By Blake Chadwick
With all of the eyes on Wichita East after an 8-3 season, the Blue Aces have a chance to be something really special.
Junior DJ Ngassa, will anchor the defensive line in 2024.
“I would say some of my biggest strengths are my competitiveness and my attentiveness,” Ngassa said. “My competitiveness definitely pushes me to be a better version of myself every day, especially on the field. Football is just one of those things that brings out my most competitive side. You could be one of my best friends but whenever we get on that field I’m coming for it all. When I’m watching film and in games I pay attention to everything. Which way the O-Line feet are facing, the direction of their head/ body, what little things they do on specific plays, really anything. I always look for a way to get that advantage on my opponent.”
Ngassa’s love for football is very high, but it hasn’t always been that way.
“I used to dislike football, I was big and had asthma and had never really found interest in playing the sport,” Ngassa said. “I’m glad I stuck to it because when I played my first ever game it turned out I loved the sport and it truly has become a part of me.”
Now after being named as an All-League Defensive Lineman, the number 15 Player in Class of 2026 for Kansas and the number one defensive tackle in Kansas, the junior knows how good he can be and knows that he can build off of a season where he had 96 tackles, 13 sacks and 14 TFLs.
“It makes me feel good when people call me the best D-lineman in the area because I have put in so much work to get to where I am today and I am nowhere near done,” Ngassa said. “I want to break records and make sure everyone knows who I am. I want this to be my best year yet.”
