WAYNE – There’ll be a new leader on the sidelines coaching the Wayne High varsity football team next fall following a resignation from Russ Plager.
According to a release from Wayne Community Schools Thursday morning, the Wayne High School Athletic Department received a resignation of Russ Plager as the varsity football coach. Russ Plager will remain the elementary principal at Wayne Community Schools.
Coach Plager has been the head coach of the program for the past four seasons. His teams posted an overall record of 25-17 and qualified for the playoffs in three of the four seasons under his leadership.
This past season, WHS finished 6-4 after suffering a 31-13 road loss to Adams Central on Friday, October 30.
After going 3-6 in 2016, coach Plager then took over the helm and during his first season as the head coach led the Blue Devils to a 7-4 record including their first playoff football win since 1983 (W at Chadron, 30-28). Following a 3-6 season in 2018, WHS was back in the playoffs last year finishing 9-3 falling to the eventual C1 champs, Wahoo in the semifinal round.
Most notably, Coach Plager led the program to the NSAA Class C-1 semi-final game in 2019 while recording the first victory in a home playoff game in over 30 years.
Coach Plager’s program produced several all–district performers, and were known for representing the school and Blue Devils Athletic program with the utmost class and respect.
Dave Wragge, Athletic Director at Wayne Community Schools states, “Wayne High School football improved tremendously over the past four years, and we appreciate the hard work and effort coach Plager displayed. The culture of the program is in great shape moving forward thanks to Coach Plager’s leadership.”
Coach Plager states, “I enjoyed working with the student athletes over the past four years and I wish the football program the best of luck in the future.”
The Wayne High School Athletic Department will begin the search immediately for a new coach.