our players are capable of achieving those goals.”
With an experienced senior class, five returning starters on each side of the football and a challenging schedule designed to prepare them for district competition, the Wildcats have an opportunity to make 2026 a turning-point season for the program.
Players to Watch
- Sophomore Gabe Quintanilla
- Senior Noah Rodriguez
- Senior Edgar Macias
- Senior AJ Mercado
- Sophomore Braxton Dill
- Senior Fabian Chavez
2026 Wellman-Union Wildcat Varsity Football Roster
2026 Wellman-Union Wildcat Varsity Football Schedule
