’27 defender hoping to make a even bigger impact in ’26
Hayden Wise and company at Fort Campbell were cruising right along before hitting the buzz saw which was Caldwell County High in Princeton, Kentucky. The Tigers from Princeton were 5-1 entering that game and had one of the better teams it had fielded in several years. While the loss dropped the Falcons to 3-3 on the year and was their first loss of the ’25 season to a KHSAA member school, there was no reason to be alarmed. The Falcons had four games remaining and three of them were games at home and against competition the Falcons could confidently face. It didn’t work out the way the club would have liked (4-7 finish in 2025), but the play of Hayden Wise gave them reason for excitement and something to which to look forward. What will the Falcons do in ’26? We shall see…
HB Lyon, Scouting Director, “KPGFootball”
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Oak Grove, KY: We’ve been kind of reliving the ’25 season this offseason. If you’re a Falcon fan, you had to have recognized the Caldwell game a year ago was sort of a turning point on the year.
Marshall Patterson
The fact is, Hayden Wise had a coming out season in ’25 in spite of not playing as well as he would have like against Caldwell (1-tackle). Coming into 2026, taking graduation into consideration, Wise will be heavily counted on in 2026 to help his young ball club establish an identity and further establish that the program can learn to thrive without a KeShawn Dixon, without a JaCaryous Perryman.
There were times in 2025 that Wise was a bright spot for the Falcon team. The Fort Knox game was such a performance (5-tackles, 1-TFL)
The Falcons won the game 55-18. In the end, the final margin was somewhat indicative of the difference between the two programs. Nick Covin has been brought in from the middle school ranks to close the gap. He will lead Fort Knox into the ’26 football season.
Hayden Wise also showed out, in district, against the Todd County Rebels. In a game the Falcons would win 41-0, Wise would rack up six (6) stops with another TFL. Not having players anymore like Keshawn Dixon and JaCaryous Perryman will make the sledding a bit harder.
We will need much Wise of that on a roster without the two all-timers. Wise had a solid ’25 campaign.
Wise registered 31-tackles in ’25 as a junior. Wise also recorded three (3) TFLs and a pair of FRs.
Wise is a bit on the “smallish” side from a frame standpoint. The OLB stands 5’10,” and weighs in the neighborhood of a buck, sixty (160).
That aside, Wise was a defensive star for the Falcons a year ago. Wise figures to be squarely in the mix against next Fall.
We would like to see Wise get more than the nine (9) games of run he got in 2025. If you add two more games of production to what he did in ’25 his numbers become even more impressive.
Friday Night Fletch
Hayden Wise played with courage in ’25 and flourished on defense for the Eagles
As a coach tearing up 4A has told us, and he has won numerous championships at that level, “play your players.” That is good advice at 4A, 5A, & 6A. That is a fact of life at 1A, 2A, & 3A.
Wise is playing for a coach, in Henry Mitchell, who was on some very successful staffs as an assistant and has the right pedigree to rebuild the Falcons. So far, Coach Mitchell is doing a fine job.
Another aspect at coaching in High School at which Mitchell is flourishing is finding “Next Level” homes for his talent. Mitchell had several players sign with college football programs from off of last year’s team and will look to add to that illustrious pantheon of players from off the ’26 edition.
Wise, to us, looks like a “next level” guy at some level. Of course, some of that depends on his undergoing some radical physical transformation this offseason before a big senior season upcoming. Mitchell is certainly a guy who can get Wise there.
Developing talent is critical among high school coaches in today’s world. With what college tuition runs these days, guys like Mitchell, who will work hard to achieve a players playing talent picking up most of the tab, is the kind of coach for whom you want your kid playing.
Identifying potential defensive stalwarts will be tantamount to getting the Fort Campbell football team prepared for the challenges it will face in a Dixon-less, Perryman-less world. That is why this particular Falcon is our Lasaters Coffee & Tea, Wake Up and Smell the Coffee Player of the Week.
That being said we felt it was high time for people around Christian County, KY (particularly Oak Grove and Fort Campbell) to take notice of this outstanding performer and outstanding young man. Hey guys, when you have talent like Hayden Wise it is time to wake up and smell the coffee!
Join us next week as we return to honor another weekly prize winner. Until then, get on down to one of our Christian County Area locations and remember, our products are superior and one of a kind; just like Hayden Wise.
This is Friday Night Fletch, reporting for KPGFootball, reminding you to PLAY THROUGH THE WHISTLE!
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