Sabetha football, new head coach looking to uphold rich tradition in 2024

SABETHA (KSNT) - With Sabetha football comes a history of success.

The Blue Jays have two 3A state championships to their names in the last seven seasons, and are no strangers to making deep runs in the state tournament. The standard entering 2024 is no different, even though Sabetha will have someone new calling plays.

Kaleb Moeller is gearing up for his first season as Sabetha's head coach, becoming just the program's fourth head coach since 1979.

Moeller served as an assistant under longtime coach Garrett Michael for 10 seasons, but after 17 years at the helm, Michael decided to pass the torch.

"Coach Michael's awesome," Moeller said. "He's a huge mentor to me, my coaching philosophy obviously came from him too, so just going to him for questions, and he's got a wealth of knowledge."

Michael has still been out helping at practice here and there.

The Blue Jays finished the 2023 season 10-2, including the playoffs, losing a heartbreaker to rival Nemaha Central in the 2A sub-state matchup. The goal, of course, is to get back there, but take it game by game.

"Our goals are just to get better every day and have success each practice," Moeller said. "You know, we have a tradition here of of getting to the playoffs and doing something in the playoff when you get there. So, you know, that's our goal."

"I don't want to be like every team and say our goal is to win a championship," senior lineman Luke Renyer said. "But Coach always says to just bring us out as far as we can get and try to get as far into the playoffs as we can get."

Sabetha football is focusing on Sabetha football in 2024.

"Kind of just not to worry about anyone else," senior lineman Mason Minge said of what Coach Moeller has been preaching at practice. "To kind of focus on us and to play with a chip on our shoulder that we are still Sabetha football."

Sabetha opens its 2024 campaign against Holton on Sept. 6.