South Hamilton hits the road for opener
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ST. ANSGAR – The 2026 season kicks off for South Hamilton here on Friday night against a Class A state contender in St. Ansgar.
Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m.
Leading the way for the Hawks this fall will be Wyatt Gelder, as the junior ran for 1,423 yards and scored 16 touchdowns on nearly 200 carries last year. Gelder was also one of the squad’s top tacklers with 52 stops, and will provide a key building block for first-year head coach Cole Billerbeck.
Garrett Johnson returns at quarterback, with Lyndon Johnson, Kaden Dean, and Liam Ealy serving as veterans in the stable as well.
On defense, Gelder, Dean, Kash Northrop and Lyndon Johnson are all leading returning tacklers.
The Saints reached the state championship game last year, falling to MMCRU in the finals while finishing 12-1 overall. Leading rusher Korben Michels has graduated, but quarterback Porter Schwiesow returns after throwing for over 1,000 yards and 16 touchdowns.
South Hamilton closed last season with a 21-20 victory over Eagle Grove.
These programs squared off last year for the first time, with St. Ansgar securing a 59-14 victory.