The last time Wellington Middle-High School won a state championship in football was in 1953. That streak continues for at least one more year.

On Nov. 30, the Wellington Eagles lost the 2A state championship 42-36 in heartbreaking fashion to The Classical Academy Titans at Dutch Clark Stadium in Pueblo, Colorado. Despite this loss, the Eagles are optimistic about next season.

Wellington, in its current iteration, is just over two years old. The original closed its doors in 1964, and all students started being bussed to Poudre High School in Fort Collins.

When the new school reopened, it allowed rising sophomores at Poudre, like Cash Altschwager, to transfer in with the first-year students. As a senior, Altschwager ended his career as a two-way threat in a state championship.

“After seeing this, everyone’s pretty motivated. I need to step up even more and set an example so that next year we don’t have this feeling.” –Tanner Gray, Wellington quarterback

“This was the second best-case scenario for a state championship,” Altschwager said following the loss. “It wasn’t one-sided where people can say someone else should’ve been in there. … It was just so close that whole time.”

Very few could argue the Eagles didn’t earn their place at the table. Wellington came into the playoffs as the No. 9 seed out of 16, having to travel for their first-round matchup. On their way to the championship, they defeated No. 1 Strasburg, No. 8 Delta and No. 13 Eaton. Wellington players, coaches and fans felt this team had been disrespected.

During the championship itself, Wellington held on tight. The Eagles went down early with a 14-point deficit six minutes into the second quarter. This would change with junior quarterback Tanner Gray heaving a pass to Altschwager to make it 14-7. After allowing another Titans’ touchdown, another scoring connection was made by Gray when he threw into double coverage to first-year Brayton Meglen, making it a one-score game heading into halftime.

This game continued to go back and forth until the 4:35 mark in the fourth quarter. Down 27-35, Gray ran in a touchdown on a QB keeper, bringing the Eagles within one. Altschwager took the handoff to score the conversion, making it 36-35 for the Eagles. Wellington allowed TCA to drive down the field until there were 41 seconds left.

A controversial call came when Wellington’s Teagen Greiman knocked the ball loose — although it was called down — and TCA scored, taking a 42-36 lead. Gray took further deep shots but was intercepted with two seconds left to end the Eagles’ first state championship run in 70 years.

Despite the loss, Gray said he believes that this team will continue to rise.

“I think we have a lot to come next year,” Gray said. “We’ve got good guys coming up, and everyone’s going to do their job. After seeing this, everyone’s pretty motivated. I need to step up even more and set an example so that next year we don’t have this feeling.”

With only four seniors starting this season, the Eagles believe the sky’s the limit moving forward. 

“I believe in all these boys for next year,” Altschwager said. “They’re going to make another run. … I’d put the whole house on it. It’s going to be special.”

Reach Gideon Aigner at sports@collegian.com or on Twitter @GideonAigner.