Shannon Wingate — a 2,000-yard transfer who studied film daily on his Chromebook — says he’s ready to help Maiden win and showcase his game;
After three productive seasons at North Lincoln, running back Shannon Wingate moved to Maiden this summer with a clear purpose: keep improving and help his new team win.
Wingate’s production is unmistakable. As a sophomore he carried 150 times for 1,170 yards and 18 touchdowns. Last season — in what would be his coach’s final year before retirement — he totaled 271 carries for 2,078 yards and 32 scores as North Lincoln went 12-2 and reached the fourth round of the playoffs. By available measures he ranks third in returning yards across classifications and finished last year seventh in the state overall.
“I’m very excited. I try to get better every season. For my senior year I want to top my last year and keep getting better,” Wingate said.
Family ties played a major role in the transfer. Wingate’s father and uncles are from Maiden, and the move, he said, felt right. “My dad’s from here. A lot of my dad’s side of the family is from Maiden. It felt like the right place to be,” he said, crediting his father with heavy involvement in his recruitment and development. “Without him I probably wouldn’t be where I am.”
Wingate pointed to steady offseason work as the foundation for his production: multi-sport reps in basketball and track, daily time in the weight room and regular sessions with his running-back trainer, Coach Blake. “I’m in the weight room whenever school’s out and I try to get to the gym every day,” he said.
Wingate is careful — and consistent — when he talks about what he brings on the field. He describes his strengths in simple terms: “I have great vision. Once I get past the second level, there’s no catching me.” He calls his top trait “finesse” and says his speed is often underrated. Those are his words, and they line up with what coaches and the tape show: a back who reads blocks, times his cuts and consistently turns positive yardage into scoring chances. On film this summer he looked the part — the size, burst and balance that let him finish runs and force missed tackles — but when asked, Wingate returns the focus to preparation and fundamentals. “My speed,” he said when asked what people underrate, and he credits film work and repetition for sharpening those traits.
The move to Maiden also required a quick cultural fit, and Wingate said the locker room accepted him while still demanding he earn his role. “I wasn’t expecting everybody to show me love on the first day, but since day one everybody’s been welcoming and accepting,” he said. The balance of welcome and accountability, he added, has reinforced the team-first mindset he says defines him. “He’d say I’m a selfless player and I’m willing to do anything for the team to win,” Wingate said, paraphrasing what his previous coach would tell college recruiters.
Film study has been a practical part of that transition. Wingate leaned on his Chromebook as the hub for learning Maiden’s terminology, tempo and situational responsibilities. “I had my Chromebook every single day trying to figure out what to do here — what’s expected and what I need to do,” he said. He described a routine of self-scouting his reps, studying opponent tendencies and syncing notes with coaches, a preparation method he credits with helping him settle in quickly.
Recruiting interest has followed his production. Wingate said colleges are watching and that Maiden’s spread offense gives him additional looks to show versatility. Still, his priorities remain straightforward: help the team and chase a state title. “I want to help take us all the way to the state,” he said.
Contextually, Wingate joins a deep group of returning rushers statewide. Jayden Jones of Independence returns after a 2,214-yard season, and a top Mt. Airy back accounted for 2,397 yards and 38 touchdowns last year. That landscape underscores the competition for statewide attention — and the standing Wingate has already earned.
Off the field, Wingate plans to major in exercise science and keeps a daily focus on improvement. “Everything I do is about football,” he said. “I want to help the team win. I want to keep getting better and take us all the way to the state.” If his summer preparation holds and the locker-room chemistry remains intact, Maiden will enter the season with a senior who brings production, experience, and one of the best backs In the state.
Category: General Sports
