The Fredonia Yellowjackets finished their first season under head coach Lucus Lanning with a 1-8 record, as Lanning completed his first year at the helm after previously serving as an assistant coach at Cherryvale in 2025.

Taking over a program that had also finished 1-8 the year before, Lanning stepped into the role following the departure of longtime head coach Marc Svaty, who spent 10 years leading the Yellowjackets.

Lanning brought experience from his time on the sideline with the Chargers and looked to use that knowledge to help establish a new direction for the Fredonia program. He says his players consistently brought effort, discipline and intentionality to all aspects of the team, while also praising the senior class for stepping into leadership roles from the very beginning of the season.

Knowing the time and sacrifice that go into playing football, Lanning says one of his priorities was making sure practices remained fun and competitive. He wanted players to look forward to coming to the field each day rather than feeling discouraged by what was waiting for them, creating an environment where they could enjoy the work while continuing to improve.

With several seniors adjusting to a new coaching staff and offensive and defensive schemes, the season presented its share of challenges. Lanning says he certainly would have liked to see more wins come Fredonia's way, but he was encouraged by how much the team developed from the opening week through the end of the season.

One of the biggest areas of growth came in the players' understanding of the game itself. Lanning says the team made significant strides mentally as players became more comfortable with the new playbook and learned to recognize their assignments. He also saw improvement in discipline, particularly as the Yellowjackets worked to cut down on the penalties that created problems early in the year.

Although Fredonia will lose some production from its 2026 roster, there will be several familiar faces returning next season. Lanning pointed to players such as Zeke Sims, who put together a standout season in total tackles, along with Clarence Goodman, Britton Ogden and several others who have bright futures ahead of them. That returning experience should give the Yellowjackets something to build around as they enter the offseason.

While the final record may not have reflected everything Lanning hoped to accomplish in his first season, he says he was extremely proud of the way his players continued to compete. Their effort never wavered, and the team maintained its energy and enthusiasm during practices regardless of the results on Friday nights or where the season stood.

The Yellowjackets will now turn their attention toward year two under Lanning, looking to build on the progress made throughout the 2026 campaign and continue developing their understanding of a fresh playbook and system.

Fredonia Football Season Results 2026: 

Week 1 – L 36-16 vs. Cherryvale
Week 2 – L 55-0 at Caney Valley
Week 3 – W 56-18 vs. Northeast
Week 4 – L 30-8 vs. Humboldt
Week 5 – L 14-6 at Jayhawk-Linn
Week 6 – L 41-6 at Prairie View
Week 7 – L 12-6 vs. Central Heights
Week 8 – L 52-16 at Neodesha
Week 9 – L 38-6 vs. Galena

Final Record: 1-8