HAYTI — All Jackson Wadsworth does is win.

Hamlin’s senior quarterback has been a cornerstone to the Chargers success the last three seasons, including last year’s run to a Class 9AA state championship, winning outstanding back and Joe Robbie MVP honors.

“It was an amazing feeling, surreal,” Wadsworth said of last season’s state championship. “A lot of people didn’t think we had the team to get there, counting us out, and just getting to the game and winning it in front of your crowd and community is just amazing.”

In fact, Wadsworth has never lost a game as the starting quarterback for the Chargers, winning 17 consecutive games dating back to last season.

Now into 2025, the Chargers had to fill in the holes with six starters graduating on both sides of the ball. But judging by the 5-0 start, it’s been smooth sailing so far.

“We’ve definitely got better since Week 1,” Wadsworth said. “We had three returning starters and among those six new starters, we’ve definitely gotten closer together and had a connection that’s starting to build more as we get farther into the season.”

As for Wadsworth, he’s taken a step in his leadership role from last season as younger players have had to step up into starting positions.

“I’ve definitely become more of a leader for the team, just helping younger kids along. There’s definitely other guys that have stepped up too. Aiden (Abraham) and Boden (Stevenson), all three of us helping younger kids that haven’t been there or haven’t been in the situation.”

It’s also a point head coach Jeff Sheehan has taken notice of this season.

“He was a leader last year, too,” Sheehan said. “He was one of the guys everybody followed as well but he’s putting a lot on his shoulders and he knows that he needs to be a leader and take a step up from what he did last year.

We had a really good team, but what he did last year in his leadership role to this year, he knows that we wanted to keep things going in the right direction, and he put a lot of that on his shoulders.”

And so far, the Chargers are looking at another trip to the DakotaDome this season. Hamlin is 5-0 this season, pitching four shutouts in four of its five contests. Wadsworth, who has thrown 856 yards and 10 touchdowns to just three interceptions, is starting to find a groove with his new weapons.

“Just learning where I like to throw it or what different things are starting to come together and just know what the other person is going to do more,” Wadsworth said.

But it’s not just the passing ability that makes the 6-foot-3, 208-pound quarterback/linebacker dangerous, he’s also added 23 carries for 118 yards and two scores on the ground, while sitting third on the team in tackles with 28 (six tackles for loss).

Sheehan says his senior all-state quarterback has always been one “to want to learn and be better.”

“He wanted to be on the field no matter what,” Sheehan said. “Sophomore year, he was our fullback and middle linebacker. He’s been our leading tackler pretty much for the last three years. He’s consistently at the top of everything he does and he just wants to be the best.”

But Sheehan says the most impressive thing about Wadsworth’s game is his ability to stay calm and collected under pressure, no matter the situation.

“He knows things are going to go bad at certain times, but it never fazes him,” Sheehan said. “I’ve never really seen him get rattled in three years and that’s impressive from a coaching standpoint. To have a kid with that kind of self discipline that they see the bigger picture on things.

“It’s been a lot of fun coaching him. It’s a coach’s dream to have a kid like that. That knows the game inside and out and studies it. It’s just so much fun to have him out there.”

Wadsworth, an FCA, NHS and student council member as well as a basketball and boys golf player at Hamlin, will look to guide the Chargers back to a state championship in his final high school and football season of his career. The future Northern State Wolf elected to go down the basketball route at the collegiate level, the same path his three older sixers Lexi, Kylee, and Kami went down as well.

“I’ve always wanted to play basketball,” Wadsworth said. “I went to a couple junior days for football but my heart was always set on basketball.”

Initially having his eyes set on Dakota Wesleyan, Wadsworth changed his plans to Aberdeen to play for newly hired head coach Matt Wilber.

“My oldest sister (Lexi) went there and I kind of liked the facilities,” Wadsworth said. “I was more leaning towards DWU until coach Wilber signed there. I really liked him as a coach and I liked that facility and the community up there a lot, too. It was the right spot for me.”

Wadsworth and the Hamlin Chargers take on Redfield Friday night with just three regular season games remaining before the final playoff run of his football career.

“It’s kind of becoming real to me like, this is the last time I’ll get to play, I only have like half a season left. Last time I’ll get to go out and compete. It goes by quick, just got to cherish it.”