Waverly football, ‘never satisfied,’ sets sights on state title this season

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – Waverly football is gearing up for the 2023 season after another strong showing last year.

The Vikings’ season ended in the state semifinals at the hands of Bennington.

This year, Waverly feels it has the talent and depth to make an even bigger impact as the team eyes the program’s first state title since 1980.

“We’re to the point where we’re comfortable, but we’re never satisfied after a semifinal season last year,” senior Garrett Rine said. “We’re happy but never satisfied. We want to earn that state title.”

Head coach Reed Manstedt said that despite the Vikings graduating a lot of starters, this group is ready to make their mark.

“We’ve been in the semifinals as a program three of the last five years,” Manstedt said. “That’s something that this group really wants to accomplish, and they’ve kind of set out goals to what they need to do to make that happen. And so it’s been fun to watch them achieve that.”

Senior quarterback Nolan Maahs said it will take a full team effort to get it done this year.

“It’s going to take every person on this team, every position group on this team,” he said. “We’re all going to have to work together.”