Wellman-Union Wildcats will speed through the season

The Wellman-Union Wildcats will have a new head coach this season as they aim for success. Brett LaBadie, who is entering his third year at Wellman-Union, has been promoted to Head Football Coach. He didn’t have to go far to step into this role.

Everyone in Wellman-Union Nation knows who Coach LaBadie is. He graduated from Petersburg High School and earned his bachelor’s degree in history from Liberty University. His wife is Leandra, and they have three children: Aries, Kambree, and Kobe. 

Coach Labadie stated, “I believe the Lord has called me to His service through coaching and it’s truly a blessing to be able to impact and lead lives through influence and interaction. It’s important to teach and instill principles that will help young men succeed by developing character, leadership, and integrity on and off the field.”

The Wildcats are hoping to achieve a few more wins this season. They finally ended their 33-game losing streak last season by defeating Patton Springs in impressive fashion with a score of 45-0. Wellman-Union did get one more win over Hart, however lost the rest of their games. The last time the Wildcats won a district game was 41 games ago, back in the 2020 season, when they beat Whiteface 44-42. Therefore, the Wildcats are eager to secure some district wins this season.

This season, Coach LaBadie anticipates significant improvements from the team, not just in terms of wins but also in their work ethic, attitude, and discipline. He has noted that the Wildcats have already shown progress during their summer workouts, and he believes this positive trend will carry on into the season. 

“The kids are working hard everyday and you can sense a definite change for the better. We won’t have much size this year, but I believe we will make up for that with our speed. I’m blessed to lead these boys and I can’t wait for the season to start.” said Coach LaBadie.

The Wildcats’ season will be challenging, especially since their district includes #2 Whiteface (#7 on sixmanfootball.com) and #9 Borden County (#4 on sixmanfootball.com). This could arguably be the toughest district in Class 1A DI. As Coach LaBadie mentioned, while the team may lack size, they make up for it with speed. Senior running back Eli DePoyster and senior wide receiver/defensive back Angel Ramirez both run a 4.4, possibly making them two of the fastest players in the district. Both have four years of experience under their belts.  Junior running back/defensive back Fabian Chavez, who runs a 4.5, will also be a player to watch. With quarterback/defensive end Edgar Macias returning, he will have the opportunity to utilize both DePoyster and Chavez effectively, especially since he is just as fast. Let’s not overlook junior center/defensive lineman AJ Mercado, who will play a crucial role in keeping the defense at bay and challenging the opposing offensive line.

One advantage Wellman-Union has this season is their home schedule. They managed to secure six home games, three of which are in a row, beginning with Spur on Thursday, August 28th. The Bulldogs had a very successful season last year, going 10-0 in the regular season, but they were eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. 

Next, the Wildcats will host Kress on Friday, September 5th. (The game could change to Thursday, September 4th.) The Wildcats played the Kangaroos through all four quarters but lost by 20 points. Wellman-Union could easily avenge this loss.

In the final stretch of their three home games, the Wildcats will face off against Paducah. The Dragons were added to the schedule because Patton Springs ISD has transitioned to a K-6 grade school district, which means students in grades 7 through 12 will choose to transfer to either Guthrie or Spur. Paducah had a decent season last year, and if the Wildcats can contain Dragon running back Ethan Garibald, they should perform well.

The Wildcats will head south for week four, traveling 143 miles to Grandfalls. The Cowboys are coming off a successful season and have recently won a district championship. Unfortunately, the Wildcats faced a tough loss last season, falling to the Cowboys 69-36, although they did manage to keep the game competitive for four quarters. While the Cowboys have most of their returning starters, their roster is relatively small. The Wildcats will have the opportunity to rest during their journey to Grandfalls, which could give them an advantage against the Cowboys..

In week five, the Wildcats will return home to face the Hart Longhorns. Last season, the Wildcats narrowly beat to the Longhorns, with a final score of 50-49 in a thrilling game. Similar to the Wildcats, Hart ended the season with a record of 0-10, with their only victory coming against the Wildcats. Expect Wellman-Union to outlast the Longhorns with their speed in this matchup..

Wellman-Union travels to face a strong Grady Wildcats team in week six. On October 3rd, it will be the battle of the Wildcats. Grady had a decent season last year, finishing with a 6-4 record, but unfortunately missed the playoffs. They also lost many key players to graduation.

In week seven, the Wildcats kick off district play by traveling to Gail to face the #7-ranked Borden County Coyotes. The Coyotes had a strong season last year, finishing with an 8-5 record and reaching the third round of playoffs. They have Tye Stipe returning this season, so Coach LaBadie will need to devise a strategy to contain him.

It doesn’t get any easier in week eight when the Wildcats host #2 Whiteface Antelopes on Friday, October 17th. The Antelopes are coming off the most successful season they’ve ever had in football as they went 14-1 and played in the State Championship game against Gordon. Although Whiteface has lost a lot from graduation, they still have depth because they are the largest 6-man football school in the state. In October of 2023, Whiteface had 108 students enrolled on snapshot day. But, there is a rule in UIL that only 1A schools can average the smallest classes, and if those numbers are under 105, they can play 6-man football. Again, what Wellman-Union lacks in size, they can make up for in speed.

In week nine, the Wildcats will get a much-needed break as it is their open week. Then in week 10, Halloween night, the Wildcats will travel north to take cross-county rival, Meadow. Last season, Wellman-Union took one to the chin, losing 32-28. This will be a showdown, and county pride is on the line.

In the final week of district play, the Wildcats will host the O’Donnell Eagles. Last season, the Eagles were points away from making the playoffs, and most likely ended up like Borden County, getting beaten again by Whiteface. However, as fate would have it, they did not, and O’Donnell ended up with a 3-7 record, losing most of their team to graduation. The Eagles are smaller this season, and their speed is not comparable to the Wildcats.

WELLMAN-UNION 2025 WILDCAT VARSITY FOOTBALL ROSTER

WELLMAN-UNION 2025 WILDCAT VARSITY FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

NOTE: SOME DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE DUE TO LACK OF OFFICIALS