The Montgomery County Wildcats’ fall 2025 season was highlighted by historic seasons from the football and softball teams. 

After winning just three games last year, the football team got back on the winning track this season, finishing 9-3 and capturing its first district championship in 20 years. The softball team won a school-record 28 games, captured its first Eastern Missouri Conference title, celebrated its first district crown since 2018 and placed fourth in the Class 2 state tournament.

Matt Smith took over the football program this year, replacing longtime coach John Klekamp. He went on to turn in the most successful season by a first-year coach since Ben Blank, who coached the Wildcats to a 12-2 record and a second-place finish in the Class 2 state tournament in his first year as MCHS coach in 2005 (Blank died in October).

The Wildcats defeated Hermann 26-18 in their season opener. After losing back-to-back games to Monroe City and North Callaway, MCHS won seven straight games, including the Class 2, District 2 championship game against Bowling Green.

The Wildcats were solid on both sides of the ball, averaging 31 points on offense and giving up an average of 16 points on defense. They scored 40 or more points six times this season, including a season-high 54 points against Louisiana in their season finale on Oct. 24.

MCHS also accomplished three feats it hasn’t done since 2020 – beat South Callaway, get a shutout and compete in an overtime game. The Wildcats beat South Callaway 46-6 in Week 4, a week after losing 44-16 to North Callaway. They beat Mark Twain 38-0 in Week 6 on the road. They knocked off Wright City 26-20 in overtime in a Week 8 game on the road. 

The Wildcats’ season ended on Nov. 22 with a 14-0 loss to St. Pius X in a Class 2 state quarterfinal game.

The MCHS softball team got off to a sizzling start, winning its first 10 games. During that stretch, the Wildcats won the MCHS Fall Classic and the Monroe City Tournament.

MCHS shared the EMO title with a 9-1 record with Elsberry and North Callaway. It defeated Elsberry 1-0 in the Class 2, District 2 championship game for its second district title in program history.

The Wildcats qualified for the Final Four for the first time after beating Chaffee 7-5 in a Class 2 state quarterfinal. MCHS lost to Mid-Buchanan in the third-place game at the Class 2 Final Four in Springfield to place fourth.

The softball team joined the 2005 football team, the 1991 volleyball team, the 2019 baseball team and four boys basketball teams in a group of MCHS teams that placed in state competition.

Offense was the key to the Wildcats’ success as they scored in double digits 13 times. They also had seven players who hit .300 or better.

MCHS finished with its third straight winning season. It’s also the second year in a row the Wildcats won 20 or more games.

The MCHS cross country team’s biggest highlight of the season was having five runners earn all-EMO honors, four of them are girls. The Wildcats didn’t have any state qualifiers, making it the first time since 2017 they didn’t have any runners travel to Columbia. Chasity Rodgers returned as head coach after a year off.

The MCHS volleyball team finished 3-24-3 under first-year coach Carli Bleyle. The Wildcats defeated Bowling Green on Sept. 9, Mexico on Oct. 2 and Christian Fellowship on Oct. 14.

MCHS seniors who participated in fall sports this year were Skylar Bethmann (softball), Gracie Cobb (softball), Adrian Combs (football), Colby Ellis (football), Mac Farrar (football), Ashton Johnson (football), Cameron Knapp (football), Katlyn Kolling (cross country), Wyatt March (football), Hailey Meyer (softball), Kylie Powell (volleyball), Chase Queathem (football), Rylan Redditt (football) and Dylan Topel (softball).