Mike Lavieri

By Mike Lavieri PrepsKC staff writer
Posted: December 18, 2015 - 11:21 AM

When the season ends in Kansas, only eight teams across the state finish the season with a win while raising the state trophy.

Regardless of where a team finishes during the season, whether that’s undefeated champions or not making the playoffs, there is much to be celebrated, especially for the seniors who closed a chapter of their life and are about to open another.

We’ve heard time and time again the cliché that life is short, but it’s the longest thing we’re given as individuals. The four years of high school are just a fraction of that, and the time spent playing high school football is even smaller.

Coming into the season Lawrence was regarded as one of the favorites to win the Class 6A title, but on Nov. 13, the Chesty Lions ran into a better Blue Valley team.

Lawrence coach Dirk Wedd said he’s been doing this for 40 years and he’d go crazy if he worried about win-loss record.

“Tying to produce quality young people is something the program has hung its hat on,” Wedd said.

Becoming a champion of character is more important in the long run than becoming a champion on the field.

Right now for the players of the eight schools across Kansas, they can be defined as a state champion, but I hope that isn’t what defines them 40, 50 or 60 years from now when they’re reflecting back on life.

“I hope down deep inside the lessons they’ve learned over the course of four years here will make them into great fathers and even better sons and great husbands; the best worker at a job or the best owner of a company because the things we try to teach them are life-long lessons,” Wedd said. “Hopefully they’ll grasp, which has nothing to do with football.”

Congrats to all the state champions, and congrats to those that have learned a life lesson or two while playing football or any sport.