How Wagoner kicker Ethan Muehlenweg penned 'a perfect comeback story' in Class 4A finale

EDMOND — Charity Muehlenweg couldn’t help but leave her seat for a closer view.

Wagoner and Cushing had fought doggedly to a 21-point tie, and the Bulldogs were sending their senior kicker on the field to see if he could make a last-second field goal for the Class 4A state title.

Charity watched, slightly trembling as the potential hero stepped onto the turf. The fans on both sides of Chad Richison Stadium had reasons to hold their breaths as they waited in suspense, but the nerves were especially palpable for her.

The kicker, Ethan Muehlenweg, is her son.

And, despite the injury that had derailed his junior season, his high school football career had a storybook ending.

Ethan nailed a 36-yard field goal to give the Bulldogs a 24-21 victory against the Tigers on Saturday night, securing their second Class 4A state title in three seasons. His motivation was straightforward.

“All my teammates made too many big plays for me to go mess up one,” Ethan said.

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For Charity, tears began to fall. She said she had never cried at a football game before, but it meant more than one field goal, one win or even one championship.

It reminded her Ethan was healthy enough to step up for the Bulldogs when they needed him.

“I think that’s why I started crying,” Charity said. “Obviously, I’m happy we won, but it’s just a perfect comeback story for him and for all the hard work to pay off.”

She knew what her son had overcome. On the opening kickoff of Wagoner’s 2021 season opener against Coweta, Ethan tore five ligaments in his left knee, including his ACL. It was his plant leg, and because he could no longer put weight on it, he couldn’t kick.

For the rest of that year, Ethan, who had been the Bulldogs’ sophomore kicker during their 2020 state championship season, had to sit out. But that didn’t mean he could take a break. After a couple of surgeries, he went through a rigorous rehabilitation process, waking up at 7 a.m. three days a week to visit a physical therapist 45 minutes away.

While the Bulldogs rolled to a 9-3 record and appeared in the state quarterfinals, Ethan, who also plays soccer, was trying to regain the range of motion in his knee. He exercised on his own and, with advice from a physical therapist, used a dog leash as a resistance cord to practice extending his leg.

“That’s what they told me to use because I didn’t have anything else,” Ethan said.

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His dedication worked. Alan Muehlenweg, Ethan’s father and soccer coach, maintained optimism as he witnessed his son’s tireless effort.

“I knew when he hurt it, he’d come back,” Alan said. “I didn’t know he’d get a chance like this. And I’m glad he did and he got a chance to shine.”

Charity said she wasn’t sure if Ethan would be able to kick this season, but in July, he was cleared to play football again. Coach Dale Condict divided kicking duties between Ethan and junior Logan Bloxom, who also played a role in the state finals Saturday night. After Kale Charboneau’s 3-yard touchdown rush in the third quarter, Bloxom made the extra point to tie the game.

But when the Bulldogs needed a seasoned leader to carry them through the most critical situation, Condict turned to Ethan.

“It just felt like it was a little bit divine that he was able to go out and have that moment after going through everything he’s been through,” Condict said.

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On the sideline, the questions surrounded Ethan: “Are you nervous?”

He said he wasn’t because his teammates had set up the moment for him.

Sophomore quarterback Charboneau ran for 110 yards and a touchdown. Versatile senior Gabe Rodriguez boosted Wagoner’s offense as a rusher and receiver. Brayden Skeen and Witt Edwards caught touchdown passes.

And it was Ethan who gave the Bulldogs a finale to remember. When the ball sailed through the goalposts, Alan hopped over the metal rail in the stands, waiting for a few seconds as Wagoner’s team rushed onto the field before he greeted his son with an embrace.

Ethan’s athletic career isn’t done, Alan said. They’re hoping to win a state title in soccer, and Condict said Ethan also plans to kick in college. No matter what the future holds, the kicker has left his mark on Wagoner football with a curtain call his family could only dream of when they saw him endure the setback he had a year ago.

“(It was) very, very scary,” Charity said. “But I would say that he is the most disciplined child. And he always has been, but you never know what you can handle and what you can go through until you do.”

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This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Oklahoma HS football: Ethan Muehlenweg helps Wagoner secure 4A title