#100 Eagles

#100 Eagles

The 2019 Olathe North Eagles will play in their 100th season in this 19-20 school year representing the Olathe #233 and the Sunflower League. 

Little do most know, that the once centrally located Olathe Eagles were once a stop on the map for quite a few Teacher-Head Coaches early on in the schools history. Prior to it's growth and impact on the KC-metro, Olathe High School had to hold its own against the likes of the Wyandotte Bulldogs, the Shawnee-Mission (North) Indians, Rockhurst Hawklets, and William Christman Bears in their early days of play before the massive growth of Johnson County after World War II. 

The Olathe West Owls were born in 2017, and became a Varsity Football team officially for the 2018 season. 

In digging through the microfilm history of the Olathe Eagles, the notable Bud Wheeler who was the final brick laid of the old regime of the school districts athletics in the late 1970s was the cornerstone of todays Eagles as we know them to this day. Bud Wheeler had many stops prior to Olathe, in which he had stops at: Goodland Cowboys 1965-1968, Ottawa Cyclones 1969-1973 (5,) Olathe 

Around the Kansas City metro, and state of Kansas, only a handful of High Schools can stake a claim to historical gridiron history in the midwest. 

Led by Chris McCartney in his fifth season and carrying a record of 29-15, the goal remains the same. 

Return to glory.

For local Olathan's, the name Arland Bruce is a familial name representing the Eagles in two different era's of play. First and foremost the Gene Weir era, and lately by Coach McCartney. Arland Bruce IV will now lead this current Eagles generation back to the promised land of multiple playoff wins, and more importantly State Titles returning to the 6A-East trophy case in the heart of Olathe, KS. 

The 2009 Eagles led by alumni Pete Flood won the last title at 13-0. This 2019 season can be the year the Eagles carry their 9-3 record of 2018 back to the top of the mountain. Locally, Blue Valley North will have lost QB leader Graham Mertz, and successful back to back trips to the 6A State Final under Andy Sims. Can the Eagles and Mustangs make a deep run in to the playoffs? 

Many at this time to not see the Eagles making a late run, but it can be possible with consistent play. That is one benefactor the Eagles have been proud of for years since the 1990's.    

Those Eagles glory days started in the late 90's led by retired Head Coach Gene Wier 1981-2002, 2011-13. With State Titles in 96-97-98-00-01-02 under his watch, the red jersey was a force to be reckoned with each with each week. Names such as Jesse Owen (Olathe East HC), Arland Bruce III, Darren Sproles (KSU & NFL), Maurice Mack Jr., James Franklin, and more of a fantastic class of Running Backs and student-athletes won 6 of 7 State Titles taking on Wichita Northwest, Wichita West and Garden City to close out to 90s, while beginning the 2000's era knocking off the Manhattan Indians in 2000 and 2001, and the Derby Panthers in 2002 prior to the arrival of current incarnation and successful Head Coach Brandon Clark. 

Following Gene Weir's first retirement in the 2002 season as he left for the Richland Rebels TX, the Eagles won the 2003 State Title under John McCall, and again in 2009 under former Weir student-athelte Pete Flood. 

Historical Look Back: 1922-1980

Olathe Eagles Coaches

1920-1922 (3) - JD Edgar

1923-1926 (4) - Percy Parks (left for the Wyandotte Bulldogs)

1927-1935 (9) - AJ Hurt

1936-1940 (5)  - Howard Iba

1941-1945 (5) - Barney Hays

1946 (1) - Bill Pierce

1947-1953 - Jean Bennett

1954-1959 (6) - Bill Mace

1960-1962 (3) - Richard Martin

1963-1964 (2) - Ben Moor

1965-1966 (2) - Jim Smith

1967-1969 (3) - Harold Whitenack

1970-1972 (3) - Jim Hooten

1974-1980 (8) - Bud Wheeler - leave ONE to open OSF

Olathe North Eagles - 1981-2019

1981-2002 (22) - Gene Wier - 6A State Champions: 96-97-98-00-01-02

2003-2004 (2) - John McCall - 6A State Champions 03

2005 (1) - Dave Bassore

2006-2011 (5) - @ Pete Flood - 6A State Champions 09

2012-2014 (3) - Gene Wier - 25 yeas with ONE. Richland Rebels TX from 2003-2011 (9)

2014-2019 (5+) - Christ McCartney

Best of luck to the Eagles as they close out this decade of Eagles Football. That record from 2010 to 2018 currently stands at 67W-33L after 100 games, and 13W-8L in post-season play with 8+1 in 2019.