Loaded with talented returners on both sides of the ball and coming off their first winning season since 2020, the Harrisonville Wildcats have a chance to return to their championship-contending form.

Back under the tutelage of head coach Brent Maxwell for a third straight season and his eighth overall with the program, the Wildcats went 6-5 in 2023. Despite a rocky 0-3 start, Harrisonville kickstarted its own heart by ripping off a four-game winning streak towards the end of the regular season, including one three-game stretch that saw the Wildcats outscore their opponents 135-7.

Showering the scoreboard with points in a 62-0 win over Southeast in round one of the District 7 tournament, Harrisonville could not replicate that effort and fell 17-7 in the semifinal round against Carl Junction.

Despite how 2023 ended, Maxwell feels Harrisonville has much more fuel left in the tank, with 16 total starters and eight all-conference and district players returning for the 2024 season.

“I believe we will be much more competitive and physical in the 2024 season,” said Maxwell, who owns a 58-29 record at Harrisonville. “Our goal is to set the foundation to allow us to get back to the seasons where we will be in the hunt for a conference championship, district championship and make a deep run in the playoffs every year.”

Starting off with an offense that averaged a healthy 32.4 points per game, the team’s most since 2020, there is still a question mark at the quarterback position. While eight other offensive starters are back, the honor of performing as the squad’s signal-caller is up for grabs between junior Levi Hall (5-foot-10, 150) and sophomore Brodie McNeal (6-foot-3, 170). The latter of the two saw limited action in 2023, with McNeal rushing the ball four times for nine yards.

Someone with a knack for running the rock is senior tailback Nate Reynolds (5-foot-9, 172), a four-year starter with quite the reputation. Reynolds ran roughshod through defenses last fall, toting the ball 164 times for 1,857 yards and 21 touchdowns, earning nods to the All-MRVC West First Team and all-district team as well as the Missouri Football Coaches Association All-State Third Team. He shares the backfield with fellow senior Brandon Phillips (5-foot-10, 163), who tallied 502 yards and six touchdowns on 54 carries as a junior.

Soaring through the sky at wide receiver is senior Eli Baker, an All-MRVC West Honorable Mention a year ago thanks to his 22 receptions for 524 yards and four touchdowns. The second receiver gig is between sophomore Cole Smalley (6-foot-4, 164) and junior Gavon Thompson (6-0, 140). Meanwhile, senior tight end Josiah Sims (6-foot-3, 205) caught seven balls for 78 yards in 2023 and is back for his third year of starting.

After averaging 288.8 rushing yards per game, Harrisonville has a chance to flex its muscles up front once again by bringing back four veteran offensive linemen. Juniors Aiden Pickering (6-foot-3, 225) and Bryson Cecil (6-foot-5, 224) return to their posts at tackle to protect the trench's exterior after gaining starting experience last season.

An all-conference honorable mention, senior Charlie Murcia (5-foot-10, 210) reassumes his command at guard, while seniors Gavin Valentich (6-foot-1, 223) and Kayden Taylor (5-foot-11, 180) compete for the other guard position. At center is varsity newcomer Trenton Heider, a 5-foot-10, 188-pound sophomore.

Maxwell told 810 Varsity that in order for his offense to be efficient, they will need to minimize and eliminate turnovers while winning plays on first down. As for the defense, he aspires for the antithesis of the offense’s goals, stating they will need to eliminate the big plays and create chaos in the turnover battle. Harrisonville’s defense had quite the rap sheet in 2023, recovering nine fumbles while picking off nine passes.

The Wildcats also tightened down and slammed the door shut on opposing offenses, accumulating three shutouts last season. Maxwell’s defense gave up just 20.4 ppg, the team’s lowest average since 2017, when they last won a district title. With eight returners on the defense, the Wildcats have a sense of familiarity and a chance to build on that impressive standard.

Running a 3-4 defense, Harrisonville has some firepower up front with the likes of Keller Johnson, a 6-foot-2, 221-pound junior defensive end whose 57 tackles, team-high seven tackles for a loss and team-best five sacks secured him spots on the All-MRVC West First Team and the all-district team. Next to him is all-conference honorable mention defensive tackle Jack San Nicolas (6-foot-3, 249), a senior who also made the all-district team thanks to 40 tackles, seven TFLs and three sacks. Rounding out the trio and getting his first crack at the starting lineup is junior defensive end Ethan Stone (6-foot-1, 165).

Junior Tyson Wyatt-Smith leads the linebacker corps, bringing back a tenacious presence proven by his all-conference first-team and all-district status alongside his 2023 stat line of 57 tackles, two TFLs, one sack and one fumble recovery. Next to him is senior mention Owen Adair (6-0, 185), whose outstanding numbers of 66 tackles, two TFLs, two fumble recoveries, one sack and one interception earned him an all-conference honorable mention. Juniors Garrett Parris and Malachi Bowlen fill out the rest of the middle level.

In the secondary, senior cornerback Aydsen Eng (5-foot-11, 150) brings back 31 tackles with him. It’s a senior showdown for the next cornerback position, with two-year starter Jayden Hetrick (5-foot-10, 160) and Ethan Brown (5-foot-11, 140) both in contention.

The team’s leading tackler with 84 a year ago, junior strong safety Deegan Beachner (5-foot-10, 146) also led the Wildcats with two interceptions, cementing his rank on the all-conference second team and all-district team. Senior free safety Tryin Samples (6-0, 163), a three-year starter who rattled off 52 tackles, three TFLs and one sack, is also back for one last ride.

These players will face their first test on August 30 when they take to the road to tango with Richmond, a Class 3 crew coming off a 4-6 record. These two have only met thrice since the turn of the millennium, with Harrisonville winning all three times, including a 42-12 decision in 2015. After facing Richmond, the Wildcats will turn their attention to two more new opponents in Week 2 at home vs. Class 4’s Bolivar (7-4 in 2023) and Week 5 for a homecoming matchup vs. Class 3’s Cassville (6-5).

With the revamped schedule, Maxwell’s mission is straightforward and simple: to test his team, strengthen their sufficiency and truly bring the Wildcats back to their winning ways.

“We are looking forward to the upcoming season,” Maxwell said. “It is exciting to get to play some new teams, and the expectations of ourselves are very high based on the leadership and experience we have developed over the past few seasons. We feel like we have had a great summer and are faster and stronger than we have been in a while. While we understand that nothing is going to be given to us, we look forward to the challenges ahead to see if we truly can take the next step.”