Deontae Fields has one final opportunity to leave his mark on the football field, and the Labette County senior is determined to make every snap count.
After rushing for 1,409 yards and 18 touchdowns during his junior campaign, Fields enters the 2026 season eager to build on that success while helping the Grizzlies chase another Southeast Kansas League championship.
“I’m most excited about getting on the field for the last time for high school football and seeing how much I’ve improved since last year,” Fields said. “I’m ready to make new memories with everyone on my team. My coach always says, ’48 minutes for a lifetime of memories,’ and I think that’s true.”
Fields proved to be one of the area’s most dynamic offensive weapons last season. He carried the ball 216 times for 1,409 rushing yards while averaging 136.9 yards per game. He also added 55 receiving yards and 179 kickoff return yards to finish with 1,643 all-purpose yards and 18 total touchdowns.
Rather than relying on last season’s accomplishments, Fields has spent the offseason focused on becoming a more complete player.
He’s participated in Labette County’s summer strength program, attended multiple football camps and trained with Sharp Performance to prepare for his senior season.
“I’ve been going to summer weights and it seems everyone is dialed in and ready for the season to come,” Fields said. “I’ve been to a couple camps and I’ve been to some training with people like Sharp Performance.”
While physical training has been a priority, Fields believes the biggest strides have come mentally. Competing in 7-on-7 events against top programs has expanded his understanding of the game and helped sharpen his decision-making.
“I’m wanting to improve on my knowledge for the game of football,” Fields said. “I’ve been working on my patience and more of my athletic ability. During 7-on-7, doing that really helps you get to learn from other people at all the other big schools, and I think they’ve taught me some stuff I didn’t know about. I really appreciate it from them.”
As one of the team’s veteran leaders, Fields knows his responsibilities extend beyond producing big plays. He wants to serve as a role model for the younger players while continuing to improve each week.
“Some of the goals I have this year are just to get better every game, be a leader for the underclassmen and do even better than I did last year,” Fields said.
Individual accolades would be welcome, but Fields’ primary focus remains on team success. The Grizzlies have set their sights on another Southeast Kansas League title, and Fields is determined to help make that goal a reality.
“For the team, the goal is to always win an SEK title,” Fields said. “That’s what the team has their mind on, and that’s what we want to get done once again.”
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