Coming home: Wengert, Wilson coach visiting teams against alma maters

In addition to the typical opening night hoopla for high school football, two games Friday night will mark homecomings for two visiting coaches.

Jonathan Wengert, a former three-sport star at St. Vincent, will lead McAuley Catholic against his alma mater Friday at St. Vincent. McAuley, a third-year program out of Joplin, Mo., is coming off a 9-2 season and a district title.

A former Jackson Indians standout will make his way home on Friday as well. Travis Wilson, a 1998 graduate, will be on the opposing sideline as a member of the Francis Howell Central coaching staff.

Wengert is trying to build a small schoolprogram at McAuley like the one he played for at St. Vincent.

"I think we're definitely excited to go up there and play," Wengert said. "Being a new program and with the success we had last year, we're looking forward to building a program like St. Vincent has."

St. Vincent won a pair of district titles during Wengert's playing career. The 1997 St. Vincent graduate also starred in basketball and baseball in high school, and he went on to play baseball collegiately at Forest Park Community College and Missouri Southern.

At McAuley, Wengert is the athletic director, baseball coach, girls basketball coach and football coach.

Last season's district title marked a sharp turnaround in the program's second year. McAuley was 0-10 in its first season.

"It will be a good time," Wengert said about Friday's game. "We talked to the kids about being from there and the team they have. We're trying to get there.

"It's [McAuley] been a very exciting place. You can already feel it this week. A lot of people are talking about making the trip up."

Wengert's mother, Terry Wengert, is the girls basketball coach at St. Vincent.

"We don't get a chance to see them play very often," Terry Wengert said, "so it's kind of a double bonus for us."

As for which side Terry Wengert will cheer for, she was diplomatic in her answer.

"It will be split," Terry Wengert said. "We'll just be proud parents. We just want it to be a good game."

Added Jonathan Wengert: "She's in a rough spot teaching there and with me coming up. I'm sure she'll handle it."

Gross remembers Wilson

Wilson, in his third year on the Francis Howell Central coaching staff, also is looking forward to the homecoming.

"It's a great opportunity," Wilson said. "When I found out about our schedule I was pretty excited about coming down there. The complete staff is still intact. My parents have since moved, but I'm looking forward to seeing some old friends."

Wilson was a sophomore when Jackson finished runner-up to Camdenton 20-19 in the Class 4 championship. In his senior season, Jackson finished with a 10-0 mark in the regular season before falling in the Class 5 playoffs.

"He was a good kid, and a very good player for us here," Jackson coach Carl Gross said. "He was one of our team leaders in 1997."

Before coming to Howell Central, Wilson spent time at Columbia Hickman and Fulton. This is his first time on the opposing sideline against Jackson.

"It's going to be a surreal feeling," Wilson said. "I don't know what kind of emotions I'll have for sure. I was scared of them [the coaches] then, and I'm still scared of them now. I have a great deal of respect for that program."

Gross expressed a sense of pride in seeing one of his former players patrolling the sideline as a coach.

"It's always good to see them around," Gross said. "You feel good when you have one of your players that wanted to go on and do what you do. I'm hoping that his experience playing high school football at Jackson helped that decision."