Seckman’s football team hasn’t had a losing record since 2019, Nick Baer’s first season as head coach. Since then, the Jaguars have a record of 50-13, including back-to-back 10-1 seasons in 2023-2024 and five consecutive Suburban Conference Orange pool championships.
The price of that success has Seckman swimming almost to the conference deep end in the Red pool with Parkway North, Hazelwood East, Pattonville, Ritenour and Hazelwood Central. The top-tiered Yellow pool contains Eureka, Kirkwood, Lindbergh, Lafayette, Marquette and Rockwood Summit. The last Suburban Conference team to win a Show-Me Bowl title was Ladue (Class 4) in 2018. The Rams are in the Green pool.
When private schools have postseason success, a Championship Factor points system helps determine their classification as a member school of the Missouri State High School Activities Association. Public schools are chained to their enrollment for their class, but in the Suburban Conference’s five-tiered pool system categorizing its football teams, success within can lead to change, like with the Jaguars.
“It was time for our program to take that next step,” said Baer, a Seckman graduate. “It’s going to be a challenge. We have sixth hardest schedule for public schools in the St. Louis area. Hopefully, that will prepare us for districts.”
MSHSAA releases the class and district assignments for football on Friday.
In the 2022 season, Seckman’s enrollment got large enough for it to move up to Class 6. The Jaguars beat SLUH 50-41 at home in a memorable district game that year. Losses to Jackson in the district championship culminated the two 10-1 campaigns. Seckman finished 7-3 last season after losing to Northwest 14-7 in the Class 6 District 1 semifinals.
The Jaguars kick off the season on Friday night at 7 p.m. at home against the Oakville Tigers, a former rival from the Orange pool. Seckman has won nine straight meetings, including two in district tournaments.
“We’re both familiar with each other, and it’s a great way to start the season,” Baer said.
Besides the pool games, the Jaguars added two new nonconference opponents to the schedule. They’ll host North Point High from Wentzville on Sept. 4 and travel to Lindbergh to play the Flyers on Sept. 11.
“We’re excited about the Lindbergh matchup,” Baer said. “It’s a well-respected program and coach (Nathan Norman).
“North Point poses a different challenge for us in different ways.”
The first day of practice for fall sports was Aug. 10, and it was accompanied by a second heat blast this summer. Baer said since school hadn’t started yet, it made it easier for the coaching staff and around 150 players (freshmen through senior) to navigate practice around the weather.
“We were able to go in the morning and avoid the heat and that brought some good intensity and focus to practice,” Baer said.
After years of being predominantly a run team on offense, Brody Kube’s talents as a passer made change inevitable. Seckman will by no means run a modern spread offense, but the run to pass ratio will be closer to even for Kube’s senior year. And why not. All he did last year was complete 60 percent of 156 passes for 1,353 yards and 18 touchdowns against two interceptions. Kube tossed five TDs against Mehlville, and four each against Northwest (in the regular season meeting) and Webster Groves.
“He’ll get to build on the records he set this year,” Baer said. “Last year we developed that balanced attack, and you’ll see more of that this year. In previous years, our explosive plays were on the ground, and we want more of those through the air. If we can marry those two things together, that will open up opportunities for more playmakers.”
Sophomore Logan Harris and senior Nick Weidler both have speed and creativity as wide receivers to get to open spaces downfield. Junior Jackson Sell and senior Kamron Ousley are WRs trying to make their first varsity impact. Weidler is the leading returning pass catcher after grabbing 26 for 361 yards and five TDs.
“He’s proven he’s ready to get it done on Friday nights,” Baer said.
Senior Chance Ruble didn’t come out for football this year after leading Seckman in rushing (547 yards) and TDs (13). That decision swiftly created a whole new running back corps in senior Josef Chitwood and juniors Jaxson Jablonski and Cohner Baer, the coach’s son. Senior Gabe Artz is the fullback.
There’s plenty of returning experience on the offensive line with all-conference junior Mason Zeller, junior RJ Oberkrom and seniors Evan Hufford, Henry Watson and Dane Heienemeier. Junior Kaeden Andrews is the tight end.
“I like their bond and ability to communicate together,” Baer said about the OL.
There will be times when the Seckman defense feels the lack of not having its all-time leading tackler in 2026 graduate Dylan Lappe. Seniors Chase Borawski, Elliot Burris and Brody Mosello are all playing linebacker, and Baer said he might call a 4-3 defense at times.
“When you face a new schedule, you have to adapt,” he said. “We are the outlier on offense because it’s not one people normally see.”
Both of the Jaguar senior safeties return in three-year starter Jackson Rutledge and Boyer Hart. Junior Luke Maxwell and senior Devon Cox are at cornerback.
Senior Ryan Woods is a three-year starter at defensive end, and junior Mason Altman is at the other end. Seniors Chase Gaugh, Braden Huck and Bennett Stivers and junior Carson Schneider are interior D-linemen. Baer said Stivers recently pushed up 400 pounds on the bench press.
Ben Bajric made 77 PATs the past two seasons before graduating.