Wray’s Samuel Meisner won state titles in wrestling and football in 2024

On his family’s 11,700-acre farm, Samuel Meisner callused his hands and made himself a champion.

The senior Wray is part of the fourth generation to contribute to the family business Lenz Farms. And long summer days spent mending fences, maintaining equipment, sorting potatoes and exploring fields made the 17-year-old a football star (team running back/middle linebacker undefeated Eagles) and a state wrestling champion.

“Growing up on the farm built my character because it taught me a lot of lessons about hard work,” Meisner said. “Especially the big work. Yeah, it sucks. But at the same time, there is work to be done, and that mindset has also shaped me as an athlete.

“Whether it’s lifting weights or working hard in training, farm work is always on my mind and I have to keep working to get the job done. »

Meisner’s equity yielded an abundant return in the 2024 calendar year.

For starters, he won his first Class 2A wrestling title (144 pounds) in February after finishing top-four on the podium as a freshman and sophomore. Then this fall, he led Class 1A in rushing with 1,764 yards and 28 touchdowns, while ranking second with 130 tackles as the Eagles won their first state crown since 1993.

As Wray football coach Levi Kramer explained, Meisner’s dedication this summer set a championship standard for a team that sniffed the trophy the previous two years but fell short. Wray had a fourth-quarter lead over Limon in the ’22 title game, but lost, then fell in overtime in the semifinals to Strasburg last season.

“We start weights at 6 a.m., and it’s about a 30-mile drive to get into Wray for him,” said Kramer, the QB of the Eagles’ last championship team 31 years ago. “That means he hits the road at 5:15 p.m., gets here and trains for about an hour and a half, then gets back on the road and works 10 to 12 hours on the farm.

“When you’re another kid, watching what one of your best players and leaders does, and you see he never makes excuses, that sets the tone.”

Senior captain Tavery Chappell describes Meisner as “almost like a dad on the team.” He led the team prayers. He broke up the huddles and addressed the Eagles after practice. He also played the role of the bad cop, as Chappell says Meisner “would be the one to set people straight when (they were) slacking.”

While Meisner was a main offensive force, he was also a solid blocker and decoy for his cousin, senior dual-threat quarterback Casey Midcap. This allowed Midcap, the team’s other captain, to rack up 1,566 yards and 22 touchdowns through the air as he handed off the passing game to junior players Aaron Tena and Austin Collins. Midcap also rushed for 1,054 yards and 21 touchdowns.

That offensive variety, coupled with strong defense on a team full of two-way stars — Wray allowed just a measly 9.23 points per game — allowed the Eagles to win the title. Nobody came close to beating them. Their average margin of victory was 35.6 points, with the closest game being a 48-21 victory over Forge Christian in the title game on November 30 at Dutch Clark Stadium. The performance ended a five-game league losing streak for the program.

Meisner ran wildly for 286 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries en route to player of the game honors. It was a fitting capstone to a 13-0 campaign and all-time Wray career for No. 3, who finished as the program’s record holder in career scoring, scoring on single season, single season rushing yards and career rushing yards. with 4,191.

“This game is something that will stay with me for the rest of my life,” Meisner said. “I will tell my children about it one day. It was also such a relief to know that all the work I had put in was paying off. And what made this event even more special was the sea of ​​purple in the stands. »

Midcap says Meisner’s resume proves “he deserves a chance to play college ball.” Currently, Meisner’s only college option is a walk-in offer from Chadron State College.

“We’ve always pushed ourselves to be the best possible version of ourselves, and it’s amazing to see how much he’s pushed himself to become the player he’s become,” said Midcap, who commits to playing safe at Drake. “Even if I was the CHSAA 1A Player of the Year, that honor could have gone to him, too.”