2A Football: Wellington Runs Away With State Title
By Tracy Renck
PUEBLO – The Revenge Tour of Wellington High School’s football team is complete.
A year after losing in the Class 2A state championship to The Classical Academy, the Eagles left no doubt who the best team in 2A was in 2025.
The Eagles overwhelmed Elizabeth from the opening whistle to zoom away with a 35-0 victory to win the Class 2A state championship Saturday night at the ThunderBowl on the Colorado State University-Pueblo campus.
“We set out for this right here,” Wellington coach Travis Peeples said. “It was a redemption year. We weren’t going to blame the refs, and we weren’t going to complain about how it went last year. We just said that we wanted to leave no doubt and be the best team in the state. I told the kids we might not only just be the best team in the state, we might just be the best team in the state, and it also might be the best 2A team ever put together.”
This was the first state football state championship since the school opened in August of 2022, though the old Wellington High School — closed in 1964 — won two titles, the last in 1953.
“This is a surreal moment to get this win,” star senior Wellington QB Tanner Gray said. “Coming from what we did last year and the circumstances we have been through these last four years and being able to do this with my best friends is an amazing feeling. I couldn’t wish for anything better.”
Wellington finished its magical season with a 13-0 record. Elizabeth finished the season at 10-3.
Gray was chosen as the Colorado Chapter of National Football Foundation’s Most Outstanding Player.
“Tanner was unbelievable on offense and defense, and we knew how good a player he is,” Peeples said. “If we wanted to throw the ball more we could have. He threw some nice balls (tonight). He ran the ball and he’s a leader and he’s tough. Someone is getting a heck of a player. We are going to miss all our seniors but this is a lifetime achievement.”
The wrecking ball that is the Wellington football squad came out swinging from the opening kick.
Less than a minute into the game, Brayton Meglen sped in for a 69-yard touchdown at the 11:01 mark.
All-everything QB Gray, who stands 6-foot-4, and weighs 235 pounds, facing a fourth-and-1, bulled through the line and raced down the left sideline for a 57-yard score with 6:40 left in the first.
The Wellington momentum tidal wave continued moments later.
On the ensuing kickoff, Wellington recovered an Elizabeth fumble. Then, Owen Gabbert scampered in for a 5-yard TD at 4:10 of the first.
The barrage kept going as Gray tossed a 5-yard TD to Cyle Kisner to push the Eagles’ lead to 28-0 with 9:42 left until half.
Meglen added a 4-yard scoring run with three minutes left in the second quarter.
“(My kids) worked and we were stronger than anybody we played,” Peeples said. “We were better than anybody we played. We were tougher than anybody we played. I will play with anybody in any era. I’m proud of them. I’m proud to get this state championship for the Poudre School District, I’m proud to get it for this team. They deserved it. It was a year of destiny. I’m super excited. I’m super excited for our town and our kids.”
