.jpg)
RANDOLPH — Randolph head football coach, Mark Lech, opens his 20th season on the Cardinal sidelines and is looking to a fairly green group of players to improve on last season’s 1-7 mark.
“We will have a lot of new starters on offense,” the coach said. “Our skill position players have played a lot of football both varsity and junior varsity. but they haven’t been relied upon to be the main contributors.
“The priority will be to establish the new players in their positions, especially looking for a new quarterback.”
Junior, Ryan Engel has come to the front and seems poised to take over the signal-calling duties for Lech and the Cardinals and will most likely be handing the ball off to classmate, Milo Rayford or tossing the ball to senior, Luke Harder, junior, Cole Jensen or sophomore, Bentley Reimers.
A couple of juniors, Owen Junck and Kody Junck and sophomore Ty Sievers will be protecting Engel or opening holes for Rayford.
On the defensive side of the ball, the Redbirds do return some experience.
“We return all of our defensive backs from last year,” said Lech. “This group was young last year and should develop into a strength now that they have a year of experience. The defensive front and linebackers will be positions needing to be solidified as many players were in and out of the lineup here last year.”
Randolph will open the 2025 season on Aug. 29 on the road for an afternoon game with Chambers/Wheeler Central in Chambers.
September opens with back-to-back home dates with Archangels Catholic coming to Randolph Sept. 5 and Creighton on Sept. 12.
The Cardinals will finish Sept. with games at Wynot on Sept. 19 and Bancroft on Sept, 26 to take on Bancroft-Rosalie.
A pair of home games, one with Lyons-Decatur Northeast on Oct. 3 and one with the Walthill Blujays on Oct. 10 will open the month before the final game of the season down the road to Winside on Oct. 17.
“We look to be competitive,” said Lech. “If we continue to improve like we did last year.”
