Whether it’s what yard the ball is spotted on, the time on the scoreboard or the final score, football is a game of numbers.
Seckman High School’s numbers are as clean as they are paradoxical – the Jaguars have a record of 20-0 over the past two seasons, but when they reached the Class 6 District 1 championship against Jackson High School, Seckman was 0-2 in those games after the Indians left Imperial with crushing defeats of 55-21 in 2023 and 49-28 last year.
Since he was hired as head coach in 2019, Seckman alum Nick Baer has taken a moribund program to previously unknown heights. The Jaguars have won the Suburban Conference (Orange pool) four straight years, beaten rival Fox High School each of those seasons, received the No. 1 seed in their district the past two years and posted back-to-back 10-win seasons.
But Baer knows the program will keep running in place until it wins its first district title. The Missouri State High School Activities Association releases class and district assignments for football Friday. Baer’s certain there won’t be any change and the Jaguars and Indians will again be in the same district.
And if you’re wondering if someone who’s received a PhD in education dwells on two games out of the last 22, yes, he does.
“In the offseason, Jackson is on our mind,” Baer said during training camp. “How do we take that next step? How do we get better through the 10, 12 weeks of the season? Today, you’re not going to hear anything about Jackson because it’s all about Parkway West (High School).”
Senior running back Mason Fowler is next in line to gain 1,000 yards in a season for the Jaguars. Brady Ambrose, a 2025 graduate, led the team last season with 1,335 yards. Fowler carried the ball 42 times for 353 yards and three TDs. The streak of 1,000-yard rushers goes back to 2019: Tommy Gibbar (1,437 yards in 2023); Cole Ruble (2,524, 2022); Ruble (2,555, 2021); Ruble (1,716, 2020).
“Every year you want to get better,” Fowler said. “Say we get to 10-0 again. We still have to beat Jackson. They’re on our minds. But it all starts with the first game against Parkway West.”
The Longhorns visit Seckman on Friday night for the season opener. The Longhorns are led by senior quarterback Brett Ottensmeyer, who has committed to play at Missouri State University. Last year Ottensmeyer completed 66 percent of 338 passes for 2,484 yards and 22 touchdowns. In week one against the Jaguars last year, Ottensmeyer completed 27 of 45 passes for 288 yards and two TDs, but Seckman led 20-0 at halftime before winning 40-14.
“It’s a really exciting week one matchup,” Baer said. “Parkway West has been getting a lot of publicity and our kids see that and we want to play and beat good football teams.”
Ruble is playing at Southeast Missouri State University. His brother, Chance, is a junior and in the backfield with Fowler. Chance rushed for 454 yards and seven TDs last year. Senior Quinn Mattingly is also at RB.
“Chance demonstrated he has the ability to break big runs on Friday nights, like his brother,” Baer said. “Cole is definitely faster. Chance won’t deny that. But what Chance lacks in speed he makes up in his ability to make cuts and break tackles.”
Fowler said his teammates are tough and resilient.
“We’re working hard every day in practice,” he said. “We show up at school, get our work done and then come out here and grind. I see the holes and hit them. I like to be smart with my football and do what I’m told.”
This is the third year junior quarterback Brody Kube will be under center, and the second as a starter. Last season, Kube took control of the offense and completed 51 percent of 106 passes for 825 yards and eight TDs. It was the first time the Jags attempted 100 passes since Cole Ruble did it in 2021. In the win over Fox, Kube completed all nine pass attempts, two for TDs.
“You can’t discount that he won 10 football games as a starter,” Baer said. “We eased him into it, but this year we really want him to take that next step in reading defenses and ultimately leading our offense. We have to be able to run the ball to win. That’s never going to change. This year we want to continue to stress teams with our short passing game in the flats and try to hit a few over the top.”
That was made easier when Devin Gosser was catching the ball, but he graduated taking his team-leading 31 catches for 531 yards and four TDs with him. No other receiver had more than 80 yards receiving. Junior Nick Weidler and seniors Cam Benson and Kylar Huckfeldt are Kube’s top targets.
“I feel comfortable with the ball in their hands and their ability to make plays in space,” Baer said.
Going into last week’s jamboree, all Baer knew about his offensive line was that he wasn’t ready to assign any names to the starting positions yet.
“That’s always the last piece of the puzzle. They’re new guys who have worked their way up through the program,” he said.
Baer is much more certain about his defensive leader. A three-year starter, senior linebacker Dylan Lappe was voted as the player of the year in the Orange pool after he led the team with 90 tackles.
“He’s gotten bigger, stronger and faster and has really matured in his ability to read a defense. We need him to step up and have a big season,” Baer said.
Senior Luke Ferrario is a converted soccer player who returns to start at defensive end, and Baer said he’s one of the best athletes on the team.
In the defensive backfield are seniors Seth Maxwell and Colton Fowler and juniors Jackson Rutledge, Brody Mosello and Boyer Hart.
“They’re going to be good players on Friday nights,” Baer said.
Seckman’s special teams should have a leg up on the competition with the return of senior Ben Bajric, who will do all the kicking and punting. He made 32 PATs last year.
“We’re happy how he’s developed that power in his foot in the offseason, and I am impressed with what he’s done in camp and practice,” Baer said.
The Jaguars haven’t attempted a field goal since Baer became the head coach.
“Maybe we’ll try one this year,” he said.