2026 Season Recaps

Sept 3 at home vs. Stillwater

Thursday night proved what I had anticipated: at times, our inexperience would have an opportunity to show. It certainly did show in a few moments, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. In fact, I appreciate what those moments revealed about this group. They gave us an opportunity to see their resilience and how they responded to adversity.

The night started the way any home opener should, with a long, winding tunnel created by our incredible youth program. Dave Malenke Youth Night brings an energy unlike any other week of the regular season, and the kids in the end zone during the first half certainly added to that atmosphere.

Defensively, we had just two starters playing the same position they played last year, along with one other returning starter playing a new position. That meant eight players were getting their first opportunity to truly cut their teeth against an offense that we knew could create some problems for our defense.

Stillwater had a player who was clearly a focal point of their offense, which created an additional challenge as we prepared on a short week. Our defense did an excellent job learning the necessary adjustments and then making plays on the field.

The defense also became the first group to score in the 2026 season. Adam Patefield did a tremendous job in coverage, sitting in the window of a slant route before intercepting the pass and scampering 57 yards for a touchdown. We will not talk about his post-touchdown celebration, though!

It was awesome to see the excitement from Adam, our youth program, and the entire defensive unit. I believe that play helped jump-start the defense and allowed them to play with even more confidence. We were able to record six sacks and two interceptions on the evening. Julian Cipala and Levi Bakker each recorded two sacks. Jake Hansegard and Austin Thyen did a great job using their speed to make plays, while Lucas Smith and Elias Tiah did an excellent job making adjustments and stepping up when opportunities presented themselves. Overall, I thought our defensive players did a great job playing fast, loose, and with confidence.

Offensively, we had eleven brand-new faces in the starting lineup, and at times, that inexperience showed. There were moments when the offense struggled, but there were also moments when it looked like we might be on rinse and repeat from the success of previous years.

The challenge this week, and moving forward, is to clean up missed assignments while continuing to make plays, move the chains, and finish drives. We were able to get inside the 5-yard line twice, which should result in two touchdowns. Unfortunately, we only came away with three points from those two possessions. Those are valuable learning opportunities, and our players will be better because of them. We need to learn from those mistakes and capitalize on those opportunities moving forward.

Offensively, we also had a new quarterback at the helm in Graham Greseth, and I thought he did a great job leading the group on the field. He made some impressive plays, and with some great catches by Lucas Bakker and Briggs Tarnowski, our passing game showed flashes of being very good. I cannot wait to watch this group continue to grow and become more confident in both their responsibilities and their ability to make plays.

Special teams had some ups and downs as well. Our kick-return team did a great job pinning the Stillwater offense deep in its own territory. However, our blocking on punts and extra points/field goals needs to be a point of emphasis this week. Sophomore Matthew Richardson also came through for us, knocking in a 32-yard field goal. It was exciting to see that the moment was not too big for the young man.

Next week provides another awesome test as we head down Highway 494 and make a stop in Eden Prairie. They are always very well coached, have big and physical players, and know how to win football games. I enjoy playing at Eden Prairie because of their rich tradition and outstanding facilities.

This week's game will once again be on a Thursday night, which means another short week of preparation. Our attention to detail and film work will need to be at an all-time high.

We are excited for another great challenge. Come join us next Thursday night in Eden Prairie for a blackout-themed night in the stands!

Fear The Leaf. Leave No Doubt. Find A Way.

Coach Spurrell