Festive football: Wichita Northwest community is ready for state after 22-year wait

On Saturday, Northwest will become the second Wichita public school to reach a state championship game since 1998.

Wichita Heights is the only WPS program to break through with three straight appearances from 2009-11. And luckily for Northwest, the Grizzlies still have experience on their side.

Northwest coach Steve Martin was the defensive coordinator of those Heights teams to reach the 6A finals, and he said he made sure to get his guys ready for what state brings.

“Immediately Monday morning, I showed them all the pageantry that goes into it,” he said. “We showed them how to line up for pictures. When we went with Heights in 2009, no one did that before. I think we were just out there kind of looking around. But after all that stuff, it’s still just a football game.”

It has been 22 years since Northwest reached a state championship game. In 1996, the Grizzlies fell to Olathe North had haven’t gotten that close again since.

This group of Grizzlies has proven to be different, from All-American running back Breece Hall to Oklahoma-bound defensive end Marcus Hicks and inspirational leader Josh Carter.

And Martin said with such a talented roster to compete, this title game appearance means so much for the WPS system, which will be shooting for just its eighth state championship.

“This is huge,” he said. “We don’t have feeder programs. We get the kids when they show up as freshmen, and we have three short years to get them to like each other, hang out with each other and come together as a unit. Especially in 5A, it’s really, really special because if you’re not a private school, you’re a suburb school.”

Northwest will be the first Wichita public school to reach a title game in Kansas’ second-highest classification. Although Northwest has been growing toward a title game since Martin arrived, the Grizzlies’ 5A road has been brutal, with Salina South, Emporia, BIshop Carroll and Maize.

Much like Northwest has been building toward 2018, its opponent has, too.

St. Thomas Aquinas is making its sixth title game appearance and is still seeking its first win. Many believe this is the year the Saints break through.

Under coach Randy Dreiling, the Saints enter the weekend undefeated and boasting one of the top rushing offenses in Kansas. Running behind powerhouse senior lineman Joe Michalski, sophomore running back Tank Young has run for 193.7 yards per game.

Northwest has given up 127 points over the past two games, but almost all of them have come through the air, and the Grizzlies believe in their run defense.

“It’s kind of mind-boggling, but it’s exciting,” Hicks said. “The anxiety is starting to kick in. It’s going to be a very exciting game. It’s humbling to be only the second team in our school’s history to make state. It’s kind of crazy to have that kind of pressure on you, but people are pulling for us, and we want to win it for them.”

State week can be grueling mentally.

But Martin helped the Grizzlies with that, too. He brought it former Bishop Carroll coach Alan Schuckman and former Goddard coach and Northwest alumnus Scott Vang to talk with the players. Martin said they even offered him a perspective he needed.

“You have to enjoy it because you never know if you’ll ever get back there again,” Martin said. “After going three straight years at Heights, you expect to be there every year. I think I took that for granted in 2009, 10 and 11. So this is real special to be back.”