Thoughts from Friday: An eye-opening Week 1 edition

Week 1 of the 2026 high school football season opened with a mix of emotion and momentum, headlined by the Kingsland Knights. After an Aug. 16 ATV tragedy killed teammate Nathaniel Drees, Kingsland honored him during a Thursday season opener and raced to a 48-8 win over Faribault Bethlehem Academy. Bentley Wiersma ran for 151 yards and three TDs, while KD Roland recorded 11 tackles. On the other side of the Mississippi, Fillmore Central’s offense centered on quarterback Bridon Bahl, supported by a veteran line led by Ryan Schroeder, Joseph Otto and William Boettcher; the Falcons beat J-W-P 48-28 with 344 rushing yards. In Section 1-4A, Kasson-Mantorville, Byron and Stewartville all shut out opponents, setting up a Sept. 18 matchup between Stewartville and K-M.