Kansas Pregame 6-Man Top 6: Ben Meehan

Kansas Pregame polled 6-Man coaches who voted for the top three seniors they coached against this season. Kansas Pregame staffers then used those votes to develop a Top 6 list of seniors in the classification. Check out a Top 6 capsule below, and find the complete list of Top 6 selections here, along with the honorable mention list. For a look back at the Top 8 lists click here for 8-Man I and here for 8-Man II.

Waverly put together another in a long line of successful football campaigns, going 8-1 before a five OT heartbreaker against Tescott cut their playoff dreams short.

Despite that, the Bulldogs have been one of the steadiest programs in the state over the last decade. Switching from 8-Man II to 6-Man two seasons ago, they’re a rare example of a team that made the change despite having success at the 8-Man level in seasons prior.

Since 2009, the Bulldogs have had just one losing season, coming in 2015 at 4-5 under head coach Mike Hevel, who otherwise was one of the most successful coaches in program history with a 192-71 record and winning two state titles over 35 years with the team. He also compiled a 652-353 record and a pair of state titles as head basketball coach.

It was 2019 when Hevel stepped down and a former assistant of his and the school’s head track coach, Nick Fraenza, took over.

Fraenza saw success in that first season, going 6-4 with a trip to the second round of the playoffs. 

The following season in 2020, the Bulldogs saw similar moderate success, with the team going 5-4 and again finishing in the second round of the playoffs, but it also was the freshman year for a player that would lead Waverly to the next level.

Ben Meehan was one of 8-Man and 6-Man’s top quarterbacks starting his sophomore year, but as a freshman lined up primarily at tight end, where he caught 10 passes for 80 yards and also ran in a TD. Meehan also managed to go 31 of 52 for 403 yards and seven TD passes with limited snaps at QB.

“He was not big, fast, or strong when he was younger, but he was smart, coachable, and tough,” Fraenza said. “He worked very hard at addressing his weaknesses and turned them into strengths. I think playing tight end really helped him understand our blocking and route concepts when he finally took over at QB.”

While Meehan saw changes in how he was used on offense, defensively he was a constant for Waverly at linebacker all four years, recording 44 tackles, 1.5 sacks, a tackle-for-loss, three forced fumbles, and an interception in his first high school go-round.

The following season saw Meehan take over the reins at quarterback and he didn’t look back, going 78 of 152 for 1,161 yards and 17 TDs to seven interceptions, along with 168 rushing yards for two more scores. 

On defense, Meehan recorded 73 tackles, 8.5 tackles-for-loss, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery, three interceptions, and five pass deflections.

With Meehan leading the offense, Waverly went 7-2 and advanced to the state quarterfinals before losing to Axtell who was in the process of winning their first of three consecutive 8-Man II state titles.

For Waverly, however, 2021 was their last at the 8-Man level, and with KSHSAA’s official acceptance of a 6-Man football division, the Bulldogs jumped on board.

Not surprisingly, Meehan and company were a wrecking crew from the start. 

The Bulldogs reeled off win after win, holding five regular season opponents to six points or less and having only two opponents come within single digits.

Meehan went 104 of 153 for 1,524 yards and 28 TD passes to two interceptions and picked up 679 yards on the ground for eight more TDs.

Defensively, he totalled 87 tackles, a sack, six tackles-for-loss, two forced fumbles, two fumble recoveries, an interception, and a pass deflection. 

The Bulldogs’ road finally ended in the state semifinals where they had their only loss of the season to state champs Cunningham.

Entering his senior season, Meehan was an established leader, and not just because of his abilities on the field.

“Ben is such a smart football player,” Fraenza said. “He does an amazing job of knowing where the ball needs to go. On defense, he also does a great job of anticipating where the ball is going. Ben has been a great leader. In my mind a great leader is as happy, if not more happy, for a teammate's success than they are for their own. He exhibited that many times over his time here.”

While it was true a majority of the time, the senior wasn’t always sunshine and rainbows, willing to ultimately say what needed to be said for the team’s success.

“He is a very positive kid,” Meehan said. “He tried to make sure that the team was light and loose. He would also help hold athletes accountable when they screwed up, including himself.  He has always tried to make everyone feel like they are a part of the team.”

Meehan’s last go-round was another successful one, again going undefeated in the regular season in dominant fashion, winning their regular season games by a combined score of 312-34, and winning another contest due to forfeit.

After a first round playoff bye and a 60-13 win over Altoona-Midway in the second round, Waverly ended up seeing their season end in a marathon 52-45 five-overtime loss to Tescott.

Throughout his senior season, Meehan was phenomenal, going 91 of 145 for 1,538 yards and 31 passing TDs to only four interceptions, along with 346 rushing yards and six more TDs.

On the other side of the ball, the senior recorded 61 tackles, 13.5 tackles-for-loss, three forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, two interceptions, and two pass deflections.

“Ben meant a ton to our success,” Fraenza said. “His ability to get the ball where it needed to go, whether it was taking it himself or getting to the right athlete, is amazing. He was the anchor on our defense. Ben was very good at getting us in the best position to succeed.”

Over his career, Meehan was named All-State his junior and senior seasons by multiple outlets, along with All-District, to go with his Top 6 nod.

In addition to football, Meehan is also a two-time All-League basketball player and three-time state qualifier in track, taking third at state in the javelin as a junior. 

After graduation, he plans to walk on at Emporia State to compete in the javelin while studying for a major in Business Communications.