Kansas Pregame 8-Man Top 8: Wyatt Gardner

Kansas Pregame polled 8-Man coaches earlier this month who voted for the top four seniors they coached against this season. Kansas Pregame staffers then used those votes to develop a Top 8 list of seniors for each division. Check out another Top 8 capsule below, and find the complete list of Top 8 selections, and the honorable mention list, here for 8-Man I and here for 8-Man II.

Few athletes in the state can boast more success in a high school career than Wichita County senior Wyatt Gardner. As a wrestler he’s a two-time state runner-up and three-time state qualifier, while on the football field he’s 43-5 with three trips to the 8-Man I state title game and two championships - though as a freshman, it was primarily in mop-up situations for the loaded Indians team.

Gardner managed to throw his first touchdown pass with just one attempt as a freshman, but most of his play was on junior varsity, where he showed promise as a signal caller. The Indians finished the season 12-1, losing in the title game to Little River.

The freshman wanted to get on the varsity field more and was willing to put in the work.

“Wyatt has developed the most overall as an athlete since first stepping on a varsity field,” head coach Brant Douglas said. “Wyatt was always around the team during his junior high years and already had a great grasp of our culture and schemes when he became a freshman. He also had shown great leadership qualities since I met him back when he was in seventh grade. However, his strength and athletic ability has really developed over the past four years. He has put an amazing amount of work into the weight room and speed training.” 

Gardner became a regular in the offensive attack as a sophomore. He carried the ball 30 times for 132 yards and three TDs, along with 22 receptions for 263 yards and five more scores.

Wichita County entered the playoffs 6-2 with expectations for another great year, but were upset by Hoxie – who they had pummeled in Week 1 56-6 – and ended the year 6-3.

As a junior, Gardner saw a switch from role player to impact player as Wichita County started a win streak that would go beyond that 2022 season.

Wichita County scored a minimum of 54 points in every game and held seven of their opponents to eight points or less. The closest game the Indians played was in the state title in a rematch from two years prior with Little River, which they won 54-36.

Gardner was a dynamic threat on offense, with 922 yards and 12 TDs rushing and receiving, as well as on defense, recording 37 tackles, three sacks, two interceptions, two pass deflections, four forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and a blocked punt.

It wasn’t just Gardner’s play on the field that helped his team succeed, though.

“Wyatt impacted our team in multiple ways. He is a gifted athlete and excels in multiple sports,” Douglas said. “However, his biggest impact in football for our team was his leadership abilities. He set the tone in terms of exemplifying the type, and amount, of work it took in the off-season to be successful during the season. He was the guy that our team looked to when we faced adversity. He embodied what our program strives to develop in terms of leaders that graduate from our school.”

Despite the pressure of having the team frequently relying on him, Gardner typically keeps his cool.

“Wyatt is pretty funny and relaxed in the locker room,” Douglas said. “He does not let the emotion of the game control his behavior or attitude. He has experienced some incredible wins and heartbreaking losses in football and wrestling over the past four years and that has really given him a unique opportunity to learn about how to keep everything in perspective.”

With the graduation of 2022 Kanass Pregame Top 8 selection Erhik Hermosillo it was time for Gardner to take over starting QB duties for the defending state champs, and the senior didn’t skip a beat, going 61 of 88 for 976 yards and 22 TDs to just two interceptions as a passer, and running for 474 yards and six TDs on 62 carries. 

Defensively Gardner was also impressive, recording 45 tackles, nine tackles-for-loss, two sacks, an interception, two pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and two forced fumbles. 

“The key to Wyatt's success this year, and over the past few seasons, is that he understands the game very well and plays with the utmost confidence in his abilities,” Douglas said. “He is usually smaller than most of the eight guys he is playing against. However, he plays much bigger than he is. I think his success in wrestling throughout his career gave him the tools and mental toughness to overcome the size difference he experienced when playing football.”

Wichita County continued to dominate last fall, scoring a minimum of 54 points in their first 12 games of the season and shutting out teams in seven of their first nine contests.

The Indians’ win streak did eventually come to an end at 25 after a loss to Lyndon in the state title game.

Gardner was voted first team All-League as well as All-State by multiple media outlets, along with his nod as one of the Top 8 in 8-Man I.

The senior plans to attend Friends University to study education and wrestle. Gardner is currently ranked first in 3-2-1A at 150 pounds.